The Lull Before The Storm

[Dexy5]

After yesterday’s snow and icy weather, the sun was bursting through the slats of the venetian blinds in the bedroom this morning. Knowing what awful weather this weekend has in store for us, we decided to take advantage of today while we could. I had run 7km in the sunshine on Wednesday but   UpTheStanley hadn’t run since parkrun. So we put on some warm running clothes and headed for the recently opened eastern foreshore path. It was 6°C but felt much colder in the 22 mph NW wind and perhaps I should have put on an extra top . 🥶. Puddles in the car park were still icy, but at least the sun was shining. We ran together heading north on the lovely new flat path. The tide was out in Langstone Harbour and many birds were searching for food on the mudflats. Dog walkers and other runners exchanged Good Mornings, as they passed.

We ran past the People’s Memorial to all servicemen and civilians lost, especially in recent engagements. I understand that one of the rocks in the cairn holding the flagpole came from the twin towers in NYC, as the daughter of a local resident was killed there on that day. It is a place to reflect in peace, with benches, gardens and dovecotes and bird feeders hanging in the trees.

We ran from the Thatched Cottage pub to past The Harvester and nearby holiday homes. At 3k I turned back and left UTS to carry on along the older narrower path. I stopped to take a few photos on the way back and it was such a clear day I could see Portchester Hill (waving at   JonathanP ), Butser Hill on the South Downs, Farlington Marsh nature reserve and across the harbour to the Hayling Island Billy Trail. There were a few small yachts under sail in the channel and I can imagine the crew were well wrapped up on board. 6.3 kms for me and 9 kms for UTS. This new route offers lots of possibilities for a 10 km run as the path is linked to the numerous paths of Milton Common.

Now to batten down the hatches for Storm Bert.

🌬️💨☔️💦💧💦🌊🌊🌊

We and many other parkruns have cancelled tomorrow, due to the storm forecast. If you are a parkrunner do check parkrun.org.uk/cancellations before you set off as well as your event social media such as Facebook and instagram.

[UpTheStanley Graduate10]

As you can’t post a picture

UTS on our improved path

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

Hi UTS. I was having that problem with photographs from my iPhone when posting in Fun Beyond, but it seems to be ok at the moment🤞🤞🤞.

I did resort to sending a copy of photographs to myself by e.Mail and reducing the size in the process. The reduced size loaded up with no problem. Nice composition 🙂

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thanks BC. e-mailing the photo and then saving it again worked. I think the HU site has objected to my iPhone 12, whereas UTS doesn’t have a problem with his older iPhone .

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

It doesn’t now object to my IPhone 15, but that may be a temporary state of affairs, in which case I will revert to my “work around”. I know that you got different messages when your post attempts failed. My failure message was a consistent “ you appear to have exceeded the 10mb limit” (that is post plus photograph I assume). Still, if the work around keeps the photographs coming 👍

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

Hi Dexy5. That sounds like a really good run for fitness and spirit.

I had a similar idea this morning; I ran another rehab trot. 4K this morning. My calf is fine now, but there is a lingering problem with the lateral peroneal muscles in my left leg. The result is that I finished my run with a slight pain and weakness from the outside of my ankle and above. It soon clears up, but I wouldn’t want to run any distance with it at present, hence the 4K. It was chilly, but the sky was clear blue and all of the colours of the forest were highlighted. So, definitely good to be out.

More stretches are required, together with yoga and what can be described in technical language as a good wellying with a massage ball. We suffer for our art! Temperatures have dropped to 1C now. I don’t think we will venture far over the next couple of days. I hope that your confinement to barracks is short lived. I have no doubt that your larder and wine cellar are well stocked for this sort of emergency. 😉

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

I’m sorry you are still having a few niggles BC, I noticed that it took longer to warm up this morning and will definitely do more warming up at home before future runs.

Just listening to your body is the best advice at this time of the year, more than any other time.

UTS and I will be on the prom as usual in the morning sending away all the runners who don’t check social media or the cancelled parkrun page . If they get there early enough, in a car, they might make a nearby parkrun . If on foot, at least we can stop them walking all the way for nothing.

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

You both take good care of your Park Runners. Some have to be saved from themselves!

In this weather I do a warm up from the Nike Training Club app before leaving the house, follow it up with a warm up walk and finally run a dead slow first 1k. So doing my best. Dancing isn’t affected 🙂

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

We are more concerned about the volunteers in this instance as they need to be facing the elements for at least 90 minutes. The runners can run at our 2 other local parkruns which are more sheltered if they wish , or no doubt, some of them will run on the prom just because.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Excellent run for you today Dexy5 with UpTheStanley , as far as the weather goes the weather where I live in Central Scotland has been sunny and very cold but there has been no snow, this is because of the Scottish Highlands to the north preventing snow getting to us BUT the forecast for tomorrow morning is for snow coming up from the south east, I am due to be a marshall at nearby Palacerigg Country parkrun which is 152 metres above sea level but I expect that to be cancelled within the next 6 hours, other parkruns at sea level have already been cancelled in Glasgow so I would be surprised if Palacerigg went ahead, I did run 2/3K runs this week in the afternoon on Tuesday and Thursday.

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Yes I can imagine ice will be the main problem up there AlMorr . I don’t do running in ice or snow.

🥶🌬️❄️

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Most of the cancelled parkruns are because of the weather forecast for tomorrow, not the condition they are in at the moment, I have just had word from the RD of Palacerigg that the run is ON tomorrow after she checked the course this afternoon, there will be another update in the morning.

[Sandraj39 Graduate10]

Great post Dexy - I felt like I was there with you! The People’s Memorial sounds lovely, it’s so important to have places like this to pay our respect and remember lost loved ones.

I also ran today and will wait and see what the weather brings on Sunday as to my next one! We are planning on getting some painting done in the house this weekend, so hopefully a lot of the weather can just pass me by through a window!🤣🤣

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Sandraj39]

Thank you Sandraj39 , Yes the memorial was started by a veteran sticking flags into a pile of stones on the foreshore and then the council got involved to make it safer. It is now maintained by a group of volunteers.

Well done for getting out for your run today - wise move. Enjoy the decorating.

[Tetleyteagirl Graduate10]

hi Dexy, what a great post, and very jealous you have that wonderful promenade to now jog along. They’ve done a fantastic job haven’t they😊. I too went for a very chilly jog down sea front to try out my new watch!! I’m now the proud owner of a Vivoactive 5. There’s a Garmin shop now in West Quay, very helpful and Black Friday deals everywhere! Been spending a few hours playing with different watch faces! Keep warm and watch out for Bertie🤣

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Tetleyteagirl]

Yes Tetleyteagirl , the new sections of promenade in the south of the city are lovely to run on and another section will be released next month. . The sand/gravel path we ran on today is the one parallel to the Eastern Road as you enter Portsea Island.

I understand the Billy Trail is to be ungraded too so that more bikes can use it. I love it the way it is with the wild shrubs, sloes and blackberries along the route. I hope it doesn’t ruin it for the runners, especially with all the extra homes being built near the old station.

Ooh - you’ve got a new Garmin . Happy playing and getting used to all it has to offer.

[JonathanP Graduate10]

Yes I enjoyed my run on that path a couple of weeks ago Dexy. Looks like we will be getting a few refugees from Southsea at Portsmouth Lakeside this morning!

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to JonathanP]

One day we will be at the same place at the same time. 😂

It’s always a difficult decision to take when cancelling parkrun, but our volunteers are so exposed on the seafront, and once a storm is named it becomes more serious. Hopefully, Great Salterns will take a share of runners too.

[JonathanP Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Yes absolutely the right thing to do

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Well done both!!! Stay warm , dry and stay safe! x

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks OF, the rain looks to be not quite as bad as first forecast but we are certainly hearing the wind outside.

[Sandie1961 Graduate10]

If only the weather was like that today Dexy5 It sounds like a lovely run. I’m sitting with a coffee listening to the wind roaring and praying for the email to say our 10k is cancelled 🙏🏻 but atm it looks like I’m going to be battling round a cold, wet, exposed reservoir. Hope it’s a good medal 😂

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Sandie1961]

Yes, just like the day before the cancelled GSR! It’s such a dilemma for race organisers, with costs already committed. But I’m sure that they will cancel if it poses a risk to runners and volunteers. It’s awful being wet and windy when it’s cold, unlike NFM when we got soaked in mild weather.

🤞for you.

Hope your Father is OK oop north too

[RunBrianRun Graduate10]

Lovely report Dexy and good to get out before Bert’s arrival! Good to see UTS is out and about too, I don’t get on here often so I may have missed some of his other runs and reports though.

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to RunBrianRun]

Thanks Brian, I don’t post so often now as not much new to report, but a new route is very welcome.

UTS has not been running much lately . He says that at 73 , he is finding it harder to recover from each run. Unless he is running with me, he finds it hard to go at ‘easy’ pace. He is enjoying different parkruns though so we have been doing a bit of parkrun tourism.

We cancelled today’s parkrun because of Bert, but other parts of the country are going to get worse than us.

[Shake-and-run Graduate10]

what a lovely post, just look at that blue sky! Sounds like you have found a great new running path with lots of potential, sounds beautiful. I hope Bert doesn’t do too much damage, stay safe.

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Shake-and-run]

Thanks Shakes. It was chilly but with the sunshine and blue skies, visibility was perfect. It gets a bit busy at weekends but I can see us using it again during the week.

I think we have been let off lightly, being on the edge of the storm. We had lots of rain overnight but looks like a sunny , still windy day today. Perfect for a prom walk.