Club Run!

 Hello blog readers!

It's school half term, woo hoo!  It's means I can do what I love doing and that's leading!  They only bit I don't like is running! Wait. No, I don't mean it, not really!  I hate running, it's hard work! I'm over weight, I'm old, I'm slow! 

Hang about!

For the past 17 years, I have been doing something I hate?  Nobody does something voluntarily if they don't like it, surely? Don't make sense to me.  I must....love it ....really!  It's true.  I complain like mad about it, I make excuses for my 'poor performance' and in my humble opinion, there is NO poor performance! But I look at what it's brought me, tons of new friends, a great club to belong to, fitness!  Medals!!  Gawd knows what I would be like now if I didn't do the running!

So no, I don't hate running, I love it really, but blimmin eck it's getting harder as I get older!  But after 17 years of running, 15 years of that with the club, there is no way I am giving up!  When I am leading it just seems to make the run that little bit more enjoyable. Moans and groans over, and excuses, back to the club run.

I was in two minds on which route I would take,  It had been raining for hours during the day.  Should I do the woods?  It was quite breezy as well, could I lead them safely through the woods without a branch coming down!  I think risk assessment is getting in my way of fun these days, its been instilled in my brain from school!  But still, it could be a tad slippy.  I know we had a few coming back from injury, also a new member joining us for the first time, as well as J.J.  She don't do mud, or rain, so the roads it was.  

I chose the easy route, with just a couple of little bumps in there.  Of course the first one is more or less straight away, as we run down Crossways towards Petts Wood.  It's that lovely little hill of Kingswood, just a small hump really...she says trying to convince herself!  There were eight of us that left the rec, but by the time we got up the hill another runner joined us.  Another runner who usually runs in group 5!  I was thinking 'She's gonna find us a challenge to keep 'up' with!"  And with that I mean, we are a slower running group, we are also still doing the 60 60 Jeffing!  It's quite challenging to run with a slower paced runner if you naturally run at a faster pace!  But it was lovely having Jane with us, it's good to run with others from our club!  As I said to Jane, it's not as if we can go and fun in the faster groups just to mingle and get to know the other runners!

That hill always getting me, it seems to stretch out as you're running up it! Like in the movies, where the corridor seems to run away from you.  With the Jeffing though I got up it, along with the other 8 other runners.  That hill done, the rest of the way to the middle of Shepperton is on the flat! Perfect.  I was leading from the back when we got over the other side of the rail bridge, just like a leader in the wolf pack.

Well you get the drift. Not that I am the alpha! And that's my excuse for being at the back, at that time. The fact that I was still getting my breath back from getting up the blimmin hill has nothing to do with it!

We turned right once we got through the carpark and ran around this little road until we were back on to Southborough road.  That's when I took the lead back in front. Well, kind of everyone said "Go on Old Girl, get back in the front!"  

We headed across Southborough Road and down Crescent Drive all the way around to Shepperton.  Now for the nice down hill bit again.  I like this bit....until it goes back up again.  We kept to the format that, 60 60 and we were all together too, it wasn't stretched out as it has been on some of our group 1 runs. Of course, that means that there is no waiting, no stopping for catch-ups, we just kept plodding along!

The last hill, that's the last bit of Shepperton! It don't look like much of a hill, not when you're in a car, but running up it, that's a different story!  Once we were up the top of the hill, it's all flat again.  Beautiful!  We turned right to run up the little round about and then crossed over the road to turn left, over the bridge and then a quick left turn into Beaumont.  You just know when you on this stretch of the road it's all heading back to the rec.  Run done. Time to smile and say "Yes, I done it!"  It didn't take us too long on this road, especially as it is a slight downhill in our favour.  Back to the rec for some cool down stretches, where our numbers grew by another three, as group 2 had just finished their run and joined in with our stretches.

Another run done! And look...another blog blogged! Two in one day!  I forgot to take a picture of all of us together after the run, but remembered just as I got to my car so captured a picture of me and J.J. just to show that we worked hard.

I forgot to take a pictur

Beginners Week 2

 Hello blog readers!

Well I was distracted, I started this on the 18th May!  Um, no other words really, so I shall just continue where I left off, if I can remember that far back!  Saturday 17th saw another great turnout for our 2025 beginners course!  It's absolutely great to see so many! It was the second week, we had a couple of people that joined in as well as the ones that started the week before!  Love it!

I ended up leading again, for various reasons, I'm sure that means that were all  clock watching to make sure I didn't go over the time during the running sections.  As if I would do that! On purpose. Really, me?

So what did we do?  Well, we walked around the green for two laps, that's the easy bit.  We did some joyful skipping and some salutations to the sun, as well as some good old fashioned butt kicks!  Can't bean a good butt kick.  

Then our 2 minutes of running started followed by 4 minutes of walking.  I mean if you saw some of them, you would think I asked them to do the impossible.  I believe in them, I know they can do it. Or maybe it was me they were worried about, you know, with the whole forgetting to look at my watch on a couple of times.

My thoughts while running.  Hmm, So, "I hope if don't rain"  Nobody likes to run in the rain, well except if you happen to do a marathon on a very warm day!  "Did I do enough warm up drills?" Never enough warm up drills. "I hope I didn't over do the warm up drills" What I don't want is to exhaust them for the running starts. "Is this the second or third time we have run"  Then straight after that "Nah, nobody will notice if we do any extra run"  That's me doing wishful thinking!  I always check though, because you know that they are counting every running step and every second of the walking sections. 

The crowd we have at the moment all look so capable, I just know we are going to have a great graduation at Normans park in a few weeks. 

So that's how far I got before I was distracted in my writing of the blog.  Hmm I am sure there was loads more to write, but my menopausal brain can not dig it out from where ever it is I stored it.

Here's some pictures from the second week.  At least this shows we did the cool down stretches!  Always a good bit that, as you know you have done it!

This is us running!

It's Back, PWR Beginners Course 2025

 Hello blog lovers

It's back, our beginners course!  How I love doing these, encouraging others to get on this wonderful journey of running, or, to get back the love of running.  I'm saying love, I think you must have some feelings for this crazy pastime that we do!  I know for me, every time I do parkrun I invariably say 'I hate running!'  In fact I can remember the last time I said it and somebody heard me and just chuckled. But any case, I love the feeling  of accomplishment, I love the fact that I finished it. I love the fact that I can still do it! Even if it is slower these days. I am hoping a new group of future athletes feel the same, if not more than I do for this running malarkey. 

Yesterday, (Saturday) saw the start of our 2025 PWR Beginners course.  I wasn't sure if there would be many to come along, I think we have most of Petts Wood in our club ranks, so I was really happy to see at least 30 turn up at 9 am on a beautiful sunny morning.  Our usual team were there, DiscoRich, ZippySherry, Hannah and RefMichael, who was a little late and looking very tanned from his hols! There was also another PWR who brought her mum along!  How fantastic is that!  Including in the new beginners was the daughter of one of our PWR who sadly passed away, she thought this is a very good way to remember him. And what a lovely way to do so.  I myself got into running when I did the Race for Life in London, back in 2008, in memory of my mum.  I haven't stopped since! My blog for that is right at the beginning, one of the longest blogs I had written!  I do try to keep it to under a short pamphlet size these days!

So back to Saturday.  After introductions we began the course.  We started with two laps of a brisk walk (a bit shorter laps this time, as the rec seems to be rather busy with various things happening).  Then we went straight into the warm up routine of skipping and leaping about like we were 10 year olds again.  I mean, who doesn't smile when they are skipping, eh?  We did some carioca's (is that how you spell it?)I still call them karaoke, as I can spell that!, and I love karaoke. Oh to be back in Tenerife! we did some but kicks and back to slightly hight skipping.  I think that is the hardest bit!  Actually the hardest bit is getting to the rec at 9 am!  It's a fact, just ask anyone!

After we did that out running started.  Just one minute of running followed by 5 minutes of walking!  Easy peasy!  I'm so glad that I have been doing 60 60 when I've been going out with the club or to parkrun.  We did that 5 times in all.  I  spoke to some some of our runners on the way round, so far, they were all enjoying it.

After the run/walk was finished we all made a big circle to begin our cool down stretches.  It's a great way to see every ones face as well as show how all the stretches should be done.  Of course its a great way to explain the homework situation too!

What a brilliant day it was.  I am so looking forward to next weeks session, and not doing 3 miles parkrun has nothing to do with it!  I love running, I love running, I love running!  Actually I really do, I just love it so much better when I a have finished!

Some more photos for you, curtesy of ZippySherry

Running On A School Night!

 Hello blog readers

Look at me and my bad self!  Out running with my fabulous club on a school night!  I managed to get out a little earlier so that I could get back and make it to club run yesterday evening!  It felt so good! I mean the run was blimmin hard, but just being there on a Tuesday to moan about having to run 3 miles on a school night was blimmin good!

Auriol was leading.....no, actually, Sgt Major H was leading!  She earned a new nickname for herself yesterday,  I shall explain a little later.   The weather had turned again, it was a bit chillier than it was the day before, I was glad I had brought my jacket along.  I could see on the sign in sheet that we were heading to the woods, I am hoping the 'townie' in my that showed up last week will be silenced.  I know I love running through the woods, I need to get that back.  Last week I thought it would have been no so muddy in the woods but it had rained quite a bit before the Tuesday of last week.  Oh, I forgot to say, I went running last week too, in fact I was leading last week, but there was no time to write up about it as I was up early silly o'clock on Wednesday morning to fly off to Tenerife!  Oh it was wonderful! Well apart from two days of our 5 day stay, when the cleaning and hospitably staff withheld their services and went on strike! But that's another story.

Anyway, I digress as usual.  Sgt Major H was gathering her troop ready for the off.  There were 8 of us, which included Dee, who hasn't been for ages, Mary, Tina, Lesly, Tina and James!  Some of us are coming back from injury, some of us are coming back because mojo had been mislaid so we are all pleased that we were still sticking to the 60 60 pattern.  

 Sgt Major H assigned me to sweeper duties, something I was very happy to do.  If they go too fast no one will notice me at the back, struggling and puffing away like an old sheep on a frosty morning!  Of course Sweeper duties are very important, a must in any sort of group running! I just comes comes with that lovely benefit, that if you don't want to run on the running bit, who's to know! Mwhahaha (that's an evil laugh by the way)

Sgt Major H took the left path once we hit the woods, I was thinking "Oh no, she's going to take us up Goss Hill!!"  Now can you see the benefits of Sweeper duties!  I was quite pleasantly surprised to see that after going down the hill to the stream we went straight up again.  Hang on what am I saying?  We still had to go up!  Being at the back I took the liberty of walking a bit of it,....ok some of it.......right.....all of it!  I just can't seem to get my legs coordinated right to run up steep hills!

We were heading towards Botany Bay lane but then took a right hand turn.  This is where Sgt Major earned her new nickname "You can talk when you walk but when you're running, no talking when you're running"  On the odd occasion I could have sworn I heard her say "No talking, we're running". Going this way though, we still hadn't done with the hills! A steep little up hill and down followed by yet another up and down, which I think is the longer up.  If we were going in the opposite direction it wouldn't seem as bad!

It felt good to get to the top again.   A nice flat path until we get to the path that is parallel to Birchwood road, then it's all down hill from there. Bliss!  We were soon back at the rec and stretching out before Sgt Major could say "Attention!"  Then the smile was on my face!  A smug look about my eyes!  I did it, I ran and walked my way around the woods on a school night with my fabulous run club!

At the top is a picture of all eight of us in group 1 yesterday evening.  Don't you just love running! 

Bromley parkrun.....again!

 Hello blog readers.

It's me again!  Only one run this week, I must try harder to get to a Tuesday club run.  I think the dark and the cold are really not inspiring me to push myself harder to get to club run on time.  Procrastinating!  I am the queen of procrastination! I procrastinate so much that it's almost bedtime when I get home from work, I then talk myself out of rushing to get changed and rushing in the car to the park to join group 1 at 7 pm.  I remember I did it once but I drove the whole way without putting my lights on my car!  Scary!

Anyway, here I am again procrastinating instead of writing up my bog!  How you put up with me I don't know!  So, I was again 'solo' running Bromley parkrun.  Naggy was saving her legs as today (Sunday) she did the Darenth 10k, apparently that has a hill that makes PWR 10k hill look like a bump!  No thank you, that has put me off applying for that one....in the future....!  SnappyHannah still had some things she needed to do so she ran earlier in the morning.

I arrived early at the park as I didn't want to miss out on parking, I know what I am like.  I would drive around the roads looking for parking then not find one and then go home! Would I run if I did that...? Right now I probably wouldn't.  I would just beat myself up and then moan at myself for being a lazy 'meadow lady'! So getting out early it has to be which is why I was sat in my car for a good fifteen minutes I would say.  

When it was time I walked along to the start of the run. I put myself in the middle of the crowd, I was thinking the penguin effect would help keep me warm!  It was blimmin cold!  I only had a short sleeved tee on and my running jacket! And yes Mrs K I had my knickers on too as well has my running pants!  I should have brought the gloves from my car though.  I just thought once I started running I should warm up, being early as I was, I was just chilling down!  There were some mile stone runners at Bromley yesterday too, my next one, 200, is still about 40 or so weeks away!  

When the count down started I was still in the middle of the pack I didn't want to move from the 'heat' in the middle.  Of course I would be getting passed as the mass of runners thinned out to a long column of runners.  I found it fascinating  when I passed the second building of the left side of the park, just how fast those at the front are!  I looked over to the right and I saw runners already going down the short straight, not just one or two either, there was a long line of runners!

I was still running 1 - 1 Jeffing all the way. but again I still ran the first three minutes.  I know it too,  I kept looking at my watch for the next walking section!  I was feeling pretty tired yesterday, I didn't think I would be breaking any records......don't laugh!  

I just needed to stay on pace and watch  kilometres go by.  By the time I thought about it I was on the second lap, "Just twice more to this spot" I thought to myself as I ran on down the long straight.  I couldn't spot any particular person that I wanted to 'catch' up to.  I am thinking, now, that it was probably phycological that I didn't choose an 'opponent' to race against.  Yesterday was all about trying to stay consistent. Consistent with parkrun run.  Trying not miss any Saturdays. Trying to stay consistent with my pace, trying to stay consistent with the Jeffing!  I must admit, I did miss a couple of running minutes, of course I beat my self up about that!

The last short straight down to the finish funnel I felt like it was a challenge.  I was knackered!  I didn't think that I pushed myself any harder than I usually did (again beating myself up because I didn't).  This chap caught me up on my walking section "Come on" he said "Don't let this 81 year old injured olympic race walker beat you" he said as he over took me!  "You usually do" I called after him as he started to make space between us.  My 1 min of running started again, "Go on Old girl, get back up to him, you can do it" I started to say to myself.  I pushed a little bit harder, doubts started to come in my mind as I saw the orange cones getting nearer.  Voices in my head saying "He's an Olympian, you ain't gonna catch him up" I stopped running. "Oh come on old girl, move it!" I think I said that bit out loud! Did I swear? Hmm I don't think so, but another telling off as I slowly started to catch him when I started running up again but I didn't quite make it as he crossed the line just before me!  He turned around in the funnel and said "Well done" as he shook my hand!  

It was well done.  I got out of bed, I got my running gear on and I got to the park!  That at the moment is all that is needed! One minute running, one minute walking. It's moving, it's getting the heart rate going, it's getting the cardio going and it's burning off the couple of pints I had on Friday night!

Me, in my car feeling accomplished

Bromley parkrun

 Hello blog readers.

Another run down and another blog blogged!  Well once I've written, which if you are reading it means that I have!  Blimey, I don't know what goes in my brain sometimes!

So, parkrun.  I did it, I did it alone too.  I had texted the Normans Angels Whatsapp group to see who would be running,  it seemed we were all running, but in different places and times!  Naggy was in Hastings, so she was doing the Hastings parkrun and SnappyHannah had a ton of work to do so wanted to get a run in earlier that 9 am.  So it was just me, on me own at Bromley.  Well, when I say on my own, there were 792 runners and walkers, over 70 of them were Petts Wood Runners, over 50 volunteers were mentioned in the email, park users, doggies, kids, birds. So not quite on my own!

I didn't think too much about todays run, I wasn't dreading it, wasn't particularly looking forward to it either.  I think that is quite a big step forward in my opinion!  Even the 'Run Lords' were looking out for me today, as I was driving into the park, I believe it was Jason running towards the road to hold out a sign that the carpark was full! "Oh no, I'm not going to find a place to park now" I thought.  I didn't think I would find a place outside of the park and then get back in time for the start of the run.  I probably would have gone home.  But just as if headed towards the main carpark I noticed just one space on the side of the road!  A space that a few years ago I would have thought it was way to small to try and squeeze into.  but I did it (It was quite a big space really, but all spaces look tiny to me if I have to park in them). 

So there I was, among the throng of people waiting to hear "parkrun!"  I am still keeping to the 60 60 even though for the first 3 minutes I ran, just because.....well I don't know really, I just did!  After that I more or less stuck to the 60 60.  There were a couple of times I walked on the running bit!  I had my music playing in my ears, I went for 60's today.  Some of it was a good beat to run to, some it it was perfect to walk to.

The first lap went by quite quickly. No, not in time, but metaphorically, As I have said in several of my blogs, I have a lot of empathy with sloths!  In fact the whole run seemed to fly by quickly.  Does this mean I am secretly enjoying running again?  I don't want to say it out loud in case it disappears again! but yeah, parkrun did not feel a complete ordeal.  In fact the only hard bit was escaping my duvet!  It wasn't a chore today! Hmmm that's good right.  I didn't crack any pb's obviously but I more or less stayed consistent.  Here's to the next parkrun!

A couple of pictures today.  One is of me running, taken by John Diamante and one is of three lovely PWR ladies, all of which ran to parkrun and then going on home or to run some more miles in prep for a huge run that is happening in April! In London! 

 

Tourisim parkrun

 Hello blog readers.

I nearly let this blog slide on by!  It's already Monday evening and I haven't bragged.....I mean blogged about my run on Saturday!  In fact, I nearly let Saturdays parkrun slide on by!  I hadn't text the Normans angels Whatsapp group to see if we were off touring some parkrun somewhere, it was already Friday.  But I had to  text Naggy  to remind her know about Bims  secret 60th birthday gathering that was happening later  on Saturday evening.  I had just carried on the text convo and asked about parkun.  She said that as no-one text on our usual chat group she was just going to let parkrun slide on by!  But between the two of us we got our act together, sort of, and planned to go to Danson Park, Bexley parkrun.  Of course we both forgot to let SnappyHannah know where were were going!  Two foggy brained, menopausal women, trying to remember where our running shoes are, or the fact that we are indeed runners in the first place is good going for us at the moment.

Anyway, Saturday morning came, the alarm went off! I wasn't best pleased, I was almost kicking my for texting Naggy on the Friday.  If I had let it be until after parkrun I could still lie in my bed, with my lovely arm duvet keeping me prisoner!  It was a bit foggy out....I think, or was that my brain,  it didn't feel cold though.  I was thinking it was going to be an ok run, maybe not speedy.... mwahhhhaaaaa!! As if I was ever speedy!  I think in some previous life I was a sloth!  I love sloths, I identify with sloths, I think they are they most cutest creatures ever!  

I met Naggy outside and we made our way to her car.  We arrived with plenty of time before the start.  I even remembered to take some pictures of us, look at this! 

Can you see!  I have remembered how to upload a picture too!  Anyway,  this is the two of us, two foggyheaded ladies, in a foggy park in Bexley.  It was rather busy as well, if I remember correctly, busier that it had been on previous visits.  There were pacers there, maybe that had brought in a few extra runners.  

Anyway, we were ready to run, the quicker we start the quicker we finish!  There I go again, thinking I'm all that with the speed!  Hahaha!  After the chap had finished the briefing the throng of people moved as one to the start. "See you at the finish" Naggy said as the runners in front started to thin out as they started their run.  "See you at the finish" I called after her.

My Garmin was running, my music was running, all it needed was for me to run!  I decided to keep with the 60 60 still, just for a bit longer, just to keep my mind thinking that I got a good hold of this running malarky again.  Keep it fun(?), keep it easy(?) keep it as the thing that I enjoy most in the whole world(?)  I know, the new mantra is is a work in progress, not quite slipping off the tongue.  I am trying to think all the right things first, if not do all the right things.

My music was in my ears helping me  keep the pace going, but up ahead I spied someone that I really wanted to be my target race.  She was running at the same sort of speed as me, but she was further along.  I decided to ignore the 60 60 and my pace and try to pick it up a bit to try and catch her up.  I should have listened to myself  though "No, Old girl, stay your pace"  I managed to catch her up and tucked myself in behind, make my break when I could.  Oh my goodness tho!  My breath was just all over the place!  How can anyone forget how to breath.  But that's what I did!  My heartrate went up, I know cos my Garmin told me!  My speed slowed down as I tried to gain composure!  Meanwhile, my 'target race' pulled away again.

It was like that all the way around, I caught up with her, I even over took her at one or to points along the way but I couldn't keep the lead.  So I just plodded along again, just enjoying being out.  And I was enjoying it,  if it wasn't for the running it would have been perfect! 

Bexley is a two lap course, but it is a fairly flatish course, sort of!  There is just that little bump the marshals have nicknamed 'Woo Woo Hill'.  The first time going up the hill I walked it, the second time around (Yeah, I know the second time smug mode!) I ran it, well most of it, ok some of it, I ran some of it!  It was still more running up the hill that the first time around!  I was determined to run some of it...if not all of it... maybe next time! If I couldn't catch up to my target race then a little bit of hill training will have to suffice.  

Once back out of the woody bit and running along to Joe's corner I could see my target again.  "I could do this" I thought to myself, and I picked up the pace again, but then just as I did that I had a phone call.  I could ignore it and call back later, but just lately me and my siblings are all just all keeping in touch, just to stay connected and support each other for these next few weeks.  I didn't want to not answer any call.  Of course it did mean I slowed down to a walk as I chatted away for a little bit.  My target race was pulling further away.  I was rather glad my brother rang really, it made a great excuse, I mean reason not to push myself to the finish to see if I could beat her.

After passing Joe's corner it's just the home straight from there!  I just know that through the gates Naggy will be waiting, it was just a guessing game at which tree she would be waiting at. Mind you, I don't think she was by the trees this time, I think she was nearer the finish funnel!  But I am writing this up Monday evening, the parkrun was a couple of days ago, she could have been totally speedy and over took me for all I can remember!  Menopause!  Why can't I have Runopause instead?

Club Run

 Hi blog readers.

I don't want to say anything to loud, but look!  Another blog! Shhh, we don't want to frighten it away!  I had already 'prepped' my team at work, that if we had just a few kids then I will be leaving early, to get to club run.  Mind you, it's been quite a while since I got away during school term to run with the club, I almost thought, "I'm tired, maybe let one of the others go early instead"  I mean, my mind still thinks that this is the norm now, work = no run, school half terms = run.  Muscle memory, right, (is a brain a muscle... I should have paid attention in biology class).   

Anyway, I completed another run yesterday, with my club.  I wasn't leading, Tara was.  She had planned a route that she hadn't done before, it's always good to try new routes, keep things fresh.  There we 6 of us, Tara leading, J.J. who also hasn't been running for ages, Tina, Lesley and Mary.  Thank goodness Tara is quite happy to stick with the 60 60 routine that we have been doing!

We started off walking, well the carpark is quite dark, and there is this huge pothole just as we need to go through ally way, not as big as one in Godstone, but still an ankle snapping size hole!  Once out on to the roads Tara lead us up Birchwood! Up Birchwood! The first of a few hills!  My mantra, which I used to tell everyone to say while running up hills, just would not pop into my head.  "I hate hills!" is my new mantra.  Fortunately we are doing the 60 60, so we didn't have to run up the whole hill!

Once at the top we turned left.  It looked like we were doing one of my routes, but Tara did say that we were heading toward Leesons Hill, so maybe there will be another road that we will be turning down instead of the one I usually do. I was feeling pretty comfortable, the group were all still together, we were all running at the same pace.  That makes a change!  Usually group 1 is quite a diversity of runners.  But were have had some injuries and illnesses and work issues keeping us away from running!

We turned down Mapling Road, deffo still one of my routes, we turned left at the end of that, yup, deffo one that I have taken group 1 on.  But then instead of taking the next right we carried on straight.  Well, that's new.  This should be interesting.  Of course, now I am just following blindly, just 'enjoying' I want to say, the run.  The enjoyment was of course just being with my pals, my mantra, my new mantra, " I hate running" still escapes my lips.  

I can't really remember the 'lefts and rights' that we did, but I do remember the hills!  Tara did warn us there were a 'couple of little' lifts in the route, it's what we expect in Petts Wood.  There is always a 'little lift' somewhere on our routes, even on the flattest route.  What we didn't expect, not even Tara was to go slighty awry from where she had planned!  And guess what?  There was an unexpected hill involved! Oh well, there are supposed to be good, right!  We had ended up at St Mary Cray station! 

On our 60 second runs, some of them last just as we got to the foot of some of the ups, also some of them started as we were walking up the hills!  Boy, did I not like that!  I said out loud at one point "ok, run everyone, but I'm walking"  Tara said "Come on Old Girl, you got this!" Sigh, so I ran, but just not all of them.

We kept to the 60 60 mostly, all the way to the rec.  There were a few times I missed the start of a run, or, surprisingly the start of the walking bit, can you believe that!  I even suggested that once we were running back down Birchwood, we should ignore the 60 60 and and just see how we all do on the downhill. Me, I said that.  Maybe mojo is just peaking out from where ever it is hiding to remind me that I actually enjoy running!  It's good for you, it's free, it's mind easing exercise.  Plus with a club you get tons of friends and encouragement and banter and a whole lot of stuff!  What's not to like!

Beckenham Place parkrun

 Hi again blog readers.

It's me again!  I went running (obviously), at Beckenham Place Park parkrun.  A little bit of parkrun tourism, and the location was because there were a couple of milestone runners. That means cake!  You gotta love cake after a run!  

I was looking forward(ish) to this one as it was just a one lap route!  I don't think I have ever done a one l lap parkrun before. That means no one will be overlapping me, that will make a change.  There were only one other Normans Angel with me yesterday morning and that was NaggyNeighbour.  I had forgotten to mention that it may have been a bit muddy as I thought it would be on grass.  

We arrived there not knowing where the start was, fortunately it was quite near the carpark, perfect.  We arrived just a little late for the one of the group photos, but I managed to sneak in to a few others, just to show that I did indeed turn up. 

Naggy and I went over to the first timers briefing, that is where we found out that some of the route was not accessible and we were going to have to do a loop through the woody bit.  Darn it, that means I will be getting lapped! Oh well.

We went over to the start, everyone ready with the various watches and timers, their Stravas and other mapping tools, waiting for the off.  I found my place, at the back, let the fastest runners get to their place and then we were off.  Naggy set off at her pace, (She had already done a mile and some just before she met me by the car earlier) while me Auriol and Mary set off at our pace.  Both of these ladies were quite happy to stick to the 60 60 that we had been doing over the last two runs we did this week.

What we found on the route.  Mud, more mud and I believe there were also some slippery mud!  As you probably know from my last blog, I seemed to have turned back into a townie, the thought of getting wet and muddy was not what I signed up for!  I do remember a good few years ago I would have been the first to go right through the middle of the puddles, find the stickiest bit of mud to step into, laugh at the slipping that was going on. Not yesterday though. Yesterday I was squealing like a baby on RedBull, like the brakes on runaway train coming down the side of mountain!  I had no confidence in my footing, I slowed up completely and I was checking my Garmin after only 20 seconds on the run time to see if it was time to walk!  As you can imagine, I wasn't a happy bunny!  We had more walking time when the going was particularly slippy and going up hill we also walked.  Oh I didn't tell you that bit did I, there were hills!  Me and hills are not friends, me and hills fell out when my mojo walked out on me.  I couldn't even think about the mantra "Hills are are friends!"  It didn't enter my mind!  

Auriol seemed to be doing well and was ahead of me and Mary, but she stayed in 'radio contact distance' when I called out "Ok walk now" or "Run now"  As we were running I did think to myself "This could be a lovely run in the summer months!"  Of course that means at some point me and the Angels will have to go again to BPP to try again, hopefully when the whole route is opened, it will be nice to do a one lap parkrun!

We were just on the last mile or maybe less, we had just passed the little lake and was going down the other side of it.  I was fed up of slipping all over the place, my core was fed of trying to keep me upright (I had forgetten I had a core)  and I listened to the tiny voice in my head saying "just walk it now, it's not going to be one of your best or prettiest parkruns".  Mary was just a head of me and I yelled out "Just keep going, I have kind of lost it now".  Did she listen to me? Nope, just like us all in PWR, she came back and encouraged me to keep on going, she helped me to ignore the voice in my head to just walk it, so I carried on running as best as I could.  

We saw the finish line.  It was hardly hidden, in fact it was 'flying high'!  It was at the top of the last hill! ON TOP OF THE LAST HILL!  How mean was that!  I dug as deep as I could, trying to ignore my Garmin telling me it was time to walk again, I just wanted to get to the top, to the finish, to the cakes!  

At the top, by the finish was the PWR's celebrating Premas 250th and Steves 300th parkrun.  There cakes being passed around, the cameras was angled at the finishing line I had to look as if I was running, blimmin eck, who's idea was it to finish at the top of a hill!  It was blimmin lucky I didn't 'make room' for cake when I eventually got there.  I couldn't, not in front of all those people!  

By the way, there was plenty of cake going around.  I managed to get a bit of this most delicious piece of millionaires shortbread!  I even remembered to take some pictures, (still can't remember how to get them on here yet, but I will do soon.  Then it was time to get in the car and come home!  Hmm, that was a bit of a dilemma too.  The finish was not in the same place as the start.  Naggy and I headed off, looked at each other and said "Which way?"  We had to go and find Auriol to find the way back!

Loved it tho......well the shortbread, the finish, the getting back home, the smug mode that I had done another run on my week off.  And look, another blog to boot!

Oh! Hi Remember Me?

 Hello blog readers!

Let me tell you all about it!  You will never guess.  There I was minding my own business, when all of a sudden a bright light was outside the window.  I went to investigate like any good neighbour would do, I was suddenly drawn up by this beam of intense blue light!  It took me into this great big, bright room where they asked about "What do I know about Stars" "Why do you were a green top with Stars written on it"  "Who is my leader" "Where can I find a good Burger King"  It was horrendous.

They then put in this room with glass all around it which turned out to be like tv screens which they changed to look like places on earth and I had to play along to each scenario that was shown on these tv screens! Honestly!  I had to work, come home, eat, sleep!   Honestly! JUST HORRENDOUS

Ok, its a bit far fetched, I know!  I just can't give you any real reason why I have not blogged since....well, whenever the last blog was!  So here I am, blogging again. Now lets see if I can remember how this thing works!  I can't remember how to put the Garmin route in, I can't remember how to add photos in, but I shall look into to it all, again.

I have been running since the last blog, honestly, my Garmin or Strava will show that! Just not as much.  Usually, if I get a run in on a Tuesday, during school term weeks then I am simply too knackered to blog that night and then the momentum is gone!  

I am going to try and change that though.  I have noticed that if I run I blog, if I blog I want to run more.  It was my way of keeping the Mojo going.  Hmm?  Maybe my blogging is my Mojo!  That's a thought!

Enough of that anyway.  This week, during the half term, I have been on two runs already! Yup, two!  Both of them with the fantastic club that I still belong to Petts Wood Runners.  I hadn't been running for a good few weeks before Tuesday, (today is Thursday) I just didn't know how I would manage.  My parkrunning has been still going, ok apart from the last few weeks, and I have been running with my pals, NaggyNeighbour and SnappyHannah.  We had been doing a bit of parkrun tourism, our local parkrun is just sooo busy! I digress again!  Blimey, I've even forgotten how to blog!

Back to this week.  I was leading group 1 this week, yup, I am still one of the leaders at PWR.  I knew we had some runners coming back from injuries and whatnot. No, I didn't sigh with relief.....well maybe I did, it means I HAD to go at a nice easy pace. Anyway, I decided to do the easy route plus interval running, 60 60!  It gives us a good run, if a bit slow, but also gives us all that little bits of recovery time during the run.  I think we all did a great job! Pat on the back for all three of us on that day!

Todays run was led by Anne (I am sure I had a nickname for her but for the life of me I can't remember it) Anyway Anne is DiscoRich's wife.  She took us on the cinder path route.  The three of us who where out on Tuesday, Mary and Auriol, and Selena who is also suffering a bit, followed the leader.  I still decided to do the 60 60 though, Mary and Auriol also decided that intervals were better for them at the moment too. We followed Anne and Selena along the roads doing our 60 60.  I was impressed with ourselves as we were not that far behind them.  I knew Anne and Selena where also doing walk/run as well just not as disciplined as the three of us at the back.  We got to the end of the cinder path and Anne started to make her way around the 'lollipop', its just a road that goes all the way around a little estate.  It goes down, which means you have to run up!  The three of us who were doing 60 60 said we would go in the opposite direction and then meet them as they came up the last bit, where Selena said that she would be walking that part. 

I am sure were we all met up at the half way mark!  We might have well have followed them all the way around.  We made our way back to the cinder path we  stuck (kind of) to the 60 60 till we got back to the rec to meet the faster group that also started from them!  We beat them back! Not that I am boasting about that....obviously they took a much longer route.....still.....smug mode switched on!

I must say, if felt good.......at the end.  Getting up early on my days off is blimmin tough.  Running is blimmin tough...... but the stretching at the end and going home feeling accomplished is all that is needed to make me look forward to the next run!

See you all again......soon.....I hope....yes....soon.....I promi.......well we'll see.  No promises, no pressure just accomplishments!

Now, where is that spell checker?

I Can't Wait For Spring!

 Hello blog readers.

nice and cosy in my 
warm fleece!

Are you fed up with the dark and frosty evening?  I sure am.  I am so ready for the warmer, lighter evenings.  I may even encourage my group 1 members to get to a Tuesday night run!

I went along to club run on Tuesday, ok, yes, I forgot to put my name down as leader and yes, I didn't mention it in our Whatsapp group that I would deffo be there!  Anyway, there was only 1 person who put their name down, and then when no one else was on my list, they swapped to group 2!  What was I to do!  I had two options, I could run along with group 2 as well, bring up the rear end, be a sweeper, or I could run by myself! Hmm decisions.  I thought I would test the waters as we ran out of the gate. If group 2 didn't pull away from me that much, then I would run with them, otherwise I would just do a loop, albeit a small loop, back to my car.  

We ran out of the gate, and turned right, as we were all running along I was busy chatting with Mary and Ruth, but I noticed that the group were pulling away already.  That made my mind up.  Next time, next time I will really, think about sticking with group 2!  Hopefully there won't be a next time, because all of group 1 will be turning up each week!

So I did a really short loop back to my car and went home!  It's so cold! I was by myself, it was dark and I didn't have any music with me!  So I really wasn't feeling particularly motivated to do any more than that!

So parkrun yesterday.  I went, I dragged my ass out of my nice warm bed and into the cold frosty morning to Norman Park!  I made sure I was early so that I could get a parking space, I didn't want any excuses that I could have used to not run! I even texted my group 1'ers to say I was there!  I had arranged to meet up with J.J. too, extra security for me to get out and run!  It wasn't raining Saturday morning so I really expected her to be there!  RefMike was there too, as well as loads of other PWR's too!  

We walked over to the start, we listened to the notices, we clapped the milestones and then we were off!  Me and Jayne were introduced to Shevonne or Shev, she was running along with us, chatting away.  She mentioned that she was carrying her white stick!  She said she can't see anything in the dark and limited vision in the day, but on parkrun days (she said she has done around 20 or so) she attaches herself to someone, running at her pace and just runs beside them!  As it happened she was slightly faster that me!  But Jayne and Shev waited for a few seconds for me to catch up at some points on the course. There was one point I was running by myself on the second lap, I was feeling blimmin tired, cold, fed up with being chuncky and slow. I said out loud "I feckin hate running".....just as HeadbandTim ran pass me! "No you don't Old Girl, you love it" he said as he ran by me!

Jayne and Shev were again running on the spot as I caught them up again. No amount of persuasion would make J.J. and Shev just carry on!  I did feel slightly bad for them, but hopefully, when we come to that last straight they will just take off and get their time in.  

I did finish, it wasn't pretty, but I did it!  And HeadBandTim is right of course, I don't hate running!  Love it may be a bit strong of a word though!  But I know I will continue to run for as long as this old girls body lets me!

First solo Run of 2023

 Hello blog readers.

Look at me!  Running solo and blogging about it!  But I'm not going to crow....too much.  Mojo and discipline is very weak at the moment!  The only thing that is really strong is my strength for leading group 1. So I am just going to write this very gently, try not to beat myself up and just be happy that I actually went out and ran.

I tried very hard to run on Saturday.....oops....parkrun day.  I was up in time, even though for some inexplicable reason my alarm was switched off (it must have been my couch potato head that switched it off).  I forced my self out of my nice warm bed and into my running gear.  I drove all the way to Normans park, knowing there were no group 1's going to be there.  As soon as I drove into the carpark a rather lovely chap was running along holding the 'Car Park Full' sign!  Darn it.  I will have to go and find a parking spot on the nearby streets.  I drove out of the car park and headed for the nearest street, the rain started to gently fall.  The first street there were no spaces, the second  street there were no spaces.  I was getting further and further away from the park.  I knew I wouldn't make it to the start in time.  

I decided to go home, park up outside my house and then just run.  By this time, my car was just so nice and toasty, the rain had really started to come down, washing away the last bit of resolve I had of running that morning.  Not to worry, I shall go later in the morning when it stops raining, I thought to my self!  Did that happen? Nope!  I had busied myself with, drinking tea, getting housework done in readiness for my son and daughter in law to come for Saturday roast!

I had promised Wendimoo that I was deffo going the next day (Sunday) come rain or shine, I will do it! So that's what I did.  All by myself.  Oh my goodness!  The conversations I was having with myself after I got home from church was just manic!  

"Come on Old Girl, you got this"

"It's raining though"

"But you promised, rain or shine remember?"

"Yes but it's cold and wet"

"Oh look, it's stopped, get your arse out there now!"

"Flippin eck, ok lets get this done"  "I will just get the..."

"No, that can wait! GET OUT THERE NOW!"

"Ok, Ok, I'm on this, I got this, 40 mins running, then get stuff done"

Does anyone else have manic conversations with themselves....no?....Just me?  Hmm, it worked anyway, because before I knew it, I was out there with my Garmin at the ready, waiting for the Satellites to connect to me.  I still have my watch set for 30/30 Jeffing.  Ok, I can do this. No pressure, just running, get the Christmas and New Year binging out, I knew I would feel better.

Even as I was running along to one of my usual routes, I was thinking about all the short cuts, mainly because the sky looked like it was about to drop the wet stuff again.  I managed to pass them until I got to Turpington Lane.  Turn down there then on to Greenway and then back home.  Somewhere between Green way and Southborough lane I had convinced myself that turning right at the Harvester will give me my 3 miles for the day.  Usually I went all the way up Southborough Lane and turned right at the first Oxhawth.  Not today.  I was patting myself of the back that I had actually got out and ran, I didn't turn down the short cuts before Turpington, I was a winner!  Yes!

When I got home and back inside my house I looked at my geeky stats.  Not quite 3 miles! Was I disappointed?  No.  I had done sometime.  I did something by myself. I went running. I felt good! Do I deserve a pat on the back? Yes I blimmin do!  

Here's to the next solo run!  Thursday, I think. It will have to be after work!  But.....I can do it!  It's only 40 minutes right?

Oh by the way, Garmin is now showing me that I am at the same fitness age as I actually am! Yup, pat on the back for that, but tons of room for improvement!

New shoes with birthday tags, a quote from
Paula Radcliffe,
"Never set limits, go after your dreams, don't be
afraid to push the boundaries.  And laugh a lot - it's
good for you!"

Brand New Year!

 Hello blog readers.

Well, it's been a while!  It seems I have written that on the last few blogs!  Blimmin Covid, blimmin lockdown, blimmin chunky bits on my body, blimmin lost mojo! I am not going to write all that utter rubbish about a brand new year, brand new me!  Everyone knows that is rubbish, I am getting older, not newer! And I am going to be just as tough on myself...mentally that is, as I normally am..  I might try to not beat myself up to much....but like I said, I am still me!  Just need to find the discipline!

Anyway, I'm here.  I have been running (please refer to all other blogs, I used that exact same line, I'm sure!) I haven't just sat on my arse....well, not all the time!  Running with the PWR's is a great discipline for me, it means that I have to get out there!  I am the leader!  But other days it's been hard to get out.  Solo running is kinda well, buried deep into my boots! My headspace is just not full of running.  It's full of eating, sitting on my arse, watching crappy reels on Facebook or Insta!  My brain seems to only want to concentrate on 30 seconds of anything and then ready for the next!

Anyway, enough feeling sorry for myself.  It can't go on, and it' shouldn't go on!  We....I can't keep blaming everything on Covid and the lockdown. I can't blame some of it on work though.....during term time only of course!

So what's been happening.....hmmm. Well, I turned 60!  That was a huge mile stone!  I started running while I was just under 50 and I am still running!  So year, there you go Old Girl, a huge pat on the back!  I am still here!  It may not be planning marathons any more.....did I tell you I have done 2 marathons?...Oh ok....Just getting out and still doing something is just ok for me right now.

What a motley crew! 

We had our Woo Woo run last month!  That was great fun.  Group 2 came and joined us, RefMichael joined us too...he never misses it! And of course there has been plenty of club runs happening.  Our beginners course ended in September, we had a number of graduates that completed our course and some have joined us at PWR.

Yesterday I was at PWR again, leading.....from the back.....sometimes in the middle and believe it or not occasionally at the front! Woo hoo, get me! I was in my new gear too!  My PWR friends all clubbed together and presented me with a gift voucher for Up and Running, quite a sizable chunk too! No...not talking about me now....anyway I went shopping with the Old Boy, he was driving thankfully, and I bought, new shoes, 361, new running pants, new socks and a new running jacket (one that fits me..!) I had to put it all to good use,  so I did the easy route yesterday, just to get everyone warmed up, lulled into a false sense of security.... ooh maybe shouldn't have type that particular thought! But I really want to make a difference this year.  In my head at the moment I feel stronger.... I was going to enter races, but right now, I don't want to put that pressure on my very delicate resolve.  Just getting out little and often....that's the way to do it.  Lets just get back to running for running sake!

Hello!

 Hello blog readers

Well, that was a long break!

I have no excuses but laziness.  Not to say that I have not been running since my last post, just lazy in writing things up! Ok lazy in actual running too!

I have been totally absent from running during August, work commitments kept me away, either I was just too knackered after a very long day at work or lazitus when it came to park running!  Now I am back!  I have new bosses, completely free school holidays and totally looking forward to running.

That said, after having weeks off running getting back is just like starting over!  My first run, last Tuesday (I know I didn't write that one up either) was just a very short club (sort of) run.  I checked my list for who will be running in group 1, and I had no one booked in!  So, I decided to run from my house, save taking the car to club run and getting to run in group 2, which I knew I wouldn't be ready for.  I decided to just to a very small loop around my estate.  Just as I was about to get ready, I saw naggy coming back from her run.  I called out to her and she came over to see me.  She said she would come with me and she could use that as her 'cool down' run!  

It did feel pretty good to get out but boy, did I feel it.  I was just so pleased I decided to do just a small loop!  Naggy kept me motivated and we did the Jeffing run style.  Sometimes I ran through the walk part and carried on running, it felt good that I could 'break the rule' a bit.

What was next. Of course!  Our beginners course started last Saturday!  Now that does give my mojo a well needed boost.  Just encouraging others to get into this running lark is just such a feel-good thing to do!  We had about 20 or so beginners turn up, all ready to get fit for the winter and beyond.

Then yesterday, Tuesday, it was club run again.  I looked at my list and saw there were four other ladies booked on!  No excuse this time, a full club run as on!  I chose one of my easiest routes to do, it has a shorter version, which I thought would be the best route to do.  I haven't run 3 miles in just so many weeks I needed to know that we can cut short if necessary.

No clock watching, no waiting for my Garmin to tell me to walk, I had to just get on and do what I can to keep the 'troops' happy and satisfied with their club run.  As it happened, everyone was happy to do the shorter route.  It was just as well as one of ladies had to cut it even shorter to get home to her son who needed her.

So, I nice short blog for a nice short couple of runs.  

Here is a picture of our beginners group doing one of my favourite stretches.

Picture taken by Hannah Harrison.

Harvel 5 HHHH

 Hello blog readers.

So, well....um....! I've been running!  Honest.  It's my blogging that has been pushed to the kerb at the moment. Well, when I say I've been running, I have had a couple of usual run days pushed aside too!  But I had reasons for that! Honest!

What I am writing about today is what I did yesterday!  It was the Harvel Hash House Harriers 5 miler!  Complete with 'Taylors Arms' half way around!

We had booked this race in 2019!  But that blimmin COVID 19 got to us and it was cancelled, our places were deffered....until it could happen!  Roll on a couple of years and here I was.....totally unready for 5 miles, again, just like I was totally unready for the PWR 10k last year! Just like I'm unready for the Paddock Hal marathons! (Well, that one I really did have to let slide last year! I would deffo have been a DNF)  

The H5 is a very popular race, selling out in minutes when it opens!  But it's not wonder really!  For mee there are so many pluses!  For instance, it's on a Saturday!  There are very few races that are on a Saturday.  I think race organisers forget about us sinners wanting to get together on a Sunday to spend time with Him upstairs!  Or maybe is the British Constablery that refuse permission about the whole road closures thing!  Another plus, its at a very reasonable hour of 2 o'clock start! Most civilised!  Plenty of scope for a lay, or if you're not lazy, you could always squeeze in a parkrun!  A huge plus, especially if you are a beer drinker, they have a 'bar' as the water/beer/wine stop half way round! The medal this year of course was all about the jubilee, we had a bottle opener in the shape of the queen! Fan-bloomin-tastic!   The run it self is really quite pleasant!  I think I felt relaxed and happy all the way around!  It could have been the little can of gin I had to see me round, but hey!  I felt great!

CaroleWithAnE and her hubby RefMichael and Naggy were all H5 virgins!  I think CaroleWithAnE had to be persuaded to add just a drop of wine to her water at the half way stop!  I remember my first time doing this race, I went for the water, but as I was slower that those that I came with, no one persuaded me to have a beer!  I've been edge-a-macated since then, although, I have learned not to my first pint until after the race!

We met some other PWR's there as well, LouLou and Terry, (Terrey wasn't running so he was our unofficial bag drop) Nigel, Mike, Barbara, Steve, Chris,  as well as other faces from ORR and other clubs too! Like I said, it's a popular race, the ques for the loo would vouch for that!  After I had done my second lot of queueing for the loo I noticed that my mates were all ready for a photo, so I did a quick dive to get in!

It was also the first time I used the Aftershoks in an official race, the RD said that we could use them, the inear ones are not allowed as we are on roads for some of the race!  I made sure though that I didn't have the turned up to max volume, 1, is that the 'buzz' on my ear and 2, I didn't want to miss any of the cheering.  If the cheerers are there giving you support then it's totally rude not to acknowledge that!  I really smiled when I was running through the woods and the kids were there holding out their hands for a high five, of course I obliged!  But then one of them started running after me, over took me and said "Look at me, I can run really really fast!"  I just laughed and said "Yes you can!"

That cheeky little hill is still there, of course it's still there! Why would that flatten that just for me?  The ambulance guy on his bike, who I saw at the corner of a particularly evil little sharp left turn, it's on a hill going down and really gravely and broken brick type of path, well he had passed me just a short while ago. I had wondered if he had actually attempted to cycle up it!  I know there are some people who would do it with no problem!  But he did have have some rather heavy looking paniers on both sides of his bike!  After I got to the top, (walking of course) I began running again. I saw the first aider and I asked him if he rode up.....What do you think his answer was?

Any way, the return back to the party on the green was back on the roads.  I tried to run as much as I can while I was on the roads, hoping that some of the people I did pass wouldn't catch up to me again!  I felt remarkably strong as I went for the finish! Could it have been the gin......maybe it was because I hadn't actually ran for well over a week and my legs were well rested.

Loved this race, I will deffo be ready, fingers poised, ready to gain my entry for next year!

ps, I went out this afternoon, just to stop my legs from seizing up. Right now, I am in smug mode!!!!

Some other photos curtesy of LouLou and CaroleWithAnE, and I think maybe one maybe mine!

Hi! I'm Still Here!

 Hello blog readers.

Me, coming back from 
my solo run

How can it be that long since my last blog?!  Cor blimey!  It's not as if I haven't done anything cos I have! Honest.  There has been the beginners each Saturday, of course.  Also there has been club runs!  Have we had easter since my last one? Oh well, anyway, I'm here now, blogging away.

I have put in for a race, my first race in quite a while, well, since last October when I won a place in my running club's very own 10k!  I have actually paid this time to run 5 miles in Eltham.  It's a race I have done with quite a few of running buddies, and one that I have done with my mate Tracy too.  She enjoyed doing this one, so I will try and do it all with a smile on my face!

Our beginners are going really well, we have a few great runners at this stage, with only one more week to do and then we are going to do the parkrun Graduation.  Always a great time then!

I did a solo run, that was last Sunday.  I must admit, it was not pretty!  I procrastinated far too long.  I had an extremely poor diet the day before, I was totally lacking in energy!  But I did it!  There is never a bad run, just a slower, tougher run!

Yesterday was club run. With me leading, the sun staying in the sky so much longer, the woods is the only place to go!  Blimey, I remember when I was so happy to be out of the woods and running on the pavements again, being an old townie, too much nature for me the woods were, but now. Now I just love running through the woods.  The hills in there, well I still hate them with a passion, fecking hills!  I try and remember how far I used to get to before I gave up and started walking, when I was at my fittest of course.  Compared to now, now I just look at the hills and my legs feel like that have ran a marathon!  'It's all in the mind Donna' I say to myself! I still try and convince myself that hills are are friends! And still the hills try and kill me off!

There were 14 of us in group 1 yesterday, which included a group 3 runner who arrived late (fecking traffic lights at the roundabout still) and she tried to run into the woods to see if she could find them.  She was heading back out just as we were running in!  We don't leave anyone behind, so we told her to come and join in with us!  Might as well right?  Her name was Donna too, I remember she used to run in Group 1 way back when, before there was a group 1 and 1.5, when there only about 9 groups or so!  We have twelve now!  She enjoyed running with us though, at least she could keep Dee company away in the front!  But I did tell her not to follow her when we came to two paths!  

I had a nice route through the woods, it's about 3 miles around, I started my Garmin, or at least I tried to...the fecking thing ran out of charge!  'That's ok' I thought to myself, 'I shall just use Strava!'  I started that off.......so I thought!  The blasted thing didn't work! I was so annoyed!

But I did capture this lovely picture of us, just by 'Bug City' near the little river!

Not the most flattering of angles! 

Here are a couple more pictures of the beginners too!

So, that's it for now, until next time!

Keep on Keeping on!

Hello blog readers.

I know it's been a while since my last blog, and I know I promised to blog after each run.  But time just kind of runs away from me!  Weird that, you think as you get older time would be a thing you think you have tons of. "Oh I will do that later," or "tomorrow is another day"  Well this last month has been a tough month, not just for me, but my other friends too.

My long standing friend, my running buddy, my work buddy, my nagee, passed away.  It seemed like only just a short illness, bloody cancer!  It don't care who you are, rich or poor, fit and healthy or down on your luck, it can get you!  It knocks the bloody stuffing out of everyone that is connected to that person.  Tracy, 'Get Your Legs Up' Tracy, passed away, we had her funeral last Tuesday, would you believe on a running night!  Well, Tracy you can now 'Rest your legs' Tracy, I have no doubt we will meet again.

So for the past few weeks my running hasn't quite been up to par, but we did start our beginners course, the first of the year!  It was pissing down with rain but we still had a good number of 'Athletes in the making'.  I know I speak for the other leaders, ZippingSherry, RefMichael and Hannah (yet to be assigned a nick name) that we totally love leading this course, watching as they all surprise themselves and run their first 5k.  There are quite a few now who have gone on to join PWR, completed 10k's, half marathons and full marathons!  It swells your heart!  Next Saturday will be week 3, blimey that really has gone quick!

Group run last night was good, we tackled just a couple of hills, with a little bit of hill training in the middle of the run! Mean!? What me? Never!  It will do us all a bit of good.  Mind you, this morning I am feeling it!  

So just a quick blog, just to let you know where I am in my 'Trying to keep fit' stage.  And just a little tribute to my mate 'Get Your Legs Up Tracy' You will be missed, your smile at the back just kept going, unless of course you were throwing daggers at my back when I nagged too much 😊  

Dee, Tracy and me!

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!