Club Runs!

Hello blog lovers.

The wind that was about on Sunday is still here now!  It hasn't blown itself out!  I can't believe how windy it has been.  I suppose the one good thing about todays group 0 is that we can see any probable missiles whipped up by the wind and make some hasty ducking and diving manoeuvres.

Group 0

It was a small group this evening, with DottieKat, Auriol, Leslie and Helen.  Helen is already a PWR but is coming back from injury, testing the waters, so to speak.  I chose the shorter route this evening, mainly because of my running the half marathon on Sunday.  It's still a challenging route, running up hill almost as soon as we start out, and then there is the undulations of Woodland Way, Great Thrift and Hazlemere!

We started off all together, and kept in a nice tight pack even up the hill.  It did break just a little bit, as I waited at the top for just about 30 seconds for the back runners.  I kept them moving though, just walking to the big tree along the road.  We ran along to the round about and then down the road to the other end of Crossways.  DottieKat was all set to call it an evening.  But after assuring her there were a few other short cuts if she carried on the planned course she continued with us.  At her speed, running when she wanted, walking when she needed.

She had heard someone say that "You should run until you can't run and not when you want to walk"  I think that is kind of what she said, I can get what she means  When I was running on Sunday there were some moments there that I felt I wanted to stop running but I didn't, I just made myself go a little further before taking a walking break!  

Anyway, DottieKat completed the whole of the planned route, and I think she was very pleased with herself that she did it.  A nice stretch out afterwards and that was that!  A great run, everyone completed it and I think everyone enjoyed it.  Next week it is moveup Tuesday!  Well, I know Helen was just testing the waters and I think she will be in group 1 next week.  

Geeky Stats

Group 1

It was so good to have SingstarJo back in our fold, not only that but she is leading group 1!  She chose a very nice easy route, with an option for a short cut for those not wanting to do an extra half mile!  

I was actually hiding down the side of the building as the wind seemed to have really picked up again.  It was so blowy.  Luckily there were not bits of debris flying around, although Leslie had picked up someones paper bin along Great Thrift during Goup 0's run.  

It seemed ages since I seen all the girls and then I realised it was because I wasn't there last week, I was at St. Christophers Hospice with the rest of the marathon team.  Singstar gave us the low down on the route and then we set off.  Me and Janet were at the back sweeping of course.  Well, there is not point in over doing the training is there!

To be honest I was seriously thinking about going home, what with the awful wind, but I was glad I stayed, if only to support SingstarJo's return!  She also did Group 0 last week, so there were quite a few group 1's in last weeks run.  

When we started running I was feeling ok actually.  I was just being a woose about the wind.  I think I just about had enough of that on Sunday.  Us at the back were not too far at the back, we kept up with maybe just about 20 seconds behind them, maybe a tad more.  Our first catchup stop was at the off licence.  It' always seems a long way when we come down Cardiac Hill, but I kept up, my breathing was pretty ok actually!  I must be getting fitter!

Slow and steady seems to be the way to go!  We headed down Shepperton road and then Crescent drive.  This is a slightly undulating route, with little inclines that don't look line inclines but you know they are! But it came as a shock when I realised how far along Crescent Drive I was!  When I saw Chesham Avenue and I was still feeling ok I was quite pleased with myself.  It's all about the breathing!

With just the little run up to the bridge to cross the railways and the last little bit to crossways.  The group split into two, the main body going up Woodside, Great Thrift and Hazelmere and  the smaller group going up Petts Wood road.  I went with the small group, after all, there is not need to over do things is there!

A great run, enjoyed by all, and great to have SingstarJo back!

Geeky stats. 

Paddock Wood Half Marathon

Hello blog lovers.

Well, this is my first race this year, and it happens to be a half marathon!  This was a little pressie bought and paid for by the Old Boy, because I didn't get a place in the marathon through the ballot!  I guess he had forgotten about the club places that we had!  And I was fortunate enough to win one of those!

It was going to be tough!  The weather forecast was spot on, wind and rain!  Not only that but we were all running with one hours less sleep as the clocks were put forward an hour, so now we are in British Summer Time!  Of course that is the cue for the wind and rain to arrive!  I am changing Naggy Neighbours nick name, so now she will be referred to as OrangeKarin!  This doesn't mean that she spends hours under the sun lamps, or that she has a job lot of fake tan! No, but orange is her colour when it comes to supporting football teams during the World Cup! And besides, I realise now that she isn't naggy she is just encouraging!

Hmm, I just had a thought, I could call her Terry's Chocolate Orange as her 'little' pooch (she is huge by the way) is called Chocolate!  But then that would make me crave choccies all the time!  Anyway, I digress, OrangeKarin was driving and we headed down to Paddock Wood with plenty of time for the start!  It was amazing just how quickly we got there!

With our car parked not to far from the start of the race we made our way over.  First stop....well always is the loo!  We queued for ages it seemed, and the a lady came in with two very large buckets of water!  "The cisterns are a bit slow" she said as she saw our quizzical looks, "You don't want to be hanging around waiting for it to fill up,  so just use the buckets to pour down the loo!"  What a thoughtful and hygenic thing to do! Thank you Loo Marshal! The amount of times loos don't flush I don't think I have enough digits on my person to count up to!

Anyway business done, and there is a little poem at the end of the blog, just because.....well just because  my loo visit amused me!  My own body has its usual agenda and it will not be side tracked by races or time shifts!  Well, put it this way, I was very pleased that there were buckets!  Hmmmm, maybe you don't really need to know this bit! This really is for my own thoughts and amusement!

I wandered over to the start, found OrangeKarin, (she had to sort her tag out) and then we made our way to baggage and then to the start!  1;20 1:30, 1:40, 1:50 boards were showing.  We carried on walking back until we found our 'finish time' board. 2:00+  board showed us where to stand.  I saw loads of other PWR's all way in front of me, not many of them behind me.....hang on, I mean no PWR's behind me!  But there were runners, runners from all sorts of different running groups, individuals and teams all getting rather excited.  I love this bit of any race!

Then the crowd started to move forward, the 'gun' had obviously gone off.  We were all wearing chips, so although the 'gun' had gone off we can still find out exactly how long we took between crossing that mat on the way out and crossing it on the way back.  Karin was with me for all of about 10 minutes, and then she started to think about her goal.  2:30 was her goal, mine was to get in under three hours, with a little bit of a sub goal of 2:45!

So, paragraph 8 and I a finally into the running bit!  As I said the forecast for todays race was spot on.  I had my jacket firmly in place, my wind proof jacket that I was testing a couple of years ago!  My hat was on, pulled just a little bit tighter so it doesn't get blown off, and I was wearing my club vest and long jog pants.  I should be able to battle the elements.  Around the first turn and we were on the road.  The organisers had the roads closed or most of them at least.  Running down the main street was great fun, all the people out there cheering, all wrapped up nice and warm against the elements!  As soon as they had waved at the last runner they will be heading for cover, tea, coffee, cakes!

I kept an eye on my Garmin, I  didn't want to go off too fast, or too slow.  The first mile seemed to come round so quickly!  But I was on track!  Just around the corner from the mile marker there was a lad handing out jelly babies.  Now I love a jelly baby, and I couldn't resist!  Did I need it....no!  I just wanted it!  The rain kept coming, not pouring down, but just falling softly.  Just after the mile marker was the 'hill', apparently the only hill in the entire race!  We shall see!

I walked some of it, I ran some of it, but just at the top I saw one of our support team....with his camera out!  Of course then I had to make sure I was running!  I waved and said hi to Martin who was behind the camera!  On wards and upwards.....well actually it was fairly flat run after the hill.

I kept thinking "We will soon be out of 'double figures' miles to do now"  as well as other thoughts, like "What the heck are you doing old girl" the 'old girl' tag was very apt at the moment, as I was feeling pretty old! "You got to do a marathon and already you're counting down miles" as another thought going through my mind. Although I am sure I didn't take long too fall asleep when I went to bed an hour early last night, the waking up twice in the night certainly does tell and I was just a little tired!

The next few miles went quite well, I chatted with people who ran on by, I looked around the great countryside, and I tried to really enjoy the whole experience.  If only that bloomin weather wasn't here!  Just about 5 and half miles there was a pub, and standing outside it waiting and waving was SingstarJo!  I was just so pleased that she had waited.  I really didn't expect it, as I am one of the slowest runners.  I high fived and then gave a wet sweaty hug! A definite high moment! And just after that I was offered a Jaffa Cake from one of the marshals!  Oh yes please!

At mile six, we had to go up and over a railway bridge.  I ran up and over it!  It was tough!  I took at picture at this point, almost halfway, of the people in front of me and some of those behind me, but you can see the size of the hump bridge!  It's not a little one, not after 6 miles anyway!

I had just ran down
there! Mile 6

Me!

The people in front
of e

After running  little further and I received a phone call!  My eldest brother decides to call me!  He was after some company, beer maybe a few muscles in white wine!  Right then, at the moment, it sound lovely!  "I'm jogging Deano" I said to him
"You're what?"
"I'm out jogging, I'm doing a half marathon today"
"Eh? Well, I just fancied a pint and that, I shall meet you somewhere, where are your"
"Paddock Wood!" was my reply!
"Blimey, you're wearing me out! Why you doing this!" he said, more proud than anything else
"Cos I can bruv"

And now for the next half of this race!  My legs were getting a bit tired, nothing new there then, but I pushed on.  I tried to run as much of this as I could do.  Although I have been training, run a mile, walk a minute, to me this was a run, a race!  Although I won't be racing anyone! But I did want to challenge myself just a bit to do well.  Beating the elements is a challenge in itself.  I remember me and Wendimoo after we got to about 7 or 8 miles in a couple of our planned long runs, the rain and wind was just too much so we decided to call it quits, we were so demoralised!  There is no short cut with this run though, there is no calling it quits and going home.  I am sure they do have a 'drop out bus' or some other way of getting runners back to the start that can't finish, but I don't want to know about it!

I am going to finish!  The 7 mile marker came up. just two more Parkruns to do.  That is how I saw it.  I can work with that.  The rain had stopped for a while, I think, at least it did at some point on the run. The route is a really a lovely route, all through the country sides, passing some lovely houses with the occupants out cheering!  There is an upside to having your name on your top as they cheer just for you!  It's great to hear 'Come on Donna'.

I walked and ran the next mile or so and just up a head of me I saw a PWR shirt!  Now who could that be.  It was difficult to tell when everyone has their hats on!  I managed to catch up after a while, it was Paula!  She seemed to be in a bit of pain though!  I walked and ran along with her and another girl, (and I have forgotten her name), but she was suffering with blisters on her foot!  When you see people just pushing through to the end and they are having difficulties, then it really is inspiring!

But I was worried about Paula, sometimes you need to just walk, take a break, best take it easy and and not do any further damage!  I seemed to be keeping her amused though, either that or she was suffering from delirium!  I suppose the the ghost turd story could have been kept until she didn't need to walk any further!

We just kept going, those last two miles seemed the hardest after doing just another 'tiny' hill somewhere around mile 10!  Making it back on to the high street was absolutely brilliant, exactly what we needed to pick up our spirits.  People there were still cheering, the runners who had finished the half marathon were cheering us as we ran along for the last 400 meters.  I saw JanetL, she had done her race, she was cheering us along too.  I could hear the announcements, pretty close now.  The 200 meter board was in sight, with just the sharp turn left to get back into the finish!

I was running ahead, not sprinting, as Paula suggested I should do, (I think I said something like," really Paula, I don't seem to have enough energy in my legs to be able to do a full on sprint") another laugh for her which I feel maybe she didn't need right then! I could hear the cheers up ahead and I started to just pick it up a tad, I turned around  to look at Paula, she was struggling behind, I couldn't leave her, I waited till she caught up, and just encouraged her all the way in, over the mats!  It had to be done!  I heard the announcer call my name, I smiled, and then counted to two, and then there it was "Oh Donna, hi, how are you?!" It was Robert who kindly offered to be compere at the Spirit of Running Man Event I organised last year!

 I heard OrangeKarin calling me, I couldn't see anyone else, but I guess after waiting around, or indeed running around in the rain for hours then they deserved to get on home and warm up. I was pleased with my run today, I did it in under 3 hours, in spite of the weather, which is what I had hoped to do! Fantastic event, brilliant marshals, well organised and a fantastic bit of bling!

Me and Paula

OrangeKarin and me

Geeky stats

By the way, this is the poem I mentioned earlier

Ghost Turd - by Donna Carroll

The feeling grows as you sit and wait
Not just yet, to sit in state
Plenty of time before the mighty arrives
Plenty of time before those sighs

Walk a little, ponder at life
This pleasurable experience for husbands and wives
Small tiny babies, toddlers all
They all learn when nature calls

There, now, its time has come
To take the seat , expose the bum.
The best feeling a person has
As you sit and squeeze to let it pass.

Nothing feels greater as you excavate
The inners of your self and wait
To peer at the mighty job
That feels as huge as a ten ton log

But wait, what’s this where has it gone
The thing that took you all morning long
To expel from your body, the stink is there,
But where oh where oh where oh where?

Straight down the pan and round then bend,
Is that it is that then end?
The clean up now, as the disappointment shows
Glaring at the pan as the water flows

For a moment you wonder, did this thing just go
As you try not to feel so darn low
You know it happened for the splash you heard,
Or was it again, just a ghost turd

Track Time!

Hello blog lovers.

Tonight was a good night.  Hard slog, but most enjoyable.  I dragged out Naggy Neighbour, rescued her from devouring chocolate without having earned it first!  So I collected her and I drove!  It will be the first time that I have driven Naggy Neighbour, and I am not sure if she was ready for it!  Driving is not one of my strong points!  At least it is only a couple of miles away!

We arrived at track, paid our £4.00 and walked up to the end where 'the gathering' happens.  We said hi to PhysioMike who was taking this evenings session and then just did a nice genteel lap of the track. When we got back to the beginning I saw Debra, this will be her first track session.  It's always daunting when you go out and 'play with the big boys and girls'.  I know how I felt the first time I went out on track, back in 2012/13 when I started hard training for my first marathon.

Wow, I didn't ever think I would be saying 'my first marathon'!  Crazy....crazy lady! But I do think that this time round I am more relaxed, I know what to expect, I know what I can do!  I am also not beating myself up if I miss a training session, I am not pushing myself hard on my long runs, I am just having fun!  And I think that is why this marathon is going to be plain sailing!

Anway, back to track, PhysioMike had us do the centering thing, make us more away of the position we should be, with our hips and what not, and bouncing on the spot. And then the drills and warm ups started.  Little tiny speedy runs in a most relaxed way, is what he was after!  It's something that I have to work on I think!

And then the session started.  It's a hard one, three one milers ran at slightly faster than Parkrun pace, with 90 secs rest between each one.  That's four laps! Four laps, non stop,  I normally tire after three, and forget how many I have done.  But Naggy Neighbour said that she was going to stay by me as I had the Garmin!  I knew that was going to last!  First lap I gave it, before she started to pull away!

I do believe that she tried to stay with me, but soon I was watching her get further and further away as she stepped up a gear!  However, Debra was close on my heels, she runs at my pace, group 1 pace.  We will probably be sticking together!  Not more eating dust!  Well actually there will be as we get lapped and lapped again by all the faster runners!

The session went by pretty quickly.  I do believe that running on track does make it seem that you go faster!  Maybe its the bounciness of the the track, maybe it's because there is nothing to distract you, lifted up pavements, tree routes,....dog poo!  You can just put your head down and run!

With just one last lap to do I said to Debra that I am just going to step up a gear, I encouraged her to keep on going and then I looked ahead of me.  I set my mind on going just that little bit faster all the way round.  I think all the other laps I had taken in my heart exactly what PhysioMike had said, "If you're running at the weekend, there is no need to go all out"  Well, I don't need to be told twice!  But this last lap I just wanted to push it a tiny bit more.

Mr. S. was there, and he was saying "Go on on, get going" He wasn't running today, he is doing some sort of double double!  Marathon and then in the afternoon half marathon, then next day marathon and the a 10k in the afternoon, or it could be 1 marathon, two halfs and a 10k, all done in two days though!  If he had been running next to me I could have asked him to repeat it, but he said it as I was running past him!  Now thats crazy!  You gotta love this running stuff!

Anyway, there I was my last lap, all the others had finished there, some were already leaving, Karin was there doing a warm down lap, and I just pushed it, just a little bit!  The first corner done and I thought maybe I should have waited till the 200m before I upped the pace!  But it was too late now, I was out there, leaving Debra behind, (this was totally a new experience for me)  I don't think I have ever left anyway behind me!  I am normally the one that is saying "Go on, go, I'll see you at the end" as I watch them pull away!  It's weird!

The last 200m and I was thinking, "No, I done the right thing"  It's was good to know that I had that little be of energy inside of me.  I was still aching from Tuesdays training session with the St Christopher's team, but when your moving then you don't notice the aches!  With that last 100m to go I fixed my gaze on the finish line and ran, not as fast as I could have, I still felt as if I could have pushed it that little bit faster, but I didn't want to over do it!  After all, this Sunday I am doing the Paddock Wood half!

I turned around and then started calling after Debra, "Come On Debra, you do, and then Mr. S and PhysioMike all called out to her!  She had her own welcoming committee as she finished her final lap!  She looked totally pleased with her self! And for someone who has only just started to run, (back in September last year I think she said) she has done really well!

A great session!  Totally enjoyed it, and then chillaxing time, apart from a couple of miles on Saturday with the beginners!  Bring on the half marathon!

Geeky stats.

St Christophers Hospice Team!

Hello blog lovers.

Well today I didn't go to club runs, instead St Christophers were having the marathon meeting this evening.  An evening to get to meet the fund raisers, a Physiotherapist the other runners and also to have a training session with our own PhysioMike!  He has been a champion for Harris Hospice who have now been merged with St. Chrisophers and has helped raise hundreds of pounds doing various things for them,  All of that as well as some delicious food!

St Chrisophers Hospice's are just amazing places.  When you think about a hospice you immediately think of 'end of life' care.  I know I did, especially since mum and dad were in them.  Dad passed away in the hospice, my mum spent some time in there, in fact if the very one that I am in!  But I think when she knew she wasn't going to get better, she came home to us, and she couldn't praise the staff enough for her care while she was in there.

St Christophers' do so much more.  When I arrived there we were shown around, and let me tell you it was hard to keep those tears in check!  They had already fallen on the drive down there remembering the times I drove on those roads to go and see mum.  But walking about the halls and corridors that I had been on some 7 and half years ago was more emotional that I thought it would be.

We saw gyms for the patients to use, in aid to rehabilitate them so that they can go home! Yes, some patients do go home!  We saw a hairdressers for the patients, some times it is necessary for when hair loss becomes a problem.  We wandered over to the education centre where they train staff for pallative care, and so much more, but not just for here but for overseas as well.

There is the day centre where patients come in help with their drugs, sometimes they are taking so many it gets confusing for them. Not only that but St Christophers nurses go out and care for those that are at home, like my mum had. There is also a counselling place for kids who have lost people, not just through cancer either but through shootings and stabbings!  The only one is South East I think Charlotte said.

So much more than what I thought!  I am glad I am raising much needed funds for them.  My memory is not much good, and I should try to remember to take notes, but I think she said that they need to raise 12 million a year to be able to do what they do each year.  I don't know how they manage it. So with all that in mind, do you know how many people that are here, now, this evening, raising money for them in this, the most prestigious of marathons, 50, 100, 200?  Do you know they are only allocated to be able to buy 12 places in the most famous marathon.  Twelve places!  In total there are only 32 of us who are running for St. Christophers!  The other runners are like me who have chosen to run this marathon after getting our places through ballots. A run that generates hundreds of thousands of pounds for hundreds of charities!  And here today there were just 5 of us to meet the team.

I will be extremely proud to be wearing my St Chrisophers running vest on Race Day!!  If it takes me another 7 hours to do it,I will do it!  Our training session was good, although we were not too far from Crystal Palace park it was just to dark to go there to train.  PhysioMike had plotted out a loop just over the road to us to do.  The four of us was there for there, in the rain, with PhysioMike and his whistle.  He had a training session planned that I have done before with him, and it is going to be.....fun!

The session was to run at marathon pace for 12 minutes, then have a rest, then run four lots of 3 minutes at a faster pace with a minutes rest in between, and then rest before doing one last 12 minutes of running at marathon pace! Simples!  Well, yes, if you could hear the whistle!  I was glad I took my Garmin as I knew really that my hearing is not great these days and I would need to keep an eye on my times!

PhysioMike also called out, when we did our loop of 400m, what our marathon pace would be, and I was totally amazed at what mine was where he called out mine!  The times were varying from 2:30 hours to 4. hours (which was mine!) and then the second time we ran for 12 minutes he called out our times again, mine had gone up by about 50 minutes! Still way to fast, and I will have to try and work on that.

After that we went back to the hospice and were fed!  Chicken, quinoa, salad and pasta!  Most delicious too!  And then we had talk by Tim (who's surname escapes me, memory is useless!) He is the physio at Crystal palace, I think.  We were learning about the different injuries that we could develop with the extra training, Planta-silly-facious*, something I had heard others mention before  and Paella fennal sydrome**, something which I can relate to at the moment actually, as i could feel a slight ache in both knees as I climbed the stairs yesterday!

We also learned about taping!  Now there is no good running out and buying your 10 rolls of sticky tape from PoundLand, or raiding the garden shed for the duct tape, apparently it's specially made tape, so make sure you go to a qualified Physio to find out what to do with your specialist tape! With a section on some sort of band*** that goes from your hip to your knee, that apparently would take a crane to get any sort of stretching done on it I was thinking "I am so glad I am cured of my hypochondria, because I am sure I have everything that we spoke about"

It was a great evening, an emotional evening for me.  As I was walking about the Sydenham based Hospice I was thinking about mum and what she went through, and because of that I was here now, healthy, 2 and half stone lighter, fitter than I have probably ever been, getting ready to raise money pounds and pounds for St Christophers!

*plantar fasciitis
**Patellofemoral 
***Iliotibial band syndrome

Here's my geeky stats.

Half Way There!

Hello Blog lovers.

I finally broke the half marathon distance!  It was bloody tough! But so glad I did it! This is how it all panned out.

Wendimoo was busy with her own planned half marathon today, the Wimbledom Common half.  I still have to go out there and do my thing, whether I have company or not!  So I was quite pleased when Hilary said that she wanted to join me somewhere on my route to do at least 6 miles.  So, at the Tigers Head in Chislehurst we planned our meeting point.

I was going to be running solo for the first part of this long run today.  Nearly half of my route was just me and my iPod.  Will I stick to my planned 1 mile jog, 1 minute of walking.  I do tend  not listen to myself when I am alone.  But I also didn't want to be too exhausted by the time I met up with Hilary either. Mainly because just after that we will be running down and up Summer Hill!  I really want to run up it all the way to Blackbrook lane.  I need to do it!

I started off, I could tell I was already running just a little bit faster, so I pulled myself back again.  After all, I have 13 and half miles planned today!  Crazy woman!  I feel sure this will be the last marathon I take on!  So now, running up Hollingworth I was feeling pretty good!  I was hoping the feeling will stay with all through this run today.

I do like my solo runs, but usually maybe over a 3-6 miles.  I can cope with that, so I am so very pleased that Hilary will be joining me after I have done my first 6 miles!  Perfect!  I had my music, the first 6 will be ok, I can sing and dance my way round.  So you can imagine when my iPod stopped working, how I felt about that!

I had charged it up, it was working, there are hundreds of songs on there, but it stopped!  I was a bit miffed, I think maybe its where I keep it!  I don't have an iPod pouch thingy that I can use, so I store it where its a nice tight fit, in my Shock Absorber!  It did restart again, so I decided that maybe in my back pocket of my jog pants.  That lasted about 5 minutes before it turned off again.

I was not looking forward to running the next four miles in silence.  I fiddled and pushed and held buttons to try to get it working again and it did!  I was so very pleased.  At least I won't have to sing out loud to help me get through.....hang about, I normally do sing along with my tunes anyway! My iPod remained in my hand for the rest of the time.  I need to be able to sing along, and I need some other noise other than the traffic.  Oh I do miss Wendimoo!

I found I was not quite sticking with my plan, I was running slightly longer than the 1 mile and walking when I felt like it.  I am so going to have to try and discipline myself to stick to a plan.  But I am just like a kid, if no one is watching I misbehave!  

All through Place Farm Estates (I have be calling it Palace Farm estates) I kept up with my defiance and not sticking strictly to my plan, and then on to Crofton Road and turned right to go over the bridge.  My thoughts are on getting up Cardiac Hill go in one, with no Wendimoo to help it will all be down to me.  I used my walking section wisely, and probably a bit more than planned,  just before I got to the hill.  I took a deep breath and then started to run up it.

I did it, with two walking steps before I got to the road, which I was really annoyed about, but I did tell myself off to get going again.  I ran along towards Chislehurst, when I was at Birchwood Road I text Hilary to let her know that I will be about 20 minutes away.  I was hoping to be at the Tigers for then anyway!  it's not that far surely!  

I was still feeling pretty good, and still not really sticking to my plan, but I was taking some walking breaks, I finally got to the road that the Tigers Head is on and as I turned the corner I saw Hilary waiting there.  "Wow that was quick" she said.  I think I was about 5 minutes early thanI said I would be!

Hilary will be doing the rest of the run with me, all the way to my house!  I put away my iPod and was chatting away to Hilary.  Normally she runs in the faster groups on club nights, I just hope she was not going to feel this run will be too slow.  She did say to me that this will be her longest run altogether.  So maybe a slow run is what is needed. 

We were pretty close to Summer hill!  The run down it was pretty good, I slowed to walking pace when I got to the bottom of it.  "I want to get to the top" I said to myself more than anyone in particular, but this was my plan.  Last time with Wendimoo I didn't manage it, Wendimoo got further than me, up to the direction sign. I wanted to get right to the top, adjacent with those giveway signs painted on the road, before the roundabout!  I did it! I flipping did it, and so did Hilary!  We were pleased with that.

My water was virtually out after I got to the top, I thought I would have to just wet my lips to see me through to when I get home, but as we were running on Blackbrook I saw a couple just getting out of their car, they had been shopping.  I thought I would be really cheeky and ask them if they could refill my bottle!  They were very obliging and filled it up for me!

The rest of the route was the same as I had been doing with Wendimoo and Bims.  Through the park and along the A21 to Hayes Lane.  It was lovely listening to Hilary chat away, the miles under my feet quickly disappearing!  But I was feeling very tired now.  Crazy Lady!  I think this will be the last marathon I do! Crazy Lady!  Who decides to do marathons after they have reached 50? Crazy Lady!  As you can guess I was feeling tired.  But I was still enjoying it!  Which is the thing that I want to keep hold of throughout my training and through the marathon as well.  

It's good to challenge yourself, and running is something that I can do, obviously not very fast, and I won't be making a living from it! But it's something that I can do.  It's keeping me fit, it's keeping me away from the t.v. which is just full of crap these days anyway! And it is also helping me raise money for St. Christopher's Hospice!  Win, win, win all round in my eyes.

We were soon running down Hayes Lane going to the entrance to Norman Park.  There, is where I mentally start to focus on the finish.  I will be heading home once inside the park!  Those first few steps will be heading towards my house.  Hilary did say earlier that really as soon as you leave your house then you are already one step close to home.  That scenario doesn't work for me, not while I can see my house, not while I am still freezing cold after leaving my warm house!  No, now I can say I am on my way home!

The plan of 1 mile run and 1 min walk was totally out of the window now, I was running as much as I can, then walking then running after short recovery.  I felt I was still on target for a sub 3 hour half, but who knows how 'lazy' I will become with these last two miles to do.  Turn around Lamppost was introduced to Hilary, and so that half mile home was firmley in my thoughts. "Would that be enough today, could I just run on home and pretend that I had forgotten to run around the field!" No, I would only be cheating myself!  I explained to Hilary that we had to do this last bit of field.

We were running around it when the 13 mile 'beep' on my Garmin went off.  "Oh thank goodness" I said, "That's the 13 miles done, just the little bit extra to do"  I said that we would walk just for a little bit and then run all the way once we got on to Whitebeam Avenue!  Which we did by the way!  We turned on to my road and then ran along to my path where I said goodbye to Hilary, she had to now make her way along to Southborough Lane to get a bus.  I did offer to drive her but she is a serious Tea Drinker and she knew I was in desperate need of a cuppa!  Anyway, I think in the end she called her mum to see is she was in who then came and collected her en route and took her back for her own cuppa and a nice slice of cake!

A great run today, not particularly fast but objective achieved! Well done Hilary on your longest run so far, I think she managed to do about 9 miles in all! 

This is me, the Old Boy decided to take a picture of me of what I look like once home!

Looking forward to my tea!

And this is my new cup! Just to remind me that I am still gorgeous!

Tea!! ahhhh!

Wendimoo had also done her half marathon in just over 3 hours!  Well done!

Geeky stats.

Woods and Beginners

Hello blog lovers.

Thursday Morning

It was a nice morning on Thursday, at least, it was raining.  My group was just the two of us, Michelle and me.  DiscoRich's group had a few extra people.  We all were going to be running through the woods.  Although it had rain DiscoRich said that the paths were passable, I need no more than that to help me decide; running on streets with the car fumes, or running through the woods, possibly a bit of mud?  No brainer really!

I had woken up with a slight back ache, I think maybe it's because I spun my mattress round, like you do, and I have to work my groove again!  I had only planned on doing just about 3.5 miles, but all of them will be in the woods.  Just perfect.

We went in through 'Dog Poo' ally and then took the right path, heading towards Chislehurst road.  The paths were fine, a tiny bit sticky but most certainly runnable.  Just what I needed, fresh air and a run. I nearly took the wrong path when we spotted the woods keeper busy doing what wood keepers do, he must have thought us really weired as we ran past him again!  We ran a loop of the woods, running down Goss hill, always a pleasure, and the running along beside the little river.  

I think we were running quite well, not particularly fast, but then I never do.  Running through the woods is not about speed, well it isn't for me, just plodding along, enjoying the whole sensation of being in the woods, the sounds of the birds, the dogs running through undergrowth, and the trickle of the water as it flows.  All of that just few feet from the streets, the cars, town!

The last part of the woods was the stickiest!  We really had to pick our way around the hug muddy holes.  I had actually forgotten to bring my old trainers with me and was wearing my Christmas trainers!  But they are all washable!  You can't run and expect to remain clean really!

It was a good run and the only run that I had for that day as on Thursday evening I had to go to a meeting!

Geeky stats.

Beginners Course.

I had my usual training session the previous night, beer and curry!  But it was lovely to spend the evening with my daughter and her boyfriend.  Turning up at the rec a little bit tired with the weather being really chilly, I was a bit surprised to see only 2 people there, and one of those was Hels!  I didn't think I was that early.

But after only a few minutes waiting the runners came, all looking apprehensive about this weeks task.  It will be the first time they will be running more than they will be walking!  Four minutes running then 2 minutes walking!  All around the rec.  We did our usual warm up couple of laps and then the drills, to make sure all our muscles were nicely warmed up and ready for action.

I had forgotten to take my Garmin, but I was pleased with that, I remembered it when I was just heading towards my car and then I turned round to go and get it.  It was then that I decided to not bring it today.  Sometimes you just need to run and see how much you can do, within the allotted time!  I had noticed that I was telling the runners each time how many seconds they had left.  Sometimes, just sometimes, you don't need to know!

Hels blew her whistle, (her new whistle) and the first running section started.  The field starts to spread from about the first half of the first lap.  From the faster runners to the slower runners, all concentrating on doing what they can.  There were about 22 people who had turned up today, to face their demons, to do battle with unfitness, to draw on their will power to run 5 reps of 4 mins run 2 mins walk.

I was running along beside a young lady, she has a goal in mind!  She wants to be lapping some of the other beginners by the end of the course!  The 'knowing' is there, the 'I can' is there, and there is also some of 'if they can do it then I can' thrown in for good measure.  And now what she needs to draw on is that all important "I will do this"  She did brilliantly, by the way, she kept going to the end of the session, with just a little persuasion from me.

Everybody finished the session and the were also smiling!  Exactly how you should be after every run!

"I often hear someone say 'I am not a real runner'. We are all real runners, just some run faster than others" Bart Yasso

Club Night

Hello blog lovers.

So, club night, and no, I haven't changed clubs, or changed which nights we meet.  My blog is a day late due to socialising after club runs.  We are a very social club, we may run and run and run but when there is a reason to socialise then we jump at the chance!

Although this social is quite a sad one as our Social Secretary is actually leaving us!  She is going back home with her family in the south west of the country (if my geography is correct!) hence the drinkies at the One Inn The Wood!

Group 0

Anyway, my running!  First off it was Group 0, and there were 7 of us in total.  Three were PWR group 1's! Which means that we could almost have a 1-1 mentoring with the the others!  I chose the undulating route but it does have the options of short cuts.

After our warm up we ran out of the gate and turned left and then left again.  For some reason running up this way seems quicker than running down this way.  You would have thought it would be the other way around, but I think it's because we have just started on the run, the up hills tend to take our minds of distance and we are still trying to get our breathing right, so by the time you come to the allotted stop, a mile away, its all over and done with.

But on the way back of course, you have done that mile, plus and extra three quarters of a mile (I didn't quite tell them it was also our longer winter route!) so a little tiredness takes over.  The road seems to have grown while you have been running through the High Street, stretched out somewhat for the run back.

I think all the runners had a good time, it was good to see Tracy back, her mojo up and went for a walk for a while, but she has got it back and is going to try and keep an firm grip of it. DottieKat is persevering with her running, she is determined to do well. They were all very pleased with the distance that they had covered!

Geeky stats.

Group 1

Our group 1 seems to be huge!  There must be at least 20 odd of us.  It's quite heart warming to see this club grow like this!  Illustrious Leader was taking us down Southborough Lane and then around the little loop.  Now I said I was going to do the loops, well the loop at the end of the cinderpath when we go that way next.  But in my mind I was going to do all little loops!  But I didn't do this one.  I had to pop along to the pub for a 'potty stop'!  

Running down Southborough Lane is long, but not only that you know that you have to run back up it again.  Illustrious Leader, however, chooses the other way to go back, via bottom Oxhawth.  A few of us had to play catchup though as another one of us had to pop into the pub as well! Bloomin handy that pub!

There were a few of us that we just having a bit of a struggle, and so we kept together.  Just along Shepperton though I suggested that we needed to run, it could have been the thought of the beer at the end of todays run, but it deffo got me wanting to run!

We all got back to the rec within the alloted time though, did our stretches and then departed.  Some going back to their homes while some of us went down the pub!  Most enjoyable!

Geeky stats.