Hi! Start of another week - just catching up with everyone on here, fantastic to read the posts and get a boost of inspiration.
Last week's Tuesday evening run with Good Gym was about 5km, split into two, with my new (to running) actual running buddy, who'd completed C25k and was looking for motivation to get out in the dark and cold - like I was! We ran mostly uphill to a community centre where we wrapped and packed cardboard boxes for donated food, for distribution to the elderly and in need. There were 18 runners and it's a challenge, as a newbie, to keep up. But, the great thing is there is always a tail-runner - just like at Park Run - and no-one gets left behind. Also, I realised the faster runners often stop and run back to the rest of the group. This was fine, until I really pushed myself one week to stay with them and found myself running back the way I'd come 
Then there were circuits including squats, star-jumps and 'high-knees' when we got back. Anyway, another good deed done! I am going to the Olympia Horse Show tomorrow, so can't do Good Gym in the evening. I'm going to take the dog to Lydiard Park instead and see if we can do a better job than the one and only time I've tried running with him before.
On Thursday, I was still aching from Tuesday's circuits but went exploring Eldene and Liden again in daylight, for a 5k route that was off-road but not on grass. I walked a warm-up for the first 0.7km and then only jogged, stopping to take photos to show the Parkrun director on Strava. I diverted in a few places to check out the conditions, but I do think there's a route from Eldene centre to Liden primary school, then North to the turning for the Eastcott vets and back over the bridge (see photo) into Eldene. I'll be trying a proper 5k route this Thursday morning.
I nearly missed Parkrun on Saturday - self-sabotaging gremlins again! I'd achieved a personal best the week before, so I decided (on my hurried drive and walk to the start line) that I would stick with the 35-min pacer and focus on maintaining form and trying different techniques on the inclines. I managed to hold a bit of a conversation on the way around, for once, and really enjoyed the run. Still came in below 35 minutes. I walked back to the finish point after being scanned and waited for the 47 min mark - the time it took for my first park run. If you have been beating yourself up on your progress, I recommend you try that. It was a real eye-opener to stand there for so long after I'd finished, and visualise my old self puffing her way to the finish only 6 months ago. I gave myself a mental round of applause, just to kick the gremlins while they were down!!! This coming Saturday is seasonal fancy dress, so I'm going as Elsa from Frozen It won't be a quick time! I'm debating where to stick my bluetooth speaker so I can play the soundtrack out loud - although I'm sure other runners will come up with some suggestions as to where to stick it :D. I'll post a photo to give people a laugh! Have a happy week and thanks for reading my drivel.
Return of the mojo
Tuesday 10.22 K
10th parkrun and end to an epic week of running!
(not)parkrun / Virtual 5K
