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HS - Margaret said she'll join my GOLD group if I set it up. It's coffee & chat on Monday so perhaps I'll float the idea to see if there's any interest. But I have no idea what exactly we would do as I don't know what others would consider 'dangerous' or 'disgraceful'. But I'm guessing bungee jumping would be a step too far
As you say, great results in those by-elections. I see Oliver Dowden resigned but my cynical side says he probably got out early to try and not be seen to be associated with Boris and hope to get a job in the next administration. You're not the only one who would like to see Boris (and Priti) transported to Rwanda.
Golf mostly went well today. I was leading by 2 after the first 9 and was 3 ahead after the 12th. But I messed up the 13th hole when I hit the ball in the ditch twice and went from 3 shots ahead to 1 behind. Things were back to normal after that until the 17th (my 'nemesis' hole) which we both messed up. In the end Alan won by 3 shots and won more holes than me but according to the app we use, I won on points (34 to Alan's 31). So not a total disaster and my score of 111 was only 6 shots worse than my PB of 105.
Hoping to manage an early walk tomorrow morning ..
2 fabulous by-election results!
Calf has greatly improved (genuinely surprised) but probably not enough for the sifen call of parkrun!
Been dog sitting today and have walked miles.
Went to a very good gig (look at me being down with the kids) last night: Rufus Wainwright, probably not as well known as his dad, Louden. He had the audience eating out of his hand. Such talent.
PS sign me up for GOLD!!
21.14 was OK in windy conditions, but not as OK as a rival in my category who knocked a minute off that time thus registering my first defeat on this course in 2022.
HS, all the best for tomorrow's race.
I saw my friend who was planning to do it but he's tweaked his back and will have to give it a miss. Look forward to your race report.
Mel, I reckon you can chalk that up as a victory for that golf game. P. Patel's parents were economic migrants, I think. Talk about pulling up the drawbridge!
Tuned into to some of the Glastonbury coverage and I could really see the appeal. I think the sanitary issues might be a deal breaker!
Aqua, so like me did you too do a parkrun? Sorry to hear that the pilates was a bit too hardcore. I'm pretty sure the cause of my calf problem was not running but overdoing it on the balance board thing. Just to stay upright you have to engage some serious calf muscles.
Noted that Steve did well on Father's Day! Athletics coverage on the BBC red button this afternoon.
JB - glad to hear the calf has improved and you've been able to walk the dog. I haven't heard anything by Rufus W but used to enjoy Loudon W III back in the day. I'll let you know if the GOLD group gets off the ground. I'm not surprised you couldn't resist doing parkrun, A 'partial' victory at golf at best to be honest thanks to the scoring system that takes into account your handicap - but I prefer the 'total' victories when I manage them! I'm recording odd bits of the Glastonbury coverage but it's not really for me. For instance, I recorded Stormzy's set from 2019 but had switched off and deleted it after 5 minutes.
HS - Sarah scrubs up well when she's not in her running stuff. I think we need an 'after' photo though when she's been there three days and not been anywhere near a shower
I did manage to walk this morning - 3.6 mls @ sub-16mm pace. I was planning to cut the lawns but the sporadic showers they promised turned into very frequent ones so the dampness of the grass has put paid to that idea.
WtnMel, I agree, bungee jumping would be a bit OTT. Well done for yesterday's golf match which you won on points.
Glad you appreciated Sarah's photo. If I get one of her covered in mud, I might post it on here😁
Well done for this mornings brisk walk.
JB, good to hear that your calf has improved. Well done for another excellent parkrun.
Thanks re tomorrows race. A pity your friend won't be able to make it.
I watched Robert Plant last night. He was very good, but hasn't he aged.
I'm switching between the athletics and tennis 🎾
I'm looking forward now to tomorrows 10k, which will be my first run since Wednesday. The weather forecast is fairly positive, not too hot, with scattered showers. I don't mind running in the rain, in fact some of my my best runs have been in the rain.
We had another late night last night when we met up with my sister and niece at their hotel for a meal. It’s a fairly posh hotel where Steve and I have often meant to go for a meal, so we were really looking forward to it. Disappointingly the service was appalling slow (the only other diners left shortly after we arrived, so the staff were hardly rushed off their feet) drinks were forgotten, or wrong ones brought, meals overcooked, and two meals with prawns in were full of bits of shells. We felt bad about complaining, but it really was poor (and pricey) but at least the bill was adjusted to take the poor service into account. Driving home we came to the conclusion that the hotel had probably lost their usual kitchen staff and servers due to the Covid lockdowns, and the present staff were just learning their trade, so we felt quite sorry for them. Tomorrow youngest son has invited us all for a BBQ at his house, I hope the weather holds out. At the moment it’s windy but sunny, although every now and then there’s torrential downpours. Typical British summer.
So, parkrun today. A disappointing run, two minutes slower than my last time on this course (before I had Covid). I couldn’t have run any faster so I suppose I did my best, and did pass a few runners, but can’t get away from the fact it wasn’t a great run by any means. I noticed on the calendar that I have a 10k next month that I had totally forgotten about, on today’s showing I may need to give it a miss as it is another hilly course.
She did an astonishing 41 min time but this was only an age grade of 76%.
Aqua, yes I was 2nd in my age category and I'm not at all competitive......but did find out that he's a freshly minted 65 year old whereas I'm a shop spoiled 67 and a half!
Aquarius, I hope your Garmin continues "to behave."
The race went better than expected, see below.
It's amazing the amount of interest my purchase of a pair of slippers has caused 😀
A trendy oldies club sounds good.
Sounds like a very tiring time at the funfair.
What a shame, such poor service and unsatisfactory standard of food in the posh hotel.
Sorry to hear that your parkrun didn't go as well as hoped. We all have off days.
Boris is nothing more than a big joke, but it isn't funny anymore. He has illusions that he will remain PM for another 10 years, that definitely sends out the wrong message to us all. The thought of him lying and cheating for many more years, will surely turn more people than ever wanting him out.
JB, that's amazing, a W85-89 runner at the parkrun. I would have thought though that 41 minutes would have warranted a higher WAVA than 76%
It's never as painful when being beaten by someone younger.
Yesterday's Exbury Gardens 10k was a great success, with 862 runners turning up. I ran much better than expected, considering my hit and miss training in the 4 weeks since my fall. I came 357th, and 7th out of 17 in the 70 to 79 age category. The six that finished ahead of me were all younger, so I don't feel so bad about it. My chip time was 57.52, a WAVA of 69.39%
There was very heavy rain this morning, so thankfully the race was yesterday. I just did a 1.35 mile recovery run on roads.
I watched the athletics on the BBC iplayer and enjoyed it although there was a pretty paltry crowd. A shame.
Also watched Diana Ross from Glastonbury and her voice definitely showed signs of age. However, she went down a storm with the crowd.
It just looks such a joyous event.
My running news is that I'm targeting a 10k event 4 weeks away.
I've got to add some mileage to adapt from my usual 5k regime, especially as I'm after sub 44. So Sunday I did an easy 50 minutes and today 40 mins including 5x4mins fast with 4 minutes slow jogs. Some of these were into a strong wind and were hard.
HS - I'd be disappointed if you got a photo of Sarah covered in mud and didn't share it with us. I've recorded Robert Plant, Paul McCartney and the Pet Shop Boys but not found time to watch any of them yet. We do live 'exciting' lives so no surprise your new slippers caused much excitement here
Aquarius - I didn't find a suitable opportunity to raise the suggestion of a GOLD group so it'll have to wait for another time. Yes, that's correct - the 34 pts vs 31pts I mentioned was using the Stableford system. The fair (Hoppings) sounds huge - no wonder you were worn out after walking around all the rides. Shame that meal at the posh hotel was such a disappointment - as you say, maybe the previous staff left due to covid and it's still trying to get back to it's previous standards. I hope the weather behaves for your bbq at your son's house. Sorry to hear parkrun was disappointing - but I know you've been struggling lately to regain your form. I wouldn't blame you for giving that hilly 10k a miss.
JB - I think we all guessed you'd do parkrun despite any lingering injuries. Shame about that 'young' 65 yr old stealing your thunder
I did a pre-breakfast 3ml brisk walk earlier on then went to coffee & chat mid-morning. Just the five of us today (some are away on a u3a holiday) so not too many conflicting conversations going on at the same time.
In other news - I've finally got round to booking an appointment at the opticians. as my last one was in Dec 2018.
And I've chased up Sainsbury's (via a message) as my replacement card still hasn't arrived ..
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Aquarius - I forgot to ask if I could pick your brains! We're heading north in September for the skinny-dip and as part of our 'road trip' we're going to visit Margaret's uncle who lives on the southern side of Sunderland. We're thinking we'll see about staying somewhere near or on the coast between Alnmouth and Newcastle/South Shields for a couple of days before heading to Ashington. Would you have any suggestions of places to look at/places to avoid?
And I posted on the coffee & chat whatsapp group about my idea for a GOLD group to add some excitement to our lives and I've already got several of them saying it sounds like fun and they're interested. I'll let you know as and when things develop ..
Not much to report here. Another run for me today, this time 30 mins plus, up and down some slopes (I can't really call them hills). I felt pretty good.....
....this might be due to having lost a bit of weight. I was already at my lowest for a good few years, but in the last couple of days I've tried to control my snacking and I'm down to just over 9st 7lbs. This is almost solely driven by my determination to give me the best chance of a decent time in the target 10k.Id be happy with this weight but if I could shave off another couple of pounds I'm sure I'd see the benefits.
It's happened again, I was nearly finished when it disappeared. I thought that the fault had been corrected, but apparently not so. I'll try again.
JB, thanks, I was pleased with my time, considering that my training has been sporadic since my fall.
I watched some of Paul McCartney's performance on i player, and was very impressed.
I hope your training for the 10k will be injury free. You have the pace, and just need to work on your stamina and endurance. Sub 44 minutes is a tough target, but I feel confident that you will achieve it.
I was 9st 7lbs when I was at my peak fitness, in my forties, and am between 9st 7lbs and 10st nowadays. I don't weigh myself very often.
WtnMel, I'm sorry to say that I don't have any photos of Sarah covered in mud.
Perhaps I should have raced in my new slippers, that would have been exciting🤣
Your coffee and chat after your brisk walk yesterday, sounds good.
It's good that you have finally got round to booking an appointment with the optician, I have my test every second year.
I hope your Sainsbury's replacement card soon arrives, and that you enjoyed the ride on the steam train.
Good news about the possible GOLD group.
It rained very heavily yesterday morning, so I just ran a recovery pace 1.3 miles on roads.
Today is a running rest day, but I did the usual Farmers Walk.
There's been some real excitement here this afternoon. A couple of New Forestry Commission vehicles arrived with heavy lifting equipment and a digger, and they filled in the large deep hole, which was left after the fallen tree was removed. It took them several hours to complete the job, which they covered with top soil. It shouldn't be long before grass starts appearing.
Hope the farmers walk went OK.
We had a downpour this morning. Unfortunately it coincided exactly with my bike ride to see some old pals. I've never invested in the cycling kit for wet weather, so after a 40 minute ride I sat in a cafe for 2 hours soaked and steaming. By the time I returned home the sun was out so I dried off.
Off to the allotment this afternoon.
So no running but 2 different episodes of cross training.
We haven't had any rain sofar today. It must have been very uncomfortable sitting for 2 hours in a cafe soaking wet.
When I used to cycle, I had a yellow cape, and yellow waterproof trousers. It did the job!
This morning was a good workout in the forest, comprising 2 sets of 5 x 200 metres with 30 seconds recoveries, followed by a 1k round the field. Not one of my quickest sessions, being so soon after Sundays race.
ts the question of what is your next target event?
I remember those huge yellow capes!
It's funny but I had a paper round for a few years and biked to school for more years and I can never remember getting wet!
Went out intending to fo a steady 8k in 40 mins but, with a following wind, found myself running quicker than this and got into a nice rhythm.
So I maintained this heading back into the wind and ended up with a 37.54 and not too tired. I take this as a good sign.
JB - the steam train ride was good fun. The station at Broadway is a half-mile from the village but we had time to walk there and get some lunch before heading back to catch one of the return trains. Yes, I still time my 3ml morning walks when I go out - but I've not done many this week for various reasons. Glad to hear you felt good on your run. I've been losing weight recently and am now down to 14st (7lbs less than earlier this year) - which puts your 9st lbs into perspective. Oh dear re getting soaked through on your bike ride - and it sounds like you had a good run this morning.
HS - sorry to see you've been having problems with losing posts again. Well done re the farmers walk and recovery run. Heavy lifting equipment arriving is always a bit out of the ordinary and exciting. I see you've also managed a good intervals session.
The new GOLD group seems to have struck a chord. We are now thinking it will be an ad-hoc group where we might come up with ideas and then see what other u3a members are interested. Between them the GOLD'ers have suggested a zip wire ride, parachute jump, kayaking, roller-coaster rides amongst many other suggestions.
Still no sign of my replacement Sainsbury's credit card - as companies slow to respond go, they are currently heading for first place in my league table. If it takes much longer I think I'll request a credit card from my bank and cancel the Sainsbury's one (which will probably take them a month to action!).
I checked the Sainsbury's website earlier and there was still no response from them to my messages asking for an update. So I've left a slightly snotty reply to their last message to me listing the reasons why I'm unhappy with their (lack of!) service and telling them I'm closing my account.
I found I was able to close the account via a 'Can we help' link and have put in my closure request.
In the meantime I logged on to my banking website and cancelled the direct debit with Sainsbury's. And I applied for one of their credit cards and have had my request approved. And I've already had an email letting me know my new credit card is on it's way - that's a bit more like it.
Perhaps Sainsbury's should stick to selling food and drink! 🤬
A slow 6 mile run on Monday (bleary-eyed after a late night family meal at son’s) and another late night at the posh hotel again on Monday night, but this time for a bar meal. We went early while it was quiet and the food was better, but we had to complain about a number of overhead lights which were flickering constantly, just in the edge of your vision, like flashlights going off. Eventually, after some time the overhead lights stopped flickering, but then the wall lights took over. The young lad who was serving us admitted it had been a problem for some time, but they usually “just turn the lights up or down to fix it”, so presumably they were dimmable lights. I think a visit from an electrician might be a better idea. Then on Tuesday I found a 5 minute warm up video on Youtube that I thought I’d do before Pilates. It was billed as being suitable before a run or any other form of exercise so I thought I’d try it out. I already do pre-run 5 minute gentle stretching/warm up session that is specifically for runners, but the one I did on Tuesday turned out to be a very energetic aerobic warm up, and was the longest 5 minutes of my life. Not surprisingly I was quite sore on Wednesday and haven’t run since, partly from aches and pains, and partly lingering tiredness from the weekend. I had intended to run this morning but went for an hour’s walk yesterday along some overgrown paths at the coast while Steve did a repair job on his boat. I’d forgotten that the pollen count was high and I’m suffering today as a result. Hopefully I’ll feel a bit more energised tomorrow because I’d like to do the hilly parkrun in the local woods to see if I think next week’s 10k trail run in the same location is a possibility. I’m one of those people who hates taking any type of medication, but as the pollen count is forecast to continue to be high or even very high I think I may have to start taking antihistamines.
I’ve just realised this has turned into another one of my “moaning posts”, so I might as well round it off with another moan - despite arriving on time at the dentist yesterday for my 6 monthly check up appointment I had almost an hour’s wait. We recently had a letter from the practice offering us the chance to go private, which we declined. A number of dentists there have stopped doing NHS work now, so I suppose the remaining NHS ones must have to pick up the slack as I was told my next 6 monthly check up would be in 9 months due to the backlog they had. (I blame Boris, well why not?)
Aqua, sorry to hear of all your niggles. I advise you to go the whole Hong and name Johnson (I refuse to call him Boris) for each and every one of them!
Today was meant to be a no run day and a leisurely bike ride to meet a friend. But the howling game along the seafront turned the bike ride into one of the hardest aerobic sessions I've done all year.
Chichester parkrun tomorrow, 3 laps, quite hilly, very posh.
PS my target 10k race is 'flat and fast' and on roads. But before that I'm lining up one on a race track, Dunsfold, where they film Top Gear which is not my cup of tea. Now that should be fast!
JB, I'm hoping to do the Bartley parkrun tomorrow, but my next race will be the New Forest Half Marathon in September.
Well done for yesterdays 8k, that was an excellent time. I don't think you need to lose any more weight!
WtnMel, well done for losing 7lbs, and that's without running!
The GOLD'ers suggestions sound a bit extreme to me!
You did the right thing by cancelling your direct debit with Sainsburys, and ordering a credit card from your Bank.
Aquarius, thanks, I was very pleased with my race result. I was a bit apprehensive about my knee, so didn't push the pace as hard as I would have, without the fall.
Yes, the Farmers Walk this morning. It seems to be getting easier, so I must be getting stronger.
I'm the same as I've got older. I can't drink like I used to, which is probably a good thing. I also eat healthier and classify my self as a vegetarian, although my daughter says I'm not, as I eat fish.
Sorry to hear that you are now aching, after your run on Monday, energetic stretching on Tuesday and run on Wednesday. Probably a good idea not to run today, after yesterdays one hour walk. I hope you run well in tomorrows hilly parkrun.
My dentist went private quite a few years ago. We didn't have a choice, we either accepted, or would have to go elsewhere. I decided to accept, and took out a Dental Plan. The advantage of going private, is that I can be seen for emergencies etc at short notice, without having to wait for many months. I think the majority of dentists in the New Forest Region are Private, and have stopped taking on NHS patients.
Yesterday I jogged round one of our very first road virtual 5k's, and quite enjoyed it. I was overtaken half way up a hill by a younger male runner, and resisted the temptation to overtake him back. I must have had my sensible hat on! I'm hoping to do the Bartley parkrun tomorrow, as I stated in my reply to JB above.
I enjoyed my Chichester run as did Mrs JB. Not the easiest of courses as quite a few turns and a bit of a hill, but not bad.
21.39 gave me a category win and an age grade that was the 3rd best of the day. My time is the 4th best in my age category since the event started.
Mrs JB came 4th out of 8and liked the course.
Aquarius, sorry to hear that you are struggling with your running, with lack of energy and breath. This does appear to be the after effects of Covid. I hope that you are feeling better for next weeks parkrun, and that Steve is fully recovered.
JB, well done to you and Mrs JB, for enjoying your Chichester runs. Congratulations to you for your category win, and 4th in your age category since the start of the event. Well done to Mrs JB, for her 4th out 8, and enjoyment of the course.
I ran the Bartley parkrun this morning with Sarah F, and it was my second one. I was 40 seconds quicker than the first in 27.46, 1st MV75 -79, and 73rd out of 132 finishers. My WAVA was 69.48%.
HS Well done for knocking 40 seconds off your previous time, and for winning your age category. A great WAVA for you also.
I've checked the results for my parkrun (trying to find a positive
!st in age category (well ok, I was the only one in VW65-69)
13th best WAVA (although that was only 61.43%)
The worst part of it is I managed to get past two heavy looking gentlemen who then passed me on one of the hills. When I was overtaken by the first one he took one look at me and asked if I was okay, when the other one passed me a few moments later he held his hand out to me to help me up the hill! I declined the offer with dignity, but thanked him at the end of the run. I must have looked pretty pathetic at the time.
I think catching Covid probably hasn't helped my fitness, but hopefully it won't be long lasting. I'll keep chipping away at it, my next goal is a 10k trail race in August.
Speaking of Covid, the rates are rising around here quite quickly. Our neighbour runs a fitness class and has caught Covid from a client. She arrived at his class with a cough but assured him she'd taken a test and was negative. Later in the week she contacted him to advise she was now positive. Heaven knows how many people they'd both been in contact with in the meantime.