Virtual Vitality 10k - Another One!

[TailChaser]

Just in case you've not read enough Virtual Vitality 10k posts I thought you might like another one!

Here we have Sandie1961 , Shake-and-run , Windoze , Katnap and myself, together with Sandie's friend on the left. We had just finished our cool down walk and were looking forward to the delicious coffee and cakes at our local cafe 😋

After weeks of... *cough*... careful planning, changing our plans as fast as the government would let us, the Stratford Six met up at 9am this morning at the Pavilion (where our parkrun normally would be starting up it's weekly junior event) and set off on our pre-arranged 10k loop. Shakes is a 10k newbie so set off a little earlier to Jeff the route that she and Sandie had checked out the day before.

I had no hope of keeping up with the chaps, but Sandie very kindly let me give it a go. I was hoping we could run together but as this was my only chance of a proper competitive run this year I didn't want to miss the opportunity.

As the course 'designer' I was fairly confident I wouldn't get it wrong...but there is a twiddly bit just after 6km that I had stuck in my head went a particular way. When I saw the three chaps heading towards me, I immediately shouted out 'you're going the wrong way'...and then I thought about it a bit more as I headed towards a dead end...🙄

Still, a 10k is a 10k. Just because I had to finish by the hotel rather than the golf club, I still did it. It just felt a bit odd running past the finishing party of the chaps and Shakes 🤣...and I got the sub-60 that I hoped for, getting my second fastest 10k, so very happy.

Windoze topped it all. Not only did he cycle the 13 miles to the run, but he cycled back again after fueling up on coffee and two brownies!!

We've just treated ourselves to a Sunday lunch out where the weather finally got it's own back and chucked it down shortly before our meal came out. Now I've still got 2 miles left to do of my weekly running challenge...it may have to wait...

Now very much looking forward to my next socially distanced run dressing up in Santa suits with Shakes & co!

Happy running all!

[Shake-and-run Graduate10]

Thank for organising the route, it was both challenging and, err, simple to follow🤣🏃‍♀️. Well done on your PB. Here’s to next time!

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Shake-and-run]

It was an absolute pleasure. Looks like it was simple for you and challenging for me 🤣 Not a pb unfortunately, I think that boat may have sailed, but you never know...

[Irish-John Graduate10]

"The Stratford Six" - love it!

Great crew, great runners

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Irish-John]

Thanks John 😁

[Wimborne]

Ah what a fabulous photo of you all ..

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Wimborne]

Care of Shakes husband, he had a conveyor belt of iPhones handed to him!!

[Katnap Graduate10]

It filled the time while we waited for all finishers!

🎃🙀 Spooky Katnap 🙀🎃

[Sandie1961 Graduate10 in reply to Katnap]

Ooh cheeky 😂

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Sandie1961]

I know 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️😁

[linda9389 Graduate10]

Sounds brilliant TC and the sunshine looks lovely! Congratulations on such a speedy 10k!

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to linda9389]

It was Linda. It wasn’t quite as lovely as it looked as we had a head wind most of the way but it could have been much worse! Sounds like you’ve had a fab day too 👍

[linda9389 Graduate10 in reply to TailChaser]

We did indeed 😊

[Coddfish Graduate10]

“Stratford 6” does make it sound like you are victims of a miscarriage of justice! Well done on your run.

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Coddfish]

Thanks CF, may be...we weren’t allowed to sit together as a 6 in the cafe...do I have grounds? Possibly only coffee grounds...

[Sandie1961 Graduate10 in reply to TailChaser]

And then Shakes and I got told off for mingling standing up with our hubbies, who were sitting at another table because we weren’t allowed to sit together 😂

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Sandie1961]

I know! The Stratford Six and accomplices 🤣 It’s probably more appropriate than we care to think! 🤣

[grumpyoldgirl in reply to Sandie1961]

Outlaws and renegades, the lot of you! 😂

[Sandie1961 Graduate10 in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

😂😂😂 you’re only jealous!

[grumpyoldgirl in reply to Sandie1961]

Darn right I am🤣

I'm also getting increasingly confused by by the rules 😶🙃

[00marks Graduate10]

Brilliant, well done all!

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to 00marks]

Thanks 00 😍🙏

[David_G]

Lovely run TailChaser and friends. It sounds like you all had a great time!🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️👏👏👏

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to David_G]

It was as a fab morning David 😍

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

A lovely photo of you all, and what a beautiful blue sky. We will all get back to Southampton again one day, but I think it might be next year now.

Well done to each and everyone Of you.

p.s. I do enjoy a Santa run . Our outfits will be out too as we’ve decided we will run on Christmas Day even if there is no parkrun.

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy 😍 Yes, deceptively so Dexy. It was quite windy but we’re hardy souls these days.

Excellent idea. Maybe we’ll dust ours off again on Christmas Day and ‘join’ you?!

Thank you for getting the ball rolling with all of this. Let’s hope we’ll be trundling down The Mall come May ‘21 🤞🤞🤞

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to TailChaser]

🎅🏼🤶🏻 🎅🏼🤶🏻

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

Lovely picture of you all TC! Such a shame we couldn’t do it as one big group but I reckon we all had a great time anyway! You didn’t go the wrong way at all - you went your own way and there’s nothing wrong with that! Well done all on some great running - and especially to Windoze for cycling too. That’s definitely above and beyond the call!

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Haha! Story of my life OG 🤣 Plenty of opportunities to get together again once all this madness calms down 🤞

Thank you! 🙏 I hope Windoze had some more brownies, he really deserved them!

[Sandie1961 Graduate10]

Shakes is trying to persuade me to join your Mrs Santa run. Tempted 😈

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Sandie1961]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

Well done all of you - and congrats on a sub-60 run! Brilliant!👏👏👏😀🏅

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Sandraj39]

Thank you Sandra! 😍🙏👍

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

Well done on your virtual Vitality 10k and a speedy one at that. Great photos 👏👏👏

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Buddy34]

Thanks Buddy! Absolutely shattered now 😴😆👍

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Epic run TC, what an amazing time! I’m so glad you guys had as much as we did! Hope to see you again soon too! 🤞🤞🤞🤞

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Thanks cheeky! 😍 It’s been fab! I hope so too 🤞🤞🤞🤞

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

Oh, well done everyone! Sounds a brilliant day. TC, congratulations on your time and Windoze !!! That’s seriously impressive, surely that must be a duathlon....?

How lovely to meet up in person, especially nowadays 🙂

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Irishprincess]

Yes, it’s been quite challenging IP as originally we were going to all meet up in Southampton (well, before that we were all going to meet up in London but that was a lifetime ago...).

I think you’re right about Windoze, I think he needs an extra medal! 🏅

[Hidden]

What a brilliant time 🥇🥇🥇🥇

Congratulations on a super run and memorable day 👏👏👏

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you 😍 it’s been brilliant! You know you’ve had a great day and a fab run when all you want to do is curl up in the front of the telly with a cuppa 😊

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

Well done on your sub 60 TC; awesome 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thanks BC, it was an excellent day wasn’t it? 😍

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to TailChaser]

The best 🙂

[grumpyoldgirl]

So nice to see a group photo, well done everybody! 🎉

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

So nice to be in one again GOG! Thank you 😍

[Mum22boys Graduate10]

Many congratulations and a super time 👏

[Windoze Graduate10]

Thank you for organising such an awesome day xxx

Also thank you for getting lost 🤣 confused the crap out of Chris for a few minutes 🤣

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Windoze]

🤣🤣🤣

[Birdlady64 Graduate10]

Congratulations

Lovely group photo 👍😁

Nice to see groups getting together to do the virtual 10000 - socially distanced of course

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Of course! It was a great excuse to get together again, even if we had to do separate events because of our numbers, we were together in mind if not body. Thank you 😍

[Fabulous450 Graduate10]

Wooh hoooo!! 🙌🏽 Well done TailChaser & The VRB’s!! 🤩🤩🤩❤️

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Fabulous450]

Thanks Fab! It was a lovely day. Want to do it again!!!! 😍😁💪

[Raspberrypink Graduate10]

Well done on a great run and a fab time 👏🏼👍🏼

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Raspberrypink]

Thanks Raspberry, very chuffed with it 😍👍

[RunBrianRun Graduate10]

What a lovely, happy, Sunny report TC! I loved reading that. Well done to you all 👏👏👏

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to RunBrianRun]

Thanks Brian, if we can keep doing this, it will do so much for all our mental as well as physical health. It makes such a difference to be together, even if it’s just a small group. 😍