Well, park of my mainland trip from the little old IOW was to try the challenge of a new Parkrun! Ashton Court, near Bristol.
Did my glass bead course on Friday in Bristol(fab, yes i am hooked!) while Boz went on a 68 mile cycle ride round the hills of Cheddar Gorge(mad fool!). Had a lovely place to stay but SO HOT in the room, huge windows but due to health and safety they were limited to opening about a foot, so way overheated even tried on floor infront of fan so felt like i'd had little sleep by Saturday morning! But the challenge was on, so no excuses Had looked at course description beforehand...............................
"From the start to the turning point there is an ascent of around 100m. This is mostly a steady climb, although two short stretches are quite steep. Nobody should be put off by this. There is no shame in walking the steep bits - they’re always followed by some respite and at the turning point you’re rewarded with fantastic views over Bristol and the surrounding countryside, and the promise of 2.5km downhill to the finish."
.....that doesn't sound that easy for a girl used to mainly flat routes and has only done at most a 1k hill! Got a bit lost on way there but eventually found the carpark, some other people arriving were from a parkrun in Southampton so we hoped we were heading in right direction, luckily a local runner turned up and showed us where to go He said don't start too fast cos of the hill! no chance for me! Got a photo taken infront of the Ashton court house in my healthunlocked tshirt, though that didn't stay on for the run as too hot a day for that!
Lots of people there, the total running was 235 so a good number The guy running it was fun and made the announcements, including pointing out the guy in shirt, tie and cut off smart trousers who was running with his best man and others from wedding party to calm his pre wedding nerves- excellent!!
And we're off, me near back Boz near front! It was a gradual climb as it said, but seemed SO long, i was determined not to walk and made it to the top turnaround with much huffing and puffing! (Boz had passed me on way to the turnaround, he was going well!! ) then like they said, the reward of lovely views and a nice downhill run back, it really was a decent hill when you were coming down it- blimey did i really make it up that!!?? Little sprint at the end then collapse for a bit! I was 216th out of 235,at 34 mins ish, Boz 23mins!! Off to cafe for coffee, juice and scrambled egg on toast!
Wandered round the grounds on way back to car, really beautiful lots of mature trees, a fab rose scented garden caught my eye so had to wander round that, it was lovely!
Back at car not many people around(1 cyclist!) so managed to get changed, brought my wet wipes to have a mop up of sweat! Felt very daring but better than sitting in sweaty shorts and vest!
Than off to have a look for Clifton suspension bridge, had to go through forest then down big hill, clambering rocky surfaces, Really Hot again!! Back up said hill, another 4.1k in total, KNACKERED!! legs were hurting in new places!!
And then to top it off, on Sunday went to see Car racing HILL CLIMB which involved more up and down hills to watch from various points!! Legs definitely aching that day !!
Back home, have been for 6.2k this morning on seafront. Its 1 year today that my Lovely dog "Ruffdog" passed away, i had him for 17 years from a pup, (hes in my profile picture). Hope he will be proud of me, i made it to the top of the VERY steep Shanklin hill(only a short one) with the memory of him carrying me on. George Jack Russell dog and i are going on a memorial walk for him shortly, to find the spot up on top of Blackgang downs where my favourite photo of him was taken that hangs in my lounge. He was my fab friend and companion and i wish i had him here to give a hug. Miss you old boy
Onwards and upwards, back to work tomorrow so going to try and enjoy my last day of freedom!!
Happy running everyone
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aliboo70
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Aw lovely post there Ali. Sounds like you had an action-packed fun weekend. Hills in a 5k must be a bit demoralising but at least it's the same for everyone, if that's any compensation.
I'll think about you on your memorial walk. It will make you sad, but happy too that you got another lovely dog now. I have a picture of my JR at the side of me and a fab cartoon which someone drew for me so they stay with you forever.
Yes thats true, think hes still with me and is at peace now looking down. He had a great long life and it was a really happy one for him with loads of fussing Its a lovely spot up there, George hasn't been there yet and there is an icecream van in carpark !!
George is currently having one of his barking fits bless him ! his latest habit is to sing /howl while i'm preparing the guineas veggies, think he is pleading to be let in to see them, its very funny! Have my brothers JRT Kali arriving for a week on 11th August, we have had her the last 3 summers when they go abroad so that should keep me on my toes!
Hi Ali, a lovely post! What a beautiful place to run, even the hill sounds worth it for the views you must get, (trouble is you would really want to sit and have a picnic to take it all in I reckon!) but at least its a good hill back down again. A lovely weekend had by you by the sound of things. And 'Ruffdog' would be very proud, and he will always be with you, you will make sure of that x
Thanks, lovely to hear from you! that hill was certainly challenging!!
Ruffdog was always the one pulling me up the hills!!(in his younger days anyway!) A really good boy and sorely missed Sure George will enjoy the outing too though !
What a busy weekend and it sounds as though the parkrun was great. Hope you have a lovely walk in memory of your lovely Ruffdog - he'll always have a place in your heart.
My neighbours have a right character of a JRT. He is driving them a bits nuts with his antics. I might offer to take him on a run with me so he can burn off some energy. I think that's his problem, not enough is going on for the lad. They are rather full on aren't they, and so naughty unless they're exhausted the whole time. Not a breed for couch potatoes!
I'm sure George will love his memory walk and a lick of ice cream at the end!
oops forgot to take water so had to buy a bottle of water at the icecream van, so only enough money for a mini milk after The walk was much better with a cooling drink tho for the both of us. Lovely and sunny with a breeze, and another hill, forgot about that! george has been snoozing all pm just woken up now. hes not as hectic as some but definitely has his moments! Had a chat with ruffdog in his "photo spot" by the old pole, its a bit covered in bracken nowadays but we found it! off to BBQ now
Oh Ali , what a lovely post, I can tell how precious Ruffdog is to you and I hope you have a lovely walk in his memory, what a fab way to remember him . Hope George enjoys it too !
Aww Ali that is such a great post. An energetic and exciting weekend by anybody's standards, followed by a lovely walk to remember a treasured companion.Happy running
thanks ancientmum, its been a good day really, glad i marked it with that walk, its what i planned but you never know how things go. He knows how much i loved him and we had the best times together.
And from my run this morning, apparently i got a record on Strava (don't know how, only 4 of us in the comp tho!) came through on email!!
thankyou!- think i wasn't very fast but it is the section where i started running again, a min or two after the steep bit (that i walked after to regain some puff! !)
Nice post, thanks! I did that parkrun a few months ago, I couldn't keep going up the hill and once I'd stopped to have a 'little walk' it was really difficult to get going again! Stunning views though. I'm trying to get back into the running after a few months mostly off with illness and finding it a bit demoralising that I can only run for 10 mins. Pah! Might have to start the programme again... (Well I am missing Laura anyway)
Thankyou! its a bit of a tough one for sure, the hardest hill i've done so far! Very pretty though round there and seemed a nice bunch Hope you get on ok with your running again, think i would find it hard after a break. Laura is a great trainer tho !
Sorry for being late here! What a great report, and Parkrun too, with the sounds of it, although that does sound some hill! Has it given you a taste for hills or do you never want to see one again?!
Hope you enjoyed your mainland break - and the beadmaking?
Ruffdog would indeed be most proud of your wonderful achievements. I hope the memorial walk was a nice pleasant one.
Hope you're settling back into work now! Time off always flies, doesn't it?
Thought you had been quiet this week! Busy at work? Havent tried any more hill since tues! There a bit of a one on saturday at Parkrun, short and not sweet but soon over with
Yes it was nice to get away, had not been off Island since February!! Beadmaking really good, hope to be setting up with some new gear soon when finances allow!
Had a lovely walk, if a bit hot! Talked to ruffdog in the sky at his spot(don't worry i'm not TOTALLY crazy!! but reckon hes still around somewhere!! George dog had to lie under a hedge in the shade a bit and drink water! Great views up there, will have to post the picture sometime, can you send pics on Messaging?
Got a great book you would like i think, but only on chapter 1 so far, in Poundland of all places yesterday! its called "Running crazy" about the stories of people in the"100 marathon club, also known as Hells Angels of Running & Running sluts- running one race while thinking of another!!! "
as it says.....
"But who would want to run 100 marathons or more? And why? How do they find the time, the money, the energy? are they crazy?"
Sounds a bit like you in a few years maybe? should be an intriguing read got to be worth £1!!! one guy, Martin Bush, has run 562 !!! eek!
I've broken open my 40th b-day savings jar tonight, so now have £182!! spent £89 on some nice blue Brooks shoes earlier after work in anticipation and had Gait analysis done, so should hopefully be good! OMG , thats the most i've EVER spent on shoes!! The rest of the money is for my B&B in bournemouth, on 4th Oct! will have to start new jar now, kinda thought i had more in there but its a good start and will all help
Off for healthy salad tea now, nice and quick as home alone having veg out eve! You all ok?? Hope your running going well?
I'm feeling a bit worried as my hands are playing up a bit more than previously , joints really achy and thumb especially bad, my mum has really distorted hands so really hope i don't end up like that. will see what info i can find out next week. I'm a bit of a stress head sometimes i'm afraid!
Hope all your training going to plan , i've not looked at posts yet so you may well have one there!
dont know how to do any other faces on keypad except happy or sad!!
Ali! So, so sorry for the delay. I've been trying to get a chance to reply for ages!
How are you? And how was Saturday's Parkrun? Yes, work is utterly manic at the moment. It is usually busy at this time of year, but this is ridiculous; it's never ending! I hope you enjoyed your three days off! I could do with a couple of days off actually. It's my birthday next month; I usually take the day off but as it's stuck in the middle of the week, I may take three days off and have a nice rest!
I don't think you're crazy; I actually talk to myself all the time and have full-blown conversations with myself! I think you can send pics through messaging; I've never tried though!
I am going to look out for that book, it sounds ace. I haven't ran my first marathon yet, but I do agree with thinking of the next race while running one! It really is totally addictive, although that is quite the number of marathons that chap has done! When (thinking positive!) I win the lottery I'll just spend my time travelling the world and running races!
Oh, it's your birthday? Have we missed it? Congratulations on the new shoes; have you ran in them yet? So exciting, isn't it, having a gait analysis and getting the new shoes! As is booking accommodation for the big race! I got excited booking the room for Brighton; I'm glad it's done as nearer the time there will be no reasonably priced rooms left! Even if it is in February!
Awww, how are your hands now? I hope they're feeling better? It's natural to worry about anything like that. I hope things have eased a lot for you now. I'm good thank you, but so tired and I still need to catch up here! My running is going well thank you, Ali; I did the York 10K yesterday, which I loved. I did a 5K tempo run in the week too and got a new PB!
I hope all is well with you and your running. I wanted to buy more figs earlier as I'm running out, but never got chance with being so busy.
By the way, I've discovered that the following together : x make: !
Yes, Steve is absolutely fine. Only forum I've ever been on where I'm happy with first name terms!
EDIT! I was replying to you as you were replying to my York thread!
Thats what i was just thinking!! Hi Steve glad you're ok!
yes i'm ok, got long (for me) week at work this week as boss is on hols, (lets see if that works!!) You work sounds more intense than mine, all that traffic! !!
You have LOADS of replies on yesterdays post, so please believe that we all love hearing your exploits! make take you a while to plough through those, but don't stay up TOO late after yesterday!!
Typically, as soon as i booked into docs(friday , for this friday pm) my aches gone off a bit, still best to check it out!
wore new shoes to parkrun, they are blue and silver and felt comfy, didn't get a PB but did run all the way and up the hills so thats good enough for now!
better be off to sort dinner now, i'm always so late getting organised!! ! went on new footpath with dog earlier, got a little lost but made it back, that was 1 hr ago. This forum is DEFINITELY addictive, but i think my life would be poorer without it!
My birthday not til Oct 10th, , 6 days after 10k, i better get practicing, just thought i'd cash in the pot, so shoes paid for! and book in for Bournemouth!! Off to get guineas in, George dog in very barky annoying mood
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even tried on floor infront of fan so felt like i'd had little sleep by Saturday morning! But the challenge was on, so no excuses 
Had looked at course description beforehand...............................
! 
Parkrun#2 beetroot face back with a vengeance!
I ran up a hill! And got a bit faster?!
Graduation run done - YEAH! No longer a Parkrun virgin - YEAH! First injury - BUMMER!
Sami's the girl for me 
A walk is as good as a run sometimes 
