Another Southsea motley crew (Not)Parkrun and as it was perfect OldGirlRuns weather, I said I would do a write up. By perfect of course I mean sunshine at the start, wind (lots of wind!), rain - and horizontal hail! “I knew I did the right thing starting extra early to make sure I finished by 9.15, I’m quite dry” said Coddfish brightly from her sheltered bench as 4 bedraggled people squelched up to meet her at the end. Did we detect just a hint of smugness there? Surely not. To be fair I had planned to start a bit earlier than I did but there was an element of faffage this morning so while I saw the sky getting blacker and blacker I hoped to finish before it hit. Oops! But as ever, a good brekkie to end on and a PB for Dexy5- which in that wind that deserves a round of applause! I did 48:39 which is my 3rd best (not)Parkrun time - and the 3rd time I’ve done it in that time! My new Brooks Transcends are well and truly initiated (and now stuffed with newspaper drying out!), next week’s dress code scheme is agreed (we didn’t do one today so no pic) and a different location chosen, so all is well! Happy running folks!
Just a hint of smugness?: Another Southsea... - Bridge to 10K
Just a hint of smugness?
I’m not mentioning my time this week 😟 but I did enjoy my breakfast 😀
😂😂😂😂
Oh go on!
Great way to test out the Transcend's today. Brilliant for Dexy too! 🥇
Smugness definitely allowed and indeed implored 😁😁😁
Warning ⚠️ long feedback
Well you could knock me down with a feather. How I achieved a (not) parkrun PB after facing all the elements apart from snow I do not know. I can only assume it’s because I ran faster so that I would get to the dry sooner.
Given the forecast, we decided to park at our gym so that we had access to an after run bag with a warm hoody, just in case. According to Mr Garmin it was a cool 12c with a 19mph westerly but once the next front came in with hailstones I am sure it was stronger. I started into the wind, meeting Coddfish heading the other way and then turned at Clarence Pier to head east. At one point I kicked something and thought I’d dropped my sunglasses, so I’ve got a blue patch on Garmin’s route where I stopped and doubled back, then confirmed my sunglasses were in my hi-viz jacket pocket. I sped off a bit faster to make up for lost time and then ran down the only downhill slope on the prom from Southsea Castle. It was still dry. I reached the Breakfast restaurant as Coddfish stopped running but I still had 2km to go. The heavens opened up just before I met Oldgirlruns, who was soaked to the skin, running straight into the hailstones. Who needs a dermabrasion at a beauty clinic when you can do this? I wasn’t sure I wanted to be out there for the full 5k so turned again and ran into the wind back towards meeting point. I was running in puddles and absolutely soaked. I almost started walking but I could see OldGirl was running all the way in front of me, so I couldn’t wimp out. She reached the restaurant and stopped and I continued on to make up the distance. UpTheStanley arrived next, with the key to the car, and then Mr C brought up the rear.
Splits - because I’m so chuffed: 7:15, 6:54, 6:33, 6:13 and 6:40 = 33:36
Lovely breakfast with steaming friends
I was running Dexy, sort of, but it’s hard when you’re trying to keep the hail from completely stripping your skin off - fortunately when I did glance up briefly, there was no-one else around to run into. I wonder why that was ?!
😂😂
In case anyone thinks I haven’t said this to your face already, 🙄well done 👍😀
Thank you kind sir.
He’s a champ isn’t he Dexy!
🦸♂️ A superhero
Well done on your npr PB.
Thanks well done to you for staying dry. You timed it perfectly. My Met office weather app only tells me changes by the hour - which one do you use?
I use Met Office but also Accuweather. The latter shows a minute by minute rain projection for the next 2 hours, which seems to work well. Met Office is better for the overview and for the wind forecast. Windguru is also useful for wind forecasts, its nearest ‘spot’ is Hayling (presumably HISC) as it’s mainly for Watersports.
Well done OGR, you ran all the way into the wind, whereas at least we had it behind us some of the way. But then, we know how much you like it. ☀️🌤⛅️🌥🏃♀️☁️🌧🌨🌬🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♂️🏃♂️
When I was beating into the wind I did wonder why I hadn’t gone the other way, but then decided it was good exercise for me!
It was OGR running weather, after all.
😆
Gosh that's commitment for you! Hail???
Hail indeed Fionamags! Totally uncalled for I reckon but great exfoliation!
48.39 and the third time you have ran a (not) parkrun in that time OGR, seems to be a lucky number for you, despite the horizontal hail and rain you enjoyed your run today, I am glad that you have those Brooks running shoes, I also enjoy running in Brooks shoes. 😊 🏃🏾 If my running shoes get wet I just let them dry in a normal room temperature, they are completely dry in 48 hours.
Thanks AM, I reckon if I hadn’t been going headlong into the wind for a fair bit of my 5k I’d have been on target for a Pb as well - drat!
👍 🏃🏾
I must admit I did feel rather smug sitting, bone dry, under the shelter, having finished my run, watching the rain and hail roll through. And seeing 4 bedraggled friends made me feel even more smug. But we were nice and snug in the Briny.
I went to Waitrose at lunch time and just got home before the next major squall. It does feel like autumn has arrived.
Glad the shoes worked well.
Yes shoes were good! Every time I thought about going outside this pm another squall went through so I chatted to a friend on FaceTime and pottered about instead!
I love reading about these runs you all share, glad the shoes did well and wow wee Dexy5 😀
Yes, it does make for a lovely ‘normal’ social occasion in these strange times! Of course we only do it for the breakfast afterwards😬!
Of course you do 😂 wouldn’t be the same without breakfast
😆
Very brave, one and all - but very soggy! I managed to dodge the bullet by doing my npr yesterday, thank goodness. Woo-hoo Dexy5 !👏👏👏
Who knew there were so many deep puddles on the seafront JP!
Well done you lot. I love the fact you all meet up for a not park run each week. The banter after always makes me smile.
It’s the closest we can get to the real thing Runningroni. And that could be a long time coming now.
I love it Runningroni - the group has really helped keep me going during these strange times, especially when we did our weekly zoom cocktail hour meetings during the lockdown!!
Yes we’re far more healthy now!
Of course we are - it’s those ‘healthy’ breakfasts we keep eating that’s doing it......
Zoom cocktails parties, fabulous. Stay running, stay safe you motley crew.
Is the Southsea course Completely flat being sea level, or do you wander into hills? (Southampton here...don’t hate me 😬)
The Southsea parkrun course is flat along the prom Happenstance.
The Portsmouth Lakeside parkrun is a mix of trail and tarmac and has some ups and downs under the road so that’s fun.
Of course we don’t hate you; runners love everyone. 😂
UpTheStanley and I have run at Southampton Common parkrun as a meet up with running buddies and really enjoyed the ups and downs, and there were so many runners .
Ah thanks Dexy. Unforch I have experienced the silly nonsense rivalry between Saints and Pompey fans, even though I couldn’t give a fig about football. I don’t mind when it’s contained within football banter (hate that word), but my experience was on a personal level.
Hope to bump into you guys one day. Me and did have only recently started running, following my stroke in March. We did the Whitely Parkrun course last weekend and actually managed to do the whole 5k for the first time! 🙌🏼
Good to ‘meet’ a neighbour Happenstance! I worked with someone who lives close by Fratton Park and who like you got caught up in some serious nastiness a few years ago which frightened and angered her in equal measure. But on the plus side I know of friends in my road, one of whom is Saints and one who is Pompey so let’s hope over time this stupid business disappears. On the running side, our normal PR course is, as Dexy says, flatter than a flat thing. But if you go in the other direction you can deviate from the seafront and go up over a bank that separates the DDay museum and the bandstand. It’s very small but we’ve nicknamed it The Mountain! I think Lee-On-The-Solent is also flat along the seafront. Well done on starting running after your stroke - it sounds as if you’re making really good progress!
Unfortunately there is a lot of hate in the name of football. Maybe it will disappear along with the virus as people will be so glad to get back.
We had Whitely on our list of places to go this year, so maybe we should do like you and run it anyway.
If you ever make it to southsea parkrun do let us know.
None of our little not parkrun gang were born in Portsmouth, we just happen to live here, so we don’t participate in the rivalry nonsense. UpTheStanley and I could try working on hating each other, as we come from opposite sides of the Pennines. It might happen the 3rd time I stay dry when he is wet on one of our meet ups.....
That’s good to hear. Love a Northerner!
Thanks OldGirlRuns. Tbh it was a relatively minor stroke so I was very very lucky. But it scared me into evaluating my lifestyle and it came up sadly wanting!
I like the thought of completely flat - espesh for 5k which is stretching me at the moment, without bothersome hills! So do you do a run there/run straight back in opposite direction along the seafront? Or is there a loop??
It’s an out and back so my target is to try and get further down the ‘out’ stretch each week before I meet everyone else on their way back! Although it’s very sociable as I keep seeing people to say hallo to!
Well you still beat my time 5k time last week. Where is the halfway point?
It’s just before the beach huts at the Eastney end of the beach - there’s a blue board at one side of the prom and a bench a few yards further up and the turn marker is between them. If you hit the huts you’ve gone a bit too far! The start point is at what they call ‘Speakers Corner’ near The Briny restaurant.
Mudita11 look what I found!
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Swansea Parkrun. More fun times 😃
I thought those days were gone …. but sub-24 returns to Southsea!
First attempt at being a pacer!
The Great South Winds
Breaststroke or Freestyle?
Tough parkrun 
