'Mature' runners.

We would have wanted a photo of that!

Red and Columba, I don't think that I would have liked a photo of me dressed as Mrs Christmas to be posted on here

Race results aren't available yet, and I am eager to see what time I ran. I had thought that where I was used to looking at my Garmin during races to check pace and distance, I would automatically keep looking at my empty wrist. However, to my surprise, I didn't once think about looking. I listened to JJ's advice a week or two ago, to go out hard, and maintain to the finish.

A nice bright morning today, and I ran 5.75 miles at recovery pace.

The handicap results are now out and my finish time was 48.00, one minute quicker than my predicted time. I was second finisher and 16th out of 39 finishers time wise.

No running for a couple of days. Legs too stiff after a lot of gardening.

TE
Excellent race. Nice to beat the handicapper.

Redhead
Get out for a 5 miler and you'll easily knit a hat.
Margate's a long way. I shall need somewhere to charge my batteries.

sarnie
Are you back yet?

IW
Sounds like hangover territory.
Ready for that run?
JJ

Widdley Braggins was the right result for SPotY. Having been a racing cyclist I know a bit about what he had to do to win the TdeF and an Olympic gold. They are as different as it gets. It's a bit like running 10 very fast marathons over a variety of courses in a few weeks against the world's best then 6 weeks later winning the Olympic track  5k or 10k.
That's the nearest comparison I can think of.
JJ

I have been reading up more about xcountry shoes. It started with had to be spikes and then trail shoes were an option. Then I found fell shoes, orienteering shoes, ordinary road shoes and football boots. Then there was resoling road shoe, putting spikes into road shoes or using things that attach to road shoes.Then, if it was spikes, it was which size spikes or, if it was road shoes, what make of road shoes. Then it was what course are you running and then it became what are the conditions on the day for the course you are running

I settled for a cheap pair of trail shoes on the grounds that if they dont work, not too much lost.

The club put something up about the national cross country championships in February. Funny thing is that years ago, I would have said way above my standard but now when much slower I think it could be fun and a good thing to say I have done. A long time ago when I was first thinking of trying running, someone said you wont be first and you wont be last. He was right on the first but I think this could be my chance to prove him wrong on the second.

JJ - I'm ready as can be!

Looking forward to tonights club run, where we will be stopping off at an old folks rest home to sing carols. I don't know which ones we will sing, but we will have song sheets, so will know the words, and hopefully the tunes.

Evening all,

Tired and need to sleep soon.  Intervals first thing, then to Brighton for an interview then Mike and I had a potter around the shops, had lunch and I've been busy doing Christmassy stuff since we got back 

IW, how many days left now?  I think we should all do a virtual run with you for support.

Last nights "tinsel run" was great fun and very rewarding. Most of us wore Santa Hats, and many also wore tinsel. We arrived at the Rest Home and were asked to remove our trainers before going in. All the ladies were sat in the lounge and gave us a big cheer as we went in. We had only intended singing 3 or 4 carols, but they kept asking for more. We must have sung 6 or 7 and also happy birthday to one of the ladies. When we had finished, one of the ladies stood up and thanked us all for such a lovely evening. We shook hands with them all on the way out, wishing them a merry christmas. The smiles on their faces made it all worth well.

It was very hot in the Home, and when we went outside to minus 2 deg. and put on our trainers, we felt really cold. We then ran on to one of the runners houses for wine, hot snacks and more carols. A really great evening and hopefully helped to contribute to the Rest Home Residents having a happy christmas

18 miles done in two days so having a rest day today.

Redhead, tomorrow is my first day back to running.

TE - what a lovely evening! The Rest Home residents are probably more used to having groups of children come in to sing carols to them; a group of runners must have been quite a change!

BIW, I will be thinking of you. I hope you get suitable weather.

Approx 5 miles with the running club last night. Temperatures (having been relatively kind during the day) were in process of dropping below freezing, and some of the pavements turned out to be slippery, so we were running in the roads when we could. We went round town, looking at the lights. And I have now become an official club member, and been give a club T-shirt!  - It'll have to get a lot warmer before I wear it.

Columba, yes it was a lovely evening and I hope it made the Rest Home residents feel "more Christmassy." Luckily, although below freezing, our pavements weren't icy. Congratulatons on becoming an official club member, and I hope you wear your club T Shirt with pride in races. You can wear it over warmer tops during the cold weather.

Rained all day today, and I just did a steady 5 miles on roads, working hard uphills. Tomorrow night is hill reps. which I imagine will be held in pouring heavy rain.

Supposed to rain all day tomorrow they say!

TE
Very public spirited of you and your club.

Columba
Have a great time with your new club.

IW
Rain forecast for this neck of the woods too - all tonight and most of tomorrow.
JJ

JJ, thanks. The club entertain the old folks every Christmas, and it is very humbling to be able to sing to them, and help to brighten up their day.

Amber weather warning today, and many of the roads here are flooded and closed to traffic. The train service has been disrupted, and the local radio station has said that the rain is having the same effect as heavy snow.

A hill rep. session is scheduled for this evening, so we are in for a soaking.

Just done an interval session in driving rain and wind tough!!! One mile uphill over 500 feet straight up took me 10.37 then 7.16-7.16-7.42-7.17 so dead now time for lunch me thinks........

Afternoon all,

5 mile tempo run on the treddy for me - weather too wild outside!

TE, the old folks will; have appreciated that enormously.  Many people don't get any visitors at all so you will have brightened their day 

Columba, congratulations!

IW, how was your run?

I set out running in light rain today, - didn't wear my peaked cap to keep the rain off, as it wasn't heavy enough to justify it and I don't like wearing things on my head - and of course after the first mile and a half it was pelting down. Three times I had to stop and wipe my glasses as I couldn't see a thing. Soaked to the skin by the time I got home.  4.8 miles done, - just ticking over for the rest of 2012, trying to reach the 700 miles, - only 11 to go now.