Possibly the prettiest parkrun on the planet!

We got up rather early to set out for my parkrun fix today.  Husbando was exhibiting at a book fair in Oxford, and I decided that a trip to Abingdon was in order.  As I needed to drop Husbando and books in Oxford at 7am we ended up leaving the house just before 6am.  Not a civilised time to be up and about on a Saturday morning.  When we left the house the temperature was just above freezing, so I set out in long running tights.  I did pack my trail shoes 'just in case' but didn't think to take shorts!

The last time I was in Abingdon was for the marathon.  I recognised bits of the town, but have to admit that it looked much nicer in the sunshine and when I wasn't contemplating running 26.2 miles!  Thanks to the wonders of Facebook, I'd been given idiot instructions to get to the right car park, and arrived with plenty of time to spare.  The first person I met as I read the instructions on the pay and display machine was my Facebook contact!   

I chatted to lots of friendly people, and we all remarked on how beautiful the weather was, how awful the events in Boston of earlier this week were, mutual friends we might know, tomorrow's London marathon and all the normal chit chat that runners talk about!

After the run briefing we observed a minute of silence out of respect for those who lost lives, family members or were injured in the bombing of the Boston marathon last Monday.  The odd Garmin beeped, which is probably quite fitting, but silence was observed by everyone.  I noticed a couple, not taking part in parkrun, who were walking their dog a short distance from where we were standing.  They paused and observed the silence too. 

And then we were off!  The course is pancake flat, but has quite a lot of sharp and/or narrow turns.  Running along the bank of the Thames in the sunshine was glorious.  As we thundered past a narrowboat I heard someone say 'there's millions of them!' Possibly not quite what they were expecting to see when they moored their boat on a quiet river bank the night before!  A large proportion of the course is on grass.  The going was firm, but quite uneven under foot.  I thought I'd just take it easy and see how I got on.  I am still nervous running on uneven ground, and my ankle still isn't really strong enough for me to really 'go for it' on such ground.  

We ran two laps of what is possibly the prettiest parkrun ever.  I say 'possibly' because I spent a lot of time looking down at my feet rather than at the scenery!  I really enjoyed my run, despite developing running tourettes as I tried to negotiate some twisty bits of the course and came into intimate contact with a hawthorn bush as I rounded a corner!  I chatted with lots of runners and was surprised with my finish time - 23.46 - and the fact that I finished 40th overall!  (5th lady, and 1st in my age category - woo hoo!)  For anyone who is interested you can see the Garmin thingy here!  I felt as though my third mile was much slower than the first two, and was quite happy with that as I have a long run planned tomorrow, but it seems it wasn't slower at all.  I even managed to overtake a few people as we approached the finish funnel.  

After scanning barcodes and getting my breath back I joined a steady trickle of runners making their way across the bridge to the market square.  Lots of Abingdon parkrunners enjoy their post run coffee at Java & Co!  A huge group congregated in the sunshine near the lovely Town Hall.  My interesting, non running related, fact of day is that on Royal occasions buns are thrown off the top of the Town Hall.  This last happened to celebrate the Jubilee last year.   It was lovely to sit drinking coffee and chatting in the sunshine, I think runners like talking about running almost as much as they like running!

I am so glad that I got up early, and am glad I added Abingdon to my parkrun tour.  Next week I'm off to the inaugural Winchester parkrun.  The boys are coming with me - they have missed their parkrun fix as they were away last week, and it wasn't practical for them to come with me today.  

Old Deer parkrun

Check the spelling... 'Old Deer parkrun' is not an event organised just for aged runners!  Runners of all ages gathered at Old Deer Park today for the final run in the adidas BOOST tour.

Last week, at Pymmes parkrun, I was one of 14 runners, and to be fair Old Deer parkrun normally has between 30 and 40 runners.  This week, as you can see by the photo (thanks to Martin Yelling for getting a picture of me) was slightly different.  Adidas have been touring various parkruns over the last few week with their new Boost trainers and for the last run in the series something special had been planned!  I would name all the athletes who were there as part of the adidas team - but I will leave someone out by mistake and risk upsetting them.

I persuaded a friend, who normally runs at Alice Holt parkrun, to join me in today's outing.  Two of my partners in crime from last weekend were meeting me there, as I was taking two of my boys with me as well as a friend it made sense to take my own car.  Our final partner in crime was not allowed out to play as it was his younger son's first birthday party and naming ceremony this afternoon and his assistance was required closer to home*.

Soon after parking the car I was reminded that, despite having many thousands of registered runners, parkrun is a very friendly community.  I saw an Andover parkrunner (who I first met at Killerton parkrun) and said a very quick hello as we both looked for the nearest toilets!  After we crossed the A316 using the foot bridge (which thrilled the boys and terrified me) I bumped in to the best marathon support duo ever!  Hugs and squeals all round!  There were lots of people standing around in the sunshine.  It should be mentioned that sunshine has a novelty value this year.  Normally by the beginning of April most runners would be in shorts and vests/t-shirts.  This year they were still very much in the minority, but it was sunny and the sun did actually have some warmth in it!

After a run briefing that I have to admit to not really listening to as I was refereeing between my two boys we proceeded down to the start.  There were hundreds of us!  The only bit of the run brief that I had heard was that we were running two laps rather than the normal three.  The start saw us running up a very gentle slope for about a quarter of a mile, having spotted the finish funnel (which you couldn't really miss because it was huge!) I worked out that we would have to run up it 3 times in total, thankfully it was a very gentle slope!

The course was entirely on grass, the sort of grass that makes me very glad I gave up playing hockey!  It was hard packed, but ever so slightly uneven.  Just the sort of ground that I fell on last summer and injured my foot.  I was glad that I had worn my road shoes rather than my trail ones, as I think the cushioning was more useful than the grip of trail shoes given the mud free state of the route.  One gentleman had decided against shoes altogether, running barefoot.  The mother (aka worry wart) in me does hope that he didn't step in, or on, anything nasty!  The route, rich in 90º turns, was well marshalled by cheerful and cheering volunteers.  Danny Norman, host of the parkrun show podcast, made my boys' day by recognising them as he carried out his marshalling duties.

I ran quite conservatively.  I almost matched my pace for the first 2 miles of Pymmes parkrun, but in the absence of a smack down between me and another runner I carried on chatting to fellow runners and failed to pick up the pace for the final mile.  I didn't think I'd run fast, because I don't like grass, but I do think I could have worked a bit harder!  I finished in 24min44secs.   After filtering through the finish funnel and collecting my token, I set off back around the course, clockwise this time running alongside the runners but in the opposite direction, to find the boys.  I shouted words of encouragement to people I knew, and to anyone who looked like they were about to give up.  I passed my older boy and ran on to find the younger one, meeting up with him about half a mile back down the route.  He graciously allowed me to carry his water bottle and tracksuit top and begged to borrow my sunglasses (knew I should have gone for a pink pair) and we jogged on to the end.

It was lovely to be able to stand around after the run, rather than dashing off to avoid frostbite/getting even more drenched!  And a lot of the 553 runners (a new attendance record) did stand around and wait.  Prizes were on offer - and runners seem to like prizes almost as much as they like running!  Prizes included adidas trainers and clothing, personal training plans from Liz Yelling, places in the Bupa 10,000m this year and the Silverstone Half and VLM Marathon for next year.   Although I wasn't among the lucky few we all had a very good morning, culminating in coffee and chat at the cafe in the adjacent sports' centre.  My boys had scampi and chips for breakfast and seemed to think that this was the high point of the day!

In addition to breaking the attendance records, I note from a brief perusal of the results page that both the male and female course records fell today too!  No doubt several new age graded records were set too - but it is Saturday evening and my head will explode if I look at too many numbers on a Saturday evening!

So what's next?  Well, a gauntlet was thrown down when my fellow Basingstoke parkrunner said 'You could do 5 different parkruns in 5 weeks if you tried a bit.'  Next week I'll be back 'home' at Basingstoke, I'm on report writing duty so that was an easy decision to make.  I have plans in place for the next two weeks, but I'm not going to commit them to pixels yet just in case I need to change my plans!

*The naming ceremony and first birthday party was lovely too!  I feel very honoured to have been invited!  I just need to remember to take the birthday present with me to the next parkrun!  

Playing away... the more you do the more you want to do it again!

It started with a suggestion made on Facebook.  I'd been listening to the parkrun show and the host, Danny, waxed lyrical about a small parkrun in North London.  I'd noticed Pymmes parkrun as I'd perused the parkrun site and always thought it would be interesting to run - with around 10 - 15 runners every week it would be very different to Basingstoke.

So, in a moment of rashness, I asked some Basingstoke regulars if they fancied a road trip.  They did.  At just gone 7am this morning, having driven over to Basingstoke, I did point out that it was their job to stop me when I came up with daft ideas that involved getting up early at the weekend!

On arrival at Pymmes Park we got out of the car and looked around, unsure as to where the actual start was.  Luckily one of the volunteers parked just behind us and pointed us in the right direction - about 20' from where we had parked.  Despite a brisk wind the weather was much more pleasant than the last two parkrundays!  There was blue sky and a bit of sunshine too.

Lining up at the start, all 14 of us, was very strange.  I stood next to the guys I'd travelled up with.  Big mistake, HUGE!   They are all much faster than me, I think I managed to keep up with the 'slowest' of the three until the first corner, when I said 'I'm too bloody old for this' (I was trying to keep up with a 17 year old!) and fell back.  I have to say that, had someone told me about the pond with the geese I may have reconsidered going to Pymmes Park.  I am not a huge fan of birds, especially geese!  By the second corner I was convinced I was last.  With such a small field, despite the fact that it was three laps, it felt a bit lonely out there!  I did eventually lap a few people, but I wasn't entirely sure if they were parkrunning until I saw them go through the finish funnel.  About a quarter of the way through the second lap I overlook the bloke in the photo above.  It was good to be able to hear someone else behind me - I just hoped that I could stay ahead.  While he spurred me on  a bit in the final lap his younger legs were too much for me - about 300 metres before the finish he pulled ahead and I couldn't catch him.  Maybe if he'd left it a bit later if I'd have stood a chance.

As it was I finished 8th, as second lady.  Our little touring group ended up being first, third and fourth (first lady) to finish, so I rather let the side down!  We had great fun though, and cooked breakfasts were enjoyed at Mario's Café (I think it was) after the race, where we chatted with Pymmes Park regulars and volunteers.  I have to say that Pymmes parkrun was the most welcoming parkrun I have visited - if you get a chance to go along do take it.  Great fun, fast, flat course and friendly people.

Well, I didn't expect that to happen!

What a day!  Miserable, grey weather as I left home, but not actually raining.  I had packed a cap, and a spare set of clothing to change into afterwards, and was trying to ignore the pain in my right foot.  I was hopeful that the rain might hold off until lunchtime.  After all, this was my first race since the end of October, was it too much to ask for nice, dry weather?

Obviously it was!  As I pulled into a friend's driveway the heavens opened and I decided that there was no way I was going to get out of the car to tell him I was waiting, so resorted to 'phoning him instead!  The drive to Reading was as uneventful and peaceful as it could be given the weather conditions (one nasty accident seen) and the fact that we are both quite capable of talking for NATO, and we were soon parking in a very puddle ridden car park and skipping our way delicately to the Madejski stadium.  

Way back when I signed up for this race I clicked on a button that mentioned running as a 'Mizuno VIP.'  I'd assumed that this was for people who were planning to run super fast times, but soon learnt that all I had to do was send them my details, plan to run in Mizuno trainers, and I too could be a VIP!  I was very glad I did this - it meant that I, along with guest, could wait in a room inside the stadium.  Given that it was tipping down outside, a nice dry refuge, with proper loos available too, was hugely welcome.  Snacks and sweets were on offer, as were free water bottles, t-shirts (purple), caps and running belts/bum bag things.  I do like a freebie!  

As the room filled up we saw several other people we knew and chatted away to pass the time.  Soon it was time to head for the start line.  A sea of runners clad in ever so fetching bin liners made their way, in the rain to the start.  A pre race warm up had been organised, but whoever was running it didn't seem to be aware that we were packed into the starting area like sardines.  Bashing someone in the solar plexus with your elbow isn't the best way to meet strangers!  Most of the people near me warmed up by grumbling about the weather.

Just after 10am the elite and fast paced club runners started their race.  The rest of us started to shuffle slowly towards the start line.  It had stopped raining!  Hurrah!  Maybe it would stay dry.  My dream for the day was to run 9 minute miles, maybe slightly over, but less than 10 minute miles.  And I ran the first three miles in just under a 9 minute mile pace.  This included the only significant hill on the course - a short sharp one from about two to two and a half miles.  The next mile I ran a bit faster, and then the next a wee bit faster still until I settled down for the remaining miles in at around 8.20 minutes per mile.  It was a fun race.  Crowded the whole way around and with loads of supporters.  There was one very narrow part where we all had to slow down to walking pace to get through a narrow arch, and I was constantly changing directions to get around people.  The crowds were so enthusiastic that they spilled on to the roads at several points making the congestion worse!  Between 6 and 7 miles I passed the 1hr 55min pace runner.  He'd been about 100' ahead of me at the start, and I'd lost sight of him as the runners spread out.  I chatted to him for a few metres, asking where the next hill was and then we parted company, with me going on ahead.  As I turned the next corner to go up the hill I passed a pub handing out beer!  I decided not to partake!  

At the top of the shallow, but longish, hill I met another fellow Basingstoke parkrunner.  He accused me of 'breaking' him at parkrun yesterday!  He'd assumed that I'd be taking it easy with the race coming up today, and that had been my intention.  Somehow, despite the mud and the rain and a plan of jogging round, I'd finished in 25.11 with him finishing just 5 seconds behind me.  We chatted for a few minutes and then I drifted ahead.  I had thought it would be nice to run with him for the rest of the race, but I was enjoying running too much!  

At some point it had started raining again.  It was coming down in stair rods and we even had hail and a bit of sleet.  It really wasn't the sort of weather for taking your time and looking at the scenery!  I had been told that the worst bit of the race was the last few miles, where you can see the stadium in the distance but it never seems to get any closer.  That wasn't a problem today as it couldn't be seen through the mist, clouds and rain!  At 11 miles in I looked at my watch, did some maths (not easy for me while running) and realised that I was in with a chance of a PB.  But only just.  I cursed myself for not looking at my watch earlier as I knew I could have put in more effort earlier on had I known it was a possibility.  The last couple of miles seemed very long, mainly because I was repeatedly looking at my watch and working out the maths!  

The noise as we entered the stadium was amazing, there is no athletics track so we ran on a metal/plastic surface around the edge of the football pitch.  I was worried about slipping as it was very wet!  So, it seemed, were a lot of people and they seemed to be slowing down as they approached the finish line.  I crossed the line and looked at my time.  I couldn't believe it!  1:52:16!  About 40 seconds faster than my previous PB, set on a flatter course in ideal running conditions.  Of course, there was no one there at that very moment to share my joy - but I was smiling from ear to ear as we walked out of the stadium like a column of colourful worker ants.  You could see the steam rising from us as we walked!

Back in the VIP lounge I met up with friends and went to pose for my free photo and claim my free massage.  The massage was great.  A good 25 minutes spent stretching and pummelling my legs.  She had a good look at my poorly foot, treated it firmly but gently (it had been screaming at me all the way around) and recommended some exercises that I can do dot strengthen it.  

On the way back to the car we devoured bacon rolls (the first bread I have eaten since the beginning of December) and hot coffee.  I was very glad that the car has heated seats as I was shivering by the time we reached it!   All in all it was a great day and I will be signing up again to run it next year - but I would like some better weather!  I am thrilled with my time, but more than the time, it was great to really enjoy a run.  Especially when the weather should mean that it was an utter nightmare!  I am looking forward to getting my foot sorted out and maybe, just maybe, running my next half marathon in under 1hr 50 minutes. 

It used to be a chore.

Yesterday evening, at about 10pm, I asked my daughter to make me a cup of tea because, as I said to her 'I'm still working, I haven't had a rest all day, apart from when I went for a run.'  It seemed a totally logical thing to say, but when did a 4.5mile run become a 'rest?'  Even if it is only a recovery run, at an easy pace, it is surely not 'a rest!'

When I started running it was a real effort to go out there.  I'd use just about any excuse I thought I could get away with: it was too wet, too hot, too early, too dark, I was too busy/too tired!  Luckily the person I was trying to make these excuses to (me!) was a pretty hard task master and she thought the excuses were pretty pathetic, so I grumbled to myself, pulled on my baggy old t shirt and leggings and went out for a run.  

Somewhere along the way, I'm not sure where or when, running became something I really wanted, and needed, to do.  I'll stand in my classroom watching the weather, trying to work out how I can get home and get out for a run before it gets dark, or before those threatening clouds decide to dump their rain all over Hampshire!  I get cranky at the mere thought of having to taper before a race, and would happily run every day if I thought I could do so without injuring myself!

Yes, there are still runs I don't enjoy while I am actually doing them, the run where I go off too fast and have to stagger home on tired legs are not great, but I only have myself to blame!  I don't particularly relish getting soaked to the skin when it rains (the chaffing can be nasty), but I don't ever regret going out there and running!  Okay, maybe the run where I tore the ligaments in my foot is one I regret, but apart from that every run has had its good points.  Whether it is an improvement in pace or form, an opportunity for me time or time to chat with Husbando, peace and quiet to look at the beautiful countryside around my house, or a nosey window shopping run along the King's Road, every run improves my ability to run and, more than that, improves me as a person.

I don't do 'relaxing!'  Time spent doing nothing, to me, feels like time wasted.  Discovering running has given me the opportunity to be, if not relaxed, at ease with my body and surroundings.  Not all the time, obviously - as anyone who has seen me red faced and pushing myself to the finish funnel will testify - but regularly and for a considerable length of time.  It is just me, the road and the repetitive, metronomic  rhythm of my feet.

I bloody love it!

Playing away!

Husbando and I are just back from a couple of days in Cambridge.  Husbando was there for a book fair, I was along for the ride!  I took a mountain of marking with me and spent a fair amount of time incarcerated in my room at the Premier Inn trying to make a dent in it.  It wasn't all work though.  We had a bit of free time.  On our first afternoon we braved the cold weather  to go for a run.  The absence of hills makes a change from home, but provides no shelter from the bitter easterly wind.  Whilst running alongside the side of the guided bus route we spotted a memorial in the middle of a field.  The lichen was too thick to read the engravings, and the receptionist at the Premier Inn looked blank when I asked her.  I was forced to resort to Facebook in search of more details.  

It turns out that it is a memorial to Elizabeth Woodcock.  It marks the spot where, in February 1799, she was trapped in a snow drift for 8 days.  She had been returning from the market and her previous stop had been at a local inn, where she had filled up her flask with brandy.  She was thrown from her horse during the journey, and befuddled by alcohol, she was unable to remount.  She took shelter under a hawthorn hedge and was covered by a snow drift.  It took 8 days for her to be discovered, still alive, under the snow.  Sadly she didn't survive long, she died on 24th July 1799, aged 43.  On her burial notice it is written 'She was in a state of intoxication when she was lost.  Her death was accelerated (to say the least) but spirituous liquors afterwards taken, procured by the donations of various visitors.'  

Saturday means parkrun day - even if I am far from home.  Friday night should see me tucked into bed early after a wholesome meal.  Going out to The Phoenix for the best Chinese meal I have had in ages was not going to be conducive to that!  And at the first sniff of gin and tonic my resolution not to drink flew out of the window!  My glass was never empty, so I can't have had more than a glass of wine can I?  Great to catch up with people over a lovely meal, even if I did feel a bit 'tired' this morning!

The lovely people of Cambridge parkrun made me feel very welcome.  It is always interesting to visit different parkruns.  The basic concept is the same everywhere - a free, 5k run against the clock - but every parkrun is slightly different!  Cambridge has a very organised start, with signs telling you where to stand based on your anticipated finish time.  I duly went to stand with the runners hoping to finish in about 25 - 26 minutes.  I seem to have missed most of the run briefing, but figured that so long as I followed the person in front I'd be fine!  

The course is in one small clockwise lap followed by 2 larger anticlockwise laps.  It is flatter than a flat thing that has been professionally ironed.  What it lacks in undulation it makes up for in twistiness!  I can honestly say that for most of the time I had no idea where I was.  I was hoping to run a fast (for me) time, but I got boxed in with the runners I started with, and for the first 2 laps I was surrounded and found it very hard to get past the other runners on the narrow paths.  I resigned myself to a slow time, thinking I was on for between 26 and 27 minutes.  The marshals were great, one of them called out times to runners he knew as the passed him.  This would have been great, but I had no idea where he was in relation to the distance left to run!  The finish is a deceptively long way away!  I know that it is at the end of 5k, but being a lapped race you pass the finish before you go to the finish, if you see what I mean.  I'd seen the turn of for the finish funnel on a previous lap, clocked a sign a bit further back saying 'Finish 400m' and in my mind I was going to veer off to the left and and be in the funnel.  Ha!  Not so!  The finish seemed to be ages away for a very long time!  I'd managed to pick up the pace on the final lap, finally managing to get a bit of space around me to run properly and I'd overtaken 25 people on my last lap and carried on accelerating to the finish funnel, crossing the line in 25mins 16seconds.  Not a great time for such a flat course, but at least I can improve on it when I get to go back!  

Next time I think I will ignore the suggested starting areas, and start nearer the front and go like stink from the start and hold on for as long as I can.  The cafe in Milton Country Park served an excellent cup of coffee and I chatted to some local parkrunners, where my pink trail shoes were something of a talking point.  It was great to get warm again having run through snow flurries!  

While I was 'playing away' great things were happening at my home parkrun of Basingstoke.  Nearly a quarter of the runners achieved new PBs and the course record, that has stood since July 2009 was smashed!  19 seconds were taken off the record to set the new one of 15mins 33 seconds!  I'll be back in Basingstoke next Saturday aiming to get a few seconds closer to my PB!

The race I didn't run

There's a saying that states you regret things you didn't do far more than things you did do.  This is very true.

This time last year I was on a high, even if I was slightly stiff, after running the Bramley 10.  I've just read back through my blog entry for the day and realised that despite not feeling 100% well, I went ahead and ran anyway.  This year, while enjoying running, I've rather lost my nerve when it comes to entering races.  I haven't felt as though I can run as fast as I want to and, as I know more and more runners at each of these events, I don't want everyone to see me clocking slower and slower times.  I don't think for one minute that anyone of them would judge me, but I don't want to be recording times that are miles slower than I ran in previous years or have to make excuses, either in my head or out loud, for my 'poor performance.'

So, I didn't sign up for this race this year.  Even as my pace has slightly picked up I didn't pluck up the courage to fill in the forms.  Then, when I finally decided that I may as well give it a go, it was too late. The deadline had passed.  I tried not to think about it too much, but it has been in the back of my mind. And there have been the constant drip, drip of Facebook status updates.

I went for a 10 mile run of my own this morning, around the route of the Alton 10 race, a challenging run at the best of times, made more so today due to a heavy early morning mist giving limited visibility. I tried not to think about all the other runners, many of whom I know, getting ready to run at Bramley.  I listened to my current audiobook, 'My animals and other family,' and settled down for my long, slow run.  I didn't clock watch at all, I just plodded along, up and down hills, meeting Husbando at his shop so that we could grab some brunch.  I'd run 10.6 miles in 1hr 35minutes.  Not fabulous, but not too bad for a long, slow run.  I was, however, very cross with myself.  If I could run that time on my own, when I wasn't pushing myself I knew I could have run a fairly respectable 10 miles in race conditions!  A crowd of other runners always urges one on and gives one something to pace oneself against.  I doubt I could have bettered my PB, set at Paris-Versailles in 2011, but I may have come close.

I came home to a Facebook page full of jubilant status updates from my fantastic, PB collecting, running buddies.  I am happy for them, yes, really I am!  But I do so wish I had been there too!

Given that I won't be doing Paris-Versailles this year (sob!) I have set myself a huge challenge now.  I need to get close to my 10 mile PB at the Alton 10!  A challenging route, it may not have the huge hill of Paris, but it does have hills aplenty!

Mind you, if it wasn't a challenge there wouldn't be any point in doing it would there?