Today I ran 6K with -

[Bazza1234]

two gentlemen! One is aged 77 years and the other is 83.

Wife and I have joined a "Runners and Walkers Club. Amongst other things , they have an event every Sunday morning at 7AM - walkers do about a 5K circuit while runners do a 12K circuit -- different circuits each week. There are about 30 of them, half and half walkers and runners.

Wife took off with the walkers along the ocean front and I went with the runners along the riverside. They were just a bit quick for me - especially since the first K or so was uphill and the two old timers fell to the back of the pack. They were really a bit too slow for me - but I stuck with them and realised that , because I nearly always run alone, this was the first time that I had done a decent length run at a "conversational" pace - talking to them as we went along.

It was a great run and we will be back for more. The two decided to turn back at the 3 KLM mark giving them a 6K run - suited me fine as I had had a hardish run at parkrun yesterday.

Afterwards they made pancakes on the beach. My new Sunday running playground!

[Hidden]

pancakes on the beach sounds the perfect reward Bazza

[Dunnja Graduate]

Gorgeous pic, wow. What a beautiful place to run

Sounds like a lovely experience and as for pancakes on the beach....yum.

Jules x

[Keep_on_going Graduate]

Well done. Doesn't always have to be at full speed I suppose.

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Keep_on_going]

The "experts" say that "most --80%" of our running should be done at a very low pace - slow enough that we are able to talk as we run. And when I say "talk", I don't mean be able to blurt out a few words but have an "in depth " conversation. I have witnessed people doing that - but have never (until now) done it myself.

[Keep_on_going Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Do you think you might incorporate pace into you routine now?

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Keep_on_going]

Well, I always have incorporated "correct" pace into my training runs - but "correct" pace is a bit controversial. -- except that the experts say "conversational" pace , and that varies from one person to another

[hilbean Graduate]

That sounds great Bazza.

[poppypug Graduate]

Cor ! That is such a beautiful pic, the stuff dreams are made of

Glad you enjoyed it Bazza, sounds perfect ! xxx

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

But - so far - nobody has commented on the ages of the runners !! This is ( and has been for 50 years) very much a "retirement" area - so lots of oldies.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Sounds great - and what a fabulous photo!

[gary_bart]

Beautiful. That's where half my family lives (apart from the half that live in Perth, the other half that have just escaped from Katherine to somewhere north of you on the coast, the other half that live in Germany, etc ... ) I am assuming, of course, that just because the river meanders like that, it has to be the Brisbane River, whereas it might just be the meandering river of Townsend or somewhere else.

That's another unexpected thing about running. When you start, you think it's a torment you must endure that involves thumping down one foot after another, and that's it. Then you start to learn what the scientists have been up to the last 70 years, and it's really interesting. Who would have thought that running at "conversation pace" would be better for you than something virtuous like running at just under a sprint with bricks in your backpack? More surprisingly, who would have though people could have a conversation while they ran?!!

Sounds like you had a great run, made some friends, and got much more out of it all than someone charging off to just another kind of appointment gets.

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

NO NO ! -- It is the Tweed River - about 70 klms south of Brisbane. - at the southern end of the Queensland Gold Coast. goo.gl/iLU01G

[davelinks Graduate]

That's the way! Sounds great Bazza...

[AncientMum Graduate]

This sounds perfect Bazza and what a spectacular place to run. You lucky man

[Noaky12 Graduate]

Spectacular pic, mmmmm pancakes on the beach & big up to the 2 gents you were running with. I can only hope I can do some form of running when (if) I get to their ages.

[misswobble Graduate]

I hope we'll all still be running at that age. Thinking that I will is the thing that keeps me going. It will certainly help keep you fit Bazza! You could run rings round folks half your age!

What a magnificent place to run. It just makes you want to run doesn't it.

[Vixchile Graduate]

Pancakes on the beach sound heavenly.