Diary of a headless chicken: June 2025

It was an exciting start to June as Clare and myself woke up in a hotel in Yeovil. My mate Kev from the Vegan running club came and collected us along with his mate Richard and off we headed to Crewkerne, for the Crewkerne 10k.

After my success of first V50 at the Yeovilton 10k, I was hopeful of another first V50 finish. It was quite a warm day but I was ready and keen to get started. The race started at the bottom of a hill in a dip. So a big uphill start and when I say big, I mean BIG! It sure was a big climb out. I didn’t rush off, just paced well and kept my breathing as relaxed as I could. It was all on country lanes and away from civilisation as I knew it. There were some nice downhills too but when I got to 5k, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of this course. It was proper brutal. And heading back, I knew there were some tough climbs to come as well, due to its “Out and Back” nature.

As always though I had the wonderful support of Clare and there were also 5k runners to pass and I would shout encouraging comments and their support was very much welcome as well.

No sub 40 on this course for me but I was very happy with my efforts of 40.40 on this course and it was enough to get me a trophy for the first V50 today and 13^th place overall.

Unlike last time, we stayed around for the ceremony and I collected my trophy as the crowd cheered. We went for a coffee and then Kev made us lunch before we got the train back to Southampton. What a great start to June.

The Saturday after, Clare and I went to Bartley parkrun where we knew there would be some other Vegan running buddies. It was also John P’s birthday and there would be some yummy food! It was a disappointing run for me with a P6 and a time of 20.11. The body wwas telling me that it was tired.

It was great to see Clare return to running though after her tough time out. It was lovely to catch up with everyone including the Bakers, Matt S, Andy Mc, Mike H, Anja, Louise etc..

The food was so good but it didn’t stop us from going for more at Lemon and Jinja on the Belbins estate near Romsey.

On the 15^th of June, another 10k soon came around. It was the Alresford 10k. Now, this race had been in the Hampshire Road Race League for many years but I had never done it. Everyone always describes it as “Hot and Hilly”, which I guess, puts some runners off.

Anyway, it was busy and sold out. It was definitely hot that day. When I looked at the elevation though, it had about 200ft less climbing than Crewkerne 10k, so I felt well prepared and was hoping for a sub 40 today at least. I knew I wouldn’t achieve first V50 in a Hampshire league race but I was hopeful of third V50. Surely the faster runners only do flat courses right?

From the off, I was struggling. My breathing felt shallow in the heat. I got to 5k and I knew I was starting to slow but decided to try and hang on. I would be a long time in the hurt locker today. Even Clare said I looked F*^ked. It was nice to see her and that 9k marker though.

I finished in a time of 39.40. It was a tough day and was fifth V50, so not quite there but happy enough with the sub 40 on a challenging course. I was quite excited about the free watercress..lol. It was a great race and a good course. Marshals were very friendly too. I’d probably do it again and feel I could get a much better time… It was a great day all the same and nice to see some familiar faces, although there were very few of them at this race. Think I knew more Hardley runners than Lordshillers! Bit of a weak turnout in the league from our club this season for some reason. Hopefully next year will be better.

After all the racing, my body was starting to feel destroyed and abused. I needed some time out. My resting heart rate was as low as 32bpm for a week. Which is dangerously low as a heart specialist once told me. Rather than try and get a doctors appointment, I just took the advice of last time. Less mileage and slower efforts.

I suppose I should explain better.. during Covid I had an enlarged heart and lungs which can affect heartrate and breathing. I had to have a heart MRI and consultations with a heart specialist as my heart rate was as low as 30bpm at which the heart can stop as it thinks it has nothing to do explained the specialist. A bit of a scary moment for me Four years ago. God knows why the low heartrate has returned though.

I met up with my old friend Damo and we caught the train to Swannick to walk around Swannick lakes. Neither of us had been before. It was quite comical as we walked around in circles only finding one lake and struggling to find the other three. We found a couple more eventually. It was a great catch up and a really nice day. We walked to Parkgate for lunch and then decided to walk to Warsash, then to Bursledon along the shoreline and then to the Jolly Sailor pub for a drink and a train home. I had clocked up 17 miles of walking. I was so tired. Walking seems so much harder than running..lol.

I nearly managed a week off running! I think it was 4-5 days and then I only did a slow 5k into work. My resting heart rate had returned to 36-37bpm. Not ideal, but better.

We had a busy weekend ahead of us. Clare would drive me and her Mum to Gloucestershire where we were staying in a lovely lodge.

Clare grew up in Gloucestershire with her Mum as a child. So it would be a lovely trip down memory lane for them both.. and me? I just loved Gloucestershire anyway. It was a long day on the Friday and we were ready for a parkrun meet up with my Vegan Running Club on the 21^st of June at Mallards Pike.

I have done this parkrun before. In fact, it was exactly two years ago and I had about 200 miles of cycling in my legs. I was in between jobs and had cycled from Southampton to Pontypridd. I was originally heading for Pembrokshire but the 30 degree heat at the time was killing me, so decided to head homewards via Gloucester.

So, it should be a easy course pb right? It’s a lovely one lapped course. A circular route but the first 3k is uphill but you get a very fast finish. I was super pleased with P2 and a course pb of 19.07. I barely saw anyone for the parkrun after the first half a mile. P1 with his headphones and backpack on was off like a rocket and I couldn’t even see anyone behind me. It’s a easy course to follow though, so there wasn’t much fear of taking a wrong turn or getting lost.

It was a very hot day, so my main concern was for Clare. I had to check on Clare’s mum first as she was alone by the lake in her wheelchair. She was fine, so I bought some drinks and headed back onto the parkrun course in reverse to cheer on the runners and see Clare. I was expecting her to look tired and knackered but she looked pretty fresh and happy. After a brief few words, I headed back to Clare’s mum via a quick photo for the Vegan running club. My legs were very tired now! Clare’s return to running was going well with a time of 38.41. Well done Clare! :)

We had a wonderful picnic with the club as I spoke to friends old and new. Some I only knew from Starva, so it was lovely to chat to them. The food was amazing and I gave a load of old books away to share. Another wonderful day with great people.

It wasn’t over though as we dropped Clare’s mum off at a friend’s while we walked high up to a place called “Blaise Bailey” along some nice forest trails. So much greenery in Gloucestershire. We even talked about possibly moving there one day!

On the Sunday Clare and I ran up to May Hill from where we were staying. It sure was a hill too, but the views from the top were amazing although a little overcast. Later that day we also did a walk around the beautiful Soudley ponds with Clare’s mum too. What a wonderful weekend. The weather was very kind to us again.

On my Wednesday off, I had that urge to run a marathon to Salisbury. I get these weird impulses sometimes to run quite far. Despite very little training for endurance, I made it but it sure was an effort. It was quite humid and I felt tired after only 12 miles. I only took a bottle of Lucozade Sport and two gels with me. I definitely got there dehydrated. I managed to run to North Baddesley, Braishfield, Michelmersh, Mottisfont, Dunbridge, Lockerley, Dean, East Grinstead and Alderbury. Nice quiet country lanes. I had to do a loop of the Cathedral grounds to make up my marathon distance. It sure was a challenge and only my third marathon of the year. Then it was off to Boston Tea Party for a massive Vegan breakfast :)

Lastly I decided to return to Great Salterns parkrun on the 28^th of June. My last visit was in April of 2022. So it was to be an easy course PB as I knew to wear road shoes this time around with the dry weather. It’s 3 laps around a nature reserve. I was hoping for my first P1 at parkrun with 6 P2’s, 3 of them achieved this year. Sometimes the times are quite slow here but on my warm up I spotted Julian Manning who seems to follow me around the East Hampshire parkruns and beat me by about two minutes! Today was no exception. In fact, I didn’t even hold Second place. It was my Eighth time finishing in Third place. Happy enough with my 19.06 on this course though. I went off to Off Beet for amazing food in Portsmouth afterwards and caught the train home.