Continuing on from my last blog post means that i’m currently in the month of July. I went back to Hove promenade parkrun with Clare to try and get a quicker time. And on the 27th of July I got a time of 18.17. My second quickest parkrun time after my 18.11 at Swansea Bay, 2 weeks previously. Not too bad really.
The following week (4th Aug) saw me smash my half marathon PB of 88.14 and reduce it to 86.07 at the Sturminster half.
This is a race I love and have done many times. I got a lift with Toni and her brother, who threw up a few times on the way there which made for an exciting journey.
We met Fast Kev and afterwards we had a really nice pub lunch but I can’t remember where? Somewhere in Wimborne I think. I was over the moon with my time and my endurance training had been pretty slack too!
A couple more weeks later (17th Aug) I went back to Alice Holt parkrun on the new course. I went with Clare and a couple more of the Itchen Valley parkrun volunteer crew (Helen and Donna). We had a great time and I told them it was one of, if not, my favourite Hampshire parkrun.. and yes, I have done them all until the new Wickham one starts up in the Spring!
Anyways, they cursed and panted at me cos of those big hills. It sure was funny and I just snuck in a sub 20 (19.56) so a course PB for me :) This was followed by a great vegan breakfast that they do there and sitting on the benches in the sunshine.
A week later I got my all time parkrun PB of 18.08 at Southampton. That was a lovely way to end the summer and just before my big birthday. I was soon to be 50!
Sadly I didn’t make it to Overton 5, for some reason I just couldn’t be bottered with it despite entering the race. A similar thing happened with Gloucester half earlier in the year. The last few years, I had a habit of entering races and not turning up for them for some reason. This year was the most I had raced in ages.
I had a lovely birthday morning (12th Sept) climbing at parthian with a few friends in Southampton on the Thursday. On the Friday, Clare and I were climbing again in Exeter! This meant we could do some more parkrun tourism. We went to Cranbrook and met Di and Mike Mattingly there. I jogged around with Di and we had a good catch up while Clare ran solo and Mike was off to pick up his phone that had been run over by several cars on a roundabout somewhere on the M5? He rejoined us though and we had coffee in the local cafe but Clare and I endured the long train journey home.
The next day was the Totton 10k. It was a wonderful race and one I really enjoyed. I ran pretty well and got a time of 38.00. My first race as a V50 and first V50 on the day but sadly no age cat prize was to be had. A wonderful race though and I would definitely do it again.
I had the 10k bug. A late entry would see me running the Utilita bowl 10k on the 29th of Sept. I was hoping to get another 1st V50 but kinda blew up after 5k and struggled to hold on and the pace began to drop! 38.02. Still a great time but a poorly run race in my opinion.
Solent half marathon soon came around on the 6th of Oct. My endurance training hadn’t been the best again but I was feeling pretty good. Another half marathon PB of 84.16! I really couldn’t believe it. I was running quite low mileage compared to recent years but I guess I had more focused sessions. Speedwork and Tempo runs. The latter being my favourite. I was now favouring the Adidas Pro 3’s over the Bostons that I had been religiously running in this year. Most of my 5k’s and 10k’s were run in the Takuni Sen 10’s though.
Less than a week later and I ran an 18.30 at Moors Valley parkrun. Despite my legs feeling trashed from the half still, it was a big course PB for me.
Sadly the Great South Run had been cancelled due to a storm. I was on for a 10 mile PB as I passed 10 miles in 64 minutes at Solent half (Not this doesn’t count as a PB!)
I decided to go back to Southea parkrun on the 26th of October. I was hoping for a speedy time and a low 18 something. I was also determined not to run the wrong side of the finish line this time, like I had done in the summertime! A slightly disappointing 18.27. I thought this strange after running an 18.30 at Moors Valley. Surely the Southsea course was a lot faster? Another course PB though and another would follow on the 9th of Novemeber at Ganger farm with a time of 19.21.
The times seemed to be slowing a bit, but I was still loving it. I did a slow one at Preston park with Clare and then the Brighton 10k on the 17th of November.
I didn’t think I was in very good shape, so I wasn’t holding out for a PB. I wanted a sub 38 and I would be happy. Despite struggling around 5 miles, I managed to high five some kids and thank the crowds on the way around. I finished in a time of 37.38. I was only 7 seconds away from a PB. If my eyesight wasn’t so bad, and I could actually read the screen on my watch, it probably would have prompted me to run a bit harder at the finish. I was made up with the time though. Some consistent 38 minute 10k’s and 2 sub 38’s for the year. And to think that it wasn’t that long ago that I ran my first sub 40.
Last race of the year was the Victory 5 miler. A race I hadn’t done for years and it was still my PB course of 31.34. I was confident of a 5 mile PB. I wanted to try for a sub 30 but it wasn’t to be. Clare said I was looking very tired on that race but a PB of 30.14 at least. I even won some money as part of the 1st Vet Team with Lordshill Road Runners.
It has been a great year doing the shorter distances with PB’s in the parkrun, 5 mile, 10k and half marathon distances. It wouldn’t have been possible without the love and support of Clare. I am forever grateful to her. People often ask me how I got faster. I just say that I got happier in life. I believe in myself more and so do the people closest to me.
Maybe next year I will go longer. Do some marathons and ultras. Take it a bit slower. See some more places. More parkrun tourism. Try and eat healthier again. Climb more. Work less. Work on my flexibilty as it is awful!
I leave the year on 357 parkruns @ 103 locations. Clare had inspired me to voluteer more as well. I have volunteered 7 times this year. That’s adult parkruns and not the Junior ones. Gotta give back to the ones you take part in right?
It may not seem like many to someone like Clare who has 103 volunteer credits at the time of writing! It’s a step in the right direction though ;)
P.S.. I had almost forgotten about the epic walk I did to Worzel Gummidge land with David Baker. David has MND and also has a great blog you can read called "MND can get in the sea". On a very hot, sunny day. David and I covered 12 and a half miles... or more if you include the bus ride to Romsey and back. I pushed him in the buggy from Romsey to Braishfield and up the big hill where 10 acre farm is secretly hidden away behind a big oak tree. It was a wonderful day out. We were exhausted after the epic journey and were looking forward to refueling at Lemon and Jinga but alas it was closed, so we went back into Romsey town for "a cup of tea and a slice of cake", no sign of Aunt Sally though. I sure slept well that night as it was the day after my PB at Solent half. Thank you David. x
Thanks for reading. Stay rad people. Look forward to seeing you in 2025 for more adventures. Go vegan. xx
