Finally a run with my running club!

This September I’ve signed up to run miles to raise money for the Red Cross- our running club has a team so I was persuaded to join in. Adding in extra miles isn’t as easy now I am back at work (particularly because the traffic has been awful and what was taking me 22 mins in the summer term is now at least double that on a good day), so before meeting my dad and brother for our not parkrun on a Saturday I’ve been doing a 2 mile warm up.

Our socially distanced breakfasts have been going well still- although I am not sure how we will manage for much longer as it’s been a bit chilly on a couple of occasions (I know technically I am allowed inside their house but we don’t want to take any chances).

Gorgeous print from Seashells & Magic on Etsy for my desk at work, Stitch bag, waffles with hummus and avocado and then banana, peanut butter and chocolate chips.

I had been browsing on Ebay and saw this bag- I have been looking for a little rucksack for a while (I was going to maybe treat myself in DLP to one of their Disney Loungefly bags) as the strap broke on my bag plus it seems a rucksack would be better for my shoulders than a cross-body bag. It has pineapples in the lining- so cute!

Last Sunday my running club was meeting in Hatfield and then running “5 ish miles on a route with a view”- as they were meeting around 3 miles from home, I decided I would run and meet them and then do their route together. It was so lovely to run together- there were 4 of us on the run and it was so nice to catch up. At the top of the hill there was indeed the most beautiful view looking across the countryside- peeking out of the trees we could see these white buildings and after looking at them more closely they turned out to be the big Shredded Wheat factory in the centre of WGC (being turned into flats etc at the moment)- it’s crazy that it is so green and looked just like countryside.

I saw lots of blackberries too- I need to take a little sandwich bag with me on my runs in case I find a good patch (I used to know a few patches where we lived before). Croissants for breakfast, some work and a walk and then watching a film in the afternoon. I chose Mulan, which I think I saw on a plane but it was so long ago. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than the other older ones I’ve seen (Peter Pan I’m looking at you) and I am now looking forward to watching the live action remake.

Of course I had to have tea in my Olaf mug when watching a Disney film. And I wore my monorail t-shirt. Since the first time we went to Florida I loved seeing all the families and groups in their matching t-shirts. Anywhere else it would seem strange but I think it is just great seeing the designs. Anyway, Andy has never agreed to matching tops (not even when we got married!) but he really liked this design too, so got one in a different colour so we don’t totally match. I wonder when we will actually get to wear them at Disney…

Gingerbread almond butter- not quite as good as their pumpkin spice one but really delicious.

The week just gone flew by, and despite lots of traffic I managed a run on Tuesday and Thursday, and yoga (on Zoom) was back on Wednesday. There have been some beautiful sunrises, and the flowers in our garden seem to be having a bit of a second wind.

My September tea club arrived, including Spiced pumpkin pie tea- it’s so pretty with little pumpkin sprinkles in it!

This week we have had the news that parkrun is aiming to return in England at the end of October. With Me Now has held some excellent live discussions via their facebook page, including having Tom Williams on (parkrun COO). As someone who has been quite risk averse and quite cautious about being exposed to people during the pandemic, I felt really reassured after hearing the research they commissioned (regarding the risk of transmission in outdoor spaces) and also all of the procedures they are putting into place. I think we are lucky here to have a choice of local runs in large spaces (eg no 5 lap routes around cricket pitches), and on Saturday when running our not parkrun we discussed the merits of our most local runs. Panshanger is one big lap but the start can be congested as it is narrow (but then teams can adapt routes if they need to, so I wonder if they are able to there). Ellenbrook Fields is pretty much one lap and JF is two but you don’t have too much lapping.  For either I could easily wait at the back at the start, and then of course when running to the funnel you can just slow down if someone is near by and you don’t want to be too close to them. The new virtual volunteer app sounds amazing (Danny Norman did try to screen share this on a facebook live and I think will have another go at some point) because then if you have it (from how I understand it) you could then scan your own barcode using your own phone, which would reduce contact even further. I would recommend watching their videos if you have any questions because they were so informative and really helpful. I suppose if you are working at home and not going out then it might seem like a big step, but as I am in a room with 30 people each day, an outside setting seems safer than work does to me right now.

Bottom right new final km path

On Sunday I fancied heading back to Panshanger for my long run- I’ve not been for ages because towards the end of the mot severe part of lockdown it had got very busy with dog walkers and cyclists and groups of people, but as the streets around here have calmed down I wondered if it would be quieter.

Although I came across a few people, particularly on my way back (including one person with a little yappy dog who came and chased me in a part of the park that says on all the signs to have dogs on a short lead because of the livestock…) it was much emptier than before, and I loved the run. They have even resurfaced the final km of the parkrun course- normally a narrow muddy path with loads of huge puddles, now it’s wider as they have cut back the undergrowth, and covered in hard packed gravel- what joy! I also found the long horned cattle (including a calf) so of course had to have a selfie with one of the cows.

It should have been the Great North Run, and although I wasn’t signed up this year, I am still in the family whatsapp group from our run last year (we ran it for my uncle as he wanted to do 20 GNR’s but died before he could do the last one)- one of my dad’s cousin’s (Brian, who we introduced to parkrun and is now on 97 parkruns!) went out to run a half marathon and sent us all a photo of him at the end. Very impressive.

I’d managed to finish all of my work (and nearly all of the housework) on Saturday afternoon (in between helping Andy to begin the decorating of our spare room- he moved out all the furniture, took down the wallpaper and then put it all back rearranged) so on Sunday I could watch a film. My choice for this week was Lilo and Stitch. It’s so warm outside so I knew I needed a warm film (can’t watch Frozen when it’s hot) and I fancied something I knew was good. Watercolour artwork, scenes of Hawaii and an Elvis soundtrack- it’s all good with me.

Are you excited about the prospect of parkrun returning?  Do you tend to run with a club or run alone?