Hello all
Training time, we meet up a bit earlier too. The sun is going down way to quickly. I can't believe our summer is on the way out! Nigel and Auriol we doing the session today. I arrived just at around 7:15 or maybe just a couple of minutes extra, we are starting earlier so as to make good use of the available light.
The first thing of course was warm up jog, twice running around to high five our running partner and back to the start. It works really well, because then we all should, theoretically finish together, ish. It worked out pretty well, which means that no one was standing around too long getting colder again! Then it was the drills, warm up the muscles, ready for the running sections.
The running section Auriol split us into two groups, we made two lines, faster runners and slower runners. The weird thing is the teams seem to split into the boys team and the girls team! A battle of the sexes commences. Nigel chose the running game that Illustrious leader usually does. We were to run around the cricket pitch, the slower runners were going to be hugging the rope that's protecting the square pitch, and the faster were going around the cones about 5 or 6 foot from the rope! So they had further to run! First runners from both teams set off to run around the pitch, as soon as they got to the third corner the called out and then the second person started on their loop until all runners had a turn. The girls came in first! Nigel had us do it again, guess what? The boys came in first! So there had to be a decider, because Mary had pulled a muscle, she bowed out of the next circuit. We need have one of us run twice! We kind of nominated Liz, she was by far our fastest runner. We put her in the front, so by the time she has to run again she would have a rest. Guess what?!,..........GIRL POWER! We won! Well done Liz, an amazing sprint!
After a quick drink we did our core training, trying to engage our core, as Nigel said. engage my core, I'm not even friends with my core, let alone trying to get engaged to it! I am sure if I keep trying I will, one day!
Then it was our par luffs, or relays! We got into our teams of three, I was with Auriol and Mary. Mary had to take it easy though, she had pulled a muscle on the first running activity. We may only get a couple of laps between us, but at least it's something. It was on this activity that I remembered to switch on my Garmin! All that speedy bit of running around the rec, not recorded, not even the warm up lap, not recorded, the core training didn't get recorded either, but that's ok, it usually lowers the average speed anyway, because I always forget to do the whole switch on while running, switch off while not! The thing is, on my second leg of relays my ankle decided that it was going to hurt! No idea why, I didn't fall down 'Donnas Holes' which is apparently the name they have given to the hole that I fell down earlier in the year doing the beginners course! It just hurt, like a sprained ankle, but I hadn't done anything, I just ran! I had to limp along to Mary to hand the baton over. Mary ran slowly and carefully back to Auriol. I thought just a little rest, twiddle my ankle a bit, try and 'free' the pain and it will be fine. It's happened before and usually goes after a couple of minutes! But it didn't. I decided to limp back to the pavilion, and I do believe Auriol was running this way and that way, for some reason! Well, at least I had something recorded on my Garmin and Strava albeit not much!
So, all done, we will get one more session in before the light beats us to the finish.
Tomorrow is going to be a sad day. It's Kirstys funeral tomorrow, the last thing that we can do for her. I am struggling for words. It will be hard day, but later on we will remember the fun times, the places we been. The celebs she met over the years! The thing that will always be in those memories too is her struggle, Cystic Fibrosis is an awful disease, slowly killing the lungs. St Christophers (young adults) Hospice have been wonderful people, it's all funded by donations! Please give generasly or you can support a new charity, the Cystic Fibrosis Supporters.
https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/donate
https://cysticfibrosissupporters.org/
Thursday, 22 August 2019
Tuesday, 20 August 2019
Club Run
Hello readers.
Tuesday again, seems like time is just running faster and faster....unlike me! This week I have been mainly......lazy. I did go running on Saturday, but nothing since. Even though I can! I can only put it down to lazyitus. I am not going to beat myself up though. Time does need to slow down a bit though!
I was leading today, poor CarolWithAnE is still in recovery, she will be back, she is doing everything that she can to make that happen. But injuries need to heal at their own pace, not what we want them too! Nicola was in the introducers spot this evening, and she suggested that we all let everyone know our names as we step up to give our routes and speed, I'm telling ya, it felt a bit like therapy time, you know, the things you see on t.v. when you stand up and let everyone know 'your addiction'. I stood up when it was my turn "Hello I am Old Girl, I am....a runner". Goodness knows what the new people thought! At least they can see that we are a happy, friendly bunch of runners!
I had 8 runners in my group with a couple of newbies too. I love it when newbies come along, this is what group 1 is all about. A nice introduction to club running, nice and steady, nothing to difficult, no hills.....ok I lied about that bit! My route this evening started off with a hill! We all gathered together, as soon as group 2 left we were hot on their hills out of the gate. The nights are drawing in quiet quickly now, it just don't seem we have had much time for running in the woods! My route, however, had just a little bit of running in the woods, just the bit that runs up towards Oprington road. Then out of the woods and straight on to the pavements.
I led them to Marling Park Road, we were going to do the loop around the estate, with some more hills. Going down hill is brilliant, especially when we pass that lovely house with the chandelier, Still, it's good for building stamina! When we got to Kevington road I suggested they all run to the roundabout at their own pace. We were going to take a little breather and then I was going to introduce a little bit of hill training, well, they were all warmed up.......me?.......nah...... I didn't do the hill training, my knees are still playing up, not all the time now, but still it's there. I suggested if they were up for it, up the hill, twice and down again. Do you know what?....they all did it, all of them. Proud group leader here!
Of course we all had to run up it one more time, because at the top is where we need to be. I told them that we had finished with the hills now, apart from the last down hill, on Petts Wood Road. Once we got back on to Orpington road we turned left and ran towards the big round about ready for that lovely down hill section. It feels good those down hills. Once we all at Crossways I said they could all run at their own pace back to the rec for some stretching.
Well, there's my blog. Im not quite back to how I was, maybe we never do get back to the way things were. After all, if I went back to the way things were after my mum died I wouldn't be running now! I would have just carried on, eating and drinking to excess, no exercises at all. Who knows what the new norm is going to be now. Kirsty had a zest for life, she wanted so much to lead a normal life as she could, I hope in some way I helped her to do that, plus a few extraordinary moments too. Things changed when I started my running, things changed when I made best buddies with my running friends. Things are different again. My running is helping me to stay focused, I am so pleased I have my running club, the friends I have there is just amazing! On Friday we have Kirsty's funeral, a chance to say a final goodbye to Kirsty. That's going to be tough.
The charities that J.J. and Kirsty always supported are
https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/donate
and
https://cysticfibrosissupporters.org/
If you want to donate it's quite easy, these guys can make some lovely changes for others. Thanks in advance.
My geeky stats, (minus the hill training of course!)
Tuesday again, seems like time is just running faster and faster....unlike me! This week I have been mainly......lazy. I did go running on Saturday, but nothing since. Even though I can! I can only put it down to lazyitus. I am not going to beat myself up though. Time does need to slow down a bit though!
I was leading today, poor CarolWithAnE is still in recovery, she will be back, she is doing everything that she can to make that happen. But injuries need to heal at their own pace, not what we want them too! Nicola was in the introducers spot this evening, and she suggested that we all let everyone know our names as we step up to give our routes and speed, I'm telling ya, it felt a bit like therapy time, you know, the things you see on t.v. when you stand up and let everyone know 'your addiction'. I stood up when it was my turn "Hello I am Old Girl, I am....a runner". Goodness knows what the new people thought! At least they can see that we are a happy, friendly bunch of runners!
I had 8 runners in my group with a couple of newbies too. I love it when newbies come along, this is what group 1 is all about. A nice introduction to club running, nice and steady, nothing to difficult, no hills.....ok I lied about that bit! My route this evening started off with a hill! We all gathered together, as soon as group 2 left we were hot on their hills out of the gate. The nights are drawing in quiet quickly now, it just don't seem we have had much time for running in the woods! My route, however, had just a little bit of running in the woods, just the bit that runs up towards Oprington road. Then out of the woods and straight on to the pavements.
I led them to Marling Park Road, we were going to do the loop around the estate, with some more hills. Going down hill is brilliant, especially when we pass that lovely house with the chandelier, Still, it's good for building stamina! When we got to Kevington road I suggested they all run to the roundabout at their own pace. We were going to take a little breather and then I was going to introduce a little bit of hill training, well, they were all warmed up.......me?.......nah...... I didn't do the hill training, my knees are still playing up, not all the time now, but still it's there. I suggested if they were up for it, up the hill, twice and down again. Do you know what?....they all did it, all of them. Proud group leader here!
Of course we all had to run up it one more time, because at the top is where we need to be. I told them that we had finished with the hills now, apart from the last down hill, on Petts Wood Road. Once we got back on to Orpington road we turned left and ran towards the big round about ready for that lovely down hill section. It feels good those down hills. Once we all at Crossways I said they could all run at their own pace back to the rec for some stretching.
Well, there's my blog. Im not quite back to how I was, maybe we never do get back to the way things were. After all, if I went back to the way things were after my mum died I wouldn't be running now! I would have just carried on, eating and drinking to excess, no exercises at all. Who knows what the new norm is going to be now. Kirsty had a zest for life, she wanted so much to lead a normal life as she could, I hope in some way I helped her to do that, plus a few extraordinary moments too. Things changed when I started my running, things changed when I made best buddies with my running friends. Things are different again. My running is helping me to stay focused, I am so pleased I have my running club, the friends I have there is just amazing! On Friday we have Kirsty's funeral, a chance to say a final goodbye to Kirsty. That's going to be tough.
The charities that J.J. and Kirsty always supported are
https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/donate
and
https://cysticfibrosissupporters.org/
If you want to donate it's quite easy, these guys can make some lovely changes for others. Thanks in advance.
My geeky stats, (minus the hill training of course!)
Saturday, 17 August 2019
Satur.........parkrun Day!
Hello all
I am still feeling a bit emotional, I should imagine I will be for some time, as well as Kirsty's family too. It's a hard thing to comprehend. Getting out of bed when there's really not a lot to do is tough! I thought I would go for a run yesterday, I noticed in the morning it was kind of ok, but then by the time I eventually got out of bed it was pouring! A right miserable day, so I ended up not going, of course. Even after telling others 'It's ok, rain is fine, we're not made of sugar!"
Anyway back to today, Saturday, ooops did it again, parkrun day, my alarm woke me up and then I waited for the buzzing on whatsapp about who is going and who isn't! It didn't happen. As I got ready I texted Naggy, she didn't answer me, I text Shalini, but she wasn't coming, clinging sick child was holding her hostage in the house. I text Tracy to see if she wanted a lift.....she was in Eastbourne! Darn it, if I had known all of that in advance I probably would have stayed in bed! I forced myself to get out of of the door and drive to Normans Park. I was a bit late, I drove into the car park, I thought to myself "If I can't find a parking spot I am not going to make it, I might as well go home!" It seemed someone was looking out for me this morning, there were a couple of places that I could easily get parked in.
Because I was a little late I had to run/walk up the long straight to the start line, trying not to get too puffed out. There were plenty of others still arriving, some were doing warm up drills as they made their way to top of the park. I just wanted to get there and then see how I do. I wasn't sure who was going to be there, but then I spotted Auriol, I made my way to her and then saw SnappyH, she had only just got there too!
I had all my technology at the ready, Jabra chatting away in my ears, with my music, my Garmin at the ready satellites found, now lets see if I am ready! RD Mattsmat got us under way! Me and Auriol ran together, SnappyH had her own agenda, busy healing from her injury, wanting to do a non stop 5k! She is getting better and better! She has really done well! I had asked Auriol who else was at parkrun today, she said that she thought RefMichael was there and maybe CarolWithAnE, but she hadn't seen them. The countdown, 3, 2, 1 go! We started running, SnappyH took the lead from the off, me and Auriol just plodded along. I had my music in one ear, with Jabra chatting away every so often. Mainly though me and Auriol chatted all the way around. We saw RefMichael, he called out to us, and there were a few other PWR's that called to us too.
The music helped me keep my pace, while Jabra sometimes told me to slow down! I may have to adjust my pace slightly, maybe I am getting a little bit fitter. I told Auriol that I had received my last payslip yesterday, along with my P45! I just looked at it for a few minutes, just staring at the words on the paper. When I put the paper down I realised I was crying. I no longer work for Kirsty, I no longer need to go and help get her ready in the morning, send of tons of emails to celebrities. It was a horrible feeling. If only there were a few more months! But I am sure even then it wouldn't be enough.
Auriol spoke about her son, Carl, he had leukaemia, he passed away a while back. It's not fair, losing your children, it's just not right! I can't even think about what it's like but I did love Kirsty, she was like an adopted daughter, with all that goes with it! Arguments, strops, fun, laughter, outings, sitting in watching films or playing video games. That's what I did for Kirsty, it didn't feel like work, it just felt like spending all day with a mate! So there was me and Auriol, running, crying and talking about these two young people! We didn't plan to talk about these to young adults, sometimes it just comes out, and it was so needed, we wasn't planning a pb today either, we were just planning on finishing, just to get to the end and that's it. Another parkrun done, just because we can, praise the Lord that we can too!
Oh, just a quick footnote, as you probably know, I am not a morning person, I have been known to run in odd socks, even ran in odd shoes once! This morning however, it was my jog pants, I had them on back to front! It reminds me of that scene in MIB2 where Will Smith's character says "I pulled my pants on!" A bit like how I felt when I noticed this morning when I got to the park ready to start running! At least I didn't have them inside out as well! I only noticed it when I couldn't find my pocket to put my key!
As promised, two charities that J.J. is supporting in Kirsty's memory, you don't have to, but hey, just a quid or two, you probably wouldn't miss it! I bet if you look down the side of you sofa, you will find a couple of quid, or.....in the fluff collector of you tumble dryer.....housewives credit I call it! Stick in in the pot.
https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/donate I am pretty sure if you say it's for young adults at St Christophers it will go into the pot for the young people who need St Chris.
https://cysticfibrosissupporters.org/
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/3959277784' title='Bromley parkrun' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>
I am still feeling a bit emotional, I should imagine I will be for some time, as well as Kirsty's family too. It's a hard thing to comprehend. Getting out of bed when there's really not a lot to do is tough! I thought I would go for a run yesterday, I noticed in the morning it was kind of ok, but then by the time I eventually got out of bed it was pouring! A right miserable day, so I ended up not going, of course. Even after telling others 'It's ok, rain is fine, we're not made of sugar!"
Anyway back to today, Saturday, ooops did it again, parkrun day, my alarm woke me up and then I waited for the buzzing on whatsapp about who is going and who isn't! It didn't happen. As I got ready I texted Naggy, she didn't answer me, I text Shalini, but she wasn't coming, clinging sick child was holding her hostage in the house. I text Tracy to see if she wanted a lift.....she was in Eastbourne! Darn it, if I had known all of that in advance I probably would have stayed in bed! I forced myself to get out of of the door and drive to Normans Park. I was a bit late, I drove into the car park, I thought to myself "If I can't find a parking spot I am not going to make it, I might as well go home!" It seemed someone was looking out for me this morning, there were a couple of places that I could easily get parked in.
Because I was a little late I had to run/walk up the long straight to the start line, trying not to get too puffed out. There were plenty of others still arriving, some were doing warm up drills as they made their way to top of the park. I just wanted to get there and then see how I do. I wasn't sure who was going to be there, but then I spotted Auriol, I made my way to her and then saw SnappyH, she had only just got there too!
I had all my technology at the ready, Jabra chatting away in my ears, with my music, my Garmin at the ready satellites found, now lets see if I am ready! RD Mattsmat got us under way! Me and Auriol ran together, SnappyH had her own agenda, busy healing from her injury, wanting to do a non stop 5k! She is getting better and better! She has really done well! I had asked Auriol who else was at parkrun today, she said that she thought RefMichael was there and maybe CarolWithAnE, but she hadn't seen them. The countdown, 3, 2, 1 go! We started running, SnappyH took the lead from the off, me and Auriol just plodded along. I had my music in one ear, with Jabra chatting away every so often. Mainly though me and Auriol chatted all the way around. We saw RefMichael, he called out to us, and there were a few other PWR's that called to us too.
The music helped me keep my pace, while Jabra sometimes told me to slow down! I may have to adjust my pace slightly, maybe I am getting a little bit fitter. I told Auriol that I had received my last payslip yesterday, along with my P45! I just looked at it for a few minutes, just staring at the words on the paper. When I put the paper down I realised I was crying. I no longer work for Kirsty, I no longer need to go and help get her ready in the morning, send of tons of emails to celebrities. It was a horrible feeling. If only there were a few more months! But I am sure even then it wouldn't be enough.
Auriol spoke about her son, Carl, he had leukaemia, he passed away a while back. It's not fair, losing your children, it's just not right! I can't even think about what it's like but I did love Kirsty, she was like an adopted daughter, with all that goes with it! Arguments, strops, fun, laughter, outings, sitting in watching films or playing video games. That's what I did for Kirsty, it didn't feel like work, it just felt like spending all day with a mate! So there was me and Auriol, running, crying and talking about these two young people! We didn't plan to talk about these to young adults, sometimes it just comes out, and it was so needed, we wasn't planning a pb today either, we were just planning on finishing, just to get to the end and that's it. Another parkrun done, just because we can, praise the Lord that we can too!
Oh, just a quick footnote, as you probably know, I am not a morning person, I have been known to run in odd socks, even ran in odd shoes once! This morning however, it was my jog pants, I had them on back to front! It reminds me of that scene in MIB2 where Will Smith's character says "I pulled my pants on!" A bit like how I felt when I noticed this morning when I got to the park ready to start running! At least I didn't have them inside out as well! I only noticed it when I couldn't find my pocket to put my key!
As promised, two charities that J.J. is supporting in Kirsty's memory, you don't have to, but hey, just a quid or two, you probably wouldn't miss it! I bet if you look down the side of you sofa, you will find a couple of quid, or.....in the fluff collector of you tumble dryer.....housewives credit I call it! Stick in in the pot.
https://www.stchristophers.org.uk/donate I am pretty sure if you say it's for young adults at St Christophers it will go into the pot for the young people who need St Chris.
https://cysticfibrosissupporters.org/
<iframe src='https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/3959277784' title='Bromley parkrun' width='465' height='500' frameborder='0'></iframe>
Tuesday, 13 August 2019
Club Run
Hello readers.
Some blogs just come out, the words just flow, (spelling and grammar obviously just stay well back into the grey matter) and yet other blogs I just can't find the words. Nothing comes, so I just write a pretty boring piece, just like a note for a diary entry.
This blog, is the first blog I have written even though I have been running last Thursday, and yesterday with Wendimoo. Both of those runs I did, I needed to do. Thursdays run was the last official core training session in the rec, yesterdays run and talk was with Wendimoo. A run/walk that we both needed. You see, we both cared for Kirsty, I had the Monday to Friday shift, Wendimoo had the Sunday shift. I cared for Kirsty for 4 years, it was an absolute pleasure and privilege to do so. She used to find it funny that I went running, but I am sure she was secretly happy about both her carers went running as well as her mum! Kirsty passed away, last week, on Tuesday 6th. Although we knew this time would come there was always that 'Just a few more months'. There were still more celebrities on her list that we had to get. But that wasn't too be. Kirsty passed away peacefully with her family and friends around her. Such a dreadful disease Cystic Fibrosis.
Every time I ran and I get to that point of struggling to breathe, get that huge bit of air into my lungs, to fill them up, I thought of Kirsty. She once described how it felt lie to be her in an article she wrote for her local circular, 'It's a bit like trying to breathe through a straw all the time. Kirstys lung capacity just got worse and worse. I saw the slow decline of this lovely young lady, it was extremely stressful but the most rewarding work that I have ever done!
The two runs that I have done so far, I just didn't think about, the Thursday even rec training was just me letting off steam. There was no parkrun for me last Saturday, I was away, up to my friends for just an overnighter. It was good to just chill for a day. On Monday, Wendimoo and I went for a nice slow run/walk and talk through the woods.....in the pouring rain! Then popped in to see J.J. who is Kirsty's mum, to give her hugs and support.
Petts Wood Runners brought us three together, through the love of running, PWR was instrumental in bringing us lot together as friends where we can ask for help and support from each other. I also believe that God had the plan already written out before any of us decided that were were going to be runners! Believe me, if you had asked me this time 12 years ago that I would be a member of a running club, a leader in said running club, have some amazing friends from a running club let alone find gainful employment because of all of that, I wouldn't have believed it! I wouldn't change a thing!
Todays club meet just goes to show what a great club we are. There were big hugs from my friends there, bringing about some wet eyes, but I managed not to cry. There are going to be tears, lots of them, me and Kirsty had an intense 4 years together, but I must keep on running, I need to be even more determined to run at every opportunity. Kirsty would have loved to just keep on going, bloody disease had other ideas. Back to basics, run for running sake, run just because I can, run because I am bloody lucky that I can run!
I ran in group 1 again, just because I need to build up my fitness again, get my head straight, keep my running mojo happy by not pushing too hard just yet. I ran in a group of 7, Auriol was leading and had a lovely route planned, a bit of road, a bit of park and finish on the road. There were two newbies with us too, I hope they find PWR as friendly and supportive as ........well as everyone who has every joined PWR so far.
So not so about my running, but just letting you know what's been happening.
I will find the link for the two charities that J.J. has set up in Kirsty's memory and I will add them to my next four blogs, if you want to contribute. Rest in peace now Kirsty, breathe easy my lovely friend and run pain free!
Some blogs just come out, the words just flow, (spelling and grammar obviously just stay well back into the grey matter) and yet other blogs I just can't find the words. Nothing comes, so I just write a pretty boring piece, just like a note for a diary entry.
This blog, is the first blog I have written even though I have been running last Thursday, and yesterday with Wendimoo. Both of those runs I did, I needed to do. Thursdays run was the last official core training session in the rec, yesterdays run and talk was with Wendimoo. A run/walk that we both needed. You see, we both cared for Kirsty, I had the Monday to Friday shift, Wendimoo had the Sunday shift. I cared for Kirsty for 4 years, it was an absolute pleasure and privilege to do so. She used to find it funny that I went running, but I am sure she was secretly happy about both her carers went running as well as her mum! Kirsty passed away, last week, on Tuesday 6th. Although we knew this time would come there was always that 'Just a few more months'. There were still more celebrities on her list that we had to get. But that wasn't too be. Kirsty passed away peacefully with her family and friends around her. Such a dreadful disease Cystic Fibrosis.
Every time I ran and I get to that point of struggling to breathe, get that huge bit of air into my lungs, to fill them up, I thought of Kirsty. She once described how it felt lie to be her in an article she wrote for her local circular, 'It's a bit like trying to breathe through a straw all the time. Kirstys lung capacity just got worse and worse. I saw the slow decline of this lovely young lady, it was extremely stressful but the most rewarding work that I have ever done!
The two runs that I have done so far, I just didn't think about, the Thursday even rec training was just me letting off steam. There was no parkrun for me last Saturday, I was away, up to my friends for just an overnighter. It was good to just chill for a day. On Monday, Wendimoo and I went for a nice slow run/walk and talk through the woods.....in the pouring rain! Then popped in to see J.J. who is Kirsty's mum, to give her hugs and support.
Petts Wood Runners brought us three together, through the love of running, PWR was instrumental in bringing us lot together as friends where we can ask for help and support from each other. I also believe that God had the plan already written out before any of us decided that were were going to be runners! Believe me, if you had asked me this time 12 years ago that I would be a member of a running club, a leader in said running club, have some amazing friends from a running club let alone find gainful employment because of all of that, I wouldn't have believed it! I wouldn't change a thing!
Todays club meet just goes to show what a great club we are. There were big hugs from my friends there, bringing about some wet eyes, but I managed not to cry. There are going to be tears, lots of them, me and Kirsty had an intense 4 years together, but I must keep on running, I need to be even more determined to run at every opportunity. Kirsty would have loved to just keep on going, bloody disease had other ideas. Back to basics, run for running sake, run just because I can, run because I am bloody lucky that I can run!
I ran in group 1 again, just because I need to build up my fitness again, get my head straight, keep my running mojo happy by not pushing too hard just yet. I ran in a group of 7, Auriol was leading and had a lovely route planned, a bit of road, a bit of park and finish on the road. There were two newbies with us too, I hope they find PWR as friendly and supportive as ........well as everyone who has every joined PWR so far.
So not so about my running, but just letting you know what's been happening.
I will find the link for the two charities that J.J. has set up in Kirsty's memory and I will add them to my next four blogs, if you want to contribute. Rest in peace now Kirsty, breathe easy my lovely friend and run pain free!
 |
| Kirsty and her mum J.J. |
Thursday, 1 August 2019
Thursday Training - Guess Who Was Leader!
Hello readers
Thursday training sessions in the rec are continuing on through the summer, but we are coming to the time where there will be less people, less leaders so we kind of stop the official meets and then just turn up and all muddle through. Mind you, talking about muddling through, I made just a little booboo this evening, I thought I was leading next week, it turns out I was actually leading this week! Ooops! So I quickly tried to conjure up a plan for this weeks speed and training session......alas I couldn't so I decided to re-use my old plans, and as there were a couple of little PWR's (well, it's school holidays now!) I thought that they would like it! I stood up tall, spoke to them all and tried to look like I had things well planned, and I was totally in control and ready for this! I think I got away with it!
My plan was, two lap run warm up, drills, magpie game, then find Jabra work out for core, end with par luffs and stretches! For the life of me, I couldn't remember how long we should do each discipline, I usually have it planned on my phone, but I deleted my last one because I was going to work on a new one on my next lead, which of course I thought was next week!
Warm up laps done, drills done and then on to the magpie game. I asked for four team leaders, then they stood in front of the 24 other runners to start choosing their teams, I made sure that each of the team leaders knew where the faster runners were so they all chose from the fast runners as well as the slower runners! Not only that, but its a great way to introduce ourselves to each other, as I suggested that when they got chosen they just say who they were! I like to be friendly, this core session is a great way to meet our fellow PWR's and to be running along side each other in teams!
They game was set up, I was in Cliffs team, with 7 in each team it was perfect. It's always a very competitive game this one, with all sorts for strategies going in there to try and build up their pile of cones! The idea of the magpie game is to have four teams, all the same distance apart from their neighbour and the big pile of cones in the middle. The idea is to grab and to keep as many cones as possible, winners are the ones with the most. To get cones, you run to the middle of the pile grab a cone and then run back put it in your next. Once all cones disappeared from the middle then you can start 'stealing' from your neighbours, just one cone at a time, or from your opposite neighbour 2 cones at a time! I did that for 6 minutes. (I think I should have done that game for longer)
Time up with the magpie game (Cliffs team won by the way!) we had a drink and then I got them all ready for some core training which I used a set from my Jabra App! All good fun! I found I had plenty of time, too much time for par luffs (I think) my maths not very good, so I quickly come up with a shorter field for Pyramid running. Another speedy running session. But once that was started the minutes seem to be disappearing, I won't have enough time for par luffs at this rate. I was going to have to keep them 'after class' doing the stretches!
Once the pyramid running had finished I quickly arranged everyone into Tuesday groups, then into threes. We just had about enough time for a quick blast around the green for our relay running! Stretches done and we finished everything around 8:38.....ish! Just a little late, but not bad for thinking on my feet!
Note to self, always check on rotas and emails to see who is leading!
I didn't start my Garmin, mainly because I was keeping an eye of everything and the time!
A great session though, I enjoyed it anyway!
Thursday training sessions in the rec are continuing on through the summer, but we are coming to the time where there will be less people, less leaders so we kind of stop the official meets and then just turn up and all muddle through. Mind you, talking about muddling through, I made just a little booboo this evening, I thought I was leading next week, it turns out I was actually leading this week! Ooops! So I quickly tried to conjure up a plan for this weeks speed and training session......alas I couldn't so I decided to re-use my old plans, and as there were a couple of little PWR's (well, it's school holidays now!) I thought that they would like it! I stood up tall, spoke to them all and tried to look like I had things well planned, and I was totally in control and ready for this! I think I got away with it!
My plan was, two lap run warm up, drills, magpie game, then find Jabra work out for core, end with par luffs and stretches! For the life of me, I couldn't remember how long we should do each discipline, I usually have it planned on my phone, but I deleted my last one because I was going to work on a new one on my next lead, which of course I thought was next week!
Warm up laps done, drills done and then on to the magpie game. I asked for four team leaders, then they stood in front of the 24 other runners to start choosing their teams, I made sure that each of the team leaders knew where the faster runners were so they all chose from the fast runners as well as the slower runners! Not only that, but its a great way to introduce ourselves to each other, as I suggested that when they got chosen they just say who they were! I like to be friendly, this core session is a great way to meet our fellow PWR's and to be running along side each other in teams!
They game was set up, I was in Cliffs team, with 7 in each team it was perfect. It's always a very competitive game this one, with all sorts for strategies going in there to try and build up their pile of cones! The idea of the magpie game is to have four teams, all the same distance apart from their neighbour and the big pile of cones in the middle. The idea is to grab and to keep as many cones as possible, winners are the ones with the most. To get cones, you run to the middle of the pile grab a cone and then run back put it in your next. Once all cones disappeared from the middle then you can start 'stealing' from your neighbours, just one cone at a time, or from your opposite neighbour 2 cones at a time! I did that for 6 minutes. (I think I should have done that game for longer)
Time up with the magpie game (Cliffs team won by the way!) we had a drink and then I got them all ready for some core training which I used a set from my Jabra App! All good fun! I found I had plenty of time, too much time for par luffs (I think) my maths not very good, so I quickly come up with a shorter field for Pyramid running. Another speedy running session. But once that was started the minutes seem to be disappearing, I won't have enough time for par luffs at this rate. I was going to have to keep them 'after class' doing the stretches!
Once the pyramid running had finished I quickly arranged everyone into Tuesday groups, then into threes. We just had about enough time for a quick blast around the green for our relay running! Stretches done and we finished everything around 8:38.....ish! Just a little late, but not bad for thinking on my feet!
Note to self, always check on rotas and emails to see who is leading!
I didn't start my Garmin, mainly because I was keeping an eye of everything and the time!
A great session though, I enjoyed it anyway!
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Look At That - Another Nugget!
Hello readers.
Oops I did it again! I went on another solo run! I had to, I had cake today! Oh my goodness, it was delicious, but I am glad I only had a small slither of a piece! I am sure that would calculate to a 3 mile run, I am hoping it does anyway!
I was home early again today, so just as on Monday, no need to waste the extra time, get my gear on and get out running. I am still finding it hard to go running on my own, I used to do it all the time when I first started. I think I have just become way to comfortable running with my mates, although that is the most bestest thing about running and belonging to a club! But we all do still need that extra little bit of discipline, just to make ourselves get out there and do it. Keep up our own expectations of what we want......or in my case just to get back to what I used to have! Far too long being way to comfy!
I decided to go to Normans park again, I still wouldn't trust myself to not take the short cuts to get back home if I just ran around the streets, 'as I am there I might as well do the full 3 miles' is what I think. The park was busy, I am sure the same family I saw on Monday had just arrived to do their evening walk with the little un. There are runners and walkers, people sitting on the grass chatting and others doing keep first with personal instructors. And of course the doggie walkers. Then there's me! I give my self a chat as I walk along while my Garmin connects to the satellites, I tell myself "You can do this, just don't beat yourself up, have fun, if your knees hurt just walk," All the things I would tell runners who are struggling or coming back from injury. I think the best bit is 'not beat myself up' if I don't do what I set out to do. The three miles is going to happen, but the run 4 minutes walk 1 could change as I do the three miles.
My Gamin connected just as I got to the MenCap coffee shop, I started my Jabra with my music playing and the started to run. My legs are feeling a little heavy, but I expect that, I have done 3 days in a row now! Rest day for me will be on Friday, and maybe Sunday, we will see! But right now I am looking up the long straight wanting it all to be done and dusted. I am going to do the summer route of Bromley parkrun, so going across the field and then back again, just so that I only do 2 laps.....and a bit! As I was running along I felt like I could run for longer than the 4 minutes I set my Garmin, but I knew that would last (already thinking negative) so I made sure that I did my 1 minute walk, I was just a few feet from second pavilion on the long straight when the walking section started. I really wanted to keep going, just so that I was passed the pavilion, but I am being sensible. "Remember your knees Old Girl" I reminded myself, so I started the walking.
So far so good, Jabra reminded me to speed up when I was walking, the music that I was listening to through Spotify was spot on for bpm! Matched perfectly to what I had set up on Jabra. A few times the voice in my ears told me to 'Slow down to reach your target pace!" I do like it when it says that. When it tells me quite a lot of times to slow down I will change the pace! That's how my run went, I kept focused on my music, trying to match step for beat so that I wasn't concentrating on the actual running. It worked well, a little too well because I ran right through one of my 'walking minutes'. I did struggle towards the end, took a few cheek walks, pretending that I was claiming it back from the 1 minute walk that I missed out on.
I was disappointed though, to see that my time today for a three mile run was slower that on Monday, a quick reminder of my chat to myself at the beginning, about not beating myself up work wonders, because then I remembered I did the grassy bit twice this time, where as on Monday I continued to run on the tarmac for the first lap. Slightly different terrain, I think I will have to stick with this one for all my other solo runs in Normans Park!
Here's my geeky stats.
Oops I did it again! I went on another solo run! I had to, I had cake today! Oh my goodness, it was delicious, but I am glad I only had a small slither of a piece! I am sure that would calculate to a 3 mile run, I am hoping it does anyway!
I was home early again today, so just as on Monday, no need to waste the extra time, get my gear on and get out running. I am still finding it hard to go running on my own, I used to do it all the time when I first started. I think I have just become way to comfortable running with my mates, although that is the most bestest thing about running and belonging to a club! But we all do still need that extra little bit of discipline, just to make ourselves get out there and do it. Keep up our own expectations of what we want......or in my case just to get back to what I used to have! Far too long being way to comfy!
I decided to go to Normans park again, I still wouldn't trust myself to not take the short cuts to get back home if I just ran around the streets, 'as I am there I might as well do the full 3 miles' is what I think. The park was busy, I am sure the same family I saw on Monday had just arrived to do their evening walk with the little un. There are runners and walkers, people sitting on the grass chatting and others doing keep first with personal instructors. And of course the doggie walkers. Then there's me! I give my self a chat as I walk along while my Garmin connects to the satellites, I tell myself "You can do this, just don't beat yourself up, have fun, if your knees hurt just walk," All the things I would tell runners who are struggling or coming back from injury. I think the best bit is 'not beat myself up' if I don't do what I set out to do. The three miles is going to happen, but the run 4 minutes walk 1 could change as I do the three miles.
My Gamin connected just as I got to the MenCap coffee shop, I started my Jabra with my music playing and the started to run. My legs are feeling a little heavy, but I expect that, I have done 3 days in a row now! Rest day for me will be on Friday, and maybe Sunday, we will see! But right now I am looking up the long straight wanting it all to be done and dusted. I am going to do the summer route of Bromley parkrun, so going across the field and then back again, just so that I only do 2 laps.....and a bit! As I was running along I felt like I could run for longer than the 4 minutes I set my Garmin, but I knew that would last (already thinking negative) so I made sure that I did my 1 minute walk, I was just a few feet from second pavilion on the long straight when the walking section started. I really wanted to keep going, just so that I was passed the pavilion, but I am being sensible. "Remember your knees Old Girl" I reminded myself, so I started the walking.
So far so good, Jabra reminded me to speed up when I was walking, the music that I was listening to through Spotify was spot on for bpm! Matched perfectly to what I had set up on Jabra. A few times the voice in my ears told me to 'Slow down to reach your target pace!" I do like it when it says that. When it tells me quite a lot of times to slow down I will change the pace! That's how my run went, I kept focused on my music, trying to match step for beat so that I wasn't concentrating on the actual running. It worked well, a little too well because I ran right through one of my 'walking minutes'. I did struggle towards the end, took a few cheek walks, pretending that I was claiming it back from the 1 minute walk that I missed out on.
I was disappointed though, to see that my time today for a three mile run was slower that on Monday, a quick reminder of my chat to myself at the beginning, about not beating myself up work wonders, because then I remembered I did the grassy bit twice this time, where as on Monday I continued to run on the tarmac for the first lap. Slightly different terrain, I think I will have to stick with this one for all my other solo runs in Normans Park!
Here's my geeky stats.
Tuesday, 30 July 2019
Club Run - Jubilee Park
Hello Blog readers.
It's club night and I am leader for this week, I am leader next week too, not sure how I managed to do that (I am group 1 rota leader, messed up somewhere!). It has been raining most of the day, on and off, but being leader is always so good for me because I have to be there! No excuses! I can chose the route too. I picked up Tracy on the way and drove towards the rec. We stopped outside J.J.'s to collect Wendimoo and then we all walked to the rec.
I wanted to take my group though the wood, it's what we all look forward to during Summer but I can't believe that the minutes are ticking away our daylight, but it's still just about ok to go into the woods and get out again before it becomes too dark! I was going through Jubilee Park, it's a great route, flat, also there's quite a bit of the route that you can see sky, not just the tree canopy! It's perfect for the beginning and the end of summer time running.
We arrived at the rec and I could tell by the way people were standing that they were all listening to introducer, the one one that makes all the annoucements as well as introduce the run leaders. I should be up there, at the beginning of roll call! I am going to have to sneak on past them and hope nobody notices me! I think I managed it well, as HannahH started with group 12 and worked her way down, Nailed it! Nobody realised I was late! Actually everyone noticed I was late! When it was my turn I gave my route, and speed, well actually I just showed them the paddle board thing that we have and said we were going at that speed! We gathered all together and watched as the faster runners then slower runners ran out of the gates. There were 12 of us in this weeks group 1, some coming back from injury. I do love it when runners coming back from injury decide to drop a group or two to get back into the grove. I know there are some runners who decide to run by themselves first and then step back into their usual group. I just think it would be so nice that when runners start running again, instead of running by themselves to build them selves up for their usual group then to come back to a slower group, chat to people, share experiences and encourage each other!
So we started our running, we managed to get out before group 2 who were waiting for HannahH to put all the paddles back. Then it was forwards and upwards, well, there's not really many upwards, not that I can remember. Auriol had said that there was a hill. I think I must have that 'runners block'! All runners get it, especially marathon runners. They block out the training, how hard it is, they block out how hard it is to run 26.2 miles. I had that, I did the London marathon twice! (notice how any who has ever done a marathon can get it into a conversation, not matter what). I think I must get runners block about hills and things, all routes and races that I have ever done are flat......until I go to run them. I know that the woods just inside Dog Poo Ally have hills, I know that, but Jubilee Park....nah!
Perfect for group 1 running, especially for me while I'm feeling fat and frumpy, and slow!! I do love this route though, I never really use to venture on to 'my' side of the tracks before, but since we started using that for the Mob Matches I realised it's just so doable for group 1's to do. We had to run through Dog Poo Ally and then we had a chat about running through the woods, you know, passing down the line when there were roots to step over, or bricks sticking up, tree branches hanging down. Also about leaving a gap between you and the person in front of you so that you could see all of these things to avoid! As we were stand there another group came through, it was Pauls group, I think he runs in group 8, (remember I was just a tad late so didn't hear what group he was taking) He was most impressed with my group chat and even stopped his own group to listen and take on our tips too, I think!
We took the left hand path, which means that we will have to run over the three bridges to get to Jubilee Park, but on the way back we just run over one bridge and then take the road back to the rec. Last time I went this way, I thought we had to take this path that goes to the right. It looks like a corridor where the trees join each other at the top, but IllustriousLeader said no, but she apologised because that was the path that we needed, and that leads to the path with the little bridge! This time we got it right between all of us. I am sure I will be able to remember all of this next time I do this route.
We soon got back to the entrance to Jubilee park, with just one more bridge to cross back over and then a nice run down to Crossways and the rec. We had a count up, all 12 of us came back, yay! And we also all introduced our selves. I should have done that in the beginning, its friendly!
So a nice run out, I think everyone enjoyed them selves, just a nice steady pace, plenty of catch ups (and a check with IllustriousLeader that I were going the right way). Love club running! Love my club, love leading!
It's club night and I am leader for this week, I am leader next week too, not sure how I managed to do that (I am group 1 rota leader, messed up somewhere!). It has been raining most of the day, on and off, but being leader is always so good for me because I have to be there! No excuses! I can chose the route too. I picked up Tracy on the way and drove towards the rec. We stopped outside J.J.'s to collect Wendimoo and then we all walked to the rec.
I wanted to take my group though the wood, it's what we all look forward to during Summer but I can't believe that the minutes are ticking away our daylight, but it's still just about ok to go into the woods and get out again before it becomes too dark! I was going through Jubilee Park, it's a great route, flat, also there's quite a bit of the route that you can see sky, not just the tree canopy! It's perfect for the beginning and the end of summer time running.
We arrived at the rec and I could tell by the way people were standing that they were all listening to introducer, the one one that makes all the annoucements as well as introduce the run leaders. I should be up there, at the beginning of roll call! I am going to have to sneak on past them and hope nobody notices me! I think I managed it well, as HannahH started with group 12 and worked her way down, Nailed it! Nobody realised I was late! Actually everyone noticed I was late! When it was my turn I gave my route, and speed, well actually I just showed them the paddle board thing that we have and said we were going at that speed! We gathered all together and watched as the faster runners then slower runners ran out of the gates. There were 12 of us in this weeks group 1, some coming back from injury. I do love it when runners coming back from injury decide to drop a group or two to get back into the grove. I know there are some runners who decide to run by themselves first and then step back into their usual group. I just think it would be so nice that when runners start running again, instead of running by themselves to build them selves up for their usual group then to come back to a slower group, chat to people, share experiences and encourage each other!
So we started our running, we managed to get out before group 2 who were waiting for HannahH to put all the paddles back. Then it was forwards and upwards, well, there's not really many upwards, not that I can remember. Auriol had said that there was a hill. I think I must have that 'runners block'! All runners get it, especially marathon runners. They block out the training, how hard it is, they block out how hard it is to run 26.2 miles. I had that, I did the London marathon twice! (notice how any who has ever done a marathon can get it into a conversation, not matter what). I think I must get runners block about hills and things, all routes and races that I have ever done are flat......until I go to run them. I know that the woods just inside Dog Poo Ally have hills, I know that, but Jubilee Park....nah!
Perfect for group 1 running, especially for me while I'm feeling fat and frumpy, and slow!! I do love this route though, I never really use to venture on to 'my' side of the tracks before, but since we started using that for the Mob Matches I realised it's just so doable for group 1's to do. We had to run through Dog Poo Ally and then we had a chat about running through the woods, you know, passing down the line when there were roots to step over, or bricks sticking up, tree branches hanging down. Also about leaving a gap between you and the person in front of you so that you could see all of these things to avoid! As we were stand there another group came through, it was Pauls group, I think he runs in group 8, (remember I was just a tad late so didn't hear what group he was taking) He was most impressed with my group chat and even stopped his own group to listen and take on our tips too, I think!
We took the left hand path, which means that we will have to run over the three bridges to get to Jubilee Park, but on the way back we just run over one bridge and then take the road back to the rec. Last time I went this way, I thought we had to take this path that goes to the right. It looks like a corridor where the trees join each other at the top, but IllustriousLeader said no, but she apologised because that was the path that we needed, and that leads to the path with the little bridge! This time we got it right between all of us. I am sure I will be able to remember all of this next time I do this route.
We soon got back to the entrance to Jubilee park, with just one more bridge to cross back over and then a nice run down to Crossways and the rec. We had a count up, all 12 of us came back, yay! And we also all introduced our selves. I should have done that in the beginning, its friendly!
So a nice run out, I think everyone enjoyed them selves, just a nice steady pace, plenty of catch ups (and a check with IllustriousLeader that I were going the right way). Love club running! Love my club, love leading!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)