New Mature Runners Thread

1160161163165166254

Comments

  • AquariusAquarius ✭✭✭
    Morning all,

    WtnMel: Steve has got me some drops for my ears (olive oil) so I’m giving those a go. Fingers crossed they’ll do the trick. On my runs I used to wear a headband that covered my ears, which seemed to keep them pollen free on high pollen count days. Lately though it’s been so muggy and warm I’ve stopped wearing it. 
    Poor Chris, how ridiculous to have to empty your garage so the water company can get access to an inspection point. I hope they gave her a hand to both empty it and put everything back. 
    Good luck with getting back into a regular exercise routine. It always seems hard to get going again after a lay off.
    A rest day for me (apart from Grandma duties) which is just as well because I’m feeling quite weary today. Tomorrow’s run is 7 miles and Saturday’s is 9 miles, both with fast sections in them so I’m fairly sure I’ll be dropping one of those sessions, just haven’t decided yet which one.
  • Aquarius, I think there's a sporting chance that the olive oil will shift the problem: it helped me. Your Garmin sounds like a bit of a bully. It must be the 'tough love' model!
    Mel, good luck with the new approach to motivation. I'm almost the opposite, in that if left to my own devices I would wear myself out! It's common sense that I'm lacking, not motivation. Perhaps Aquarius' chemists sell syringes containing doses of it.

    Not much to report from this end. How about, my cap blowing off this morning when I was running my boring-as-hell bog standard 5k? Mrs JB's brake cable on her bike snapped - luckily our local bike shop is handily placed en route back from our run. (We are truly living the dream!)

    I had something through from Parkrun HQ (I'm on the mailing list as a sometime volunteer.) It's a very long, very detailed document about the new protocols w.e.f. 24th July. It is really very well put together and although many will still have reservations (and it will be interesting to see the turnout on that first run back) it looks to me as though the good folk at Parkrun have invested a lot of thought in it. One consequence is that they are going to need a lot more marshalls.

    Like Mel, I too did a lot of fast forwarding during the athletics coverage. This was partly because the event seemed to lack any sort of atmosphere. No disrespect to the people of Gateshead which has been a brilliant supplier of world class athletes for GB over the years, but somehow it wasn't quite the same as the likes of Monaco and Stockholm.

    What this country could do with, is a huge injection (another syringe item) of the sort of spirit that prevailed in the 2012 Olympics. That was Britain at just about it's very best. (Fade out, to the tune of 'There'll Always be an England'.................!) Now off to collect the grandkids.

  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    Aquarius - hope the olive oil does the trick. I think the problem was the drain/inspection point in Chris's garage was in danger of filling up and overflowing because of the blocked drain a few doors away .. which is why she had to empty the garage quickly. So far so good, re getting back to regular exercise - but it's early days though with this being the first week of the 'comeback'! ;) Good luck with the long runs with faster sections, whenever you end up doing them.

    JB - if it could speak, I guess Aquarius's Garmin would just say it's being "firm, but fair" :) I wish I was more like you (not needing an excuse to do exercise) rather than easily finding something else to do. I guess your cap blowing off and needing retrieving would have affected your time .. or did you just leave it where it lay because you didn't want to affect your finish time? ;) Good to have the bike shop handy to fix Mrs JB's bike. I don't do parkrun so have no idea what the plan is for the local one in Pittville park .. but I can imagine the numbers will be affected. 

    Margaret and I have been getting some exercise by getting out in the garden early to do what we needed to, before it got too hot. We've weeded most of the borders in the front garden, put in a load of plants Margaret got a couple of days ago and have divided/moved some irises that had grown too big for where they were. Back indoors now, resting. But will pop out later on this evening to give the plants another load of water to stop them drying up.
  • Good afternoon everyone, it's a scorcher today and will be even hotter over the weekend. It's 4 days since my last post, and I don't seem to have had time to post. I will try to catch up.

    Aquarius, you seem to have been having problems with your Garmin. I presume that you have now completed the 28 miles, well done. I hope the hamstrings are ok?

    A couple of years ago I had a hearing test at my opticians. Before he started, he checked my ears for earwax, and said that the left ear was ok, but there was some wax in the right one. I'm not sure whether he syringed it, but he removed the wax. The testing was wearing ear phones and having to listen out for bleeps, which gradually got softer. I had to press a button each time I heard one. When I couldn't hear any more, he said that my hearing was first class, and very nearly as good as his.

    I don't take much notice of the training status that Garmin Connect comes up with. For example, after a hard session, it might say "that was easier than your usual session." On the other hand, after an easy run it might say "this was harder than your usual session."
    I hope that either today or tomorrows run goes well, or perhaps both if you "decide to go for it!"


    WtnMel,  glad you liked the photos. I only take my phone when I run alone. I don't miss not having my ipod shuffle, as it's nice to listen to the birds singing. 

    Well done for beating Alan in your recent golf match. Hopefully you will be able to maintain it for future matches.

    That's a good idea making an exercise check list. We have a 16 week training schedule for the October London and virtual marathons.

    How unfortunate for poor Chris having to empty her garage, so that they could access the inspection point.


    JB, I agree it was disgraceful the way so called fans behaved, charging the barriers to enter to enter the stadium without tickets etc. The racial abuse is really abhorrent and the perpetrators should be identified and held to account. A lifetime ban to all grounds would be the perfect punishment. I think that there is zero chance of us hosting the 2030 World Cup.
    Well done for your 7k!

    I did watch the athletics, but there didn't seem to be much atmosphere. I think that athletics is losing some of its appeal, as so many records are being broken, that the first things that come to mind are, were they wearing the new super fast trainers or spikes, and were they taking drugs.

    I presume that you didn't run back to retrieve your cap, or did you stop your watch to retrieve it, and then restart again? Lucky there was a nearby bike shop to repair Mrs JB's brake cable.


    I ran15k on Monday, 5 miles on Wednesday, and 8 miles yesterday. Today is a rest day.
  • Good afternoon everyone, 

    It's a scorcher today, and probably hotter tomorrow. I ran a solo forest 5k this morning in 30.08. I was taking it easy because of the heat. About half way round,  one  of our club runners who was on his bike, joined me for a while, and then turned off. It was quite a novelty being paced by a cyclist. 

    I've spent the afternoon at a tea party in Sarah F's garden. It was another fund raising event for the Portsmouth Hospital Charities, and Huntington's Disease. I was on "Children entertainment duties," so only managed to sit down for the cream teas, which was excellent. I'm now an expert at frisbee throwing and catching.🥵
  • john bateman 6john bateman 6 ✭✭✭
    edited July 2021
    HS, Brilliant way to spend the afternoon as long as you found some shade. Good to be paced by a cyclist but even better to outpace the cyclist! Have to agree with you comments on reasons why athletics has lost a bit of support.

    Mel, good to get into the garden. Ours almost always has a bit of shade thankfully.

    A 5k for me this morning but even at 8.00 with a sea breeze it was hot, hot, hot. So decided to take it a bit easier have have a 'chatty' run at 5 mins per km pace.

    Had a visit today from my son and family and their new puppy. Puppy heaven, although she was sick in the car!

    Should stop moaning about the heat as I've been waiting for months for it to come - and looking at Germany and Belgium's weather it's count your blessings time.  

    PS I did go back to retrieve my cap and yes it did add a few seconds. But I've learned my lesson and tightened it.
  • And today a faster 5k (22.08) in even hotter conditions..............Managed an even split which somehow always makes me feel like I know what I'm doing even if I don't.
    Pretty drained now; feet up time.
  • Good afternoon everyone, 

    JB, well done for your chatty 5k run at 5 minutes  per k pace. I  wouldn't be able to speak at that pace!
    That was nice, having a visit from your son and family. A shame about the puppy being sick in the car though. It will be a while before the smell disappears ☹
    I've tightened my cap as far as is possible and it stays on now. It has either shrunk in the wash, or my head has got bigger 😁 
    Well done for this morning's 22.08 5k in these hot conditions. 

    The garden party was a great success and raised about £1.5k!

    I ran 15k in the forest this morning and it was very hard going in the heat, 28 degrees!

    I have to wait in in the morning, as the pest controller is coming round to hopefully exterminate the wasps that are flying in and out of the extraction grill on the outside wall.

    We have been advised by the Council that the grass collection service has been suspended due to staff self isolating and shortage of drivers, which is affecting businesses all round the country. 
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    edited July 2021
    Afternoon all,

    HS - I seem to remember joking about you being paced by a club member on a bike once before and asked if they had their megaphone with them. I should imagine it's hard work being 'entertainments officer' for the children - hope they weren't too demanding! £1.5k from a garden party - wow! Sorry to hear abut the wasp infestation you've got.

    JB - well done for running a 5k despite the heat. Btw, what's this "chatty pace @ 5 mins per km" you speak of - does not compute ;) Aha .. read on a bit further and see you ran an even faster 5k today.

    Far too hot to be out gardening today although there's still a bit of weeding needs doing - but it can wait. But I have been going out with the hose each evening to stop the new plants we put in our borders from drying out. I haven't actually done much at all today tbh. I cooked a Sunday roast earlier (the cold beer from the fridge to accompany it was even more welcome than usual) and since then, Margaret and I have been sat on our loungers on the back lawn in the shade of our beech tree drinking tea, eating cake and reading. At least, I was until the battery ran out on my Kindle, which is why I'm now back indoors.

    I didn't envy Alan who was on a golf society day on Fri - he must have been worn out from playing for four hours in the heat. We're planning to 'treat' ourselves this coming Friday (weather permitting) by playing on Cleeve Hill. You may recall that's the course where you have to contend with sheep, cyclists, runners, walkers, gorse bushes and quarries. And where you need a plentiful supply of spare golf balls when you inevitably lose some. At least this time I'll have the electric golf trolley so I shouldn't be so knackered by the end.


  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Popped back to blow my own trumpet and say I managed to get out for a 4ml walk before breakfast this morning .. toot toot! :smile:  Hopefully I can do that a few more times and get back into the habit.
  • HS, that 15km did some doing. I just wouldn't dream of tackling that in these conditions (or most conditions come to that). Good luck with the wasps. We had bed bugs once - total nightmare trying to get rid of them. Well done on your part in the fund raising.

    Mel, that is an awesome photo! Well done on the 4 miler before breakfast. Talking of breakfasts, met up with some pals today. They went for the full cooked brekkie but I couldn't face it. I'm trying to shift a pound of two (am on my upper limit of 144lbs) and perhaps that was in the back of my mind.

    Other than a gentle bike ride to the cafe, this is a rest day.
  • Good afternoon everyone, 

    WtnMel,  I'd forgotten about the megaphone incident. It didn't occur to me on Saturday. 
    I enjoyed entertaining the children, it was good fun.
    Thanks,  the pest controller has got rid of the wasps now. They had built a nest in the loft and were eating away the sealant round the flexible flue. I will have to get a replacement flue, but the main thing is that he has destroyed and removed the nest. He said they were very angry and stung him 3 times through his protective suit. 
    Sounds very civilised, sitting on loungers eating, drinking and reading. 
    Good luck with the golf on Friday at Cleeve Hill. Looks a great course from that picture. 
    Well done for this morning's walk, keep it up!


    JB, that 15k was tough in that heat, and I ran it solo which made it even harder. 
    The afternoon teas was a great success, and everyone had a good time. As per usual, I didn't have any luck with the raffle ☹ 
    Well done for resisting the full cooked breakfast. I must admit that at the recent fund raising breakfast, I did have one, but Sarah ensured that mine was a veggie. I was served out of turn, which is a bonus of the running training 😁

    I managed to get out for a short run this morning, a road 5k, but very slow. I made the mistake of wearing a very old cotton t shirt which made me sweat buckets. When I got home I was dripping on the floor.
    The wasps have gone now, see above. 
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    JB - the sort of photo I wish I was capable of taking (found it with a random search of Google Images) as it shows so clearly, the position of the golf course and the 'challenges' of playing it. Well done for resisting the lure of the full English.

    HS - glad to hear the wasps have gone. Well done re the 15K and this morning's 5K. Even though I walked early-ish this morning, I was dripping by the time I got back.
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Popped back but I see no-one else has stopped by. Will just say I walked 3mls before breakfast - pace was a little quicker than yesterday. And the runners out and about we're obviously doing loops in the opposite direction to me - saw the same ones several times.
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Managed to get out for a pre-breakfast walk for the 3rd day running. Have just 'seen' HS on Strava so he knows I did a short jog for a couple of minutes as I approached the 3ml point (jogged over the road to avoid a car and kept going). Knees seem okay so far and aren't grumbling!).

    Not planning to do anything else today apart from staying indoors and trying to keep cool. I've got someone from the charity I do IT support for, popping round tomorrow morning with a networked external hard-drive so I can continue the backups he used to do before I took over. I'd better phone Alan as well to confirm if we're still heading to Cleeve Hill for golf on Friday or whether he wants to stay on the relatively flat course instead.
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    And as no-one else has stopped by and posted I'll take the opportunity to say ..

    Connect 4!!!!  ****
  • Mel, and here's me thinking that you took that photo from your helicopter!
    Like you I'm not doing much, especially since I tried to get a PB running up a local hill. Succeeded by 5 seconds but Achilles (and Mrs JB) didn't approve.
    Olympics have started and whilst I think it should have been stopped, I'll be following. At least it keeps me indoors and out of the sun. (Just mowed the lawn and feel like I've run 10k!)
  • AquariusAquarius ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    6 days since I last posted - where does the time go?

    I’ve had a quick catch-up with all your posts and can see that you have all been busy. 

    JB: I agree with you, HS and Mel about the lack of atmosphere at Gateshead. It’s a shame it comes over like that as, having spectated at international events there in the past, it is quite a good venue, although admittedly not in the same league as the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. It struck me yesterday that it is 2 years since we were last there (London, not Gateshead), I hope we can get back again one day. Sorry to hear about the cap incident (schoolboy error ;) ) and Mrs JB’s bike. More good runs from you I see, it obviously takes more than a bit of sun to slow you down. Oh-oh, just seen today’s post, I hope your Achilles will settle down again after today’s uphill run. 

    WtnMel: I don’t know if you watch Gardener’s World, but one of the things they’ve been doing since Covid arrived is to show viewers videos of their gardens.  With all the work you’ve been doing in your garden I think you ought to make a video and send it in, it must be looking pretty good by now. That golf course on Cleeve Hill looks challenging, it’s lucky that you have your electric golf trolley now. Well done for Monday’s pre-breakfast walk, and reading on I see you managed another walk yesterday, good heavens just read today’s post - another run today, and a bit of a jog too! Fingers crossed again for no knee niggles in the next day or two. (Sorry must be a bit dim today - Connect 4?? Have I missed something?)

    HS: Huge respect to you for doing a stint as a children’s entertainer at Sarah F’s fundraising event. It can’t have been much fun running around after frisbees in this heat. I’ve just read on and see you did a 15k in 28 degree heat - steady on! I suppose grass (and rubbish) collections will be impacted over the next few weeks due to staff having to self isolate. Trust Boris to make a pigs ear of whether he and his chancellor would isolate or not, I read somewhere that Boris’s nickname in Westminster is “the trolley” due to his constant careering back and forth, like a supermarket trolley, on his policies and politics. I hope the pest controller managed to get rid of your wasps (hmm - I wonder if he would have any success getting rid of Westminster pests?)

    In the end I did drop last Friday’s 7 mile run from the plan, but managed Saturday’s 9 mile one (albeit with a sore knee for the last 2 miles). I moved Monday’s easy run to Tuesday in the hopes it might be cooler (it wasn’t) and again incorporated hill repeats as I seem to keep missing the scheduled hill repeat sessions. Today was a 7 mile run, which I managed a bit faster than previous ones (but nothing to write home about) and tomorrow I have a 4.5 mile run with more fast sections in it. I need to get our early to fit it in before leaving for the trip to the physio.  Garmin is displaying less and less confidence in me, and, in other news, the olive oil doesn’t seem to have done anything (although admittedly I haven’t tried introducing warm water into this scenario). Other than that my last bit of news is that, as mentioned above, Steve and I have physio appointments tomorrow. My right knee has been playing up this last week or so and Steve is still having problems with his Achilles which is preventing him from running. 

    Really looking forward to the Olympics, great start with road cycling on Saturday and Sunday then Triathlon Monday and Tuesday, plus athletics later in the week.  :)
  • Good afternoon everyone,

    WtnMel, good to see that you are getting back into a routine of walking, with jogs thrown in for good measure! Glad to hear that your knees don't seem to be giving any bother!

    I hope the weather doesn't break up on Friday for your golf match with Alan. I believe that there is a possibility of rain.

    I'm staying indoors this afternoon as well. It seems even hotter indoors than it did yesterday.


    JB, I didn't know that Mel was a helicopter pilot🚁

    That's impressive, getting a PB running up a local hill, especially in this heat. Sorry to hear that your Achilles and Mrs JB didn't approve!

    Well done mowing the lawn!  The Council mowers have been out cutting all the verges this morning on their sit on mowers.

    Our lady footballers have won their first match!


    It was Wednesday structured training this morning with the Sarah's and Mike. We ran 8 x 1 minute with 2 minutes jog recoveries on a fairly flat gravel trail. It was fairly sheltered from the sun, by the trees.
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    JB - sorry to hear your achilles didn't approve of your hill-running exploits .. or Mrs JB. I agree the Olympics should have probably been delayed/stopped. But while it's on, I'll try pick and choose anything in particular I want to watch, but will probably mostly end up sticking to the nightly highlights programmes. With the inclusion of the special Olympics supplement, next week's Radio Times is even thicker than usual. My lawn is staying un-mowed for the time being!

    Aquarius - we record Gardener's World but don't often get around to watching it. I'm not sure anyone would be that interested in our garden. Yes - I am going to be glad of the electric golf trolley on Friday and it will be a good test of the battery. No knee niggles from today's exploits which included that short jogging section. I think I just need to build up gradually and continue with the strengthening exercises and see how it goes. It was a lady runner who passed me that prompted me to try - she asked if all was well (I was wearing my running gear) and I explained the situation re my knee. So as I jogged across the road a bit later, I thought .. why not give it a go and see what happens. Connect 4 is a game where you have to get four in a row diagonally, horizontally or vertically .. like my four posts. Well done re that 9ml run which I saw on Strava and for today's 7ml run. In my case, it took a few days of using oil in my ear to loosen the compacted ear wax before the wax popped out when I syringed my ears. We have every confidence in you even if Garmin is less impressed :) Good luck at the physio for you and Steve.

    HS - Alan and I are hoping it will be warm on Friday rather than 'scorchio' as it is at the moment. I don't know about him but I'll have my waterproof in my golf bag in case of any thunderstorms or rain showers. At least up there, we should see any rain showers coming. Nice to have had shelter from the sun while doing your interval training.

    I've pulled out the pull-out Olympics supplement from the Radio Times (well, torn out would be more accurate!) and now I need to scour that and the listing pages to try and work out what to record.

    Golf at Cleeve Hill on Fri morning is all booked - and Alan has already booked us to play 18 holes again on Wed morning at Broome Manor.

    Margaret and I have finally got round to measuring my head and ordering a Tilley hat which is something she said she'd treat me to. And Margaret decided to treat herself to a new hat at the same time.

    Also, I ordered 4 pairs of shorts from M&S a few days ago .. 2 arrived this morning, and the other 2 will arrive tomorrow. I do have pairs of shorts but they are variously too small (waist) or worn out and faded and getting a bit past it so it was time for a wardrobe upgrade.

    Aquarius - here's a picture of Connect 4 for you ..


  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Forgot to say - the Tilley hat I'm being treated to is my birthday present (delayed from April).

    Having scoured the Radio Times for what's on at the Olympics and seen pages of 'heats of this' and 'preliminary rounds of that' I've ended up setting the recorder to just record the daily "Today At The Games" highlights of whatever has been on. The only specific events I'm recording are the men's/women's/mixed triathlons. Next week the recorder will probably be a bit 'busier' as we'll be getting round to the finals of the various track and field events.

    Currently waiting for the friend from Arts Together to arrive for coffee bearing the networked external hard drive for doing backups. The chairs are out on the back lawn in the shade ready and waiting ..
  • Marathon runners!

    Please could you take 5 minutes to complete my this anonymous survey that I am conducting as part of my MSc Degree!

    https://lincoln.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/the-relationship-between-strength-training-and-injury-in-m-2

    Thanks so much!
  • Good afternoon everyone,

    Aquarius, our posts crossed, yet again! I enjoyed being the children's entertainer. You know the expression "wear the old ones out first!"

    The Council have advised that the grass collection service has been suspended until further notice, due to staff shortage, including heavy duty drivers due to Covid isolating.  It seems to me that the Government has lost control of the situation. There will soon be panic buying in the shops again, because the drivers are isolating.  A 3% pay rise for the NHS which the new Chancellor says "they will really notice the difference," or words to that effect. Easy for millionaires to say.  Boris is looking more and more like Ken Dodd. I keep expecting him to say "I'd just like to say how tickled I am!"

    The pest controller did mange to eradicate the wasps, but it was a big job. He had to go into the loft and discovered a large nest, part of which was inside the flexible plastic flue. He had to cut into it to remove the nest. I will have to get a replacement flue before I can use the kitchen extractor fan again. I didn't think to send him to Westminster to exterminate the pests.☹

    You seem to have a good variety of running sessions which should help to increase your pace. I hope yours and Steve's sessions with the physio today went well.

    I watched the first ladies 100 ball cricket at the Oval last night (I wasn't there, I watched it on the TV.) It was really good, and the first men's is this evening.


    WtnMel, we bought Connect 4 for our children, and I remember playing it with them.

    Fingers crossed that it will be a bit cooler for tomorrows golf match. I imagine that there won't be much shade? I've just seen that you will be playing again on Wednesday, good luck for both days. I remember you saying quite a long time ago that you had given up playing bowls. I don't suppose that you would have the time nowadays! Is the Tilley hat to keep the sun off your head?

    I hadn't thought of M & S for shorts. I do need another pair this hot weather, but knowing my luck, when they arrived the sun would have lost its heat, and I would be wearing jeans again.

    I hope you had a relaxing afternoon in the shade, and have been able to install the hard drive.

    At present I'm reading "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall," by Anne Bronte. She is probably the least well known of the Bronte sisters, but I'm really enjoying the book.


    Today has been another scorcher, but I ran a solo 14k in the forest, which was a negative split. I think that I must be getting used to the heat.
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    edited July 2021
    I've marked Alex R 2 as spam because if it was genuine, they would have probably introduced themselves or at least read the thread and seen we're not regular marathon runners.

    HS - I don't know how Sajid Javid managed to keep a straight face while telling NHS workers how he was awarding them a 3% pay-rise and how (cough) 'valued' they all were. You're correct - there's no shade on Cleeve Hill so I'll be slapping on plenty of sun cream, covering up as much as possible and wearing my wide-brimmed National Trust hat. You're also correct about bowls - no time these days and no inclination to go back as I'm sure the club is still full of Brexit-supporting racists and misogynists. The Tilley hat is what they call medium-brim but we've compared the brim measurements to my current NT one and it's about the same. However, the brim should be firmer and keep it's shape better than the floppy NT one. My other 2 pairs of shorts arrived this morning - but I've not tried any of them on yet. I've managed to install that networked hard drive .. I had to plug it into the BT router downstairs and on my laptop, map a new network drive. Well done re your 14k run in the forest.
  • john bateman 6john bateman 6 ✭✭✭
    edited July 2021
    Aquarius, sorry to hear about your knee and that Steve has joined me in the Dodgy Achilles Club. Hope the physio does the trick for both of you. Rally looking forward to the triathlon mixed relay. Not only will this be very exciting but given GB's depth we should do well. 

    HS, that sounds like a good training session. I hardly ever run intervals in my training but I do quite a few on the rower. I tend to do 30 seconds pretty much flat out followed by a 30 seconds rest. I can't manage many more than 10 of these - and being indoors, the sweat factor is a bit of a factor.

    Mel, good luck for the next golf match. Just walking around that course must keep you fit? (Even if you don't carry your clubs any more!)  On the Olympics, I'll try to catch as much live as I can, but after about 10.00pm I'm out of it.

    Yesterday, today and tomorrow are all running rest days - but rest assured I always find another way to beast myself! (Chasing around after a 3 year old and a 5 year old is pretty full on.)

     
  • AquariusAquarius ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    WtnMel: The penny dropped regarding Connect 4 later that day. I knew about the game, but it took a while for me to see how it linked to your posts, then once I realised you had 4 post in a row…… ;)
    How did today’s golf match go? I hope the weather wasn’t too hot for you both, I see you’re intending to wear plenty of sun cream and also your NT hat. I’ve marked Alex R 2 as a spammer for the same reasons. 

    JB: It’s hot (and hard) work chasing around after 3 and 5 year olds, so I think you could definitely class that as cross training, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised to hear that you also incorporated some sort of exercise session into your childcare stint. 

    HS: We are becoming quite a double act on this post crossing business. I laughed at your reference to Boris looking more and more like Ken Dodd, he certainly doesn’t look very statesmanlike does he? The more I think about Boris turning into Ken Dodd the more I think it would be an improvement. The Diddymen would probably do a better job of running the country than the present cabinet.
    The prospect of panic buying is concerning, but the media aren’t helping matters with the way they are reporting this. I remember this is how panic buying started at the beginning of the pandemic, with the media fuelling concerns. It’s almost as if they want to generate panic buying amongst the public. We’re still getting weekly deliveries from Sainsburys, and when I put my order in today most items were available. I hope it continues that way.  Well done for your 14k yesterday in the scorching heat, enjoy your rest day today (I expect you will also be doing your “strength” work carrying home your supermarket bags) and I hope you have a good 5k tomorrow. (I also enjoyed The Tenant of Wildfell Hall).

    Our physio sessions went well, Steve thinks his Achilles is gradually improving and fortunately there doesn’t seem to be anything major wrong with my knee, although I may need to strap it if the symptoms continue. I didn’t manage to fit in a run before going, and wasn’t going to attempt to run after my treatment, so yesterday’s run was skipped. Today is a rest day but tomorrow I’ll be doing a 9 mile run (if the knee is up to it).

    I watched the beginning of the Olympic opening ceremony, but wasn’t too impressed and gave up after a bit. It all seemed a bit low key and boring.
  • Aquarius, I've got a bit (well a lot) of a downer on big opening and closing ceremonies, which is easily avoided by, well, avoiding them. I make an exception for the, well, exceptional, 2012 opening ceremony which was just wonderful (c/o Danny Boyle). And to link this with your comments on Johnson if I recall he made a big thing about his contribution as Mayor of London (didn't he actually invent London?) - which in fact mainly consisted of throwing money at duff projects.

    If we do truly get the politicians we deserve then what on earth did we do??

    Trip to Bognor with the grandkids. There's a lovely park there where, coincidentally, they host a Parkrun. All went well until a blood great big traffic jam on the way home, the source of which was a broken down camper van about whose owners I must say I harboured some very dark thoughts for a few minutes.

    Good to hear about your 2x successful physio visit.

  • Good afternoon everyone,

    Aquarius, I like your reference to the Diddymen; that sums up the Government perfectly, Ken Johnson and his Diddymen, in a jam butty mine.

    There was no problem at Tesco this morning, all the shelves were fully stocked, but I don't know how long that will last. I noticed one lady buying one of those multi packs of toilet rolls (12 in a pack, I think), so it won't be long before they are all gone. It's disgraceful how the media are showing empty shelves, which will encourage panic buying. Parliament is on holiday now, so expect Johnson to take another holiday abroad at the tax payers expense. What a farce it all is. Kier must get his act together and really hammer the Tory's.

    Thanks, I was surprised how well the 14k went, as it was probably the hottest day of the year.

    Yes, I carried the 4 bags of shopping, as usual, and did about 30 minutes of stretches etc.

    Tomorrow will be the 70th consecutive not a parkrun for Sarah F and me, and we hope to make it a quick one, as it will be the last that will be recorded on the Club's league Table. This is because some of the parkruns are reopening.

    Glad that yours and Steve's physios went well, and hope that you will be able to run your 9 miles tomorrow, without any problems.

    I also got bored with the Olympic opening ceremonies and switched off. I'm not intending to watch events in the middle of the night.


    JB, Johnson was a disaster as Mayor of London, throwing millions on water cannons, and a flower bridge that was never built.

    That was unfortunate getting held up in a massive traffic jam on your way back from Bognor. It must have spoilt what otherwise would have been a lovely day.
  • WtnMelWtnMel ✭✭✭
    Afternoon all,

    JB - as I mentioned yesterday, the triathlons are the only specific sports I'm recording at present. The course we played today, as you probably gathered from the photo I posted, is very up and down, with steep slopes to contend with. Sorry to hear your day out at Bognor was spoilt by a huge traffic jam on the way home.

    Aquarius - as you'll see below, Alan beat me by 7 strokes today, but the points system which takes into account my bigger handicap, meant I beat him by 2 points. Apparently, Boris ruffles his hair a la Ken Dodd before appearing on camera - you're right, the diddymen would do a getter job than the incompetent morons we currently have governing us. Glad to hear you and Steve's physio sessions went well. I didn't watch, and won't be catching up on, the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

    HS - well done carrying the shopping in this heat .. must have been tempting to take the car? Well done too for your 70th consecutive not-a-parkrun you have planned for tomorrow.

    As I mentioned above, I didn't beat Alan today and despite the electric trolley, my feet and legs were aching by the end and I was flagging a bit from the heat. However, I managed a par on the 2nd and three other bogies (1 over par) and only lost by 7 strokes which given the conditions, wasn't a bad result. The highlight was driving the ball 140yds on the 15th and clearing the quarry (Alan did 2 drives and both went into the quarry). Looking forward to paying on a relatively level, sheep & quarry-free course next week! :)

    We had a pint of beer after the golf and I'm not sure it touched the sides. I was very over-heated so when I got home, had a cold shower and have just had a large mug of tea and am feeling 'human' again and not so de-hydrated. And as mentioned previously, the 'Vpar' app we use showed that despite Alan winning by 7 strokes, with my higher handicap, I won by two stableford points - go me! :)
  • Mel, I bet that beer tasted lovely after flogging your way around that course. And I'd count that performance as a victory, and a handsome one at that. 

    HS, talking of traffic jams today is slated as being hellish what with the school holidays and 'staycations'. I suspect that the NF is pretty gummed up? We used to drive to the west country through the forest quite often and I can imagine the locals must dread a busy weekend. Best of luck for your not Parkrun.................

    Well Parkrun is back and I have to see that even on a grey, humid and windy day I was very happy to be there. Great to see folk that I've not seen for 18 months and the vibe was very good. We had about 400 there which was perhaps a bit down on (my) expectations as the neighbouring PR was cancelled.

    There were only really 3 changes to usual protocols

    1. the briefing was given on the beach where there's more space;

    2. the start was very quick - I think they didn't want folk kettled up for long (but it was a bit chaotic as a result)

    3. they had a lot more volunteers scanning the bar codes ( =hardly any queues)

    My run was better than expected: 22.03 in tricky conditions. This got me a category win, a 76.80% WAVA - and that was the 7th best today. I took a couple of scalps of runners who would usually beat me. (Not literally, of course.)

    All in all, lovely to have it back.
Sign In or Register to comment.