p minus 8 weeks and counting…

I’ve got to admit it’s getting better (Better)
A little better all the time (It can’t get no worse) [ 1]

Tring virtual parkrun #55 challenge

Sad to say that we missed out on the Easter parkrun challenge (#55) last week. We missed “being there”, however the good news was that we were otherwise engaged in a socially-distanced garden visit to see family members (including our 21 month-old grandson) who I had not seen since August of last year. (…getting better)

I did put in a virtual Facebook page parkrun tourist attendance at Greenhead Park, Huddersfield (or should that be Huddersfield, Greenhead Park). Their “we are 10 today” post came up in my news feed asking for favourite memories so I shared that this was where I graduated from couch-to-5k to parkrun. I’ve never looked back since…as the saying goes.

Many happy returns to the Huddersfield parkrun community, and also to one of our (Tring) founding run directors who, on 5th April, moved into a new age bracket (won’t say which).

Tring virtual parkrun #56 challenge

“This week’s Tring virtual parkrun #56 has a theme of “The Grand National” as the race itself is also being held on Saturday. So for your selfie this week, maybe take your pic with a horse or choose one of the jumps and jump over the “The Chair”, “The Water Jump” or “An Open Ditch” or maybe surprise your “neigh” bour with a leap over their fence.”

Keeping on track
(to run 16km in a single run by the time parkrun re-starts in England)

Last week’s “long run”: 10.18 km Time: 1:11:26 Avg Pace: 7:01 min/km.
Well, that was a bit harder than normal. Thought I’d try a different route this week involving going through gates and over styles. Hardly an excuse though….The next long run needs to keep up with the progression of longer distances. (13.6k to equal or beat – gonna be tough !)

This week’s “long run”: 14.02 km Time: 1:34:00 Avg Pace: 6:42 min/km. I chose a flatter course this week (elevation gain 77m). (…a little better all the time…). However I will need to do some hill reps at some point to get ready for the Sheffield-flat course.

In other news this week

As the first wave of Junior parkrun core teams have been given the green light to restart from the 11th April, there will be many more who are not quite ready…yet. I think its going to be a tentative start for many, but I wish everyone well for a safe recommencement of activities. I am really pleased for the youngest members of the parkrun community. I hope they, and their “responsible adult(s)” have a great time.

YES!! RSR is on for June 🙂
Quote from Round Sheffield Run Facebook post on 9th April:
“We can now announce the Summer edition of the Round Sheffield Run is due to take place on the Weekend of the 26th & 27th June. Running on both Saturday 26th June & Sunday 27th June.

By splitting the event over two days, it means we can make the event more relaxed with fewer runners on each day, and build in social distancing measures (if required) and plenty of space so everyone feels comfortable. It also means that we can give other park users plenty of space, taking the wider community into consideration too.

All we can do is keep innovating and coming up with solutions to attempt to bring back as many smiles on as many runners faces as possible! Fingers crossed the positive direction things are heading in at the moment, and we are able to put on a great event that represents a significant step back to enjoying running and racing together that we’ve all missed.”

(…getting so much better all the time..).

Excited at the prospect of being in the RSR…but a little daunted nonetheless. I have never run as far as 19 (and a bit) km before but I think its “do-able”. I can run 14k so that’s just another “parkrun” to get to 19!

Seriously though…

It’s good to celebrate these small steps out of these difficult times, and into something which resembles normality (whatever that turns out to be). However, I am stealing myself for the odd set-back along the way, as restrictions on free movement are lifted. We will get there…and when we do so, let us never take for granted: Family, Friends, Community, NHS, Teachers, Internet providers, (BBC iplayer !), the “outdoors”….life in all its fullness.

[1] In case you didn’t already know: lyrics by Paul McCartney and John Lennon