parkrun

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 12

Day 12. A nice helping of sunshine this morning so why did I leave going out for a run until it had clouded over and the light was grey? It was cold as well; Cambridgeshire is very flat and possesses the least amount of trees of (?) all the English counties. So when the winds whoosh off the flat fields you certainly know it. It’s hardly Tornado Alley but the winds can be cutting to a sensitive soul like myself. So, as I prance like a prawn down the road, with open fields on one side, the cruel wind delights in buffeting me and chilling my spindly legs, clad only in manly Ron Hill tights. Any grey, dull drab weather seems to drain the life out of me. On the other hand, the sun immediately makes me feel good and motivated. I’m probably a mild SAD case. I’ve thought about getting a light lamp and never actually got around to it. Perhaps I should get around to it. I’ll wait for the next sunny day and sort it out but then I’ll feel better and won’t need one. And so I go round in circles! Probably easiest to move to California.

It’s a great shame that many people never take up running.They perhaps don’t see themselves as runners or  they may  refuse to acknowledge the benefits to their health and mental well being that running and other forms of exercise can bring. Even loss of energy and vitality may be accommodated without challenge. So many people beyond 50 want to rush into an older age and embrace poor dietary regimes and minimal physical activity. And so many of these will experience loneliness, isolation and a sense of physical decline. I know a number of people who are running into their 70’s and 80’s. They may be runners of long experience but interestingly I know many men and woman who have come late to running in their 50’s and 60’s and taken it up very successfully (and socially).Two of my running pals are approaching their mid 60’s and only took it up 1-2 years ago. Shockingly, they can both out run me (at the moment). If this state of affairs continues, they’ll be ex pals and I’ll be looking around for some slower mates.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 11

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Day 11. From this to that! The post race snap of my new trail shoes doesn’t really do justice to the mud love-in that took place at Wimpole Estate 1st anniversary parkrun today. And, unbelievably, I didn’t win it, thanks to the 72 people that barged in front of me. To put it another way, if those 72 people had stayed in bed rather than get up for a 9 am start race, I would have been covered in glory as well as mud.

It was a glorious day. A blue sky, low, very bright sun ( I accept the sun is generally bright in a cloudless sky: it just seemed extra bright today) and a little too cold for me but manageable. 207 finished, the first coming in at 19 minutes 13 seconds and the last recorded at 55 minutes 28 seconds. That’s the thing about parkrun; it’s completely inclusive (with the proviso that you are able to run or walk). As for the conditions underfoot, we started off on a puddle and soil infested asphalt path and then transferred to marshland, swamp, morass, bog and finally quagmire in that order. However, I was impressed by the quality of the mud. It was runner friendly, forgiving, light hearted. It had a certain je ne sais quoi unlike the evil mud at Hinchingbrooke on New Years Day which tried to drown me.

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Me running past Wimpole Hall and with my daughter Isobelle who also took part. My son Dan ran Valentine’s Park 5K and got a personal best on fast, flat paths. Lorna took some great photos and we met up with a load of friends. A very enjoyable morning. The only sour note? Their second hand bookshop (previously loved and treasured then abandoned books) was not open before 11 am and we left at 10.45. OK, I can deal with it.

I felt tired when I sat down in the afternoon and started to doze. The sun shone and the temperature had risen a little higher so I went for another run lasting around 45 minutes. Much more alert after I returned. Note to self : when exhausted run for an hour plus.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 10

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Day 10. I was due to scoot down the M11 from Cambridge to Woodford to see mater and collect my daughter   Isobelle who was returning with me to Cambridge. The plan was to run late evening (again in the dark) but the M11 was blocked by a serious accident and I set out later when the motorway re-opened. This enabled me to run in the morning, another 2 miler. I need to do longer runs which will make me feel fitter and stronger. The cardiac medication I take does me no favours in the context of running to my maximum. It limits the amount of effort I am able to put into a race. Of course the medication is doing a job of work (presumably) so I will continue to take it. It’s tempting to stop them although I concede that running faster  and getting a new personal best at parkrun is not the best reason for discontinuing treatment.

It’s Wimpole Estate parkrun’s first anniversary tomorrow and only the fittest will survive the swamps and bogs. I will require lashings of grip and traction which will be supplied by new trail shoes shown above.I’m looking forward to their coffee and a rock cake after the run but the cafe/restaurant has laid down some heavy rules, man! To enter their nice, warm  cafe we will have to take off our muddy shoes and socks and put on clean, dry footwear. Fair enough, I suppose. I’m not responsible for washing their floors. But is it right that young running gods like me should be subject to the demands of mere mortal men and their inconsequential edicts. Parking may prove to be more of a problem. The usual area is water logged and won’t be used.

Isobelle is running, Lorna will be taking pictures and son Dan is doing parkrun at Valentine’s Park parkrun in Ilford, Essex. Valentines is a fast 5K on flat asphalt paths. He hopes to do under 22 minutes. Good luck.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 9

South Cambridgeshire-20140109-00326                   South Cambridgeshire-20140109-00324

Day 9. I’m trying different tactics to win the Wimpole Estate parkrun this coming Saturday. I will dazzle the opposition with my newly purchased trail shoes. I became aware these shoes had something else to offer me when the sales assistant put on dark  glasses before he opened the box. He solemnly warned me never to look at them directly and made a comparison with potential damage from staring at the midday sun without protection. I made a sensible enquiry about whether or not they met health and safety standards. He replied “Health and safety? That’s for wimps and losers! If you wanna win, you’d better take ’em. Well, do yuh wanna win, punk? Are you feelin’ lucky?” I saw the terror I felt reflected in his mirror sun glasses and half expected him to pull out a Colt 45. Clearly it was too dangerous to run off. I confirmed I would take the shoes, despite not trying them on , and slowly walked backwards, in the direction of the pay counter, without losing eye contact. A thin, sardonic smile played over his cruel lips. He turned contemptuously, obviously looking for another customer to intimidate. Relieved, I turned to face the right direction but couldn’t prevent myself from crashing into an occupied changing room door. A whole new load of embarrassment occurred before I actually left the store. If I win on Saturday, it’ll be a Pyrrhic Victory.

Another 2 mile run this afternoon, this time in the light. I felt much better than last night when I went out into the dark. I was able to remind myself about about my running gait, swinging my arms from chin to pocket and running more consistently on the ball of my foot. Next week I’ll start longer runs to prepare for the Cambridge Half Marathon on March 9. It’s a 4,500 field and up to 4 out of 5 of my children will be running with me. Unfortunately my wife Lorna is not able to run because of a serious Achilles tendinopathy injury which might require surgery. We’ll know how it will be treated after an outpatient appointment with an orthopedic surgeon later this month. Lorna did last year’s Cambridge  Half. I really hope she’ll be back running for next year’s Half.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 7

Cambridge and Coleridge  Running Club this evening. Two options – track and road. I invariably road run, despite the uneven and poorly lit pavements. I managed to get thrashed twice by the branches of two trees that I failed to see. I definitely heard the trees snigger as they slapped my face. I’m sure they will be all innocence in the daylight. We did 6 X  600 metres at varying speeds with recovery jogs back to the same point. Very enjoyable and a good workout.

I hope to get a pair of trail shoes this week and then test them out on the weekend when I run Wimpole Estate parkrun. My running chum who was there on Sunday confirmed it was, and will be, very muddy. I will obey the new rule and remove my dirty shoes at the door before enjoying  a lovely cup of coffee and one of their tasty rock cakes in the National Trust cafe/restaurant. I will then slip over to their second hand book or pre-loved wood pulp word collection artefact or whatever the National Trust now calls old fashioned books. The grubby things are so last century!

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 6

Day 6. The weather in Cambridge today was almost Spring-like. Periods of sun in a hazy blue sky alternated with heavy downpours and the temperature was a mild 10C. I feel so much better running when the sun’s out as I’m sure most people do but it’s the degree of enjoyment compared to a cold, drizzly, overcast day that always surprises me. After yesterday’s debacle (see blog dated Jan 5) I ran over to the next village, avoiding their roadblocks and vigilante patrols (they have their own issues in this community) and used their recreation ground to do a few strides/sprints. I felt very happy to be able to sprint for short distances at full speed. I may not be fast but it feels fast and I recover quickly. I had a heart attack four years ago and I was able to recover my full fitness subsequently. I feel extremely lucky to be running at a reasonable level and now be part of a running community. I started doing Cambridge parkrun on their fifth event in February 2010 and now I’ve completed 159. I also joined a running club after 30 years of running alone and found it conducive to my exacting requirements of a good balance between sociability and just running without frills.

The Guardian ran an article on a research findings  link between cancer and inactivity today http://bit.ly/KxhjW2 giving shocking figures concerning cases that (theoretically) could have been prevented  if people were more physically active. Apathy and a closed mindset can be lethal.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 3

Day 3. I donned my black running tights again and ventured into the gloom. My new haircut today allowed me to glide along with superb aerodynamic efficiency. I plumped for an uncontroversial short  style after the barber declined to work his magic and  transform my barnet ( cockney rhyming slang – Barnet fair = hair) so it was indistinguishable from Rod Stewart’ coiffure circa 1972. It was dark and drizzly and strangely, mildly exhilarating. I duplicated my 2 mile run of yesterday since I left it late to hit the road and needed to get back to cook the family meal. I soon got into a running groove and an owl and nightjar flew alongside me, commenting on and advising me about, my running gait. “We see lots of nocturnal joggers, ” he twitt-a-wooed,”and I can confirm you’ve got very good running form. Keep up the training and you’ve got a parkrun win in the bag.” “Yes,”sang the nightjar,”but you will need trail shoes in muddy conditions. We heard about your experience at Huntingdon parkrun on New Years Day. You nearly came to a standstill.” I didn’t need reminding,thank you!

I’m marshaling at Cambridge parkrun tomorrow morning and the forecast is heavy rain. I may go for a longer run in the afternoon with an informal running group. The weather is expected to improve.

I considered applying for the Great North Run today. I completed the online form but baulked at the entry fee of £50. Decided against it. I would love to do it but I would have to stop over for a day or two because of the distance to travel. Taking part in a really big event is exciting but not necessary for a runner. What we need to do is just run…anywhere.

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 2

Day 2. I’m still recovering from yesterday’s mud festival at the Hinchingbrooke 5K. They should have billed it as a swamp challenge. In retrospect, I think Indiana Jones had less dangerous near misses even where he’s actually trapped in a swamp up to his neck. My body is unscathed but my mind is in bits. It didn’t help that my nice Ron Hill tracksters were still drying and I was compelled to wear running tights in broad daylight. I looked like Max Wall!

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Whereas, I normally look like this

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No matter, I pulled myself together and went off for a 2 mile run just to keep things ticking over. The weather was sunny and mild today and if one was inclined, one could fantasise that Spring was around the corner. This one started to fantasise. I saw daffodils poking through everywhere and I’m sure I glimpsed lambs gambling in the fields.

Why run? You feel physically better – more alive, alert and fitter. Your mood improves, you feel more positive and you meet a whole new society of good people. You reduce the risk of developing a raft of diseases and disorders, you focus more sensibly on the food you eat. You feel younger (this is age related : you don’t feel 14 when you are actually 22) and it can be exciting and result in a sense of well being. Why wouldn’t you?

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Aliveandrunning Janathon January 1 2013

First day of Janathon! We went to Huntingdon parkrun (for 9 am )where the 5K race is held in Hinchingbrooke Country Park. This was the first of two special New Years Day parkruns, the second taking place in Peterborough at 10.30 .am. A lot of our chums went to both but we just did the one. It was a lovely course – undulating, grass land and woodland paths – and a complete mud bath. I’ve never run along such long tracts of churned up mud before. I haven’t got trail shoes and I seem to have trouble with balance in these conditions. I did a very slow time. Still it was fun and Lorna took some good pictures. The forecast was rain today but it held off until the finish of the race. The temperature was mild and unlike yesterday when I ran the Ely New Years Eve  10K at Little Downham, I didn’t notice the wind.

Here’s me at Huntington today on relatively firm but gluey ground. I pulled even weirder faces in the thicker mud in the woods plus the start of the race. Both photos by Paul Homewood.

1525098_10201248953090867_1574392435_n (1)          steve at Hinchingbrooke, Huntingdon 5K, NYD

 

On slightly firmer ground

Lorna's pic of me at Huntingdon, NYD

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Aliveandrunning2013 December 19

We swept through the subtle gloom of late night Cambridge, negotiating dark alley ways, racing over bridges and exploring barely imaginable aspects of the City asleep. We were 17 super heroes running, nay sprinting, our chosen course and helping to keep Cambridge safe. Great deeds, too numerous to mention, were done that night. Modesty precludes relating their nature save one. A baby fell from an upstairs College window and seemed certain to be dashed on the aged Cambridge cobblestones below. But Archibald D’arcy-Smithers, the lead super hero runner spotted the falling tot, increased his speed exponentially and caught him in his arms in the nick of time. The group dutifully ran on the spot, waiting for the child to be reunited with its negligent father who stammered his thanks and admitted he had become over absorbed in Wittgenstein’s Tractatus. Only in Cambridge ! A few words of advice later, we were soon on our way again and dispensing more good karma.

Generally speaking I have few idiosyncrasies and odd habits (except for collecting books, hoarding newspapers and magazines, sometimes cultivating,always tolerating, spiders’ webs, disliking having my daily newspaper opened up and roughly loosened by someone else (yes, you Lorna!), justifying buying a book by not buying food, regarding a visit to Tesco as mystical experience, holding contrary opinions (example – detaining Daily Mail and Express readers in a holding centre on the Isle of Wight preparatory to their re-programming and re-integration back into sensible society) and having my porridge ritual devalued by Lorna who regularly extracts the spoon out of the glutinous mass as it’s cooling down and licks it !) Apart from the above, I’m completely normal.

Parkrun again in a couple of days. Forecast is rain and plenty of it. I don’t have trail shoes yet and the poor traction will slow me down, My cunning plan to run a faster time consists of cutting my toenails and swinging a kettle bell during the week. I’m unlikely to get below 24 minutes for the 5K. I know how Superman feels when his powers are temporarily removed by kryptonite. Bring on the Spring weather NOW.