Club run - On My First Whistle....

Hello blog lovers.

Well today it was back to the grind stone with graduates, although Tracy is still not quite recovered, she will be taking another week off. But Nagging sister, and MissMolly, was here and so was Lorraine.

To make it more interesting and a bit more of harder workout for Nagging Sister and MissMolly, I added a little bit of an extra thing to do. But first it was all to meet up.  As it was a bit of a chilly night, and we were going to be doing a conversational paced run, our warm up today was a very light jog for about half mile. Then I sent N.S. and M.M off to run at a slightly faster pace in front. But when they hear my whistle they were to sprint back to me and then jog it out again.


It just makes it a bit more interesting, and it was fun for her and M.M. At least it looked like a smile when I explained my cunning plan!  We were also doing our usual route in the opposite direction too, just to keep it interesting, and also it helps psychologically, as you are not quite sure how far you have run, as the usual marker points will be different!

They all did really well.  Lorraine kept on jogging, with just a couple of little walking bits. But after having 2 weeks off from running and not doing anything, I think she is doing really well indeed!

So geeky stats for the grads run.

Group 1

I was pretty warm after the grads run, and the outer layer high viz I was wearing was not a good idea.  I was soaked from the inside out!  So I removed my jacket and tried to keep as warm as possible and to try and dry off!  I read somewhere today a great tip from Jeff Gallway:

Here's a tip to keep you comfortable in the cold weather:

As you warm up through exercise, peel off each layer before you start sweating. Too much sweat accumulation will freeze and cause problems.

But I was too late in peeling of my high viz! and I was a tad cold.

But chatting with everyone and bobbing about keeping warm the time quickly went by and we were ready for the off.  Illustrious Leader as leading today and it seemed she was going to be taking it easy on us today.  With just the biggest hill of the evening at the very beginning of the run, the rest of the way looked as though it was going to be a very pleasurable, conversational group 1 run.  I do like these runs.  Chatting about anything and everything, just love it.

I thought I would remind all of the other Group 1 runners about the Grand Prix events.  We have a couple of others that have entered, all though Janet said that she can't actually remember entering. But I said that its a great way to have a little bit of competition between us all, and its a lot of fun.  Also it's a way of experience other races that normally we just wouldn't enter!

I know the first time I heard about the Grand Prix I felt as if that I was just not 'good' enough, not fast enough, and just not fit enough to even consider being part of it.  There were half marathons and 10 milers in the events tables.  But there was also loads of 5 milers, 10k's and 5k's  Most certainly do-able for all of the Group 1 runners! Which is how comes last year I actually one the group 1 Grand Prix trophy!  My very first 1st place trophy, ever! In fact my very first trophy!

Any way I digress, but I know some of the group 1 runners are reading this, so yes I am talking to you, next year, enter it! It really is a lot of fun, and it gets you experiencing so much more running styles and distances than you would normally do!

Back to the running, I was really enjoying todays run, although I was still at the back, but I volunteered to sweep, my legs were still a bit achy and stiff from the 5 miles XC on Sunday, so I knew I would be at the back of todays group anyway.  But I had a great time.

No geeky stats for this run, but it was about 3 and half miles long in under 50 mines I believe. And this is becaruse, firstly of I forgot to switch it on until we got to Leesons hill, and then secondly, after switching it off when we got back to the rec, I had managed to switch it on again before I got home! Oh well, at least I can follow the little pointer around and just see how fast I was going.

Remember!

Hello blog lovers.

What a day it was today.  An emotional day, a muddy day and a beautiful day! A day to remember!

This run, is part of our club's Grand Prix events and I have committed myself in doing these races.  So another day away from church, but I knew I would  be praying all the way round the course today. It's remembrance Sunday! A day that we remember those that have given their lives to protect the freedom of us all.  A day to remember exactly what the sacrifice of a life for the sake of others really means. God bless all those that have laid down their lives and God bless those service men and women who also serve to protect that freedom!

I met DiscoRich at the rec, he had kindly offered to drive today.  I was excited about the race, the Kent Fitness League Swanley 5 miles. But I was also a little anxious.  These events are attended by club runners from all over Kent; Canterbury, Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Swanley of course and my club, Pettswood Runners .  There were loads more other clubs too, and they are going to be running fast! But I am just going to do my best, and try to stay upright at all times.

The rain had done it's best yesterday, to create a sticky and wet course, for all of the cross country runners who just love mud.  Although I run through our woods, I still haven't acquired a pair of trail shoes, I will be slipping and sliding through todays race.  We met up with the rest of our club members, altogether there were 51 PWR's competing in this race, a very good turn out indeed, but unfortunately for me no other group 1 runners. I am going to have to encourage all the group 1's to enter the races that's in our fixtures! It's good to have a bit of competition.

The race began after a time of silence.  The 500+ runners and all the entourage and spectators fell silent, thinking, praying about the soldiers who fought for our country, not a murmur from any of the runners.  The birds tweeted, a child was heard in the playground, but just at that moment, on the start line, it was utter silence...... Then a voice brought us all back from our thoughts and it was time to go.

The course is three laps of the park, taking in the boating lake, the slight undulations and the wooded areas of the park.  The going was really, really soft! 500+ pairs of feet churning up the mud before I even got there.  The sun was shining down so brightly I was having difficulty in looking ahead.  I had forgotten my hat. This was going to be fun!  With my head down, all I could see was the muddy path, I thought to my self  "At least I can't possibly get lost, all I have to do is follow the sticky footprints in the muddy paths"

The first turn left bought us down to towards the boating lake, and it seemed to be even more muddy than the first bit, if that is at all possible! I was slipping and sliding about just as I predicted.  I thought that maybe the answer to the problem was to just 'go for it', straight through the middle of the path, but that didn't help at all, so I just slowed down and tippy toed through it, 'ewww-ing' quietly to myself. 

Picking my way through the mud I saw the front runners heading towards me, they had completed the U-Turn at the end and they made their way back past me and up to the next part of the course.  I reached the U-turn and I looked to see if there was any one else behind me.  I could see a few others picking their way through the mud, so at least I am not the last person ......yet!

This bit had a sandy path to run on! My 'sense of balance' was taking a huge sigh of relief! But not for long as it was back into the mire for some delightful uphill pleasure!  I had forgotten to bring my Garmin with me (again), but my phone app was keeping me company and it started telling me how well I was doing, calories burnt up etc, but I was just concentrating on keeping up right and trying to run! 

At this point I was talking to myself, as I nearly slipped over again for the umpteenth time, "Stupid idea, you should be at church,  worshipping, playing guitar, eating biscuits after" I am not sure if I was saying that out loud.  But from that moment I started to think about today, and I started to remember about today. 

I started to think about the soldiers that had to spend weeks and weeks in muddy fields and trenches, with bullets flying over head, and bombs exploding, and the rain and the cold and their friends being killed. This is where the emotional part started for me.  Here was I, traipsing around in the mud for fun,( and by the way, running is fun, even in the mud,) all because of our soldiers and sailors and air force continue to fight and protect to keep us in the freedom that should be everyones!

Yes, I had a few tears just then,  and I decided  that from that minute, I was just going to have fun today, because....because..... well, because I can! Thank you, you brave men and women!

So with a renewed spirit and the fact that I am allowing myself to enjoy this run, I just plodded along, doing what I always do, my pace.  The route took us pass some allotments and the car park, and then through a narrower path as we went into the wooded part of the course.

The narrower path with
the wooden edges

The course marshals had been busy before hand, highlighting all the bigger roots that could be a trip hazard.  We then came out of that and into a wider path.  I was passed by a lady wearing a purple top who told me to "Keep going"  I smiled as said "yes, thank you."  And that was the first of all the encouragement from all those that started to pass me.  From this point on the course, is where the first of the front runners started to lap me!


The lady in purple, who passed me
with the front runner disappearing from view

Now I can remember why I don't like doing laps in races! Apart from the fact that you know what is coming, it's also the lapping of the other runners that is just a tad demoralising!  But I again came back to the my thoughts of what this day was and I just kept going at my own pace, determined to finish, stay on my feet and above all to have fun!

The route took another  U-turn, which led us back on to ourselves again.  I tried to see how many others were behind me, but that was impossible now as more and more of the faster runners were catching up.  Just up ahead there was another.... well.... I can only describe it as a ridge, it was only about three or four feet high, similar to one that I had already gone over just a few moments earlier. Only that one was grassy! A little grassy ridge that you ran up and ran down, no problem. But this one was not grassy.  This one looked like every little school boy and girls' mud pies stacked together to make this ridiculously muddy ridge!

The steeplechase type hump!

I watched as some of the faster runners just flew up it and down the other side and then carried on running! "Ok Old Girl, you've seen the technique, now go for it" As I got nearer to it I realised that this particular Old Girl would not be 'flinging' her self up there and down the other side!

I chose some particularly well 'dented' footprints to use as steps to get up to the top of the ridge. From the top of the ridge it looked higher that it actually was! I could really see myself sliding down here on my backside if I wasn't careful.  I again chose some well dented footprints to get down, and I was also aware of the faster runners wanting to get past me. "Please don't let me fall, please don't let me fall" I was saying to myself! 

The ridge safely over I am now heading back to the starting point, over the little miniature rail lines and heading off into the cheering crowds. And now.... do it all again!  The sun was still in the same position, the grass was now even more muddier than I have ever seen, and the 'lappers' were still flying by me, splashing the mud about and with shouts of "Well done, keep going",  the encouragement was most welcomed! 

It was good to hear my name being called out, having it emblazoned on my top is a very good motivational move indeed! The marshals and the runners all shouting encouragement to everyone!  Getting back into the wooded part of the course, with the narrow path, I was particularly aware that I was totally in the way of the faster runners!  I could hear them coming up behind me, but as I was having to concentrate on where I was putting my feet I really didn't know which way to 'give way' to them.  On a number of occasions a tried to get out of the way and tripped over tree roots and even the wooden edging that was in place.  So I decided that the safest thing to do was to let them run around me.

I was feeling a bit jaded now, knowing I still had to do another lap, the constant slipping and sliding was taking its toll on my legs and knees.  I knew I had another lap to do, and I was just following all the other runners, but of course the runners I was following was the ones that had lapped me.  They were all heading for the finish line, a keened eyed marshal could see that I was on the wrong track, heading for the finish and quickly guided me  to the right path. I still had one more lap to do! 

Now there was no one to follow, I was heading up on the very sticky churned up path alone. The sun was still shining down as bright as ever and I was blindly heading in in the right direction, but then   I noticed that I wasn't on the side of the marked route! I quickly pulled myself back on the muddy path, ready to jog and squish my way up and then down towards the boating lake for the last time. 

By now I knew what was a head as I saw the boating lake. I knew, more or less, how all the other runners had been running through it,  and I knew this was the last time I had to do this bit.  I just had to go for it.  It was down hill, which made it a lot more appealing for what I was about to do, and that was to run faster through this wet, sticky slippery mud bath!  I picked up the pace, I slipped, slid and just about stayed on my feet, as my body contorted in ways that it never should do for a women of my age, an ex couch potato no less,  should be doing!  I twinged my back again, just slightly.  So I had another deciding moment, and that was I decided from then that I was just going to take it easy.

One particular marshal was very encouraging indeed, of course they all were, even with my very slow efforts of running around and keeping them knee deep in the mire, but this one chap said "You've done it, it's all yours, you are going to complete this and you will be very pleased, keep going Donna, keep going" I smiled, I was still smiling when I passed the next marshals and they cheered me along.

I started to sing to my self.  A song that they may have been singing at church today, #When the spirit of the Lord#  which was a particularly good one as it speeds up as you sing along!  This kept me going until I almost got to the rail way lines, where a "Keep going Donna, you're doing really well" from Sherry made me realise that I was almost to the end.

It really isn't that far now, I started to allow myself to get just a tad quicker, at least it felt as if I was doing that.  I could see the play park now, and I know the finish is that that way, "To the left, to the left" was the call I heard, obviously with no one to follow I was relying on the marshals and the bystanders to keep me heading towards the finish line. 

My head down, staring at the ground, I started to get faster, "Right! right" I head some one call, I looked up and I could see the finish flag, I was heading slightly left of it!  I think I must have been heading for the coffee shop! I finished! I was so pleased, just as the marshal had said. But a fantastic race! I really did enjoy it.  I was muddy, I was a bit achy and I was smiling!

No geeky stats, but I was 535 out of a field of about 537! 51st Pettswood runner home! My official time for this, my first KFL XC run is 01:05:19. A tad quicker than I thought I would have been in those conditions!

Me, after the run!

Here is a video that PhysioMike had done!
http://youtu.be/T7hNMqzf0vU

Pictures of me courtesy of Sherry Bevan and Mike Reeves, video courtesy of Mike Reeves.

Thursdays Mud Fest!

Hello blog lovers.

It's my Thursdays session, all eyes on me for the route as I lead these sessions.  It still is all a little weird for me to think that I am a leader, but I had a route planned through the woods, and then I changed my mind when I got to the rec and thought I would do some pavement pounding instead, with the option of a little more challenging climbing up Southborough lane.

We all met up, DiscoRich said that he would be taking his group through the woods.  When I told my group where we were going, and whether they wanted to do the route in an anti clock wise direction which is the more challenging way. They said yes. But I did ask them if they would like to do a bit of running in the woods, which they all agreed to!  I think I should have been more confident and just gone for the woods in the first place!

So the route slightly changed, we headed towards 'Dog Poo ally' and turned left.  I tried to remember the top path that PhysioMike had taken us on when we were with the beginners group.  But I got slightly lost.  But Sherry runs the woods regularly and headed us on the right track.  And it really was a mud fest!  Squishing and squelching our way around and just enjoying the woods, even all the muddy puddles.

We ran along the three bridges which brought us out to Jubilee park.  A bit of tarmac and road to bash the mud of our shoes! When we got to Blackbrook lane, I again, I gave the ladies, who were Sherry, Illustrious Leader and PinkladyJo, a choice of which way to go, which was up Blackbrook and then up Southborough, where we could run so fast the mud would dry on our shoes and we could pound it off on the way back. Or we could really embrace the mud and continue to splash around in it and go back over the top of the woods.  Guess what the unanimous decision was? Yes....MUD!

Of course, turning right and heading that way means we have Goss hill to deal with! Sherry just seems to eat up those hills!  She just headed on up there like she was just out for a morning stroll.  I tried to do a much of the hill as I could with the other two ladies behind going at their speed.

Getting to the top was hard work but we all got there, Sherry was running little circles when I reached the top!  Along the top path now, by the school and towards Botony Bay Lane.  By the time we got to lane I.L. decided that she would finish the route by going down the lane and taking a slightly shorter cut, as she was feeling a little tired.  The rest of us headed up to the top of the woods to continue our mud fest.

All I can say about todays run was that it was bloomin good! Well I enjoyed it, and the others did too.  Running down through the middle of the woods was just as muddy as the rest of it.  Good training for the next instalment our clubs Grand Prix!  Cross country 5 miler.  And todays run we covered just a tad over 4 miles!

We all met back at the rec, and I.L. came running through the cars to join us, and she still enjoyed the route.  So what I have got to learn from todays run is to be more confident in myself and just enjoy our woods, because everyone does, even though they were really muddy at the end of it!

Here is todays geeky stats!

Club Run - Back With A Bang!

Hello blog lovers

Well it seems that germs and achy backs, legs and heads have kept all the graduates at home this evening as all of them couldn't make a run this evening. This left me longing for a run even more.  I hadn't been running since last Tuesday, as I had twinged my back. I did try and just ignore it, but when I did I could feel the twinge again, so that's when I decided that I was actually going to take time off from running, having had the same sort of thing two weeks before I did the marathon in April, I have learnt my lesson.

So, although I love helping with the new improver's group, going straight to group 1 this evening was a very welcome change.  SingstarJo was leading our group today, and Illustrious Leader was sweeping. I was going to try and stay somewhere in the middle, but you know me, I was chatting and ended up at the back anyway!

We were going on S.J. (non flat) flat route, heading down Cardiac hill.  The whole group kept together really well, leaving just enough space between the runner in front so that they could see the smaller hazards that will be on route, the raised tarmac from the tree routes, pot holes and sticky up pavement slaps, the stuff you see during the daylight hours but is difficult to see at night.

Since I started running I have noticed that the roads are well lit, obviously drivers need to see the roads and the kerbs, but pedestrians need to see the pavements especially when there are trees that are lifting and contorting the pavements.  I have often stumbled over these, and that is just while walking during the day!  I always try to remember a light for these winter nights now.

We were on cardiac hill, and where I thought we were going to run down we didn't, instead we carried on down the whole of Cardiac Hill.  We are still heading down which of course I love doing! But this just makes the up hill more!  But as I am on fresh legs....fresh rested for days and days legs, this should be no problem for me. The whole group was still keeping together really well. Then the little undulations began! The gap between us few plodders and the faster runners began to grow, but not by much.

We regrouped again at the off license where we discovered that SingstarJo and mixed up two routes, so from here we are going to run straight down to Tudor way and then back to the rec.  There were a couple of sighs of relief from the runners!

I.L.'s nieces friend was with the group today a young lady, and she was at the back with me. I was chatting along with her and helping her to keep on going.  No need to speed up if you are going to burn yourself out before you finish! Keep your breath under control, slow the pace down just a tad and you will be surprised how much you can cover.

Also last week I.L. suggested to her that they sprinted to one lamppost then walk the next. So that's what we all did this week.  Even Jan and J.J. joined in this bit for the last push down Tudor way and Crossways.  Of course I just love the sprinting section of my runs.  As it was turning out, the last lamppost would have been one that we had to walk to so I encouraged the young lady to carry on running to the next one and then just to the sign post that points to the rec.  She did it! We all did it.  Sometimes it's good to have an interval running thrown in to your usual runs!

A great run today, and a great route! The non '(non flat) flat route! With added bang and sparkle from the Bonfire night celebrational fireworks!

Geeky stats....

PWR - Graduates and Club Run

Hello blog lovers.

I know this is a bit late, like almost 24 hours late, but as always there is a perfectly reasonable explanation. It was my clubs 7th anniversary celebrations and also the annual VLM place draw.  For all those who enterered the race but had rejection magazines instead.  That all took place at Heathcliffe and Krook, the local wine bar.

But before the merriment there was the runs to get underway first.  I met the first of the graduates at the park gates, and she walked with me while I chained my bike up, and then the others called from across the park as I was chaining it to the bike stands.

They had begun the warm exercises as I was walking back, the air was a bit chilly and the all wanted to keep warm. There were a couple of new faces I my group today, both family members! It seems this group grows with members of my own family!  I would be so good if all of the them would join! the group would be huge! Mind you I suspect the babies and youngsters wouldn't keep up!

The warm up done, and a very quick assessment done on my nieces we took to the road.  As Tracy was coming back from a slight knee pain I was just going to do a very conversational paced run around our route.  It would also give me a chance to see with my two nieces would slot into to.  It's only a tad over 2 miles, so I felt assured that they could do it.  As my Nagging Sister had taken them out earlier in the day on a mile run just to make sure that they could run for a mile at least.

As for N.S. and Ashleigh, they were to run at their pace, but to make it a bit more harder for them they were to loop back to me, so that I can keep an eye on all and also to give them a good work out. 

This was working well, although my older niece Ashleigh decided that she wasn't going to be doing the loop back each time, and just waited.  The other two younger nieces were a tad faster paced that Tracy and Lorraine. They are young! That's all I can say about that! And Molls has these long legs!

I had remembered to bring a decent light with me, to shine up on all of those tree roots that were lifting the pavements. As we were running along to the last turning Tracy tripped up! But she didn't trip up on the tree roots, it was the pavement!  She came down flat on her chest, almost landing on her face!  It was quite a shock for her, as well as all who were with her.  She sat up and she was laughing about it, I checked that she was hurting anywhere, but I kept her sat for a while until she felt ready to stand up.

But as she started to walk I think the shock of the fall started and she began to feel a little light headed.  So I sat her back down and sent the rest of the group back to get N.S. to come back with the car. 

I have spoken to her today, (Wednesday) and she said she is fine, "So embarrassing" she said.  But, I think 99% of runners have had at lease 1 or more falls!  Tracy did suffer a bit of grazed hands and knees, but also her knee is very swollen as well.  So another week off for Tracy!  But she said she will see us all next week.  Now we know that the running bug has really started to take a hold of her!

Geeky stats, with all the concern over Tracy I had forgotten to turn of the Garmin, but you can see how far they had gone before she fell.

Group 1 Run.

Illustrious Leader was leading group 1 run today, and I did offer to be sweep today as well.  I was still feeling a bit sore from Sundays training sessions and from Mondays bike ride up the hill in West Wickham.  I knew I would be at the back anyway.

It was nice to see Wendi back into the fold as well.  She has been off for a few weeks due to injury.  She has been busy running, but just not as far.  Today she wanted to just see how far she can go today.  Group 1 only run about 3 - 3 3/4 miles, and it's good to run with friends. 

I was still warm from my earlier session and still had on my bike jacket!  I was sweating by the time we had done 1 mile.  Wendy didn' think she would be able to do the whole of the route, so I suggested that we go straight up the road, which I.L. took the rest of them on the planned route around Palace estates. At least then we would be meeting them coming back, or they would be catching us up if we were to walk. 

I told I.L. what I suggested to Wendi and another sweeper was going to keep SingstarJo company on the longer route.  I was very impressed with Wendi because she carried on running out for just over a mile and half.  But I suggested to her that we should go back and head off home.  That would be about 3 mile for her then.

She carried on running for another mile before the pain started to tell her to stop! But she was pleased with what she had accomplished!  As for me, well my old muscles were quite pleased for the more relaxed run, and now thoughts were all on getting back and then meeting everyone down the wine bar!

The VLM marathon draw was done and the drinking and celebrations continued.  A nice run day today, well, apart from Tracy falling and Wendi suffering a bit of pain.

Geeky stats.

Learning to Lead

Hello blog lovers.

Leadership in Running Fitness, that is where I have been today! I am on a one day training course to learn how to take out a group of willing runners who want to get fit.  And it really has boosted my confidence, just to know that I have been doing the right thing, and also to know that there is a lot I can do to improve which is why courses are available!!

Being in a 'class room' environment is never my favourite thing to be doing! Especially early on a Sunday morning, with an imminent storm threatening to put a huge dampener on things, and then to blow everything to the four corners of the earth!  I was a tad nervous and anxious, but totally prepared. Pen, paper, packed lunch, money for snacks, change for a coffee machine (if there is one) even a change of clothes for later (I have a family celebration happening later in the day)

It started off with the usual 'Getting to know each other' type of thing.  Writing on 'post it notes' of why you want to become a leader, sticking on to a board and then sitting down. Then we had to choose a post it note, and then go and find the person who wrote it! Of course that got everyone chatting, and we had to find out one interesting fact about that person.

It was all a good icebreaker!  We also learnt the importance of warm ups and warm downs. How to keep a session fresh and fun! And how to be all inclusive!  It really did instill a lot of confidence in myself!  although I had been doing most of the things that was discussed today, it also showed me tons of things that I can improve on.  Things that I can do differently, and things that I can include to help the two groups that I help out on to improve their fitness and stamina.

If you can get onto a leadership course or a coaching course then I would advise it! The confidence it has given me is well worth the time and effort, (during the session we had to do no less than four mini sessions, including warm up/down and main session!)  Now just to send off all the paper work and then I will be

Moosh 007 - licensed to lead!

 

Park Run

Hello blog lovers.

I am writing this up late as I have had a busy day today, what with, trips to Borough Market, and then hospital visits, at least I am finally putting pen to paper.....erm....ink on......er....no wait........fingertips on to the keyboard!

I set my alam so that I would be up in plenty of time, after indulging in a couple of pints of lager and a kebab, it was quite easy to turn over and not bother.  But this is the last park run I can do to try and help with my Grand Prix standing in my running club!

I headed out to my car, looked up to the sky and said "REALLY?" The rain had started again! I have just about had enough of the rain, it is keeping me from going out on my bike,  the darker nights colder are going to be another battle to deal with, but right now, this rain is really cheesing me off!

When I got to the car and started to walk to the pavilion I was chatting to another PWR runner, Johnny, and he said he was one of my blog readers! It's always good to know that there are still people out there that read my ramblings!  We headed off to the beginning, but Johnny's warm up jog to the start is my all out sprint to the finish! So I caught up with him after I meandered over.

Nagging Sister, Ashleigh, SingstarJo, and Disco Rich were just a few of our PWR's that were there.  Some of the were chasing a PB on a park run and had headed out to a more faster route, so no muddy shoes for them as they went to Dulwich which is run on tarmac I believe!

We were soon off, and I jogged along with NS and Ashleigh, they did a pretty good time last week, so I shall try and stay with them this week.  But that didn't happen! Oh well, I shall just do my own thing, get back to running for fun, and maybe just see if I can get around without stopping.

"Come on Old Girl" I head as I ran around the stream, it was physioMike, he was just dog walking today, and encouraging all us park runners around. Then I head him say, "Go on Mrs T" as he called out to a lady behind him!  Well I am assuming that this Mrs T is actually married to TyphoonTurner, so I thought I would say hi.  As it turned out it was, and TyphonTurner was in fact looking for me to introduce his wife to me, as we both run about the same pace! 

We ended up running along together, a good start for the two of us.  We chatted and kept the rain and the running out of mind, sort of, as we both encouraged each other to keep on going.  We ran non stop for the first 23 minutes!  Mrs.T said that this was the most she had run non stop for.  I must admit, I was the first to just go into walk mode! And then we found out that we both kept going until one of us started to walk first! Next time I shall just slow the pace down instead of walking!  Some pacer I turned out to be!

We soon got going again, and just chatted and encouraged each other.  The last bit was particularly hard, the wind was blowing, the rain was falling, the ground was slippy! Nothing was going for us.  Mrs.T got a stitch, and was stretching it out as we jogged along. I did feel a twinge in my back as well, as up at the other end of the park I just twisted a bit awkwardly on the slippy muddy field.  But it wasn't hurting, I just become a bit more careful on the wet bits of the grass!

The last bit of straight, and Mrs.T and I were running along side by side, then she started to over take me encouraging other runners as she passed them "Come on love" she said as she passed one particular lady. I rose to the challenge to catch her up, I passed her and then I head her say "No, that's it, I've peaked" she said. I carried on running, I could get in a tiny tad quicker if push it, but, faster is not always the aim, just to finish is enough. So I turned round and encourage Mrs.T to keep going, finish the parkrun running! She sucked in a big gulp of air, and then started running again, she ran, and ran and ran. She got faster and faster. She had caught up the lady she passed just a few minutes ago and called out again "Come on love" and the sped towards me, flew past and became like a speeding bullet!  I tried to catch up! Where on earth did that come from!

I saw her run through the tunnel and collect her token and collected mine. But then Mrs.T stood at the exit for a few minutes, gasping for breath. She really did give it her all! It took a few good minutes before she could move from that spot! Blimey!  I think I am going to have to change my encouraging speeches and start saying, "Give it all you got, but please just leave a little bit so that you can breath after!"  It's amazing what a goal can do for you!

Oh and Garmin and ParkRun times tally up exactly!

So here is Geeky stats,