Our first run of the year is one of those special parkrun events that are not held on a Saturday morning. Just Christmas day and New Year day are the only official events that take place on what ever the day of week. I can remember back just a few years when quite a few locations had the famous 'DOUBLE' We took part in a couple of these 'hairy' events at Aylesbury-Tring and Tring-Wendover. The object, for those that don't know, was to complete 2 parkruns on the same day. parkrun HQ allowed the timing of one to be 9am as usual and I believe another could set a later time, follow parkrun link to the reasons why it was terminated. It was good fun...........at the time but as parkrun said, it had to stop. Christmas Eve ( Saturday) and Christmas Day ( Sunday) were a double for us, and hundreds of others. 
New Year Eve and New Year Day were just the same for us........and hundreds of others. Worthing chose the normal Saturdays and our friends at Littlehampton staged both Sundays for Christmas day and New Year day. This is how we ended up doing our first parkrun of the year, on a Sunday and at Littlehampton........phew!! Thankfully It was, weather-wise, a much better prospect this morning with a mild fresh breeze and hints of sunshine through the light clouds. We arrived and parked close by (no busses) and trotted down to the start passing by the locked toilets again as per Christmas Day but we had anticipated this, this time! Considering the packed prom this seemed a bit harsh on the general public out for a New Year walk but then again, finding someone to unlock, inspect, clean and re-stock with loo rolls............they perhaps deserve a day off. Back to the parkrun and our GP practice friends that we chat to each week at Worthing had made the journey 5 miles east to Littlehampton also and shared the same banter as most folks about how wet they & their gear still was from yesterday and what time they got to bed last night. Lesley then spotted in the crowd, 3 peeps and a dog all the way from 'On the Run' Aylesbury, her old and much missed running and activity club. They were down for a 'tourist' event having travelled down following a 6am start and sported the run club hoodies. It was a nice briefing and a pretty good run, out & back and out & back again with the breeze in the usual direction, in your face on both 'backs'. Lesley seemed to be running a little faster and free-er this morning and we ran together for quite a way before she insisted I speed up! I joined a nice guy and we chatted & paced each other for half of the way. Amazing how much you learn about each other in just 15 minutes! He knew all our old regular parkruns as he was from Leighton Buzzard and down for Christmas with family. He insisted at the end that I went in front as to not look like an old married couple! After cheering the remainders over and thanking the volunteers for all they do we walked the 10 minutes back to The Beach cafe, just before the turn-a-round point, with our Aylesbury compatriots. This is a highly recommended venue for afters or anytime and even though it was very busy, they did everything to find seats to house the 4 of us ( 3 runners & cute dog) We spent a splendid time catching up with Aylesbury gossip, warming up and filling up with lovely breakfasts! We parted as they took the cute dog for a long beach stroll before finding a fish & chip shop and taking the M25 back again! Between the 3 of them (and often 4) they pre-plan parkrun, 3 months in advance. Proper parkrun tourists! Most are a drive there and back, but they also do stop-overs taking a parkrun inspired mini-break. So all in all the New Year got off to a pleasing start.
Bognor Regis parkrun in Hotham Park was to be today's venue and the Met Office didn't 'mince' their words in predicting a 40-50 mph gusty complete washout! But, it was to be Lesley's Worthing Striders monthly away-day parkrun, the first of 2023 and who couldn't 'let the side down'? It is less than 30 minutes drive at 8am on a Saturday with sat-nav set on Hotham Park carpark and a wet prospect ahead. When we arrived the wind was howling but the rain hadn't materialised as I sussed out the complexities of the "Pay & Display" machine. Just for reference, cash or annoying app payment only but it was surprisingly cheap for an all day winter ticket, but then again, who but dedicated parkrunners are going to visit Bognor Regis in early January? 
The team of volunteers had gathered just a few minutes from the car, adjacent to the start/finish line. By 8:50, at the 1st timers briefing, just 4 'Striders' had braved the run! The course brief sounded complicated so all I managed to take in is "it's twisty & narrow" and decided that I would just follow others of about the same pace as me. Remarkably, the wind had seemed to keep off most of the threatened rain so we both discarded our waterproof tops, that do keep you dry on the outside but getwet and clammy on the inside! Well, this course with it's twists and turns, little loops and big loops, crossovers and raised railway crossings (miniature train runs summer only from 10:30 am so no need to stop, look & listen) only compares with one other parkrun we have achieved..........the Forest of Dean that was equally twisty, no railway lines but lots of trip-hazard roots! (we loved it by the way especially the thoughtful post-run snack trolley that was wheeled to the finish, kindly supplied by the local parkrun team) Around 260 brave parkrunners, of which at least 50 were 1st timer's seemingly from all over the UK, took part including a couple of groups of parkwalkers and 2 actual 1st time to parkrun.........on this point, unless they have a really sound reason, I fail to see how they are persuaded or have the willpower, to get out of their beds, in near darkness, horrendous forecasts and run 5 kms round and around in odd shaped loops through a near deserted town park! I managed to finish in just over 37 minutes and Lesley about a minute later.This was pretty good considering we both started close to back without realising that the loop joining path, for about 1km, is so narrow that overtaking is nigh on impossible (unless you take a bit of a risk & stray to the right or left on a wet, & slippery, muddy quagmire) . We had prior notice that the park cafe was really worth a visit and not to miss out on some post run sustenance, most of the parkrunners agreed with this and thus, a queue outside. It was worth the small wait as once inside of this modern facility it was warm and welcoming with plenty of staff to bring our team's coffee & breakfasts, in what seemed, just a few minutes. 
The rain mainly held off as we walked down to Bognor Regis seafront, passing Butlins Holiday Camp (it used to be called that in my day)! .The waves were pretty big, washing spray and foam right over the promenade as we battled against the wind, turning right at the sad looking pier and walking down to the equally sad looking High Street. Cafes busy, other shops very empty. Oh well, it is winter, grot weather, economic downturn etc.etc.
Could the weather be any worse for a parkrun? Yesterday was an in between day, sunshine for most of the day but today...........!! Weather forecast was spot-on as we stirred early probably from the heavy rain beating on our window. It was around 6:30 am and we had already, thank goodness, volunteered for marshal duties, so just layers of clothes followed by waterproof trousers and coats. 7:55 bus on time and joined the burgeoning numbers of volunteers, huddled from the gale behind Splashpoint leisure centre. Lesley will take up her place on the finish bend and me outside the rowing club a notoriously busy and chaotic spot where the cycle path, prom-strollers and parkrunners merge. Not today! Only the foolhardy, dog walkers and parkrunners would venture out in this most extreme of parkrun challenge. Would you believe that 214 had taken up this challenge as the briefings & countdown were barely heard above the south-westerlies. Through rain and howling wind I managed to spot a few of Lesley's 'Striders', our medical practice duo, Alison promenade, Maurice, Chris & dog and what seemed a large herd of Vegan Runners. With the leaders time at an unbelievable 18 minutes, amazing when I found it difficult to stand up let alone run against the wind for over 2km and hold yourself back from being blown over on the way back. Perhaps in hind-site it should have been cancelled, as was most of the local runs including Bognor, Littlehampton, Lancing and a few runs in Brighton. Saying that I suppose, there were no 'incidents' thankfully, apart from Lesley found her wind facing arm soaking wet, so, confirmation that her 'North Face waterproof ' was a failure, just when you really need it! My similar bit of kit held up thank goodness. Refreshment afters were not to be at Coast as it was closed for refurbishment, also, Bayside Club didn't seem to want us "sorry, have you booked a table" was our warm greeting even though it was no where near full and especially today looked extremely unlikely to fill up. Off we went on a cafe hunt and it was only a short walk to a nice corner cafe called Cocks Kitchen ( why?) that welcomed us in for our coffee & breakfast-sandwich in the warm & dry..
CANCELLED parkrun!! Yes, the news came through as we were leaving for the bus. It has been a stunning winter week with wall-to-wall blue sky and sunshine from dawn to dusk. 
With this winter weather, comes hard frosts and hard frost combined with humidity can sometimes mean a 'white-out'. Unfortunately for parkrun events along the promenades at Brighton, Worthing and Littlehampton ice had formed on the pavements making it a risk for a large group of runners that are often unable to see ahead to avoid the hazards! Good decision made on parkrun facebooks and we returned home having just left and Lesley & I slightly pleased as we both get a bit wary of slips and falls! No coffee and cake though. However, in the week we both put in a good 6km shuffle from near our home down to Sea-lane & along the seafront and promenade ending at Coast cafe, where they had reopened after their refurbishment. So after soaking up the chilly sunshine, both getting our 'D's' on the run it was upstairs to the lookout room of Coast for R&R...... and coffee & cake!
At last the weather has a changed feel about it as a frost-free and hazy sunshine greets us on the promenade by the Canada flag. It's a few less layers today and zero waterproofs for the first time in weeks. It may be a false-dawn, spring is definitely not on it's way just yet but make the most....as they say. 
Having been given a lift in and dropped off by one of Lesley's run clubbers we shuffle and chat with a fellow parkrunner to the start area. He is about to reach his 70th and is 'looking forward' to going into the next group of 70-75's but even though he is pretty quick circa 25 minutes , he doubts he can compete with a fellow 'oldie' that finishes in around 21-22 minutes! Still. it's not about speed, is it? Lesley has, thankfully for her, been put on a short term course of 'new-women' pills that although, with a degree of reluctance to popping any pills, they have changed her from feeling like an 90 year old (sorry, just a generalisation) to a 50 year old, almost overnight. This means, and with the doctors approval, she can run again without the dreaded pain of the last few months. 
She realises these pills are not a cure but is going to make the most of it and manages to run most of the way close to her running club friends, finishing in a respectable >35 minutes. Not quite my <34>................ but it may not be long before she is again a small blur in the distance and me puffing to keep up, just like old days I hope! With this break in the extreme weather, all the world and it's friend turn out today with numbers not far short of 500! It was Portslade Hedgehoppers club's turn for a mass turnout to boost the numbers and next week it will be Lesley's Worthing Striders turn to pay a visit to along the coast, to our neighbouring, Lancing parkrun. After bar-code readings it was off to Coast cafe, now reopened following a small refurb, for our usual coffees and cakes, joining the rest of the Striders team, up in the tower, with a view across the sea where the sunbeams were poking through the puffy clouds out on the horizon......wonderful!
After taking an earlier 700 bus, not because Lancing parkrun is further away but because our normal 8:10am was not showing on the app! Chris and dog must have spotted this Stagecoach omission and decided on this bus too. He alighted at his usual stop, after a 15 minute chat and we carried on to Lancing Green, about 10 minutes further east, along the seafront.** It seemed that a fair-few of Worthing parkrun were also paying a visit including 'Run Academy' a large running club in Worthing that had also chosen this day as their 'mass' participation event. One of our every-week Worthing volunteers, that incidentally also does the sign language briefing for hard of hearing runners, came out forhis first run for 18 months, following an injury, to take part "discreetly" he said, as he didn't want to make a fuss over it! 
Worthing Striders, in their orange and black, started to appear, some drove to the event in their cars, some, like us had chosen the bus, one had cycled but a bigger group had met on Ferring/ Goring beach and ran the 6 miles as a warm-up but also a few are due to do their marathons and 'need the distance' I took the team photo but as usual in team pictures some had disappeared somewhere for perhaps a loo-stop, caffeine fix or even a further warm-up! Lancing is a similar to Worthing, out & back but has a short 1km section across the grass of Lancing Green, still muddy from the rain and recent fairground visit, hence trail shoes today (my new Hokas). The paths along the edge of the beach are somewhat narrower than Worthing or Littlehampton so more attention is needed for morning obstacles like dog walkers, cyclists & especially families out for a stroll with the toddler that wavers from side to side on their trike! After the usual briefing, milestones and special birthdays, recent wedding, tourists origins we are off. Lesley & I decide to shuffle within our comfort zone (as usual) as we are running Arundel "Run Down Cancer" charity event, tomorrow morning. Others are doing their Chichester 10km tomorrow so we assume they also will not be pushing the boat out ! We are soon relegated to the rear 2/3rds of the parkrun crowd by the time we have mastered the grass & join the flat tarmac section. Just beyond the first beach-huts we are overtaken, at speed by a rapid Worthing Strider that has missed the 9am start, good for him for catching up and not missing the day! It is a pleasant run with no wind, light cloud, relatively mild and fine distant views of the white cliffs of Beachy Head, albeit a view only between the gap between each beach hut, that line the path for a good deal of the way! I finish in 35+ and Lesley right behind in just a smidge over 36. Looking back at the 5 Lancing parkruns we have completed so far, as you do, we have to finish around 32 minutes to achieve our PB's here and somehow we would have to push the body-clock back about 5 years; not very likely! Coffee and cake outside the sea facing front of the Perch cafe and a banter and natter with a few of the 'team' before taking the 700 back home again. ** our usual bus (8:10am) turned up, on time, 20 minutes after we arrived............thank you app!
Back on home turf.........well tarmac to more accurate, of Worthing prom parkrun. The 700 was on-time or maybe it could have been slightly annoying by arriving before time! So a brisk trot to the bus stop was needed, after a return home as I forgot my phone that contained my means of taking the mandatory we are still alive' photo, travelling for free on the said bus, purchasing a post run coffee & cake but most importantly, my parkrun barcode. " no barcode, no result'! The unusually single-decker bus appeared to be on a mission by travelling at fair speeds between the few stops it needed to make before arriving some 10 minutes early at the pier. It was immediately taken out of the 700 service to replace a broken down bus in Findon! So our theory was it was a late running earlier bus as our normal bus arrived..............yes, on time and 10 minutes later! 
Enough about the bus-sagas as we are beginning to sound like OAPs with nothing better to moan about. The weather was almost perfect, not hot, not cold, not windy but not quite still. Too many clothes worn had to be discarded by the finish point as we warmed up and chatted to our 'mates.' Evard was back but marshal duty as he had a cross-country run later that day and he was also entered in a 5 mile 'fun' run league meeting, in Tilgate Park on Sunday, as was Lesley and few others! So, no fast run for her as she needed to save herself. No problem for me as I was just bag-man and club photographer tomorrow and could run as fast as I like..........body and mind willing! I finished in 34 and a bit and Lesley 35 and a bit with a good 400 + turnout again. The medication enhanced Lesley said she felt good and ran within herself, her friend was just behind, also running the next day with her so her 'foot was off the throttle' too. Afters and Coast was pretty packed with earlier finishers, as usual, so we took what is probably the best seat, with a view upstairs. Today it was coffee and just for a change, Bakewell-cakes and a long natter with parkrun friends.
Southwater (Horsham) parkrun and it's a Worthing Striders away-day and with only a 20 minute drive we were expecting a few more than 4! 
Never mind, we all grouped at the cafe where the sad news was announced that one of our fellow parkrunners and Horsham Joggers had sadly passed away the evening after the last week parkrun, peacefully in his sleep. He was a frequent runner and volunteer over the last few years and a minute applause was asked for by his best friend and over 350 obliged.......quite an emotional time. This parkrun has 2 venues, summer it is in Horsham Park, which we have been too and it's a little 'samey', just going round the field a few times. Mud is the problem in the winter so it moves to Southwater Country Park an altogether more traditional parkrun, Walk up the Downslink path to the start, then back and around a large lake, back up the Downslink path, return down the path and back once again round the lake. It's undulating (bit hilly) and a tadge narrow in places for out & backs on the same path! However, it works well with the help of enthusiastic marshals! The last leg has us returning to the cafe where the timing and barcode scanning takes place. Toasted teacakes and coffee as we sit with parkrun friends discussing why we finished about 2 minutes slower than Worthing parkrun! Narrow paths, bit chocker for 5 minutes at the start, oh and gradients up and around the Dinosaur Island lake. Nice day and finished off with a family visit to see the youngest of the grandchildren!
An area of high-pressure has given continued to give us a settled end to February with just above average temperatures and very low rainfall, in the South at least Cold mornings with slight ground frost even close to the sea. It was to be special day for two people as this was a '50 parkruns' at Worthing for Lesley and 50 years ago, today, My first daughter popped out into the World! 
So a celebration run indeed that had us digging out our bright red '50' parkrun T-shirts. Both of us felt pretty OK albeit a tadge chilly as we posed for our photo, that, like all other weeks, we despatch on our family whatsapp page, just to let them know that we are still alive, still doing parkruns and occasionally get a thumbs-up emoji sign, by return or a little later, when they have woken up! The sun had strained to poke through the February skies as we chatted with Mike, today's RD, who scribbled down the details of this '50' event only to bring it up at the briefing, via his loudhailer together with first timers, tourists , dogs on short leads, under elevens run with........etc. etc. Some 370-ish set off and I just about succeeded in keeping in sight of Lesley some 30 yards ahead of me by the 'about-turn' We both seemed to be running pretty fluidly for ageing bodies at around just under 7 mins per kms. About 3kms path-marker I was running next to Lesley before she dropped back very slightly and we stayed that way until crossing the line, me just under 34 and Lesley just over! It was to be a brief chat and off back home as we were being picked up at 11am for the 50th birthday 'bash' at Bills in Chichester!
It's going to be a 250 event for one of the 'Striders' and as she is a frequent RD at Bognor............we are off to the parkrun that is going to be joined by lots of locals and the running club. Last time we were here it was a foul day with frequent squally showers and Lesley was just coping with her poorly body! 
Today was just chilly and grey and both of us were feeling OK as '250 celebration' cakes were a promised incentive at the end, what we didn't expect was at around half-way round the complicated 3 loops, Lesley had a back/hip issue that bought her to an almost stop. By the end, after waiting anxiously for her at the finish for a couple of minutes, she came into view and was in so much pain she could barely walk. Sheer dogged determination had got the better of her when she knew she should really have just 'retired'. Bar-code read we hobbled together to the cafe as sitting down in the warm with breakfast baps and cake did put a smile back on her sad face. So now, walking with a stick and an appointment at the sports injury lady.......is not what she wanted just as her runtimes were getting back to near normal. So much for parkrun does you good, but then, bodies are bodies, especially as they get a little older!
Worthing and both are doing our voluntary roles of Lesley a welcome home marshal and me a token hander-er outer! The week has had a turn for the worse for Lesley and her injury with the need of a walking pole to get around the house or indeed anywhere. Running is a big no-no and even walking is painful. This was to be the end-game of the couch to 5km where 30 or so starters had dwindled to about 3 or 4 expected starters for their inaugural run and Lesley hoped to be with them. 
Well, she was in spirit, cheering them on. I, on the other hand, had a painful heel (oh no not the dreaded foot lurgy that runners and walkers suffer from) that had me playing safe and doing my stint at volunteering in my warm and very fetching, apparently, Madeira shepherd hat! The weather was very kind, cool and dry with a little easterly to blow in the faces of 430 parkrunners on their way back along the prom to the finish! Meanwhile, my fingers, that had to be gloveless to pass the tokens on, were a tad cold but layers had made the rest of me positively glow. It was a good turn out of 'Striders' to accompany the newbies and all in all they did a pretty good time, I heard, of around 35 minutes. Back to Coast cafe and the 'Striders' gathering filled up a large part of the downstairs as we indulged in our usual, chatting for nearly an hour! It was sad to see Lesley struggling and still in a fair amount of pain when I could see she was itching to get out and have a run, but needs must and resting is essential although difficult to do. She has a physiotherapy appointment Monday but we both fear this could be a slow process of healing. Meanwhile, we both have our names down to run the worthing 10k 'run-fest' Lesley would have been the experienced pro and me the first-timer at this distance........parkrun X 2! It is only a few weeks away so keep our fingers crossed.
Lesley is opting out of parkrun running but volunteering at the last turn for home. Me, I am looking to jog along & just finish! We had already decided to drive down as the 'Lesley hip' was still jip and 'enforced rest' was the general consensus of those in the know. 
The walk and possible run for the bus was a no-no and also the element of the weather which, as forecast, was abysmal early this morning, driving & persistent rain requiring a change of clothes to stave off a chill. Lesley, on the other hand, was already waterproofed-up to the nines in anticipation of a good soaking. Arriving nice and early, as volunteers do, we had time to play on the pretend boats in the adjacent play-park before me, going off for a morning parkrunners natter and Lesley kitting up with lanyard and high-vis. Just a few 'Striders' braved the elements and quite a few, we later learnt, didn't, after looking out of their bedroom windows, turning over and going back to sleep! Still....380 peeps had a wonderful wet run perhaps dreaming of those sunny mornings to come as Spring is just about upon us. I managed to join a small chatty group and then at Canada Flag tag-along behind, or in front of, an evenly paced lady with a similar comfortable shuffle. Passing slowly by, I greeted Maurice, Nicky and Colin and also Jackie who is normally a little faster than me, whom I discovered later, was having an 'off-day' Despite the course having a changed 'path finish', due to the heavy rain and waterlogged green, I finished in 33:57 even though I must have ran at least 3 metres further down the path! I went straight back to the car and changed out of my soaking wet gear that incidentally must have weighed me down by at least 10grams, before joining Lesley to encourage the later finishers for the next 20 minutes or so. Coffees, cakes and a drive home to be greeted by sunshine, on & off for the rest of the day! Typical.
An awful week of bad health news , a shock for me and Lesley and of course for the rest of my family that I still had to break the news to. I had been having a few indigestion issues and popped into the doctors (not really a pop-in these days but a series of on-line help and telephone appointments) Once I saw a real GP in person he dispatched me at the earliest to have a camera inserted into my eating tubes and tummy. Cut a short story shorter........I had something nasty that was diagnosed as a malignant tumour. 10 biopsies and a following swift session in the CT scanner to see what else is or is not around. Now its a wait for treatment or whatever plan I may be given at the earliest NHS date. The team nurse said, in the meantime, I was to continue with what I like, or able to do, with food, drink and exercise............including parkrun she said. I feel OK in my self, obviously very apprehensive and pretty glum, to say the least! Everyone says I must stay positive so out on a Ramblers weekly soggy walk, as usual, followed by a convivial pub lunch at the Spotted Cow afterwards. 
Swimming and gym the next day then school concert with grandaughter, Stretch & Mobility class on Friday with swim and chill, visit to Amberley Museum (a National Lottery ticket freebie) ......and of course, parkrun Saturday! Time was immaterial on this gusty day with a very stiff south-westerly on the out. It almost stopped you in your tracks at each exposed section and pushed you along on with haste on the return loop. So, all that 'fun' gave me a 34+ minutes finish that was not at all bad. Lesley was marshalling at the final turn, taking it easy as her jippy-hip thing slowly improves enough to walk a reasonable distance before aching. We devoured a big breakfast, well, baked beans on toast, with what seemed a Coast cafe completely full of chattering parkrunners. We sat upstairs with our run-buddies before bussing back home knowing today was the day I had decided was right to spill the news to family.We had waited till both daughters had their hubbies home with them. How the next week or so pans-out I don't know but I must try and keep the 'diary' updated, hopefully with more parkrun stories and know that Lesley will be back park walking or even park running very soon........but not too soon this time giving her body time to heal!
Rain, rain and more rain! It seems to have relentless and with rain beating on our bedroom window as the Saturday morning alarm goes off and it was not really what we wanted to hear. Lesley is volunteering today and I am getting wet! I have an important meeting with the hospital-team on Monday but for now, I will keep doing the parkrun thing and try to put in respectable times. The 700 was cancelled again so we opted for the 10 bus that seems to be pretty reliable albeit a route that takes in the un-pretty side of West Worthing and is about a 5 minutes longer ride. A quick pop to the Splashpoint loo when I bump into Alison prom, who is looking decidedly dishevelled after her cycle down to the start from her home. It's April 1st and she has been baffled by the Worthing parkrun announcement that says something like "today.....for the sake of inclusivity.....all slower runners and parkwalkers will start from the front, to give them an opportunity to sample the atmosphere of finishing with the crowds on the green"......etc. etc. Lesley dons up in high-vis and I sit with growing crowd in the start-prom-shelter, trying to keep dry but it was pretty pointless as it was to rain, pretty consistently for the whole 34 minutes of my shuffle.After barcode scanning I wait for Lesley at the end turn to cheer on the smiling, but pretty damp, end walkers. With a few spare clothes I have left at the finish I strip off the damp tops and we both make a hasty dash for Coast where, along with the usual gang, we sit upstairs in a very steamy look-out seat to polish off our scrambles egg, beans and toast.
The week has been full of hospital visits, meetings and tests including a PET scan at Guildford where I am injected with radio-active dye, inserted into a large 'doughnut' and told not to move for about 30 minutes. Not easy........this not moving thing and as I had to put my hands and arms crossed over my head, they felt pretty numb and achey so say the least.............still, parkrun day and the Easter weekend was glorious. 
It was warm and still, even at 9am as both Lesley, back running for the first time in a month, set off at what I can only describe as, steady, pace. The day and the holiday week had bought out a fair share of 'tourists' from as far afield as USA and Australia making up the numbers to over 500! I trotted with Lesley until the home turn and the 3kms mark came up as she settled for a short walk and I was sent off to pursue two Easter bunnies. One of the 'bunnies' stopped and I trotted on to 'fly' past several other stragglers and a few that had over-cooked it by obviously setting the wrong pace. So 38 minutes for me and 40 for Lesley. We joined the others, that probably had finished some time ago, along the path in Coast for our breakfast treat and natter before spending the rest of the day at my daughter's house, tearing up their extremely rotten decking and moving and relocating the chimera and raised planter. Great exercise for the body, spirit and mind!
Durlston parkrun in Swanage was our first stop the day after having arrived for a few days holiday in Dorset. We were staying in a very sympathetically converted 'The old Schoolhouse' just outside of Swanage town. I had already checked and Durlston parkrun was just 10 minutes in the car so no rest for the holidaymakers, as, as usual, up and out at just after 8am. we had read the write-up but nothing had prepared us for this
stunning location right on the English Coast Path. Having parked up and paid our dues ( all money from the carpark goes to maintaining this stunning 'folly' of a castle) we found the toilets and followed the well marked signs already put out by a very friendly team of volunteers. The day was perfect, very little breeze and a mediterranean blue sky and sea to greet the parkrunners lucky enough to be here too. The RD puts a whiteboard up so 'tourists' can scribble down their hometown or home parkrun........great idea unless it is Worthing where you would need a huge board as at Durlston just around 100 are expected for this one year old event. At the briefing we are both mentioned as, yes we are tourists, but Lesley will be completing her 250th and I will be completing my 200th, If we get round the ups and downs of course!! And that may be the problem as some say this is the hilliest parkrun and some say the toughest and it is also a tad complicated.....right, left, out and back, left, right, out and back, long woods loop and back, castle steep loop and back down to the finish in the funnel on the 'edge'. 
We did what we usually do and start towards the rear, latch on to someone with a similar pace and try to follow them. This avoids having to think too much about the course and as the up-hills came thick, frequent and fast, no time to prepare for the incline, just put your back into it, head down, big breaths........and walk! We were not alone with this cunning tactic and it seemed most of the folks walked some if not all of the time. Well, the long and short of it was we were just home in 40+ minutes and not last! At the end, after the tokens , there are some well placed steps to rest and soak in the stunning views whilst getting your breathing back to near normal and then thanking the excellent team of volunteers and shuffling the last few steps to the Castle.........cafe! A nice gesture is a breakfast bap special for those that show their parkrun barcode and looking around we didn't spot anyone else in the cafe except parkrunners, supporters and team, so good business for all and of course it is every weekend throughout the year even when very few holiday makers are around?
Back home to Worthing and a week of health tests and a sedation for a scope inspection meant it would be unwise to parkrun this week. Lesley is going to shuffle but in the absence of a parkwalker volunteer she dons the blue jacket and I take the red one to do the tokens! It was the day before the London Marathon so numbers may have been light but no, I passed 480+ tokens over in a seemingly never ending stream of finishers. Lesley had taken a couple of 'walkers' with her, one was back from suffering a broken leg during 'covid' and the other seemed more suitably dressed for mid-winter and even had a shopping bag with her! 
We did almost have a parkrun cancellation this week and right up to late Friday afternoon the path was semi blocked by our friends at City Fibre who, along with BT had been causing chaos to the roads and pavements throughout the Worthing area for months now. Signs went up for cyclist to dismount on the shared path and 2 large JCB type vehicles were moved aside leaving a reasonable size path close to the finish line where generally the event has thinned out so it was not a problem. Lesley came through in under 50 minutes with just one of her parkwalkers remaining, having lost the over-dressed shopping lady shortly before the turnaround and can only assume she had perhaps popped into M&S as she wasn't seen again! Dave was the last one back at just over the hour so we bid our goodbyes and wandered back to Coast to meet my daughter who was doing an early morning 'long walk' with friends from Shoreham to Goring but just had to join us for a brekky snack. However, soaking up some of the post-run atmosphere, she may have caught a bit of the parkrun bug and threatened to join in next week! Watch this space as I am booked into Brighton for an exploratory op mid-week. So it will be a parkrun free time for a while.
Exploratory op carried out Wednesday so 3 holes in my tummy and strict instructions for 14 days of nothing strenuous, at the least and the prospect of further tests, investigations and perhaps, fingers crossed, a treatment plan! Saturday and I am up to an early morning bus ride down to the start with Lesley and it is almost a glorious day if not a touch chilly around my knees as I have chosen to spectate in shorts!
Maurice boards the same bus as us with thick clothes and a stick having had a hip replacement last Saturday. It's amazing, he is several years older than me and up and about, spectating parkrun much the same as myself. Lesley is running this week, unlike the parkwalkers volunteer role of last week, she hopes to put in a reasonably slow time as she may be running the Worthing Runfest 10k in the morning! There is a big debate over the whys and wherefores of should she take part or shouldn't she as she has had very little training, still on pills and bit injury prone running and me not driving yet. It looks like the head should say no but the determined heart may say yes! Barbara and Aussie Pete are here today and it is Barbara's 250th so well done her. Just short of 500 spill out onto the prom as I sit on the bench in the sunshine and cheer on those who are nearly finishing. It's interesting observing that the first say 80-100 seem to have little or no interest in being encouraged and definitely do not take in any of the lovely surroundings. They just glance at their Fitbits or Apple or Garmin thingies and keep their heads down to the end.........probably stagger in the funnel queue clicking their thingies, heading for the barcode scanners and back home whilst the vast majority are just thinking of their cake and coffee to come! Might be a bit harsh, but observing the middle to latter finishers they look, on the whole, happier, more appreciative, chatty and all together enjoying the day for what it is, not a race but a great social event! (not saying that I and most others look for a pleasing time). Lesley completes her chilled-out parkrun in a pretty pleasing pace towards the rear of the group but a comfortable time of around 36 minutes. Its back for breakfast, chat with friends and looking forward to a long weekend......not that it makes too much difference when you are retired! 
Tomorrow is the Runfest Worthing 10km, I won't be running unfortunately . It would have been my longest 'run' and I had vowed to shuffle and walk with Lesley, just to complete it, as 10km seems not far compared with all the long walks we have completed in the past, e.g Southdowns Way, The Ridgeway etc. etc. I did take part in the Round the Bays run in Auckland NZ a few years ago which was just shy of 10km and I didn't do too bad so without the small op on Wednesday I would have been up for it! I sat it out at Pete & Barbara's Beach Hut, near the roundabout in Marine Parade, an excellent vantage point for both the 10km and half marathon cheering Lesley on and others from her running club. Lesley managed to complete the run in a reasonable finishing time where a rather nice 'ice-cream' medal awaited her. I managed to walk the length of Marine Parade, there and back so pretty pleased with that and I was walking nearly as fast as some of the run stragglers!
Coronation day parkrun and we wanted to watch the event that had obviously been timed to allow the nation to complete their parkrun, take a chilling cup of coffee and just time for a snack before legging (driving) back home for the telly. The weather had not turned up today unlike yesterday been blessed with warm May sunshine, today was just drab, moderately heavy rain and it kindly continued throughout the day........thanks! Hence, the car drive. Not eco friendly but we could take a change of clothes and go straight from Coast without the bus-stop walks at either end and a soggy steamed up bus journey! So it was red, white and blue for both of us, or the closest we could get, and the prospect of perhaps the last attempt at actually running for perhaps a few weeks as this week is the big week when things are inserted and stuff is allowed to seep into my veins in an attempt to make me worse before better or prepare me for an op..........eventually. Putting that to one side, I have recovered from my exploratory body holes enough to shuffle today and all the healthcare workers, who are amazing so far, recommend I keep shuffling when able .So its going to be a soggy wet run for the 400+ that turn out, mostly in something resembling patriotic attire!......A union flag T-shirt, a plastic crown, red '50' parkrun T-shirts or blue Worthing 10k tops! 
I am doing, a not very good job, of avoiding close crowds and hover around on the beach trying to listen to the briefing through the persistent downpour, clapping when everyone else does and off.....keeping my distance from the crowd which, as ever, is easy to do as 300 disappear into the mist towards the pier at pace. Lesley and I just shuffle together at a nice pace and despite being weighed down by wet clothes it is rather pleasant for running, very little breeze and a warming rain on your face that doesn't dampen the day. We both manage to keep going at this steady pace and even overtake a few stragglers, putting in an excuse for a sprint at the end to finish in circa 37 minutes. No time for standing around to clap-in the final crowd as we need to quickly change into dry gear for our usual upstairs chill at Coast where loads of steamy runners are already there, more than normal of course, as none have opted for the outdoor beach seating area.......I wonder why?
Parkrun sit-out as I am just out of day 1 of chemotherapy and carrying a bottle in a bag of stuff that is being dripped into my arm over a couple of days. Lesley did a reasonable time this week without me to pace her! I was determined to try and keep fitness up as it is paramount to pull me through this. So plenty of seafront walking and the Sunday, complete with a now empty bottle, 
I fast-walked with Striders running club, along the Downs link next to the River Adur for an hour or more, returning to meet the runners at Tom Foolery cafe in Shoreham. The week has ups and downs with periods of pains from my daily injection and other circulating stuff but......up for plenty of longish walks and a sign-up to CU-Fit on Friday to take part in all their charity run pre and post diagnosis, fit activities. A wonderful gym tucked away in Angmering with specialised instructors and a range of things to take part in...in-house or outdoor locations for cycling, walking and nordic.......perhaps not this just yet!
Cracking spell of weather this week, high pressure is settled with no rain, sunny days, walks to the beach and sea front cafes. Sleep has been interrupted at the best but still feeling pretty fit. Thursday saw a long day, to meet the surgeon in Guildford who described what I can expect if I maintain my fitness. He said I have my own fitness and age on my side so keep it up! Fit yes, age??? Saturday morning and up at usual time. Blue top run day to mark the local 'Mind' fund raising event. Nothing silly was my promise as we join nearly 570! intending to keep out of the way and probably finishing near the back.Lots of well wishers....which is nice and very 'parkrun' . Lesley has a nice cold so just staying with me at arms length as we set off from the beach after the usual brief. 
Today seems to be a mass turn out by Horsham Joggers as their shirts are everywhere and indeed it was an HJ we first saw on his way back! Chris was running without dog, Colin started somewhere further up and Jenny did her strange shuffle that is somewhat slower than just walking! Big John, with strapped knees and an awkward gate, was our pacemaker as we (mainly me) did a walk-shuffle passing the pier and onto the first summer shelter where at about 12 minutes the said HJ runner was making his return at a cracking pace. Lesley had gotten into her stride that I think was a run.....just, as we approached the turn-a-round we were expecting a warm head-wind as we headed for home but were greeted with just a gentle cooling breeze and stunning views right along the coast towards the tip of Beachy Head. The sea was calm and had a blue green mediterranean feel to it, I felt good and it wasn't until the pier was in view that a tad of tiredness was starting to set in but then again........nothing new here albeit at a couple of minutes slower per km than a good day! We finished together at 46 minutes and greeted by a "well done Cards" from the token giving "Swans" .......nice! The huge number today had bought out huge numbers to Coast so we settle for a sit with just a water in their outside beach seating area. Aussie Pete and Barbara were on holiday in Italy and Chris bid goodbye as he had cricket to get back to so we just sat and joined the mainly parkrun peeps taking in the atmosphere. 'Dave' brought up the rear after 10 minutes of sitting & chilling, finishing just over the hour so not a PB for him. So, back home via M&S to buy some more 'softies' for chemo sitting around and finished by having a warm a day in the garden.........weeding!
It's been an ok week of health, and an in-between until chemo-Friday that falls just before parkrun day that will have to make it a volunteering day this week. So, attached to my near empty bottle of clear something I take up a good position at the pier front, donned in high-vis awaiting the 500+ starters / finishers. 
A wonderful morning with a gentle blue sea and a stunning blue sky with a gentle refreshing westerly must make it a near perfect day for parkrunners and volunteers, of course! Our usual family photo-jog to let them know we are still here at 8:45 was photo-bombed by Aussie Pete, along with partner Barbara, out of shot, have just returned from holiday in Southern Italy thankfully in the dry following the terrible floods in the Northern Italy. I enjoy the marshal point as it is often busy, plenty of locals and tourists to shepherd through the initial charge from the quick starters and again for the quick finisher. Today had the usual queries from the holiday-makers and casual visitors, wondering at the spectacle "so early in the morning"? "how many runners"? "what is it in aid of"? "is it every year"? et. etc. A couple of Canadians asked if they have this at home is it is multi-national and from ignorance I said from memory that USA have but...........not sure.. (Googled unless they returned...........43 events and the first was in Okhnangan) . Cheering or clapping, with one hand, due to my bottle and tube, should hopefully assist them on their way west and it was soon obvious, in the first 5 minutes, that it would be well spread out and a good hour before I finish my role! The first guy was positively sprinting, Lesley was 2/3rds back and at the rear, a lady suitably dressed in a very unsporting like, summery white, mid-length Laura Ashley-ish floral patterned dress with matching & accompanying handbag.....no-kidding and then Dave bringing up the rear with his struggling walk and then the Tail Walker.Before all of this an assortment of fast, middling and steady peeps with buggies for 1 & 2 children Several, well behaved, pulling or dragging dogs, and I counted a dad with 4 children, one in a buggy the rest close by..........may not all have been his but well done that man! On the way back was a clear 'winner' by 1/2 minute at least, about 50 of quickies followed by the herd in the middle, then good & appreciative fun-runners and last but not least are those pushing themselves in their own fitness battles or simple enjoying the day in the moment. It is a win-win for all and Lesley put in a respectable current time of a fraction into the 36 minutes. Coffee and cake afters at The Beach and on the beach outside eating with friends to chat with.
Duvet day as I am feeling rough and Worthing parkrun has been canceled at the last minute.......well a half hour before, as a large lorry with huge boxes has decided to deliver them on the prom outside the pier at 8:30, taking up all of the parkrun route! So hundreds of disappointed parkrunners split up between Lancing and Littlehampton swelling their numbers considerably. The week starts not too good but improves by Tuesday and back to 'normal-ish' with food and energy. Wednesday is a full-on day with blood tests in the morning and off to a Ramblers 'open garden' visit to Dale Park in a beautiful part of West Sussex with stunning gardens and distant views across the sloping fields, to the sparking sea! 
That evening was a trip to Littlehampton Beach for a tidal timed run of 5 miles along the sand to near East Preston and back again in the relative cool of the evening thank goodness. Me? I sorted race numbers for the 'Striders' and took team and race photos. Then, we all sat on the green and ate our pre-ordered fish and chips......nice! Lesley came in at a smadge over the hour and seemed pleased as she didn't burst into tears....for a change.parkrun day and the temperature had taken a turn for the worse as it was already 19C at 8 0'clock. I had a bottle drip in my pocket for a couple of days, connected to my vein so volunteer for me and duly donned my high-vis to take up my position as marshal at a nice shaded spot in a shelter beyond the Lido. Lancing was cancelled as there was a kayak event on the green, these events do seem to cause cancellations quite frequently. So, numbers swelled to over 600 today and temperature swelled to 24C! Thank goodness we had nothing more of an issue than a few that gave up running and walked back to the finish and one guy said on passing back at the end of his race, that he went all-wobbly at the pier so he just trickled over the finish line and saved himself......he said! (for next week?) Lesley, very sensibly, took on the role as parkwalker so gained volunteer and run accolades! She walked the route with a nice lady, who was a lawyer, from London.....working her way back to fitness, both came in at around the 50 minutes! Family arrived for coffee and cakes afterwards......nice & .seeing lots of them lately so not a bad thing this dodgy bit in my life.
Cant believe but it is an anniversary of us and a small group of enthusiastic parkrunners, Stu, the eventual ED and Tam the area parkrun ambassador and many that went on to be RD's as well, first meeting in Wendover Woods
to discuss the possibilities of turning the trails of this lovely Forestry England site into a parkrun venue that eventually would be loved by so many people around the country (and World)! The weather was similar to the last month that we are having now and after the course finalising and measuring, a bit of fine tuning we were ready for parkrun HQ to give us the go...go...go! Today at our now local parkrun on the prom, I was slightly encumbered and did the parkrun marshal role and a good time by all! 
Despite going through a no-run and no-walk stage, I am really enjoying the social vibes that parkrun brings and it makes it all worth while......even for just a few hours on Saturday morning everyone is very kind and supportive.......well those that know or ask about me. I am ok for everyone to know and amazed by so many that say 'yes, I have or so & so has been or is going through that!
Another week and just off my final-ish chemo so bottle in bag and a supporter role as Lesley goes for a 'measured' run in the already 23C. There is a fair breeze and despite some of the front runners turning in ridiculous times, many choose to hold back or just walk for a few minutes, it is not a race and it will still be there next week......perhaps a little cooler after weeks now of pretty unbroken cloudless skies. 
Our NHS couple say they are doing pretty well with encouraging out some newbies from their medical centre to train and take part in the special parkrun NHS day in early June. Claire said it was difficult due to rosters and the heat in the evening but has quite a few doing early morning shuffles with her! Both Lesley and Claire finish almost together and Lesley 'sprints' at the end to keep ahead of Colin, a fellow Worthing Strider. Pete pips Barbara even though he is running a 5 mile fun-run that afternoon in Ditchling! Maurice manages to continue his return to fitness shuffle after his new hip and I have a nice chat...pre-run with another Lesley that was encouraged by our Lesley to join her on a parkwalk a few weeks back. She has a daughter 'cancer' story to tell that was both heartwarming and encouraging that life after 20 years post treatment she is absolutely 'fine' and works in the NHS. A sit outside for afters at Coast and a drive to Shoreham where my grandson has just woken to take in the sunshine and the prospect of party-party for his 18th of today........midsummer day! Good luck to him as he is about to take his new career path and the next journey in life!
It's July and the weather is thankfully a little fresher as we arrive at 8:30, ready to meet up with a few parkrun friends. I am opting out as it's the final day of my chemo stuff and the body will hopefully try and get back to fitness now. Lesley is primed and ready to shuffle, just a small warm up as 400+ turn up with their family friends, dogs, pushchairs etc.I sort out my seated cheering spot, take the family selfie and watch them disappear into the distance........save for the few stragglers that always seem to arrive late! One guy asks me "how long have they been gone"? "just a few minutes, you will soon catch them up" and off he sprints! About 16 minutes later and the 1st guy is coming through, then the second and third. It seems the Henfield running club have a good turn out today and 1st & third ( passing me) bare their sweatshirts. Chris & dog greet me, both looking good followed by Alison prom and then Barbara, just ahead of Pete, Lesley, still shuffling in style looking for about 37 minutes. 
I wander back to Coast and sit outside at the rear, due to a strengthening breeze on the beach and do the normal Saturday natter and catch-up over a coffee. After just returning from a few days in Majorca Pete, still obviously full of energy, is now off to do one of his fun-runs this afternoon, over a big hill somewhere on the downs, Barbara watches as she doesn't do hills. Sensible.Lesley's Striders are going to do a beach front run from Ferring early on Sunday and I intend to have a small walk, sit on the beach and read a book.......well, it is a start back to fitness slowly!
NHS 75th birthday and coincidentally, 1948 was my introduction to the world. 
Mum was just the 6 months into the very start of the NHS for the birth of her 3rd child, me being the youngest and we siblings are all still around and getting older! So, it's a special parkrun throughout the UK to celebrate the institution that we all love in time of need and both myself and my older brother, Roger are in the 'system' for cancer treatment that works flat-out to do it's utmost to improve our lives. My challenge today was to get my middle daughter, an NHS hero, to do her 1st parkrun ever and me to do my 1st parkrun since treatment started. I have entered my 'getting back to fitness' stage and a 5km park-walk is on the agenda. The day has promised to bring welcome rain......well welcome from a garden perspective! Rain at 8:am, thunderstorms at 11:am and the forecast proved to be spot on, however, nowhere near enough to put my daughter off and not enough to put 550 parkrunners off too! I do feel pretty good this morning following a successful, just under the hour, training walk yesterday. 
Blue 'NHS' was to be the colour today and I didn't disappoint with my "Legends of 1948" blue T-shirt, given to me on my 70th birthday bash. Jo, my daughter arrived, yes, with barcode on her phone, and soon soaked up the friendly greetings and banter from the set-up team. With the 1st timers briefing for her and the main briefing over, pointing out it was "Pride" day in Worthing.......as if we hadn't guessed already with a good turn out of fairy winged and rainbow coloured parkrunners as well as our lively dressed, dancing, singing, turn-a-round girl who has the best selection of 80's hits playing on her bike-radio!........we set off jostling our way along the pebbles and joining in with the fair size group of walkers, led by Claire in the parkwalker blue vest. We set a good pace by following Jenny who usually finished around 55 minutes.......that will do me for my first and Jo my daughter's first. It was a good atmosphere all the way and Jo was staggered by the 1st guys that came past so soon, the other way, sprinting in to finish in just over 15 minutes! The breeze was slightly against us and the weather looked as if a storm was brewing in the distance towards the Isle-of-Wight but after the 80's Wham tune turn-a-round we felt the gentle breeze and the threat of an impending storm, assist us in picking up the tempo....enough to think we three could overhaul Jenny! Pier in site and I couldn't resist us picking up the walking pace and at 'Coast' I jokingly teased & passed her by. We all finished in around 55 minutes, Jo's 1st and my 1st for a few months! Cold drink and cakes all-round and a thoroughly nice sociable morning.
There are just a few mornings when drawing the curtains and gazing out of the window then raising enough enthusiasm to get out of bed and go to our beloved parkrun. Today there was just a moment of hesitation, following a short discussions over the early cup of tea and biscuit! Checking the weather app was showing one of those few days where the weather forecast & warning issued for the south coast was to be very wet and upwards of 50mph gusts expected throughout the day! Looking out of the window it was just as they reported with a strong south-westerly and a laden sky that looked more than capable of drenching you, that is, if you could stand upright long enough with the anticipated & formidable gusts. Anyway, we sort-of had to go as Lesley is Worthing Striders parkrun co-ordinator and she had organised today as being 'Strider's day-out to Littlehampton promenade parkrun. We checked the facebook site for parkruns and Lancing prom had popped up already as being cancelled and Littlehampton said they would check and let everyone know when they do an early morning course check.......they did and it was good-to-go with the proviso that you are all aware of the strong wind gusts, to dress appropriately including wetsuits if you wish! So, we arrived and free-parked near the prom with ease and noticed the clouds and rain of a few minutes ago had almost cleared to just puffy grey & white clouds scurrying across the largely blue sky and the storm clouds were disappearing eastwards towards Worthing. 
A small crowd had gathered by the start and eventually 160 braved the day including a healthy bunch of keen first-timers, to Littlehampton and even a couple of first-timers to parkrun.....what a day to choose! Several 'Striders' appeared with smiling or grimacing faces with plenty of chats about "will they come or will they stay in bed". Thankfully at least a good crowd of them had decided on the former. Photoshoot time with me as the non-Strider taking the photos for their facebook and whatsapp pages...perhaps, just to say they have been and braved the weather. It is now the second week for me to actually take part and regain my fitness for future medical 'business' and my chemo has dissipated enough to make me feel more like shuffling a bit today, perhaps with an alternate walk and shuffle to see how it goes. Lesley decides (as my sort of new-found carer) to trot alongside me too. She sensibly informs the 'Striders', not to wait for us, but to see them later at Beach Cafe for a coffee and brekky. Welcome & briefing over, 3,2,1, off we go with a gusty tailwind assisting us but seemingly not assisting enough to keep up with the blue-vested parkwalker, who is supposed to stick with walkers but strides off at a fair pace with even some slower runners being unable to keep up with him! Knowing this course well ,having done it 5 or 6 times, it is an annoying ( to me) out and back and out and back again, made worse today having to face the gusty wind....face-on....twice! We are fairly near the back and I keep an eye on my Fitbit's beats / minute, keeping it around 120-140. All was well today and we pulled away from the Tailwalkers group and kept a group of girls, wearing their hen-party sashes, in sight until the last wind - hindering leg where I felt I slowed considerably (although Fitbit said I was doing similar pace legs). I am not nearly back to the level before treatments but in a few weeks and I will hope to shuffle all of the way.......touch wood! Tokens and barcodes read by the windswept but smiley volunteers and off for the 1km fast stroll up to Beach Cafe where the 'quick' Striders had bagged a large table with 2 spare seats, meaning we could jump the post-parkrun, cafe queue. The tide outside was just on it's highest point with large waves, the mandatory wind-surfers, and mountains of 'white-horses' but more importantly....blue skies for the whole of the run and for the rest of the day until the evening drizzle. So, bacon or sausage butties all round, coffee and chats about the parkrun and life in general, before the walk back to the car, drive the 15 minutes home to sit and chill in our garden room, watching the trees and bushes and seagulls get blown around in the very unseasonable wind. Good news, we had to cancel our few days away in the Isle of Wight in mid June, due to me feeling very grog, but it's back on again so off we go on Monday and hope to chill by the sea and perhaps do a couple of Shanklin promenade or coast-path shuffles to maintain my fitness upward streak. Hopefully the weather will improve and the Solent crossing will be calmer than what must have been an exiting ferry-journey, today!
So, due to a splendid and overdue 4 day holiday on the Isle of Wight, a Sunday "fun-run" and a previously arranged family commitment on 'parkrun Saturday' ........we both were not parkrunning today! Yes, I know it is a rare event for us but driving past Worthing parkrun that was about to do the briefing, Lancing parkrun that was just starting and Hove prom parkrun that was just timing the 30+ minutes runners.........we didn't stop! My eldest daughter was to appear at The Brighton Museum to show her chosen poem on a 'wall of fame' and.....to do a reading in front of an audience of family and friends. Good for her, she read it well but like all of the other readers we heard very little of the poems due to poor acoustics, babies crying and the definite lack of some sort of amplification. Saying that, the museum was excellent and Wagamamas was a real treat and a change from coffee and cake post-run! 
Next week we hope to be back as the week's holiday had me walking and dare I say, shuffling, albeit for just a few minutes along the promenade between Shanklin and Sandown. Incidentally, this would make an excellent flat & fast parkrun venue but then again, there are steep drops on the right down to the beach below, for most of the out leg to Sandown pier and same again on the left back to Shanklin! So for health & safety, it's a no, and there are lots of quick bikers exercising or perhaps late for work........all this at 8:30 when we shuffled and many early tourist just strolling before their breakfasts, oh, and dog-walkers, both off the lead and on rather dangerously long, trippy ones! So........next week. We both hope to be back, health willing to walk & run or just walk. with memories of a superb stay in Shanklin with wonderful weather and views that turned the Solent into the Caribbean without the stressful long-haul flights! Sunday, 
I know it's not parkrun day, but it is close enough to put a little news about the Fun-Run league outing to Henfield for the 4 mile "7 styles Hike" . Lesley took part and although finishing last of her run club she was by no means last in this local fun event! Apparently it was neither 4 miles nor were there 7 styles, but in the past there used to be 7 but that has been whittled down, probably by farmers to none! I did my job as kit minder, 'official' club photographer and cheering in the tail, including Lesley! Sunday afternoon was to be the club-social barbecue on Goring Gap field, so, we will see how that goes and what the weather does!
Following a couple of weeks off parkrun, due to a holiday & family day out, and now Worthing parkrun is cancelled due to the annual Lions festival with a fun-fair on the prom and fireworks on the pier! Never us to give up an opportunity of a 'tourist' trip 15 minutes along the coast to Littlehampton where we have both done around 8 parkruns! We park a little distance away (free) to give us the walk in time to warm up and take in this beautiful summer morning. 
White-horses on the sea and kite surfers doing their thing indicates the wind is pretty strong and coming from the west. This, of course, means a 'quick' out and slow back followed by a 'quick' out and a slow back again! I wasn't feeling too bad today and was determined to shuffle as much as I could and get a half decent time! Obviously, with an adjacent cancellation, a fair few parkrunners were milling around on the prom and a large proportion were 1st timers , either from Worthing or, as Littlehampton is a holiday destination, they must have been 'tourists '. We started a little after 9am as the briefing went on a bit with milestones, birthdays and locations. I edged closer to the RD as we were drowned out by 2 enthusiastic dogs that must have grown impatient with the tardy start! Knowing my place, I went back to the last line of starters and on the 3-2-1 off squeezed through the narrow start that seemed to take an age today. So, with the wind I jogged for 30, walked for 30 and gradually got up to jogging for 60 and walking for 30! Wow me! Inevitably, the turn-around point, just beyond our later breakfast stop, came too soon and the wind was awful......much the same as it has been for days now! Is it me, or am I just not very streamlined to cope with head-on wind & incoming 30mph gusts? I soon dropped to 30 walk x 30shuffle and managed 3 legs now of running past a girl, her catching me up on my walks, me running past her catching.........etc. On the homeward leg we chatted, I apologised for going past and then dropping back, remembering how annoying I had found these walk-runners, before I ran the whole way! Lesley seemed to have finished in a reasonable time and was heading back to give me some well needed encouragement. I put on a little spurt but conceded my place to the young lady I shared most of the way with. She was chuffed to monkeys to finish and it transpired to be her very first parkrun.....ever! Just over 42 minutes, 3449& 350th and still 14 pepes behind us in a very sunny but gusty day. The Beach cafe was breakfast stop and outdoors on the beach patio for some weight-increasing sausage bap! Should be back to Worthing next week, if the fun-fair has cleared.
Well, the funfair was still there but the stalls were no where to be seen probably as the weather forecast was abysmal with Storm Antoni already reeking havoc for anyone on holiday, perhaps with children and a tent! Wasn't a lot better for us Worthing parkrunners as looking out the bedroom window at 6:45 it was dark, blowy and just started wet-ing.Never mind, cup of tea, look at the weather app & then the choice of attire decided on, with our Wendover Woods parkrun orange T's as they are lightweight and easily dried. We arrived to a fairly scant crowd but very soon, and almost at the start gathering, hundreds appeared out of the drizzle. A buffeting westerly wind was a definite but the clouds sort off lifted to give us a dry briefing and a dry start. 
Worthing striders all appeared and gave their stories of getting out of bed but it was nice to see so many of them. Claire & Chris our medical practice pair, tall thin guy who runs the same times as me (faster now) with a '200 yellow sash' Bearded Runner, Alison prom, New knees lady, Maurice, Evert from Run Academy, Cricketing-Chris from Ferring without his retired dog, Lesley walker, Malcolm the same name etc. etc. Quick loo stop and Lesley inspected the fun-fair paddling pool that I suspect would not be full of children today but being left out overnight, may have attracted late night revellers! The rain stopped but the wind didn't as we set off. I kept in touch with our tail-end crowd until I removed my waterproof top just after the pier first time round. My top took off in the westerly and landed about 50m back where a kind runner jumped on it and delivered it back to me.......thanks. I never regained the lost minute and with my walk and run strategy I decided on kept me on course for a reasonable post chemo time. The about turn did not bring the headwind relief that I was hoping for as it came in gusts from a more southerly direction, off the sea! However, I picked up a bit of pace by doing longer run periods and shorter walks. The pier and Claire in view I picked up the final stretch pace but opted to not run past Claire as Chris, her hubby, had returned to give her the last 500m boost encouragement! This consisted mainly of......he is behind you, don't let him beat you...etc. The rain had just started as I approached the green and took my token to the, huddling under cover, amazing token volunteers! Just over 40 minutes recorded as we sat in Coast lookout for scrambled egg on toast with cricket Chris and his wife who met him after shopping. Just 2 weeks maximum of possible parkruns before my big-op later on this month!
Would you believe it? All planned for a Lancing Beach parkrun and.............COVID!! Yes the dreaded word has returned to our family at, as what could be described, a less than fortuitous time with holidays, day-trips, tradesmen visits and of course, my imminent operation creeping up! It's never a good time but firstly our Grandaughter, then son-in-law and now Lesley, all going down with the lurgy following positive test results. It's Monday and all bar Lesley are almost over the worst. 
So, creeping around the house, both with masks, sharing separate rooms and beds, isolating in the garden room, wiping down surfaces, handles etc. Me, doing the meals.........badly, and at the same time, trying to avoid the Covid as the NHS has moved at a rapid pace to set up this onerous operation which is just a week away now (from this jotting!!) I am keeping all things crossed that I can avoid it but Covid has a nasty habit of passing from close person to person with usually a few days between. It was just 4 days ago that we both felt fine and ran with the Striders running club (when I say 'with' they were all meeting up at Swanbourne Lake in Arundel but went off in groups to do their medium or long hilly run-things, as we simply circumnavigated the undulating lake path, 3 times........on our own!). Oh-Well let's see if we are both well enough for my last parkrun before the op, next Saturday at Worthing.
If planned op is on time it is just 2 days away so let's make the most of my last parkrun shuffle for a while. The weather has been kind and the body is fine albeit a little lacking in pace....to say the least! With about 500 others we will all have to set off in to a headwind.......just for a change! parkrun ED Dave has wished me well and it is a little emotional as I know it is a major op and strangely, I feel pretty normal at least bodily! 
After chats and briefing it's off along the pebbles and onto the prom for a 'heavy-legged' start. Heavy legs? It's the after effects of chemo I believe and doesn't help trying to find my 34" 'pace' before all of this! Never mind, it is sunny and I feel pretty good at keeping my feet shuffling along albeit scuffing the tarmac every now and then. The wind is, as usual, from the west and quite gusty. As mentioned before, I am not very aerodynamic or something, and seem to be suffering on the outward leg, but what I loose in speed I have gained in shrewd thinking and soon pick up on a girl, just about at my pace, pushing a buggy with child. An excellent 'windbreak' that I utilise until the turn-a-round but keeping a distance, quietly behind so she doesn't suspect a running stalker! After the turn-a-round the wind is behind me (us) and she flies off into the distance, wind assisted. I keep my shuffle up all of the way with Lesley a couple of 100 yards behind.........still has her 'covid-over' body so doing very well considering. I finish at around 39 minutes, not very quick but.....finished with a little sprint after running through a refreshing shower of rain for the last few minutes..............where did that come from? It's meet up time with fellow parkrunners and my daughter Jo & hubby Derek for a Coast coffee and natter before a nice prom walk with Jo back to our car, parked near the Canada Flag. Hope to be back keeping up some sort of continuation of my 'blog' by supporting parkrun and eventually volunteering and then..........
So, no parkrun week for me as I was in hospital but I did manage to read the excellent report as well as later, listen to Lesley's account of her shuffle, this week on her own………well, not quite as she was one of over 500 others! It seems that the bank holiday fair was back leaving little room to run along the prom again. 
It appeared from Lesley and the report writer that the first 250 came back completely in the dry and all others got drenched to the skin! She said it was the worst rain she could remember having run a parkrun in and even after a coffee she was still going to be getting wet taking the 20 minutes stroll back to the car, parked at Canada Flag. Luck was on her side as the 700 bus was about to depart and banging on the window halted it's departure (doesn't usually work so best not to try it) with a kind lady driver asking how the run went and if she had known she would have bought a towel for her. So 10 minutes later it stopped near her car and she returned back home to shower and chill out. Sounded fun though, but perhaps slightly glad I was a no-show. Next week I hope to be at home, all being well with my healing body, to volunteer at Worthing Strider's organised take-over of volunteering roles, that they try to organise at least once per year and helps quickly fill the volunteer roster.
I am out of hospital after a remarkably shorts stay for such major op. Body feels OK but a bit bit like I have been in a tough fight with a hard punching world champ heavyweight. Listening to an explanation of the 11 hour ordeal, I think its pretty similar! 
Enough about me as it is parkrun day and I am up for it, strictly as a sit-down volunteer at the final turn. Worthing Striders are out in force covering most of the volunteer roles with a good mention to the 540 starters at Mike's briefing, hopefully to encourage more members now that their base move to Angmering is just a couple of days away. I set up my marshalling post after seeing the crowd off and really appreciating lots of best wishes from parkrunners that know of my situation......thanks! Being at the finish turn, 16 minutes to the first runner soon passes and once again at least the first 50 or so are just focussed on flat-out, some seem to be getting annoyed at members of the public that quite rightly are passing their Saturday morning much more quietly and have every right to wander over the prom....willy-nilly! I don't know how you ever get it over to the 'elite' as it is in our parkrun ethos and mentioned every week at every parkrun briefing...........other users have right of way! Most out for a stroll are interested and move aside and even cheer on the runners. 
But children, hard of hearing, the less able etc. sometimes don't expect a herd of fast moving runners so early in the morning. The rest of the parkrun crowd seem to have much more of the right attitude, thanking volunteers and generally being more cheerful and upbeat to be out and about with greets and chats along the way. and social catchups at the end. Lesley, being part of the Worthing Striders sat out and volunteered too. I am trying to do my 3 +km walk each day either early morning or late evening, making use of my walking poles to give a more 'all-over' workout. I hope the paracetamol keeps me going through the week and look forward to my next volunteer session.
parkrun Worthing is cancelled this week as there is an annual event taking place on the green and prom for all things kite surf and boarding. It is a very hot day with close on 30C expected and 24C already at 8am and with a 'mill-pond' sea and absolutely no breeze it is everything the kite surfing event didn't want! 
Dosed up and breakfast done it will be a slightly longer drive to Lancing Green today where I just intend to support the 300 + including Lesley who doesn't really like the heat and promises to take it very easy. Good start, loos have not been opened so she does her warm-up down to the sailing club loos and arrives back in time for the briefing and to watch the Green loos be opened, just a tadge too late for most of the burgeoning crowd, obviously boosted this week by the Worthing closure. As expected, plenty of our usual runners to chat with and just a couple of 'Striders' as a large group went camping in the New Forest today, ready for the New Forest Marathon, half, 10k and 5k that will be taking place on Sunday..........bit warm expected! Lancing is not too dissimilar to Worthing, coastal tarmac path, out & back but with the added grass section at the beginning that tends to be a bit rutted from events held on the green and the shared path is pretty narrow and used by cyclists etc. The first guy is back in 16:38, pretty good going ( or silly) in this heat. 
Lesley has played the sensible card (no pun intended) and comes back with a Worthing group in just over 40 minutes following a walking spell she said.We skip the coffee in the Perch as it is packed and is not our favourite venue especially as they didn't want people to use their toilets even though a large proportion go back after the run for brekky! Back home and wait for my daughters to come round to visit 'poorly' Dad with ice creams all round. Not parkrun, but I will just recall my eldest daughters story mid-week when she has recently taken to sea-swimming and as it was a warm balmy evening hubby and grandchild joined her. Several months ago she had some sentimental trinkets and, at a fair cost, turned them into a designer ring..........Well, finger met cold water, ring disappeared into the depths of the pebble beach. Visibility in the water was zilch and despite diving and searching, the waves had soon sucked up the ring. 2 days of fruitless beach searching and she asked for help on facebook for a local metal detector. A kind lady volunteered and they met on the beach in the evening with said detector and torches. The long and short of it..........she, the detectorist, found it deep under pebbles!! She didn't want paying but if you want to leave a donation to St Barnabas Hospice.......Daughter was overjoyed! and left a very suitable donation.Well done her!
We have volunteered for this week at Worthing, me because I am well, bit crocked, and Lesley because she is running the.......Run down Cancer 5km from the Fox pub, up into the woods and back on Sunday morning. It seems that today may be the last warm day for a while as storms could be on their way tomorrow.Just in time for the run? I take up my marshalling position at the Lido, just beyond the pier and Lesley wears the parkwalker vest in the hope of picking up a few walkers in need of encouragement. 
At 9am it is pretty warm, around 24C with just the hint of a sea breeze.as around 500 take off to the west and the leaders pass me in just a few minutes. So, it's clapping and cheering-on 500 on the way out and probably 500 on the way back. A few gaps do give me an opportunity to sit down and rest briefly but with quite a few 'members of the public' out on the prom, I need to hover around in my high-vis. All the usuals are out today running with quite a few Worthing Striders who incidentally I have now joined!! Not, to run quite yet but act a bag man and photographer. We spoke with Maurice, who is a bit grog this week and he too is volunteering as he has a nasty pulled muscle. I wait until the final parkrunner ( walker) goes back through with the tailwalker volunteer and drift back with them to the finish area. Once again it is Dave bringing up the rear and he has to stop 3 times before the end to catch his breath, he is not looking good today and way-over 60 minutes but he does finish....just. A little light drink at Coast and back home for me to take it easy in the garden room while Lesley enjoys her self doing some therapeutic cutting and trimming garden chores. Most of the Buddleia and some of the straggling roses have helped to fill our green bin to the brim! Another early start tomorrow with me volunteering my feeble body. Rumour has it, I am issuing medals!
It's nearing the end of September and this week has bought out all of nature in it's glory with thunderstorms, deluges and sunshine in equal amounts. Saturday morning is delightful, blue skies and sunshine expected for most of the day. 
Being late September the last few days has a chilly feel first thing and a distinct difference in the feel of being in sunlight and shade. No choice of attire this morning as for us the shorts and T-shirts are covered up, especially for me as I have volunteered to do the timekeepers role today. Lesley is going to run and I am going to give her a good time......not really! I have done the role a few times before, only difference is I will take a chair as over an hour on my feet seems to give the body jip. My compatriot, Billy( parkrun has 2 timekeepers just in case ) and I meet up at the start point on the prom after the usual greetings, briefings and touch our screens to start our times on the 3-2-1 countdown. The App makes life a lot easier than when we used stopwatches at our old Wendover Woods parkrun. Stopwatches were liable to start on their own by just knocking them on the way up to the start. Panic then sets in to remember how to reset them! The only thing that can go wrong is to touch the screen by mistake, turn the phone off or forget to charge it! Apparently one of our team said that the timekeeper was no where to be seen at the start as they thought the finish line was where they started!! 500 hundred runners missing was surely a clue! Do your homework and ask otherwise it is quite a satisfying task albeit a bit intensive and can be horrible in rough weather especially rain and cold. Today was great. Our numbers both tallied with almost 500 and we went wrong only a couple of times when groups came over together and Billy missed the runner that tripped over a bollard and rolled through the finish line and I confused one runner that pulled out then came back again! Results came out pretty early so there can't have been any issues. I think it will be volunteering for quite a time, still it's taking part that counts, but I do miss it!
The last day of September, it's the 'Striders' away day at Littlehampton parkrun. The weather is glorious with a high-pressure bringing warmth from Spain & France. 
I am getting a little closer to doing the parkrun walk but it's just over 5 weeks since op and I feel haven't the stamina just yet although I have done a couple of 5k and 7k walks, over the week, with our close Rambler friends. However these walks had several stops on the way. The Striders club is assembling a nice crowd with quite a few 'joiners' since the split within the ranks! We even had one of the 'splitters' join us for a photoshoot, good to see no loss of friendship. It was going to be an Arunners club day as this week they lost one of their active members to cancer, nice words from their team and a good turn out of purple today. With perfect conditions, gentle breeze, blue skies and a cool temperature, quite a few PB's were expected, but Mike, one of the Striders came in 2nd place, ridiculously quick with another strider not far behind him. I just supported today as they had plenty of marshals and a good turn out of 'pacers' from 20 minutes right through to 35 minutes. Lesley kept up with the 34 girl but slowed to the 35 guy before dropping slightly behind him in the latter stages. 
Good run though and good photos and a very sociable breakfast at the Beach Cafe where we all sat outside, nattered and watched the organised sea-sports wishing we had bought our togs. Ah well, perhaps next time! It looks like a full week ahead with covid and flue jabs booked......wonderful!
Another mild October Saturday and although I thought that it would be good to walk parkrun this week, the team needed a few additional volunteers and how could we refuse! That was my excuse, and so both of us did the start cordon-off tape followed by bar code scanners, a role I hadn't done since the old style scanners at Wendover Woods. The smart phone and app does it all making life easier as it seems to detect the 'my bar code" and "our token" with ease, regardless of whether their code is on a piece of paper, plastic token, band, phone or smart watch! It's magic! 
Several of the 'faster' Worthing Striders have moved to the front of the start in an effort to beat their PB's, as the wind speed and direction are near perfect today. This is despite them all running at Great Walstead school in the Sussex Fun-Run League, tomorrow morning! Once again, in excess of 500 we scanned before heading off for coffee. Coast has a real problem for us now as the wait for drinks etc. is getting longer and longer with 20 minutes being the 'norm', despite being barely any queue.So today's discussion, over a very tardy coffee, was the need to find another post-parkrun venue. It would be a shame but too few staff and too few coffee makers gets pretty annoying when all you need is some caffeine and a chat. Perhaps next week, all being well with my body, I will go for a parkwalk, hopefully in under the hour!
Under the hour was the target and 48:32 was achieved! Slight trepidation this morning, no, not the weather as last nights storm with 50mph winds and buckets of rain had disappeared leaving a stunning, cold but sunny morning. No, the Weetabix hadn't settled and my Fitbit showed well over 110 BPM......just sitting in the car, in the carpark. There was still half-hour to go and by the time of the start I was pretty well back in control and ready for my first parkrun (walk) for a couple of months. The only sign of last nights gales was pebbles over the prom at the start area. I bade Lesley 'good run' as I started at the rear, close to the parkwalker volunteer, but soon realised I would leave them behind as my pace was quicker! 
At the pier I caught site of other fellow 'walkers' that must have started at the front or.....cheated! Whatever, I didn't manage to make up any ground on most of them and I was comfortable with my pace, 7 weeks or so, on from my op.It really was a perfect chilly and bright morning, the fleece was soon off and the hat donned to keep out the sun from my eyes. I respectfully thanked the volunteers en-route as I rounded the out & back turnaround to face the view of the sea, Brighton and the Seven Sisters with their chalky cliffs standing out in the distance. Once I approached the pier I could see Lesley, running back after finishing, to see how I was coping.........coping fine, no fatigue yet just thighs a bit sore and operation site a dull ache.....nothing new there then! Apres-run coffee was not good again.....checking Coast cafe it was as the last few weeks, not full but a big queue, one serving and only one making coffee. Off to the newish pizza place just down the prom........doors open, one staff member........sorry we don't open until 11am! 500 pepes every Saturday, a cafe that has gone down hill.( in our opinion) .......and you don't open. "we don't get enough customers" It's a chicken & egg situation. Tell people you are here, encourage them in as it is great indoors and outside.....blah blah! So, back to Splashpoint where they make nice coffee but not very nice ambience and no seating due to tables taken up by people watching the swimming pool or a table with a sign on "Very Wobbly table, Do Not Use".............fix it then! We did eventually find a non-wobbly table and sat with the parkrun team who were sorting the results before publishing them.Tomorrow we have booked the train to Portsmouth to see (not run this year) the Great South Run. Both the Worthing Striders and Lesley's old Aylesbury club, On the Run, will be entering quite a few of their team, I suspect and it will be nice to catch up with them.
Perfect weather day for the Great South last Sunday and a nice catch up with the old and new running clubs. This leads nicely to a less than perfect weather forecast for parkrun, in what has been a bad weather week for most of the country, especially Scotland ! We leave home in the rain, wondering just why we are doing this, we haven't paid to enter, we aren't volunteering so would not be letting anyone down, our mates are in Sweden.......anyway, off we go! 
Sitting in the car at the carpark, the rain beats down but a few brave peeps start to arrive including a large crowd of bedraggled looking Worthing Academy run club, doing a 'take-over' volunteering session this week. The heavy shower subsides as we walk towards the start. Quite a few have taken up the leeward side of the shelter adjacent to the start. It's the usual 'bravado v silly' chat and our parkrun friends, Claire and Chris discuss their tourist run last week in a South London Park with 750 others boosted by it being Kenya day, complete with a selection of food at the end! Overcast but dry and very windy, I started from the beach and watched Lesley ease her way into the pack of about 400, before I got into my walking stride. At the pier, still in the dry spell, I realised I was the same striding pace as a Lady beside me. We got into a conversation (not easy if I run) and it turned out to be her 1st at Worthing but 251 overall after having moved down from Reading. Flatter course and no grass she said, with the exception of the turn-in to the funnel at Worthing, I added! We both compared our tourist runs, local runs and of course, the parkrun ethos and friendliness that she found essential after moving and knowing practically know-one! We finished in around 48 minutes, windswept but just about dry when an unwelcome heavy shower started as I was having my barcodes read. Quick dash for Coast cafe where we chatted with a couple from Brighton and waited, the now mandatory, 20 minutes for 2 x Coffees! I won't rant again, but come-on Coast, I am losing the will to live!!!
A week of almost constant rain and parkrun day today is no exception. It's an away-day for the run club and us too. It's also promises to be a 'family' day as the parkrun at Hove Park is close to son Robert and his partner, Janine. As the rain tips down and we drive through puddles the size of small lakes we have serious doubts the event will be on and serious doubts family will venture out from their warm and dry sheets! I shouldn't have doubted. The event went ahead, Rob & Janine appeared and 14 of the run club enthusiastically started and finished. I was in walk mode. That pleased Rob who was dressed in his bright yellow rain-coat griping about a bad knee picked up during a tennis match earlier this week. Grumpy and quite prepared not to continue, he started along with an understandably, depleted crowd. However, he grew into it, like me, ignoring the constant deluges. He chirped up even when he realised there was still another wet lap to do and most runners were finishing! Janine was doing a run-walk and soon disappeared out of view. Rob was convinced she had got her 'pacing' wrong and we would overhaul her before the end. 
However, after the run, during coffee and snack, she revealed this was her 5th parkrun, the first being in 2011!.....an old hand? We finished last in 49 minutes, just in front of the tailwalkers but by default, as they were nowhere to be seen behind for almost all of the way and sprinted up behind us a few yards from the funnel as they owned up to the group they were tailing DNF as they dropped out! The 49 minutes completed, we retired to the wonderfully popular park-cafe for sustenance and importantly, post parkrun jests & chats! It was almost a Worthing Strider, cafe takeover. I am not sure we will see Rob & Janine again soon but perhaps better weather? Who knows?
No, the weather has not improved for parkrun Saturday as we get 'pinged' to say, one-by-one that all along the seafront from Lancing to Bognor including our intended Worthing, have been cancelled. The forecast was not good with 100% chance of heavy rain coupled with 40mph wind was not worth the risk from debris endangering the set-up teams and expected parkrunners. 
We both had a good walk yesterday with 4 of our 'rambler' friends...........however, they dropped out which just left us to enjoy a day of sunshine and just the one shower while we were at the Trig point of Highdown Hill. This was an 8+km walk with hills as the first part of my hill-recovery test as although I manage a good distance along the flat, hills are less easy. It went very vell with the number 9 bus there and back from Angmering and a stop in the Spotted Cow for lunch.....or for me, a soup starter and a share of a huge rhubarb crumble for afters, just a nibble at a couple of Lesley's chips for 'main.' Evening time was fireworks, music and stalls at the rugby club so all in all, an active day. A Saturday lie-in, seems strange but a restful break before Ramblers AGM....whoopee!
A much better Saturday morning as we arrive in splendid sunshine.........for change! We seem to have a series of Atlantic lows with named storms and floods and high winds with just occasionally a day of rest-bite a sort of eye of the storm day. 
We had decided on the No.10 bus today with a short warm up from town for my walk and Lesley's run. Quite a few 'Striders' were running today and the usual parkrun friends to engage in the pre-run-chatter. I chatted with Malcolm 2 and a , new to me, Malcolm 3......as far as we knew but could there be more Malcolms? He is a few years younger version of Malcolms 1 & 2 but had just come back from his second dose of Covid so not expecting a good time! Claire and Chris, like us, had a duvet day last week due to the all the coast cancellations and were looking forward to a sunny and almost windless run. It's always interesting to listen to the briefing and see where the 'tourists' have travelled from and as often happens there is someone from the other side of the world..........Wellington NZ! Their early summer and our early winter. I set off for my walk and soon got into a fast-ish pace for me, just behind John. John is of a certain stature......pretty large may I say, mid 50's, heavily strapped knees, dressed in orange parkrun attire and always shorts, despite what the weather may throw at us. He manages to do the Worthing 10k at a pretty steady walking pace the same pace he uses for parkrun and today I was walking just behind him! He is pretty well known and gets lots of 'greets' of encouragement from passing runners. 
Although Fitbit tells me later I was pretty even paced, John seems to have spurts and a little flagging sessions as we seem to be pretty even today but never close enough to talk. This changes at the 'about turn' as I pass him by with a brief greeting, seemingly staying 50 metres ahead all the way to the finish. Me coming in, in a pleasing, just over 45 minutes and finishing 524th despite having a token that said 518..........hey ho! Coast was pretty empty, beach seats and inside but still the coffee was ridiculously slow! It does seem that parkrunners have found other venues. This coming week was to be my follow up at my surgeon's and team request. All went pretty well but the body has some aches and pains that are making fitness goals more difficult..........it's only just 12 weeks from the op......so mustn't grumble or force it they agreed. Back to parkrun and we now have Lancing coming up this week as Horsham is having some issues with the town green venue that is run almost all on grass and is therefore being put back by the Striders a few weeks to when it moves to the more solid (and enjoyable) tracks of Southwater Park with its around the lake twice, up a couple of shorts hills and along the Downslink former railway line.Lesley has her Brighton 10k next Sunday following Lancing parkrun which she intends to walk with me to save herself for the biggy! Must try to get back to body fit by then.
Horsham cancelled as a Striders event and moved to Lancing but for a couple of reasons we chickened out! Theb weather was atrocious and it was Lesley's 10k on Sunday at Brighton and we had already done our 5k around the track on Friday.........so don't overdo it! My back is still a bit jip but have managed some good walks this week. Holiday coming up where we hope to do a 'tourist' trail near by.
It's a long weekend in Kent and the weather looks OK-ish for visiting family and some site-seeing and of course...........a local parkrun! Lesley has chosen Pegwell Bay as, not the closest to our 'Old Stables' accommodation, but looked interesting as it was beside the sea, in a country park, a bird sanctuary, flat and mostly on trails, free parking near by and a nice cafe to meet afterwards. What could be better? it was a cold frosty and bright start as we scraped the windscreen, set the sat-nav and drove the couple of miles of single track roads to the A2 where a further 30 minutes bought us to the Viking Ship carpark. 
Just a 10 minute shuffle to join a nice crowd that meet every week besides the toilets! The funnel finish and start sign were already out as we joined the Saturday throng chatting with locals and some from further afield.They even had hooks to safely hang up bags and coats and what looked like flasks for drinks immediately after the run. Lesley set off at her 'blistering' pace and I fell in with the latter, walkers and shufflers and tail and parkwalkers. As usually happens, you find someone at a similar pace that you have a convivial chat with, finding out that she has done lots of big events, cross country running and parkruns all over the country, wherever hubby drives his lorry to and she can accompany and they can stay and they have a nearby accessible parkrun. She is now coming back from injury and can only speed walk or just a short shuffle............just like me! The course is basically 2 laps of the costal way country park following trails and through kissing gates, held open by the kissing-volunteers. There are a series of bollards, marshalled by the dedicated volunteer who shouts "bollards" at everyone.........nice! The view of the cliffs and Pegwell Bay were stunning and looking deeper at the history of the place......the UK to France hover-service operated from 1969 to 1982 carrying people and cars in a short, 35 minute journey.....and going back a little further, Romans were believed to have landed there in 54BC to conquer Britain!
A stunning, frosty day greeted us back to our 'home' of Worthing parkrun. Ice had formed on the prom, cancelling Littlehampton but it was deemed ok at Worthing and in hindsight, correct decision as someone had managed the course in just over 15 minutes despite 'slow down' warnings from Mike the RD for the day.Talking of Mike, someone had spilled the beans that I was a couple of days from my 75th ( moving up an age grade) and now 400 plus knew due to his loud-haler announcement! Still, lots wished me happy birthday at the start and passing me on their way back. Felt encouraging, really good and friendly........that's parkrun. 
Today we were running to up the profile of 'Heads On' club that we have been with since my op. It's an NHS sponsored group that in Worthing operate as a run/walk/meet back to health, located at the superb outdoor running track at Worthing Leisure. For the last 9 weeks they have been running the Couch to 5K and today was the culmination of effort put in and quite a few mauve T-shirts were on show.........albeit over the top of considerable layers of thermals! I walked and shuffled today keeping up, most of the way, with 'the two ladies' that do likewise. Nattering as you do, one of 'the ladies' is off next week to do a parkrun tourist must, the 'Z' in The Hague. Not on her own but with a small group of friends. It's a strange thing parkrun that people travel will the country (and world) just to visit a run beginning with a particular alphabet beginning! Most of these pepes are off on a holiday or short break and look to see if there is a local event, some plan the trip around the event and some we have met have travelled hundreds of miles just to do the parkrun and head straight back! Takes all sorts.
It's disappointment day as we set off for me to volunteer and Lesley to run. Now in the 75-79 category I decided to have a break and give the 75+'s a chance. It has been a mid December party week and a few nights going to bed have been much later than we are 'used' to. Friday was no exception as it was a 60 birthday party in Worthing.
I set my alarm and pretended the weather forecast would be completely wrong. Weetabix and banana sustenance with rain beating on our front window. I suitably dressed in layers of waterproofs and Lesley had her new waterproof white jacket. I don't know if others take the word 'waterproof' with a pinch of salt as what ever we wear it is water resistant at the best! 40mph gusts, puddles like small lakes and torrential rain greeted us as we parked up close to the start. Lesley sat in the car as I walked across the grass (lake) towards the huddled mass (about 6 so far) of volunteers. Mike (RD) greeted me with that cross armed sign that means "it's off". Some brave soul had course-checked and said it was too dangerous. The bin-men, always around the prom at 8:30, had abandoned their bin-emptying and debris was hurtling across the beach and prom! Very apologetic to cancel at the last minute, especially, Maurice said, it was to be his last of the year as he is having his 'other' knee replaced next week! No running for weeks! A large group of runners had already turned up at the meeting point, said they were soaked running down so they might as well do their own private parkrun and promised to be 'careful out there'. News had spread via email and facebook to Lesley who had taken shelter in Pete & Barbara's car......and I returned & joined them for a natter. Oh well! Pete said, we will do our morning shop and see you at Striders training Tuesday night! We drove through rain, darkness & gloom back home fo a breakfast brunch and vowed to go out for an afternoon walk.........if the rain stopped as Sunday is full up with a Ramblers Christmas Lunch by the river in Littlehampton. This one-day-fine and one-day awful seems to hit parkrun more often.
0% chance of rain today but a cloudy sky and reasonably warm, for mid-December, helped us make our decisions in which parkrun clothes and cover-ups we would need today. I was down on the volunteers roster to do 'parkwalker' and I chose warmish leggings a warmish fleece and a water proof top.....just incase. It was to be the 700 bus today to arrive about 8:20 and following a quick breakfast we left the house for the short walk down to the bus stop. 
Drizzle greeted us and stayed with us for the whole day!! How wrong can the forecast be with all of the computer model-ers and human expertise? The rain had not dampened the enthusiasm albeit it didn't show in our faces as we posed for our 'family' selfie. I donned the parkwalker blue high-vis and started at the rear while Lesley trotted nearer the front. I soon picked up a few walkers and picked on one solo lady that seemed to need some encouragement from the jolly tailwalker as she seemed in some discomfort.......from the look on her face! I soon realised that by the 'Canada Flag' that she didn't appreciate me so I rounded the about turn and picked-on someone else. The lady was dressed for running but was distinctly struggling. I stayed with her until her husband returned from finishing his run, near to the pier. Her story, was heartbreaking, to say the least. Just briefly, she mentioned she was on 'chemo' therefore a bit weak today. A holiday 'hiccup' whilst in Europe recently, visiting family, had led to an A&E visit, a scan and cancer diagnosis. A lady much younger than me with lots of runs and parkruns under her belt. Life can be so unpredictable and sometimes very cruel. I wished her well as she picked up the pace to a slow run, with her husband's encouragement. We finished off with a Coast coffee and chat with our parkrun friends.
It's the Saturday before Christmas, a time of cheer and a double helping of parkruns with just a day in between. Unlike a few others we decided against the Christmas uniform of Santa hat and jumper, leaving it for the big-day! 
We bussed in and shuffled down to the start deciding to run together as Lesley had a slight pull and I was still in my fast walk-shuffle mode! We suspected it would be a busy day with the weather being OK, tourist down visiting and pepes wanting to put a pre Christmas run in.............but, 639 finishers was some busy prom! We both greeted our parkrun friends, chatted about their whereabouts for Christmas and set off amongst the crowd. A steady walk and shuffle saw us to the turn around with only a slight headwind and the more pleasing tail-breeze behind us. Considering our ailments we both put in a respectable 43+. Very wisely we both took our small running back-packs that could store our pack-away coats, ready to put on as it soon cools down.......even after our run!
Christmas day and no problem leaving our presents unopened, sparkly drink still in its bottle and the cosy bed nice and warm! It's off to parkrun Worthing! No public transport so it's a drive to the car park slots near the Canada Flag to give us a nice warm-up, a nice loo-stop in the only open toilet just before the pier. This could be a problem for the crowds. 
Already the Christmas attire was coming into view and we had our hats, jumpers and striped stocking on, borrowed from our elves uniform, to add to the red mass gathering. Pete appeared in his usual white waterproof but wrapped in a sparkling, some may say tacky, display of Christmas flashing lights and hat. Barbara opted for volunteer today and several 'first timers' asked us for instructions ........what a day to do your 1st! It was nice to see so many of the Striders Running Club and Tracey brought her wheelchair bound friend along to bravely push her with quite a head wind and a threat of rain before the finish! Several group photos and it was obvious this would be a big turn-out of those also wishing to leave their prezzies 'till later! We split up today as Lesley felt OK and I was just capable of a shuffle. 
Before the turn I greeted Tracey (with wheelchair) Pete, Lesley and Colin and at the turn point the drizzle start. Slowly at first then by the pier it was quite heavy. Lesley came back to cheer me on in 43.03 after her speedier 37 minute finish, just behind Pete who decided to put in a fast finish after running with Lesley all the way.........don't you just hate that? After a brief, wet gathering, a thank you to the volunteers and a no coffee at Coast, as it's Christmas day and nothing is open, Pete kindly asked if we would like a lift back to the car, some 2km away, west and therefore through a howling wind and horizontal sea-rain! So without hesitation, gratefully accepted, getting us back to the car & home by almost 10am!
It's the last parkrun of 2023 and what an up & down year it has been. Weather for parkrun has been generally good until the Autumn and Winter started and since then we have had quite a mixed bunch of Saturdays! It has not been cold but wind and rain have given us all a good soaking with even a cancellation due to extreme weather on the prom! The only other cancellations have been for the funfair on the prom and for the annual windsurfing championship, using the prom and finish green. Health issues, chemotherapy and a full-on operation meant missing a 'few' in July and August when I stepped up getting my mauve T-shirt out and doing various volunteering roles before park-walking, park-shuffling and today, just a little trot to give me a respectable time of 42:07, position 517 and 20+ behind me, that makes a change. We did a few tourist events as well as a few local parkruns, just to make a change. Lesley has been ticking over pretty well, no PB and a few 10kms and fun runs to boot! We managed to get my middle daughter out for the NHS parkrun and my son joined us later in the year to do his first at Hove Park........in the rain of course, good for both of them! Will they be back?? I finally joined Worthing Striders running club, so, instead of just being bag-man and chief photographer, I get to run with them. It hasn't happened yet, just restricting my self to parkrun, supporting and training nights........but I do have the T-shirt! I am still only a few months into a holding & recovery mode and have a scan due and my third surgeon's follow up visit to Guildford.......things to look forward to in the New Year? But I am still here thanks to the NHS & the teams expertise.
