Something may be wrong...I appear to be enjoying this way too much

After Saturdays shenanigans at the Park Run and then celebrating my fathers 72nd birthday with him on Sunday I sort of found myself feeling a little umphless on Monday. The deteriorating weather didn't help and an initial lack of enthusiasm probably added to an absence of umph too. But then I realised that it was still a Bank Holiday and that meant not only no work, but a four day week to boot! I wouldn't say that my umph came sprinting back down the road, but it certainly peeked round the corner.

Wednesday soon arrived and I was busy prevaricating with myself about the weather when  I got a text of my lovely friends, saying that both their daughters were back from France & Uni respectively, both were coming to the Hemlington run and did I fancy coming back to their place afterwards for a catch up and something to eat afterwards. Never let it be said that I would turn down free food and good company so despite the inclement weather (rain , lots of rain) I texted back saying thank you and yes!

Work finished and evening rolled around and sure enough it was raining as I drove over there. I should make a note at this point that it would be an ideal opportunity to mix two types of training, cycling and running, on the one evening. Sadly, they make me go to work and I just don't think there'd be quite enough time to get home, change and cycle back over there (whilst sorting out the Molly dog). Currently that is my excuse and I'm sticking to it. On arrival it became apparent that I wasn't the only one who had wrestled with their desire to come over their desire to remain dry (nb a small sense of satisfaction was experienced) as there where fewer than the week before. Indeed it was bad enough that Izzy commented that in all the time she'd been running at Hemlington, they had never actually run in the rain, this would be a first. But she was wrong, as we went out and started to warm up before setting off, the rain started to let up and the sun started to come out - it was significantly cooler for sure, but a lovely evening for running.

The speed merchants weren't there so as I made my round there was only one person in front of me, sadly he was so far in front of me that there was no incentive in trying to keep with him. But it was all good, except for the third lap, to be honest the third lap was bloody horrible, my legs felt as if they were full of concrete but with the added joy of short circuiting electrical cables running through them. It passed though, it's a strange thing running with a group, for me at least, I would have felt that I'd let them down if I'd stopped before I planned to. It's tosh of course, they wouldn't have minded, it's however far you wish to run, there is no target. But for me I'd decided I was going to do five laps, so if I stopped I'd have somehow cheated myself. Fortunately someone switched off the electric current running through my calves somewhere on the fourth lap, just about the same time as the concrete became malleable again. A storming (well slightly faster stumble) last lap brought me home in a time of about 39 minutes. Now having run 5 km on Saturday in about 28 minutes I was slightly disappointed in this, I had been told that the circuit was 1.1 km so 0.5 km more in an extra 11 minutes felt a bit bad. Then delight though, one of the gents who always does the run, told us authoritatively that the circuit we run is 1.4 km, therefore 5 laps is 7 km. 7 km in 39 minutes sounds so much better.

I find myself looking forward to Saturday and the Park Run again already... I appear to be enjoying this far too much, not only that but I appear to have signed up for a mini tri at Stockton in August as preparation for the Tatton Tri in September. I guess I really am going to have to get that bike out.

ps I think I run better without music...or perhaps Scooter was just a little to ambitious last time out...

Losing my virginity (in a park, in the rain)

This week has been horrendous, nothing to do with the training - that's been easy, I haven't done any! Unfortunately life interfered fairly majorly in the worst possible way and resulted in me not even trying to train (Although I'll admit to freezing conditions and rain earlier in the week reminding me that sunshine is my preferred element). Friday night, for a variety of reasons, made me realise I needed to take control back again and move forward.

All of this lead me to send a text to my friends Izzy & Andy saying that I would see them Saturday morning for the Albert Park Park Run. For those of you who haven't come across Park Run as a concept, it is an international, volunteer run 5 km run that is timed, free and open to all ages. Its run every Saturday throughout the year and includes people new to running as well as local club athletes who use it as part of their training regime.  There are something like 8,600 Park Runs run around the UK and 9,500 worldwide. The Albert Park run attracts such luminarys as Jo Jackson, Commonwealth Champion at the 20 km walk and multiple world record holder Sharon Gaytor (look at this woman's website, she is incredible and makes any petty efforts of my own look pitiful!).

So as I say, I committed myself to doing my first Park Run, part of the reason for sending the text was that it made not turning up on Saturday morning somewhat harder. Izzy's return text informed me that her and Andy were doing it in fancy dress to help raise money for the chosen charity Zoe's Place. I decided that losing my virginity in a public park whilst wearing fancy dress was possibly outside my comfort zone so said I'd just turn up in my normal running gear. Which I did. Walking across the park to the start at 8.30 this morning I realised a) that I really was going to do this, b) there were a lot of people there and c) it was bloody freezing and I didn't have any gloves. The route itself is fairly straight forward, a clockwise loop of quarter of the park, followed by two full laps of the park. Finish by the cafe alongside the Lake.

So we ran, Izzy in a wetsuit, Andy in a mariachi costume (no maracas disappointingly), a slightly overweight Capt Jack Sparrow, a significant number of bunny ears and a few other costumes as well as 200 or so others in a variety of running gear. I have decided I like running in a group, I seem to run better, it seems less difficult and although I don't do the conversation bit whilst running, there is a camaraderie about running round a Victorian park in the rain that is pleasing. Reflecting on it whilst soaking my legs in the bath afterwards, I think I'll do it again next week. I ran 5 km in 28.18 mins and felt comfortable, I was the 153rd man over the line and the 202nd runner over all, I have no idea how close to the back I was, but to be honest I don't care.

So I am no longer a Park Run virgin, guess I'll be doing the Hemlington Lake run on Wednesday next.