Happy New Year!!!

 Hello blog readers!

Ok, so I am slightly late with the salutations to the new year!  Wow, how time flies eh?  I was thinking it was only a couple of weeks ago when I last wrote my blog! 

Well, I haven't been idle in my running, not totally idle any way.  There has been club runs and parkruns and.....a solo run.  That was last week!  Boy, I just can't get over how its been way over a month since my last blog!

Club runs have been good.  We have had some great numbers attending in group 1, of course I keep choosing to lead!  There has been the occasional time when I just haven't been able to get there due to the timing of getting home from work feeling totally exhausted!  I am hoping the brighter evenings will be coming soon, to trick my brain into thinking it's not night time, there's hours yet!  At least when I was a kid it always seemed that way!  Who liked going to bed in the middle of the day just because mum told you it was 9 o'clock at night and you had school the next day?

We had our usual group 1 runners and a couple of newbies plus Viral joined us as he is recuperating from injury!  His walk is faster than my running! Only a few weeks ago he tried to keep up with us while walking (his doc said that walking is better at the moment) and now, well, do they still do walking races in the Olympics, because I am sure he could qualify!  This is aw picture of one of our runs in group 1 a couple of weeks ago.  I remembered to try and capture some of our runs for prosperity....and blogging!

Then there is parkruns.  I think I missed the first couple of the year, I think I just wanted a lay in....lie in...?  A duvet morning!  But that first one back, I was totally prepared!  New Brooks running shoes, Nike dri-fit running pants, parkrun 100 tec top, pink New Balance running wind cheat, PWR buff around my neck, Aftershokz in my....oops... on my ears and my white signature running cap!  Totally prepared.  Even my running buddies were there at Norman park! I have all the gear! I may not look (shape wise) like an athlete but my goodness I'm dressed like one.  I set my Garmin and started to run when the time was right.

I was running with Pat for a while, before she found her pace and did her own thing, then I was just running along trying not to think about how unfit and a chunky monkey I have become!  When blow me down I saw a guy in front of me, when we got to the top of the park, he was wearing, I kid you not, a donkey jacket, jeans, wooly bobble hat and ordinary trainers! Could they have been converse, I don't know!  But talk about being totally unprepared!  Did he just decide to take a walk in the park just as parkrun started and think, "Feck it, I'll join in"  Who knows!  But it did put a slight dampener on my run that day as I tried to keep up with him!  I did get a sneaky picture of him, from the back! I did think maybe he was just running through the park because he was late for something but when he continued on pass the exit I knew he was parkrunning!

We also had a 50th parkrun to celebrate, now that did help me get my arse out of the door! That was Terry, with Loulou, and I think it was Sherrys too!  They had cake on offer!  Also, this week, quietely whispering in our ear Louise said it was her 50th parkrun too!

So that leads us on to my solo run!  After missing a parkrun and a Club run I just had to give myself a kick up the back side and go on out.  As soon as I got back from work on Wednesday last week I just went upstairs to get changed for running.  No thinking about it, no 'Lets just do this little bit of work first".  No. Just upstairs, running gear on and out of the door.  

I chose to do Norman park, run around there for 3 laps, that's about 3.5 miles, just slightly more than parkrun.  It's the only way without any short cuts home!  I know I have to do three laps, just to make it worth while driving my car there!  So I did it, it wasn't pretty, but then, as IllustriousLeader once said, running is not the most glamourous sport ever!  I mean, I daren't wear make up, it would totaly slip off my face and down my running gear!  You would never get the stains out!

So there's my running for the last 4, 5...6 weeks!  It's club run tonight!  I'm looking forward to that!

Christmas 2021! It Can Only Get Better

 Hello blog readers.

I can't believe how long it's been since my last blog!  I am imagining (I won't say I will be making!) my new years resolution!  Put it this way, if I'm blogging then I've run!  So, here's to loads more blogs for you all!.....hopefully!

So a lot happened between the last blog and now, of course I was leading group one on the Tuesdays, also my daughter came over from America to see me just in time for my birthday!  We had a fabulous afternoon tea at a very special place called Sketch.  It's the most quirkiest place that I have ever been too, let alone the most expensive place I have every been too! But I thoroughly enjoyed my champagne afternoon tea!

From that weekend, 26th November on, I caught a cold!  It has gone on for ages, I missed a few club runs, #SecretLondonRuns Christmas Lights run, one that I was so looking forward to going to for quite a while!  Pat had asked if I was going, I had said yes, so she put her name down.  We were going to be traveling together!  Both of us dressed up looking ridiculous!  Two of us could get away with it!  But it was a big fat no for me!  Pat had to travel by herself, on the train. I had hoped she would meet some of the others on the train station!  But she said she travelled alone!  Dressed like a Christmas tree, complete with Lights!  Oh I wished I was a fly on the wall at Pettswood Station! Bloody cold,  I had time of work too, I was floored!  It was that bad, I was testing every day with the lft's just in case it turned out to be the dread 'rona!  Fortunately it wasn't,  a PCR test assured me of that!  But since I have been back running I have been really struggling.  Coughing and spluttering my way around our 5k courses.  I kept reassuring everyone that I was 'COVID' free! I am just left with this awful cough!  It is getting better though.

So the high lights of all the runs that I have done since 10th November has to be....well it's the last two runs.  The Woo Woo run and this mornings 'earlier than usual' Club run. Let me tell you about the Woo Woo run.

It's become a bit of a tradition now, the last Tuesday before the Christmas Big day is a Woo Woo run.  I usually get a few defectors from other groups too, and this year was no different.  RefMichael joined me, Nigel joined me (well he had actually had a sore foot but wanted to test it out!)  Not only that his wife Auriol who was booked into another group also came and joined in with us!  Our usual group was with us, J.J., CarolWithAnE, Dee, SweeperRob and his Mrs Karen!  Our Mat was there too!  We also had a newbie join us for their first ever run!  What a run to join in, Collen from our latest Autumn beginners group joined our happy band of PWR's.  Pat from the Spring beginners group joined in our woo woo run, as well as Marius, it was their first Woo woo run too, fortunately for me.....Pat chose to be designated driver, woo woo! Double woo woo time for me!

We met up at the usual place, usual time but we just looked a little different, a bit more colourful!  Quite a few of us remembered to bring along some hydration too........well, a little something warming in a hip flask!  I brought along my mate Jack Daniels!  We then headed for the streets to do our woo woo run.  Woo Woo here has two meanings, when you think about it.  Firstly it started off on our very first run with the added luxury of hip flasks, the more we got into the run the more 'warming' we felt, the more appreciative of the Christmas Lights we became and we gave a 'Wooo' when we ran past and so the Woo Woo run was born.

St Georges Road in Petts Wood never disappoints and we actually did that road twice, we ran one way on the way out and then opposite direction when we ran back.  They really do go all the way with their lights.  It was even featured on this morning when they did the weather forecast from the street! Here is some pictures from that run.

Sugarbum fairy, captured
by Kev Howarth photography

The gang!

A selfie with the gang

Todays run was completely different.  There were only two of us for a start, Tara, KevTwoBalls Mrs, was my running partner.  She was on fire at parkrun last Saturday, smashing 25 seconds of her PB.  And yet, she was running with me this morning!  I am glad she did, otherwise I would have been by myself.....or encouraged to join group 2!   I decided to do Tillingbourne Green, at least Tara can have a good workout as I am going to be a little slow....ok a lot slow!  Probably not going to be sounding to healthy either.  Running always make me cough anyway, but with the added, well established cough already in place.  It was then that Tara said she was looking forward to a slower paced run anyway, as she went eyeballs out on Saturday.  

We also had a slightly added pressure of the newly introduced group 0, the injured walkers group, saying to us "We are going to try and keep you in our sights, follow you on your route!"  I had already told Viral that I was going to be doing a 3 mile route.  Everybody started off together, and I mean everybody! Out of the gate, groups around 13 groups of runners exited. Some had just a few runners, others had at least 8-10 in there.  I should have taken a photo. Another thing not to put on my non existing new years resolution list, take more photos!  

The first road of course is flat, is Crossways, but we turn right and that's the hill!  Half way up this hill I turned to see how far the walking group was behind us and I saw them!  It was an incentive to try and put some more space between us! I think en-route I turned around a couple of more times and only saw them once more!  I was so pleased!  It's the little things isn't it!

Once we got around the green, Tara running up that steepest part of the hill, we ran up the short hill to the main road.  A little walking break and then running along to the roundabout!  We crossed over and ran down Petts Wood Road towards the park where we start from. There was still with no sign of Group 0!   I was feeling pretty knackered by this time, I was coughing a bit, my chest felt a little tight!  But I wanted to finish this run, I wanted also to make sure it was 3 miles! That meant running up to the memorial hall!  More hills! The last one!  Once we were at the top we turned right and made our way to the nice little down hill of Kingsway and then a left turn towards the park!  

A lovely run, even if we were not the greatest of adverts for running, both of us were coughing!  But a most enjoyable run. 

So from the highlights of these last two months to the lows of these last couple of weeks. That is, both my daughters with Covid, one son in law with covid, two grandchildren with covid, two nieces with covid and one brother with covid!  The rotten cherry on top is that my car broke down on Christmas day just as I was delivering the kids  presents to them!  COVID you can go do one!

Having no car will make things awkward for getting to club runs at 7 pm on Tuesdays!  I may have to miss quite a few of them until I get myself a new car! I am absolutely gutted!  There are a few things that could work at them moment that will allow me to get to club on time, but we shall just have to wait and see how it all works out with the first week going to work using public transport......or my bike!  If I use my bike it can only mean that I will get fitter, silver linings!  Also walking back home after work in the mornings means more steps for me!  Think positive!

This is me in my cosy hoody, a

Christmas present. Perfect for warming

up after a run!

My new shoes, another present this Christmas!

Have a great new year every one!   Look for the positive in everything next year!  They are there...somewhere!

Getting There!

 Hello Blog Readers

How you all been.  I've been better! Thankfully not ill, just recovering from surgery.  I had a procedure done on my tear duct last month on the 26th October.  Blimey, it didn't 'arf  'urt!  I had the same procedure done years and years ago, on my other eye, I am pretty sure it didn't hurt as much as this time did.  Back then, after I came out of the hospital, I popped to the pub before going home!  Mind you, that was then and this is now, things were a little different. Back then I had an overnight stay in hospital.  This time round I was in and out on the same day, conveyor belt style!  Did that make the difference, who knows, could it be that I am older, and things take a lot longer to heal!  Probably!  Anyway, I missed several running sessions which I am not happy about!

I went along to the beginners on Saturday, but my face was still pretty sore, achy and bruised,  having my glasses on my nose is quite painful, so I just went along for support and took my camera (read that as phone).  It was the first time this group would be running up the hill.....well, sort of.....they tried to do it the week before but the weather was just too horrendous so it was abandoned!  We have quite a few of our runners left from when we started this autumns session, and we had quite a few PWR's to help run along with our runners too, to encourage them, especially up that cheeky little 'bump' they have to run up!  Here, this is some of our beginners in action.

So fast I almost
missed!

So, yesterday, was the first time I have tried running since the surgery.  Goodness knows how I was going to feel.  Mentally I was ready, oh I was so ready!  I just didn't want to wait another week without running.  Being in the lower running group, I feel that I might just lose fitness.  When the other groups have time out, they can still get to run club and maybe run in a slower group, but us in the lower group, we have to challenge ourselves when we have 'time out'.  I guess the best thing really is to just pull my finger out and start to try and move up the groups!  We'll see!

There were only six of us in group 1 yesterday, quite a pleasant evening too.  It wasn't freezing cold, or raining and Crofton school were having their fireworks do! Perfect running conditions for me really, well I think the fireworks are maybe a bit over the top for my return, but hey 😉  Nice low numbers, so we are not going to be stretch out too far from each other, not good when I guessed I would probably be leading from the back! Not to cold that I am not going to enjoy it, it really was just perfect conditions.  I had planned to do our 'easy' route but do it the opposite way round, just so that we could keep the fireworks in our view, maybe, just maybe get to the school while they are still going off!

SweeperRob said it was more challenging going the opposite way round, which everybody quickly said yes!  I hadn't really thought about,  I was beginning to waiver and say 'ok, lets go the usual way around' but they all chimed in and said I should stick with my plan, as they really only just having a little moan, I said at "least we will have the downhill and the end, which is always good" , so we stuck with the original plan.

The fireworks started almost as soon as we left the rec, I was thinking to myself then that maybe we would not make it to the school for the grand finale, but you never know, I could surprise myself, right?  That first hundred yards or so my legs started to feel like lead weights!  I could just 'feel' the messages they would be sending to my brain:- 

Legs :"Hey, um brain, what do you think you are doing, I thought we had stopped with all this nonsense?"

Brain: "No, don't be daft legs, I was just resting up old face ache up there, you know, trying to heal the bruises before she frightens any more kids"

Legs: "Well, I would rather not, if you don't mind, I was enjoying sitting crossed leg watching telly"

Brain: "Just get on with it, I'll speak to you later"

That was it, brain switched off signals to legs and legs just had to get going!  It didn't help that running was not doing my head any good, and I don't mean the mind, I mean my head, my glasses were hurting my nose and I kept trying to push my glasses further back but then that hurt the scar and the scab! But there was one thing that didn't hurt, that was my mind! Mind was having a blast, Mind was having a conversation all by herself

Mind: "Oh this is so good, oh look pretty sparkles"

Brain: 

Mind: "oh it's soo good to be back running with these guys again, oh wow, that was a big one"

Brain:

Mind "What route should I do next week, oohhh wow that one was sooo loud!"

My brain really wasn't taking any notice of tired legs, of hurting noses, my brain just let my mind take over and enjoy my run.  Yes I was slow, and yes I was leading from the back again, but I was feeling really good.  It's amazing how just a couple of weeks off from running and you are just gagging to get back to it!  I like routine, I don't like missing things, I like leading, it's a great discipline for me to be there!

So yes, there it is,  my ramblings for today, weird ramblings, but hey ho! Enjoy!

Petts Wood 10k 2021

 Hello blog readers.

No.2 look at that!

It has been a week and a bit now since I did the PWR 10k  I bet you have all been wondering if I am ever going to talk about it!  Well I am, as you can see!

I am sure I have mentioned before that the only other time I ran this race was 11 years ago, on the 10/10/10 at 10:10 am!  That was the official gun time!  It must have been a very lucky year for me, because that is where I found out about Petts Wood Runners!  An amazing club, I was so excited back then, to be doing my first ever 10 k race.  I loved it so much I decided that I wanted to be a part of this fantastic club.    

If you want to read about my first experience than you can click here and it should take you to it.

So, on to this years PWR 10K.  I woke up feeling excited and a little anxious.  Due to the pandemic and me not doing so much exercising last year my weight piled on.  I am having trouble shifting it!  Running is a lot harder work than it was way back then.  But I know the route, I know the hills, I know those woods, but best of all, I know the marshals!  They were the ones that got me through the race last Sunday, on the 10th of the 10th....how much of a coincidence is that.  If I had been racing the year before the date would have been the 11th of the 10th!  

No getting up too early, I wasn't needed at the rec to organise the toilet queue, hand out bananas or medals.  I was one of the runners.  I put my bag in the bag drop and then went to find Auriol who also had a place in the 10k. On the way, I bumped into our very own gorilla family, Woody and Woodina and child!  I'm not sure if we know what the baby gorilla is called?

Our tail walkers are always superstars, this year they were also...super heros!

Ali G also graced us with his presence,
"Big up to der PRW Massive, dey iz the wickedest"
"Its PWR Ali"
"What eva" 

I eventually found Auriol, or at least she found me.  We moved forward in to the front of the last pen and found Charlie.  All of us were pretty excited to be there.  The nerves started to get to me just a little as I thought about the my first time.  Will I totally embarrass my self by not finishing, getting nearer the 2 hour mark? As sure as heck I knew I wasn't going to get near my first time!  After all, I am 11 years older as well!  I think I have covered all the excuses and perfectly reasonable reasons regarding my time this year...unless you can think of anything I have left!

Even the Orpies love our run!

As you can imagine the smile on my face was from ear to ear.  I was trying to go over the route in my head, the bits where I knew I was going to struggle, how I was going to deal with that struggle, by the way, I had no strategies whatsoever in dealing with the hard bits apart from just getting my well rounded arse up there!  The time came, the first wave started off.  We are still in covid mode, so gun time and actual time for me will be somewhat of a spread!  Every few minutes I head the cheer as the three waves in front of me started off. Then it was our turn, the fun runners, the 'I am so blimmin happy I can run' runners. The runners who are just so amazed that they are doing a 10k runners!  No agenda but to get around, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the cheers from the crowds.  

I heard my name being called out quite a few times as I went over the mats as well as  'beep, beep, beep, beep" as each of the runners tag started their own personal time.  I couldn't think about my time, I just wanted to get out there and experience one of the best races I have done.  We did a loop of the park and then out on to Towncourt Lane, I wasn't quite sure if we would be going left or right so I was really pleased when we started  heading towards J.J.'s house.  She was out there on the road with her little cheerers cheering us on!  Charley, Auriol and Sara, who was also in the same pen as me, found their rhythm and moved ahead of me.  We all had chatted about our lack of training done for this race so all of us were just going to do our best. With the residents out cheering us on though the streets we felt like Olympians, who needs training eh?!

I followed the runners around the streets and along to Tent Peg Lane, my thoughts drifted back to 2010, thinking then how I was going to run for ever.  Well, I guess that bit is definitely on the way to fruition, I have no plans to give up my running days that's for sure! My mind drifted further back, to when I first started running, when I first started to think "I need to work on this keep fit malarkey". That first spark of motivation that got me running.  It was my sisters (Nagging Sister) idea, she had decided that we were going to do a run in memory of our mum who passed away in 2007.  No asking, just telling us how it was going to be.  We did the Race for Life in the City of London in 2008 and from there the rest is history!  In fact it's all written down here in this blog site!  Maybe I should write out a few excerpts from over the years into a book form! Yawn!  Not another running book!

Anyway, I digress, as usual.  Running through Jubilee park brought back a fabulous memory.  This is where my family were waiting, my young grandson, little Dude, just a toddler was smiling and cheering me.  I must have looked like a complete nutter as I smiled on past this particular section! The smile didn't last much longer though when I remembered what was coming up!  

It was a lovely down hill section, all the way down to Blackbrook lane so my smile lasted until there, I can't remember if this is where Loulou and Terry were, I am pretty sure it was, of course they brought a smile to my face to!  Also one of the Zero's to Hero's team caught up with me on this section, "Do you want company?" she asked as I just walked a bit, I  knew what was at the bottom of this hill, just underneath the three bridges, after the right turn at the end of this road! My nemesis! Goss Hill! "Nah, you're alright, thanks, see you at the finish"  I must say, our club sure know how to motivate you when it comes to hills.  There were all sorts of signs going up here to help you stay focused, if you were running, or make you smile if you just wanted to 'enjoy the view!'

The view from the hill!

I was pretty pleased to get to the top of that particular hill! Ran a bit, walked most!  The farmer always allows us to run at the edge of his field, he opens the gates on either side of the field so that we don't have to run along the 'roller coaster' up and down type of thin path, with the horrible barbed wire fence at the side. It felt so much nicer running along this bit knowing that I don't have to worry about the ups and downs of the path or the barbed wire.  Just before I got to the gate I noticed one of our three photographers that we have for the day. Did I smile, I do hope so, was I running, I better had been! 

In the field!

The path running down from the corner of the field is such a welcome relief, all the way down pass the lovely house, down to the river and the water station. Don't worry, they not been using the river to fill up the paper cups, honest! Half way round, just a parkrun to do! It felt good, even though to me it didn't feel like I had been running that long, maybe because I just knew all the faces on the course, but it was longer than I normally would have done a 5k!  Well, I was here to just enjoy everything that PWR have done on this course! I know I saw a picture of me at the water station, but I just can't find it!  Anyway, they were a crack team there by the river, with the midges!  I hope they had jungle formula spray on!

From the river it's up again, I actually ran that little hill, then the thoughts of the next bigger hill came into my head.  I'm chuckling now as I remember the first time I had to go up this bit "How many hills are there" or words to that effect!  Some more familiar faces along here, all cheering me on!  Robbie was along this bit, towards the middle of the hill!  Robbie, who always run with me in group 1, always being a very helpful sweeper!  It was still a bit woody in that section, but I came out with the field on my left and a sign on my right saying 'smile'.  Yup, just at the top of this hill they put a photograper! 'Jump?" he said!  I didn't know if I had it in my legs, but I think I managed to get both feet of the ground at the same time!

Me spying the camera, "For feck sake smile Old Girl"

Jump!! How about I just shove my head in my 
shirt to look like I jumped!

It's flat now, just as we turn right to run to the beginning of the middle path, running down to the resident 'Band in the Woods' our very own Tim and this year he was accompanied by Sally.  What other race has a band in the woods? Also here were some more of my friends, RefMichael, CaroleWithAnE, Pheranice!  They were having a party in the woods!  There was bunting and balloons, there was a crowd dancing along to some fantastic tunes! Oh I wish I knew how to upload a video here!  Tim and Sally we singing Twist and shout as I came running down!  Brilliant atmosphere here!

I was going to stay and have a dance, or even grab the mic and sing along, but I knew I just had to get up the last hill.....almost, it was the last hill in the woods shall we say!  But this was cuts across to the right, it don't go all the way to the top, then it's just a run along to the rail lines where the exit to the woods is.  I had finished the run in the woods, the best bit.  Well, actually the best bit was all of it!  But you know what I mean, the run in the woods, the fresh air, the smell of the trees and the peace.....no, no peace, not on that day anyway!  Not filled with all our cheering PWR's! No, that day it was no peaceful, it was a party on the hoof!

Running along and down Birchwood, running towards the rec, towards the finish lines, I can't tell you how happy I was feeling, blimming tired, but so happy!  I was thinking about the 'One in the Wood' having their lovely kegs of beer there!  Laura' Larder was also there, I was looking forward to trying something from there! The finish line was there, the medal was there, PWR cheer team was there, some of the marshal from the course were there! That last bit of running up Towncourt was hard.  I remembered back to the first time, my son in law was running next to me, urging me to keep going!  It was just amazing, this time Adam was next to me, at first walking with me but then running with me as I turned into the rec, I could almost feel the warmth and the love of all the PWR's that was in the rec still!  Wendimoo was there, she ran some of the way towards the finish with me, I heard my name on the left and the right, I was smiling!  What a brilliant race!  Ok, so I didn't get anywhere near my time when I first did it, but what I did have this time around was a whole running club behind me!

This is me and Naggy, when we first ran the PWR 10k in 2010

As you can see, it was a smashing
sunny day then too!

Photos 1, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are from KevTwoBalls, KevHowarth.smugmugs, our resident sporting photograher!

And this one is from Kev too!

PWR know how to party after a race!
Me and Kev!

Running Buddies!

 Hello blog readers!

I told you I would be back!  I've even surprised myself that I am getting on with it!  

Sunday, a beautiful evening, (just after that little down pour we had) and running buddies!  What more could you want?!  I am running with several running buddies, this evening.  NaggyNeighbour, Benji and Buddy!  So, Benji and Buddy are little fur babies belonging to Naggy.  Poor Naggy has been suffering with the PF thingy, which is quite horrible, so she has been coming along to beginners, just working on it slowly.  Today we did the homework part of it but with Benji and Buddy.  Two birds, one stone and all that!  Time management sorted!

Buddy and Benji are completely different doggos!  Benji is the bigger dog!  He's huge, when he comes running at ya for a cuddle you better brace yourself!  And Buddy is an adorable, short leggy little Dachshund!  You can guess which dog I was going to run with! 

We set off from Naggys home, both of us starting our Garmins at the same time, we crossed over and that's when Buddy decided to do his ablutions!  Fortunately Naggy gave us bags to, um, clean up after them.  I am so glad I had the little doggie!

Naggy of course didn't know that we had to stop and she carried on running with Benji, the Budster of course wanted to see his mummy, he's little legs were running at ten to the dozen!  Oh my goodness, he was pulling me along, he was not wanting to run at my pace!  He kept looking for his mummy, stopping looking back but she was just ahead of us, just out of sight, especially for ole little legs!  Every so often, or so it seemed, he seemed to be able to smell them and ran a little faster!  It was little running on a roller coaster....if you get what I mean!  We caught up with Naggy and Benji, mainly because they waited just a little further along the path, during the 2 minutes of walking.  Buddy didn't want to walk, no he wanted to run to mummy! So my walking bit wasn't quite for 2 minutes!

We walked along towards 'Turnaround lamppost' for the rest of the walking section and then started running again.  Little Legs Buddy was determined to keep up with mummy and was pulling on his lead, thankfully he has a harness otherwise I might have had to carry the little fella so as not to strangle him! I had noticed that Benji was just running beside Naggy, not in front of her.  Even though he is the bigger dog, and would probably love to run faster I was beginning to think that maybe running with him would be better for me.  Funnily enough, that was what Naggy was thinking too!  When ever we used to go running with just the three of us, before Buddy joined Naggy's pack, Naggy and Benji used to always be ahead of me but Benji used to actually stop and wait for me to catch up!

When we got onto the A21, the next 4 minutes of running, I took Benji and Naggy took Buddy!   I must say, it was better, but even Benji wanted to catch up to Naggy.  Even though Naggy has this PF thing going on, she is still a lot faster than me!  Feck knows what is going to slow her down, maybe she can have a sloth as a fur baby and try running with that!

By the time we had done our homework the doggos had had enough of running and little legs was slowing down, looking behind to see if me and Benji was still with them.  It was an enjoyable run, my first run with a dog.  Did they make me run faster, well, I think they probably did, just a bit, I was flippin' knackered afterwards!  

Here's a picture of our running today!

Me, Benji's butt, Littlelegs Buddy and Naggy!

'Till' We Meet Again

Hello Blog readers.

Look at me, writing again!  Anyone would think I've been running! Oh, wait, I have!  I didn't have a late pickup of kids at work on Tuesday so I was able to get to club run.  Mind you, I still had to go and pick up Pat, her hubby was on petrol hunt  so she had no car.  So blimmin annoying this petrol malarky, isn't it?  People panic buying fuel, why don't they go and panic buy peas (I'm not overly keen on peas!)  I might start a rumour that the Pea growing assosiation has said due to lack of pickers peas are rotting on their stalks.    But I guess that will just mean everyone will buy up everything that pickers and packers do!

Anyway, I'm rambling, unlike Tuesday...we were running!  I think we did quite well.  'Till' we meet again is what I entitled this blog, it was also a clue I gave the group last week of what we would have been doing.  I need to get some hills in!  So, Tillingbourne Green is where we would find a hill...after going up a couple of hills to get there!  The groans from the group were not too bad.  Seasoned runners now, they know what to expect.  We did have one newbie, when I say newbie, she is more a returnee.  She came running with PWR a good number of years ago now, she decided it was about time she got back to it!  Even she did really well. The nights are really drawing in now, but with a a few of us wearing lights we make sure we can be seen running up the hill!  Watching all the other groups pour out of the rec, in their neon vests, chest lights, head lights, it really is awesome.  Our club is growing faster than any other club, I am sure of it!  Bring on a mob match, can't wait to do another mob match!

Coming out of the rec we turn left, run to the end of the road and then turn right! There before us creeping up and up was our first hill.  Nothing like starting as you mean to go on, eh?  This is not even the worst one, no, that one is Tillingbourne. There is no other way of getting there to run around the green. No 'flattening' out the hill by taking a different route, it's up, up, up all the way.  Why in the infinite wisdom of the original ten or so people who started PWR in the first place, did they decide that being at the bottom of all the hills in Petts Wood is the best place for the meet up?!  Denise, who hasn't been running for quite some time, did really well. Karen was just flying up there!  Maybe that's what I should be doing, just get up there and get it done as quick as possible!  Hmm, I think a while on that little concept.

Once at the top of the hill, we turn right, run to the next road and then cross over both Kings Way and the main road.  We are now heading for the dreaded Tillingbourne Green!  It's a nice run there, sort of, it has a down hill bit, so that's good, right?  Once we are faced with the green, we take a minute to recuperate, grab a breath and then just get on with it, because, just before we go down the green we still have a bit more uphill!  Oh, did I tell you I am doing the Petts Wood 10k this year?  I need some hills to train on.  I am sure group 1 don't mind a bit of hill work, they didn't say they didn't like it, but then again, they were not talking much anyway!    

We all did the hill at our own pace, you can't rush hills, you just have to go at your own pace.  Look to the top and know that it will be all over and done with soon.  That is how I am going to look at those hills next week.  Just look at the top, know that that is it and enjoy the down hill...until the next one!

It's now Sunday afternoon and still not yet published this blog, hmm.  Well if you are reading then I have!  Sometimes I should just take my hands of the keyboard while I am thinking, because the crap that I am thinking just comes out on the screen!   Yesterday we had the beginners week 4.  They were running for 4 minutes and walking for 2 minutes, they did that five times around the rec!  I know there are some of our group doing this session 'virtually' as they are away.  Knowing they are still keeping to the programme is such a nice feeling.  I just think then we have done our best!  Hannah was leading the session this time, she kept them all totally motivated.

I remembered to take some pictures, ok, so they are not quite aciton shots, it's just after we had done out cool down stretches, and DiscoRich was letting them all know about our 10k which is going to happen next week! Gulp! The 10th of the 10th in the year 2021!  I'm looking forward to it!  

I am facinated by number
I also like to see order, the 
number of steps on my watch after
the session amused me 

I am going running again today, I am just waiting for Naggy to show up!  So what this space for blog no.2 later.  I will try to remember photos as well 😏

By the way, I am sitting here writing this and looking at my phone for all the finishers of the London marathon today!  An amazing achievment, I know.....did I tell you I have done the London Marathon twice!  Anyway, huge congratulations to everyone.  Just a few names, LouLou, Petula, KevTwoBalls, Jason, Gillian. Plus Adam and Carl, who finished their virtual VLM and then went on to help out at the mile 4 water station with the other PWR's! Legends!  Well done all of you who took part in the VLM, one of the best Marathons in my opinion 😊 

Got To Get Them Miles In!

Hello blog readers.

I know there are still a few out there!  I spoke to one of you at the leaders meeting!  My ramblings are still reaching people!  I know my ramblings do me an awful lot of good, it helps me to focus on the good points of my running. For one, that fact that I am still doing it!  Can you believe it.  I started this blog way back in 2008, how many words and I written!  I am sure I must have repeated myself a few thousand times!  

When I look back to those early days it really does bring home to me the fact that I have changed my ways!  I no longer just come home and sit and veg all the time!  Oh, don't get me wrong, I still like coming home and vegging!  It's a necessary part of living!  I know some people hate that time of doing absolutely nothing for a whole day!  I love it!  Just to read, watch telly, potter about, call people!  It's perfect.  But now, since 2008 my vegging days are interspersed with my running!  Looking back at my blogs, with me asking the same questions that I now see the new beginners asking "Does it ever get any easier?"  Well, no, is the honest answer.  It's still bloody hard work, I still look a complete hot, sweaty, pink mess at the end of any run. But that fact that I can run further than a mile, which was my first ever attempt at running, without dying, is the reward!

My heart is stronger, I know it is, my lungs are stronger, especially since giving up the ciggies a year ago February, (although I did succumb to a couple a month or so ago)  back on track again though!  My weight issue is...well an issue at the moment.  I don't feel as if I am eating more than I used to this time two years ago, but feck me, weight has piled on!  It just has to be the 'wrong' foods I am eating.  I must get back to eating salads most days.

My running however, well that has been constant, apart from blimmin covid lockdown of course (which is where my weight seemed to have started piling on).

I am loving it.  I am loving leading group 1 at club nights on Tuesdays.  I enjoyed getting back to parkrun and now I am enjoying being one of the leaders again at the Autumn Beginners course.  Can you believe we just finished week 3 yesterday?  We have been so lucky with the weather, it helps with the discipline of getting people out of the house to come along and keep going.  Mind you, we could have been scuppered if people had to drive to us, the queue to get into the local petrol station was causing tailbacks and road blocks!  Blimmin ridiculous!

We were running for 3 mins and walking for 3 mins yesterday.  People were doing just fine!  I am sure they are well impressed with themselves!  

Today I went out by myself, it's Sunday, after having the rest of Saturday as my veg day, I needed to do things today!  The housework for a start!  After getting back from church and a bit of shopping, I got stuck into my housework. I was thinking I would just get on with that and then get out for a longish run!  Best laid plans and all that!  My housework took longer than I thought it would.  I was blimmin knackered!  In fact I almost talked myself out of running!  But I couldn't do that!  Not after letting the beginners know about that quote from Ben Mudge, self discipline, routine, regularity!  If I am not doing much on Sundays well then I will be running!  I have to, I have the 10k to look forward to, that's only in a couple of weeks!  I did talk myself into only do three miles though, but considering this week I didn't get out to club run, I talked myself into doing just the 3 miles. What  I really needed was to kick ass and get out and do more!

I put my music in my ears, hat on head and went out there!  I felt pretty smug with myself as I ran outside, "Look at me, doing housework for 4 hours and now getting out running! I am bad ass!"  Then I got to the end of my path, "Blimey, knackered already" I thought to my self!  I quickly dismissed that thought and just concentrated on my music, I had 70's rock anthems being blasted in my ear drums.  

Before you could say 'Bob's your uncle' I was already passing the tractor park.  If I was lucky, I could almost convince myself that I was on the way back, almost.  I mean, once I was through the park and on to the road at the other side of the park, then run to the top of that road, every step after that will be a step leading home. See what I mean about  almost convincing myself I was on the way home!

I am still doing the 'Jeff-ing'  I know Naggy said to me yesterday "Well that's going to have to stop"  She's right of course, but for now, I am still hanging on to my 'comfort blanket'. Those little regular walks helps just a little, I will cut it down by 30 seconds from next Sunday!...... There, I have written it now, I have to do it!

I keep forgetting to take pictures.  That is something I am going to have to work on too!  So until next time peoples, keep on running!

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Here are some pictures from the beginners group last week!