Running Over the Hill

A Healthy 2024 would be nice! 

JANUARY 2024

We have moved into a new year, thankful to put some health issues behind us and looking forward to when the weather turns from, what seems, continuous  named storms, one after the other, sweeping from the South West and engulfing much of the UK. Many have said to us that they don't ever remember so much wind and rain. It could be true or just our memories fading. We long for blue skies, sunshine and crisp frosty mornings to melt away our blues and the coughs and colds that seemed to have upset Christmas ......again!

It's New Year day and although it is not a Saturday we are up with the lark and driving into Worthing to join the brave 465 to run today, who despite hangovers or late nights, have put on smiley faces or were they perhaps, grimaces? The weather is very kind and we are a few hours short of today's predicted heavy rain and the sea is calm enough for the gathering crowd of New Year's day cold water swimmers. With a hint of sunshine and a gentle westerly breeze. we greet our parkrun chums and try to hear some of the briefing before the and set off. Lesley has her wonky leg back again, the same one that went running for a bus, a couple of weeks ago. So today she hobbles along with me. We keep with the walk/run group all of the way & about 44 minutes, some 20 pepes short of the tail walkers who come in at around  1 hour 15 accompanying a nice lady that I spoke with before the start who is a  keen parkrunner but she had broken her leg in September and was still on one pole to assist her walking. She had said she felt 'guilty' for going too slow as it kept the volunteers out in the cold for much too long! Nonsense, and good on her for trying today. There is no Coast cafe open this morning and as we were going straight to the Hangover 5-mile fun run (just to support) we grabbed a coffee from the kiosk on the prom and sat and watched the swimmers 'playing' in the surf as the sun shone nicely. Staying out of the breeze and being just an on-looker, we could think of nothing better today! There were around 26 'Striders' that had made it to the start of the 'Hangover 5-mile', which is not bad for such a small club. Some may have looked a little pasty and probably in need of an aspirin or two and certainly a few more hours sleep, but all ran the challenging course, managing to finish, albeit covered in mud......some from head to toe,  in pretty good times. Well done all and a Happy New Year.

What a start to the day as the sun rises and turns our trees at the end of the garden to gold. We sup our early Tea in bed deciding what to wear in the way of warm gear. It is forecast to be around 5C at 9am, a proper winter morning with just a gentle breeze. Lesley has volunteered today as  'parkwalker' and I decide I am fit to do my now usual, walk 10 and shuffle 20 counts! The 10 bus is on on time and we take our family selfie, 2nd of the year, just to say we are still here and silly enough to get out in the fresh air. Our first fellow parkrunner joins the bus in Tarring and our first natter of the day before joining the set-up team at Splashpoint. I saunter off to the start, exchange a hello with Malcolm to Malcolm, chat with Clare and Chris, & Graham & Colin etc. Pete and Barbara arrive and Lesley takes up her place while we strain to listen to parkrun-Mike doing his briefing before the off. I am soon at the rear of the shufflers, some jog slowly but don't seem to stop, some jog quickly for short bursts, then walk and others like me, walk & jog in equal amounts then after the turn-a-round walk a little less and try to jog a little more. One day I might get back to around 34 minutes and not the 40s as is now. This will mean that I probably have to jog all or most of the way! It's a big crowd today with perhaps a few more 'tourists', a few more New Year resolutions and certainly more because the sun is out and there is very little wind. I finish alongside one of the 'ladies' who leaves her older friend at the pier and puts on a sprint down the last path.......and I, very gentlemanly,  let her go! I wait for Lesley and chat with Graham who is chuffed to have done 34 minutes after a Christmas lay-off. He hopes to break the 30 minutes some time this year he said. Coast is closed for a refurb so we accompany Graham to one of his cafe haunts in the Worthing arcade. I manage a scrambled egg on too much toast and we both listen to Graham gushing about 'old cars' (mainly ones that I used to drive in my youth) and his enthusiasm for the National Motor Museum. This later in the day, prompts us to book a 3 night break in the New Forest in early February and  visit to the aforementioned and.........do a local parkrun before heading back, of-course!

The cold snap has thankfully driven away the wind & rain but has left us with temperatures hovering around zero to +4C. Our parkrun sets off at 9am and we generally leave the house at 8am and this time of year it is still cold and not completely daylight yet. We opt for the 10 bus at just after 8 as it is invariably on-time and are wrapped accordingly for the temperatures now and envisaged for the run.....well, for a couple of 70+'s! It always amazes us that so many still wear shorts but then again I didn't used to feel the cold on my paper round, grocery round and working on building sites. It was not until I traded my job in for a 'softy' role, behind a desk in a warm office or driving in the company car with a nice warm heater. Now, following my recent op-thing I seem to permanently wear a 'Runderwear' under vest, even around our lovely heated house! We greet our fellow parkrunner at a bus-stop half-way to Worthing and I will follow her....at some distance for most of today's run/walk.Our parkrun mates are gathering and shivering on the prom. This only adds to the banter in a very British way.."at least it's not windy, could be snowing"....etc. etc. Well over 600 today and a mass start is slightly chaotic for the first 200 meters. As usual, it soon evens out as the quickies have already sped off towards Canada Flag. Lesley is to run with Nicky, her friend who has not parkrun for a long while due to the dreaded foot, plantar thing. I see them at the turn around and keep them in sight until close to the pier. My shuffle and walk and shuffle and walk for 5km seems to keep me from over-doing the breathing thing and ensures my energy stays for the 40 minutes, or so, duration. I finish with a bit of a 'sprint' but get overhauled by a lady, who is very apologetic, just at the final few meters! I had enough puff to say, "I let you go" and she had enough puff to say, "you can overtake me next time" All part of the fun. Coast is open after a 2 week break but fairs no better in serving up coffees in under 20 minutes! Time for a change as we have given them a lot of time to buy another coffee machine, train another barista or what ever the poor overworked and lack of staff, tell us! 

We are approaching the end (temporary) of the cold spell with a threat of 'tropical' temperatures......but not yet! It is a Worthing Striders 'away-day' and Horsham parkrun, with it's winter home of Southwater, has been set aside. With temperatures of 4C forecast for Worthing and 2C for Southwater we keep an eye out for any announcement from the Horsham team on Facebook. At around 9pm a course inspection had put it in doubt with ice over the course presenting a hazard. At 7:50am......it's off! We had already taken 15 mins off our sleep time to cope with the extra journey and picking up one of the 'Striders' from our rail station. So it's collect Chris at 7:50, break the news to him and drive down to the seafront for a walk along the prom to our regular run at Worthing. A bitterly cold westerly but stunning sunrise greets us which is fine for the 20 minute warm-up walk as the wind is on our backs and the vistas were beautiful .You guessed though, it would be an unpleasant brisk chill for the first 2.3 km of our flat 5km run. All the travelling Striders had dispersed, after the cancellation, to various parts of West Sussex and Surrey, from Littlehampton, Cranleigh and of course, Worthing where  about 10 had gathered including a first timer, Sarah, new to parkrun and new to Striders. She had pre-loaded the barcode and said she hadn't run seriously for a while but does take the dogs for trail runs across the South Downs! No problem for 5km for her then and she finished below 30 minutes! After our pre-run chatter we all went off our separate ways to listen to the briefing and start where we usually start. As usual, I take up my beach start then avoid the kiosk cafe and their strategically placed table and chairs, one or two dogs on shortish leads, faster passing runners, slower walkers and of course bikes and pepes coming the other way! I keep my puffy coat on and my muff up around my mouth and nose as I 'battle' against the chill. It might be the bright sun, the gusty unpredictable wind or just the cold but I have a 'wobbly' head on today. Happens now and again and probably nothing to do with my op as I have had this vertigo thing for quite a few years now. Surprise, surprise, after the turn around I feel much better and let the wind take me to a better walk/run pace. I finish in just over 40 minutes.....again. Seems I have found my new parkrun pace until the wind drops, it gets a little warmer and I get a little fitter. There's too big a queue at Coast so we walk on, with Graham, back to his favourite cafe in Worthing arcade. Brunch waffles ( not Graham I can assure you) with honey and I suffer for it about an hour later at home after we negotiated the same brisk and chilly westerly back to our car, some 20 minutes away. A named storm is coming, over the next few days and is sure to bring rain back to us. Cannot say we have missed it!

Saturday starts early and a -2C chilly, as we scrape the frost off the car in preparation for our slightly longer journey today...........as tourists, to Southwater (Horsham). This is where we should have been last week had it not been cancelled due to ice on the course. Today, no cancellation and there would, thankfully, be no dangerous ice. Today was announced just a surface smidgen and a few slippery slushy bits and of course there would be some hills ! Our good friends had suggested we go 'north' and would join them for the Horsham winter course, that we have all completed a couple of times in the past. The parkrun is in Southwater Park or Dinosaur World, named due to finding the skeleton of  'Iggy' the dinosaur if you are interested? We have also  been here with sprogs and grand-sprogs in the past where adventures await in the playground, the lake or the several acres of undulating woodland always followed up by a trip to the cafe or an ice cream! Today, the large carpark is parkrun marshalled and signed. just off the main road and is has a small charge after 9am. There is a 10 minute walk to the gathering point at the front of the cafe where a course briefing is followed by another 10 minute walk, up the Downslink path to the start which invariably starts after 9am.......due to this warm-up walk. It's a slightly messy gathering as those, like me, have to get to the back wriggling past those that want to start at the front. A 3-2-1 countdown and off on a nice slight decline before an undulating lap of the lovely, earthworks reclaimed, lake formed after Southwater brickworks closed in 1981 and the park was then constructed in 1985. (Here, I can ramble off to memories of my building trade past where we frequently came across Southwater bricks, met with dismay and with trepidation due to their extreme density & load bearing capacity that meant they were near impossible to drill a hole in!) Anyway........the route was then back up the Downslink around the start point and back for another lap of the lake and yet another Downslink out and back before a finish funnel at the cafe that takes you through to the timekeepers and around the back of the cafe for tokens! A fair few had gathered in the cafe but we managed the long queue quite briskly and even found 4 seats to consume 3x rather large bacon baguettes and for me.....a large sausage roll....still no bread attempted by me, yet! So how was our time? I was 40 + and the  others were around the 36-38 minutes, not bad, as it certainly is not a flat Worthing prom and I walked most of the hills as I still have not got my stamina back.Also, I did do 3 timed trial laps of the running track yesterday with the Heads On team and 45 minutes spin in the virtual cinema. After the cafe and as we had some time left on the meter we walked off our breakfasts with a lap of the whole park before the drive back home and a well deserved rest.

FEBRUARY 2024

A busy weekend will follow a busy week where a day trip to London, an evening 5km street-run, a track circuit trot, a CT scan and then a virtual spin class preceded the Saturday Worthing parkrun! I seem to be picking up on the fitness, all the time I feel good......ish! The weather is near perfect with a calm sea, clear sky and temperatures that soon tell us we have overdressed. We soon pack our warm Pak-away coats into our mini rucksacks while we chat to fellow 'Striders' and parkrun buddies. Lesley is walk-running with me and we hope to break me into the under 40 minutes, something I haven't achieved since a couple of days before my big-op last August! We take to the walk-run at the clear section after the pier by selecting alternative lamp posts. I find this difficult because the lamps are very close to each other for about 1.5 km. Once they are less frequent we soon settle into the rhythm and on looking back at our stats we get ( slightly) quicker every km until we actually overtake a few!! It's 39:37 and that means we have achieved our target....just. We turn down the post coffee offer as we have to be back for the Chatsmore Farm protest meeting where Persimon Homes have once again applied for planning permission to build 470 homes on prime farmland called Goring Gaps. A good turnout of residents with the now ubiquitous drone arial photo of all of us spelling out the word NO! Good on the drone pilot who managed to herd, mostly persons of a certain age, into the right configuration! Sunday is yet another early start as Lesley is running the Cancer United 4 mile run in Arundel and I am volunteering at the turn-around point. It is a 7:45 briefing with road closures from the 8:30am start until 10am. The weather, for a change, was just about perfect and unlike a lot of running events there was a much more light hearted atmosphere and we even had a guy in an inflatable dinosaur suit. How do I know he was a guy? Well, he stripped the suit off at our turn-around/water station point saying that he was well-knackered and baking hot! Fair-dues, he took on copious amounts of fluid, had a few minutes break before squeezing back into his suit and trotting back up the hill! We had a turn-around lady that bravely stood in the middle of the track wearing a very fetching bollard hat that most competitors greeted her and us with a big smiley thank you......for marshalling. Most enjoyable with a lovely breakfast afters at the freshly re-opened  Waterside Cafe right by the river in Arundel. 

A few days away was the plan and the New Forest was beckoning as we drove down the M27 in lashing rain! The forecast was poor but we had booked several weeks ago, a "pay for 2 days, get a third night free" in a nice pub, with the adjacent motor museum and.......a nearby parkrun, had stitched the deal for us! Lymington is a pleasant harbour-side port  on the edge of the New Forest that in the sunshine may have looked more inviting, however, cobbled streets and a wealth of shops, restaurants and cafes together with cross island ferries to the Isle of Wight it was quite bustling despite the rain. As we planned to dinner at the pub that night, just a dash into the nearest cafe for snacks and coffee. Lymington has a parkrun! Albeit, it sounded a bit boring just a few laps of the local park.......never mind, we checked it out and it was only a couple of miles from the Old Mill pub. Thursday rained most of the day but hey-ho it was under cover at the Beaulieu Motor Museum, once the dashed walk from the car park was negotiated. Friday and the heavens had really opened over night with the path to the main Old Mill carpark under water! We had anticipated this and parked in the smaller carpark that just had a space for us. Sure enough, Facebook in the morning had "course flooded" and parkrun cancelled. Plan 'B' Brockenhurst parkrun, a drive through the forest and still only 15 minutes away from the pub. We had an 11am checkout or a £20.00 fee if we were late, so no after run coffee and cake....... and we need to get a move on if we were to have time for showers! There was no rain today and a wonderful atmospheric mist greeted us at the ample parking area. Wet it was underfoot around the start area but once underway the trails were lovely. We met another couple of locals (to us) that belonged to Worthing Academy running club and after a chat we got them to take a picture, for the family and Lesley had time for a shot of me in the mist amongst the trees. Our briefing and welcome was rather strange as the ED wanted a show of hands from the 200 ,or so, starters as to whether we agreed to what parkrun HQ were doing in taking away some historic stats (more on this story as it unfolds). Just the one hand up to say they agreed with parkrun HQ, motion carried and he offered his resignation....... there and then! Back to the run and we had been warned by a local that there would be a couple of hills to liven up this single loop plus small dogleg, circuit. He wasn't wrong as although short the last hill was a pretty steep up and involved a compulsory walk for most! The scenery through the forest was just stunning with the sun just peeping through the mist as we ran together, well me with my effort at running and Lesley with here hobble, and we managed to finish in just over 40 +mins. Pretty fair for this type of circuit and certainly we were not last! Quick dash back for showers, load up, pay the bill and drive down to the cliff path at Milford 0n Sea for........you guessed it, another walk in mainly spring-like sunshine! 

It's no run for us this week and Striders have managed to find a host of the club members to do a parkrun volunteer-takeover with some volunteering for the first time. The weather looked set fair for Saturday but drizzly rain greeted us as we left home and it was definitely a wrap up waterproof clothing day although quite mild! I was put down on the roster for bar-code scanning with Chris......a first time volunteer and Lesley was token handing out with Jason, another first time volunteer who just happened to have his new-born baby with him as his wife was going to do her first parkrun after giving birth! A group photo taken with the usual suspects missing........and off to take up their positions. The weather may have looked to have taken down the numbers slightly but it still seems around 500 as we meet and greet at the start before going back to the token scanning position on the green beside the nicely laid out flowerpots laid out by the set-up team, there to jettison the tokens once they have been scanned and of course. not to be taken away as 'souvenirs' . The rain stops as we wait for the first past the post and then the runners come over in a never ending snake, slipping and sliding on the only course grassy bit........the finish! It's full on concentration for a while but quite light hearted as the runners search for their own bar-codes that must be scanned before the finish token they collect from Lesley. The personal bar-codes range from grubby bits of wet paper that need unfolding, plastic tokens.....some tied to their shoelaces, mobile phone pictures, wrist bands and the new swanky QR codes on their smart watches! Keeps the job interesting especially as some had used up all their energy and brain-power when trying to find them. Job done and results downloaded, back for breakfast at Coast with the group and discussions revolved around how much they enjoyed volunteering and many were  surprised at seeing what actually goes into setting up and running this weekly free event! Hopefully we will all be back to running a parkrun somewhere, next week.

MARCH 2024

We have both had 3 consecutive days of some sort of run! Thursday was a cold but nice social run along the sea front as far as 25 minutes would take us and back again to meet up with all 'speed' groups of Striders for a fish & chip supper in Worthing (pasta for me). Friday was our 1-hour session of the Worthing running track with our other club of 'Heads On' charity. Run for 800 , walk for 200 and so on until we completed 50 minutes then a stretch-down. Saturday.........Worthing parkrun day. It was a lovely chill morning but having looked at the weather app, 11am max perhaps 10am before we go back to rain and more rain. BBC, wrong again as about 9:15 the heavens opened just after the pier and threw hail in our faces with a few ouch's as it stung on bare flesh.......in our case, being overdressed, just our faces! Thankfully it didn't last long but the westerly wind picked up just as we did the turn-a-round taking us nicely back to the muddy finish at Splashpoint green. I managed, for the first time since the big op, to shuffle slowly all the way. Lesley tapered off with her dodgy hip/leg/foot at about 4km but managed to finish at 40 minutes and me 38 + !! I was very pleased or was it just very silly. I will check up with the surgical team in a couple of weeks. It isn't easy for me though as the legs etc. are not there by any means but my brain is still just about willing! Rain starts again and seeing the length of the queue at Coast we hobble back with Graham, and Anna, from Heads On, to a new cafe, to us, near our bus stop. It turned out to be quite nice, at least the coffees and scrambled eggs on sourdough toast, must try again. So back on the 700 bus to carry on with our hall decoration that is thankfully, nearing the end! (finished it all on Sunday!)

It's been a pretty wet week to say the least! Wednesday had an interlude for a few hours, just enough time to get a decent 6 miles in with the Ramblers. This was not to say it was dry underfoot but all in all, a pleasant under-downs walk with dinner in the Frankland Arms, who incidentally now serve half-portions for £7.00! Just right for me and for quite a few Ramblers that spent a happy hour, eating, drinking and chatting! Don't panic about the weather as It started to rain before we came out of the pub and continued for the rest of the week..........including, of course, parkrun day. It was not just 'ordinary' rain but at around 5C or 6C the rain was interspersed with heavy bursts of hail, just for good measures. Lesley had decided to volunteer this week and wrapped up against the elements to take her cheering-on position, by the pier. I left it late to join the small crowd at the shelter where there was some derision over their incorrect decision today in venturing out this morning. I had warm layers and my almost waterproof, pack-away top with two hats, one warm for head & ears and one peaked in case I needed to put over the waterproof hood.........I did! As the RD intro welcoming peeps to 'sunny' Worthing a couple more hundred appeared from their hiding places in time for the warning announcements of slippery grass at the finish, strong winds and generally horrible weather along the Prom. My progress into a head-wind has been an issue for many a parkrun, this & the addition of driving rain has a considerable 'slowing' effect on me, thus the 1km splits showed up later that I was only just exceeding a walking pace! I was nor alone as there were quite a few strugglers at the rear today. Plenty of time for a hug with Lesley at her marshal point and then out into the unprotected section before a welcome shelter from the line of  beach-huts. I felt already soaked through my lower half and with my hood up tightly I found that head-down and following a faint white line on the prom ensured that I would not collide with the quickies coming back or the adjacent protecting beach huts! I made a point of showing gratitude to the volunteers.....well those I spotted through the rain before the welcoming turning around for home point. The westerly had me back up shuffling at my 'fast' pace, even passing a couple of 'slow' peeps before seeing Lesley again. No stamina now for hugs, just get back, get my time, barcode scanning and back in the drying out queue inside Coast. Our friends, Pete and Barbara are tourists this week at Highbury Park in London where we were pleased to learn, also had a continuous deluge and thorough soaking making the tube journey very unpleasant. Our other parkrun friends have been missing for a while now with frequent Strava reports of life on the Falklands, Chile,South Georgia and Antartica..........I suppose it must be summer there? ( does Antartica have a summer)? Lesley came in just as the 20 minute wait for coffee and cake, arrived and then home for a welcome warm shower before clearing up after a successful re-decorate of the hall and 2nd bedroom/office/overspill room!

Several dry Spring-like days this week and a dry day forecast for our Saturday as we take the 10 bus into town. We meet again our fellow bus-travelling parkrunner and she shares the remainder of the journey alongside us at the front of the double-decker. She is looking decidedly 'tanned' as she explained that she (thankfully) missed last weeks deluge on the prom as she took a couple of weeks break in Gran Canaria. Our other friends, Chris & Clare are still somewhere thousands of miles away in perhaps ,less warm, Chile. So, they had missed it too! Despite the sunny start the edge is taken off the fun with a brisk chill from the east that has us taking pre parkrun refuge in the west-facing classic 1930's shelter, the one close by the parkrun start. The easterly winds will mean the out-leg of 2.3km will be a tad easier on the body than the 2.7km return.......this is not giving us good vibes as the crowds gather and many are also discussing the said unusual chilly wind direction! Pete & Barbara arrive and this will be Pete's last Worthing for a while as he is back in Aus for a few weeks but hopes do do a down-under parkrun somewhere in his travels.The shelter takes on 2 more friends, one our regular 'new-knees' lady but without her usual parkrun buddy as she is in Milan, but today with her old 'marathon'running friend from Nonsuch park parkrun who, like us, is going to parkwalk today. Despite the up-front start....for us, we are soon overhauled by the quicker set as we get into a good fast walking pace. By the time we reach the pier we are with quite a few fellow walkers but are slowly overhauled by husband & wife couple in matching parkrun outfits, in-fact looking they have a  similar stature and both with a fast-walk cadence from long 'athletic-ish' legs. We don't notice them again until we pass them by just after the pier & on our way back and they have already finished....good on them. We perhaps must try to see if we can emulate their style, but fear we need to loose about 30 years of bone crunching, muscle aching ageing process and also grow some longer legs! Another pacey walker slowly passing us by is a girl with, not a small child, in a special needs push-chair and we only pass her as she is battling the strong easterly on the way back, stopping to take a selfie of them both! Lesley is counting down the pavement marked km's and shouting out our times. The last mark at 4km is 38mins & we realise that we will be not too much over the 40+ minutes, so not bad at all with the strong wind. Perhaps the headwinds have a lesser effect on me walking than trying to run against it? So, finished in 45 minutes, we didn't get wet, Lesley's leg is ok and we meet up with fellow Striders for a stroll back to Munchies for breakfast. We said our fair wells to Pete.........see you in a month and off to get the bus home.

The sun is shining and even the breeze on Worthing prom is just about, non-existant! We can't resist a beach selfie and then a picture of the gentle sea with the background of the pier looking just  stunning this morning ..........oh and Lesley photo-bombed in the foreground. Pete is in Aus, Barbara is running without her 'pacer', Chris is thankfully back for the first time since October, a dodgy knee was the culprit and the sad departure of his beloved but aged, black Labrador that we have seen most parkrun weeks since we have been at Worthing. Chris says he is not running today..... well not the whole way, as he has his parkrun novice with him and together doing their very first Saturday. It's a lovely, lively puppy, a working dog that Chris says is full of beans and probably raring to go if it knew what was happening! Our two parkrun friends, Chris and Clare are back after, what sounds like, an amazing holiday for 1 month to Chile, The Falklands, South Georgia, Antartica to name a few. Clare said she is obsessed with penguins and it didn't disappoint! A good group of 'Striders' and over 580 finishers today! Lesley is walking with her niggling and very annoying hamstring injury and I am attempting a shuffle and walk. A trip to see my surgical team at Guildford Hospital in the week has kind-of reassured me things are still going well but you are never quite sure, however being able to keep fit with various, in-the-week activities, keeps my, and Lesley's, spirits up. With sun over the sea, Worthing prom is looking good as I do my promised shuffle and walk, leaving Lesley to do her own thing. I pass the 2 'Ladies' before a welcome turn-a-round, still counting "20 walk, 30 shuffle" and high-five Lesley who is approaching the turn-a-round and I start to get closer to Clare........admittedly, she did say earlier that she had done no running for 5 or 6 weeks! At the pier she puts a sprint on and I finish 20 seconds or so behind her in 40: 28. It's not about the time is it?  Lesley is in about 3 minute later and Jenny about 3 minutes after that. Once again, Coast can't cope with a queue nearly coming out the door...so it's back to Munchies for breakfast wraps, coffees and chat. Bus 700 home and the rest of the day in the garden.Nice! 

A bit of a full-on week, Ten-Pin bowling with the running club, Ramblers, new gym class, varnishing doors at home, putting together a new wooden, garden swing-seat, (Christmas present) village hall quiz-night and....volunteering at Worthing parkrun. We both thought it time to do our stint & to be honest, both still suffering a bit from aching bodies from our bowling night! We are definitely not as young as we were and it was a year since we bowled. The forecast was sun at first and then heavy rain/sleet, hail after 11am. After a brisk 3km walk, with the wind behind us. We checked in and donned our gear where Lesley took up her marshal position at the last corner and I was sent off to marshal opposite The Burlington, so just under 2km from the start and quite a busy position with people joining and crossing the prom. The wind had really picked up and just before 9am I secured the CAUTION RUNNERS sign to the seat to stop it ending up in Shoreham ( westerly today). The prom was busy with a few running groups with small rucksacks on so must be training for a longer distance than this morning's 5km. It is amazing however that quite a few parkrunners always leave it very late and are sprinting ( warming up) to join the start. The sun is in and out now and when it is in, brrrr! Only 5C today when we left the car and I don't think it has picked up much, just thankful I wore another layer and had a hat and gloves........still, clapping and encouragement do keep you warm and lots of appreciative 'thanks marshal' so many, that a family sitting on a bench clapping along with me said, "you must be popular, nearly everyone knows your name" (marshal, ho, ho) No dramas today, I stand and separate the going outs from the sprinting going backs which is essential today with nearly 650 finishers especially at this marshal point where the going and coming back parkrun crowds are pretty near the same. Once the tailwalker is in view I trot back with him as he seems have lost the last person as she pulled out at or before the turn-around. I join a couple of volunteer, first timers to marshalling and decide to return together with them. They have helped out at junior parkrun and also the Brighton 10k. They felt the welcome they had from the team together with so many appreciative thank-you from the runners passing by (except the faster front runners, so come on guys ) made them feel that it was a great community event for Worthing and must be also across the country. I did point out it is held each Saturday in many other countries too and the few countries we had parkrun in including France* Australia and New Zealand, that the atmosphere and warmth were just the same. We helped clear up at the end, handed back the hi-viz and made for the bus to get us back to our car, parked at the far end of the prom, before the rain fell and continued for the rest of the day.      * France is now suspended due to some official 'red-tape' which is a real shame as the Rouen team we met were very enthusiastic.

After a week of what seems continuous rain, Saturday morning is a perfect warm and windless, blue-sky day! So nice that we decide to do a 'tourist' event at.........Littlehampton. To be fair, it is really no further in distance and time away but to get a free parking space and to be nearer the post run cafe we park in our usual spot at the edge of Mewsbrook Park where a lovely 20 minute walk/shuffle, through the park, beside the lake and east along the seafront to join the growing crowd. Our decision to have a day off of Worthing was as it is Easter weekend, the crowds there would be huge (670)especially the extra visitors and the 1st good Saturday forecast for quite a while. Today also, Worthing Striders had decided to come out to Littlehampton in force! It was good to have a pre-run natter and not to be blown over by the usual westerlies. We both decided that the rest of the Striders team would be better not waiting around for us at the end as just a walk/run was on the  programme for us today and most had run here from their homes and were going to run back! Nic, a familiar  Strider from his nearby apartment just down the river, was walking along the prom with his borrowed sister's dog a 5 month old Labrador that he was being trained to fetch, retrieve and not jump-up, without a great deal of success so far and probably due to being just a puppy, Nic was not going to parkrun the puppy just yet he said and Nic was also going for a long training run later that day so support for the team only today he said. We started near the back.....as usual and soon got into our 'pacey' shuffle where near the Beach Cafe we were greeted by one of Lesley's old running club runners from 'On The Run' at Aylesbury. Although already on her first return leg it was nice to hear "Hi Lesley" and to see her sporting that familiar bright yellow club logo vest. We still bump into this large club from time to time either at home or on our travels! We turn around and shuffle back, around and out again where we both start to walk and shuffle alternately. It's a nice thing about the out and backs, you do get to see and greet your friends and fellow club runners, most more than once on a 2 x out & back. but It wasn't until near the end that we separated by 100 yards after Lesley egging me on as she was saving her hip from more damage, she said! We passed by the rest of the team group and we later heard that one of the quicker lady runners had taken a nasty fall and due to being badly bruised and more worryingly, a head injury, was taken off to A&E for repairs and some reassurance. Tripping or tumbling can always be a hazard for runners almost anywhere. You may momentarily loose your concentration or are just simply unlucky. Generally it is the challenging trail runs with their tree roots, rabbit holes, mud puddles, steep descents etc. that catch you out, but a flat tarmac promenade can also catch you out with their pavement furniture, dogs on and off leads and children, on and off leads! Don't let it put you off as sitting on a sofa for hours on end is definitely more hazardous, in the long run! Today we finished in just over 40 minutes, not too bad and certainly justified a well earned after run with breakfast at Coast Cafe consisting of coffees, beans and mushrooms on toast then returning home via Mewsbrook Park and an ongoing Easter egg hunt for a relaxing day pottering in the garden!

A fairly energetic week & over the last few days I have been to my new 'intensive' (for me) gym classes, making me lift and stretch in places that at times I didn't think I would ever do again! It is basically 3 reps of 4 things with a blokes group of like minded, similar age and going through or just gone through some form of cancer. Most, it seems, prostrate C, but like most blokes......we don't feel that easy to talk about it. Instead, at coffee afterwards, it's about mundane stuff like the lawn being too wet to mow and who's street has the biggest pot-hole. Thursday evening was Striders training night from The Fox pub. On cue the heavens started to open as we got out of our car at 6:30 pm for an hour run. We split into 3 groups, fasties, mediums and us at slow coaches! We took to the small lanes and hard surface tracks for a 5km jog or 40 ish minutes. The rain got heavier as we neared the pub on the first 'pass' and we easily decided to curtail our run at 7:15. We dried out in the pub and waited for the others to return. At 7:30, 7:45 and 8pm we had no sign of them. One of the fellow team with us in the bar then received a text to say they were muddy and lost! It was completely dark at 8:10 when another text asking for help. I drove out in the deluge and picked up 3 muddy slightly distressed girls that had found the main road a mile or so away............moving on, they all survived and were back in the dry pub by 8:15 some of them with a 13km night hike, lost, wet and muddy, behind them. Then Friday was Heads On runners track work for an hour where we used the 800 meters track for warm ups to 1 min run, 1 min walk, 2 min run, 1 min walk and building up & so on until the decreasing running back to 1 min. Sounds complicated but the leaders whistle stops you having to look at your watch or counting. Saturday, weather set fair with hazy sun and a light southerly breeze as we take the 700 ( No. 10 was a no-show on our app) into Worthing. "Striders" had Spond-ed to say they would be there, some volunteering as they are running either the Brighton marathon or Brighton 10k this Sunday........taking it easy! We warmed up along the prom, chatting with fellow runners including a nice, first time to Worthing couple, down from Luton for a flat run after winning a tea for two prize at a Worthing Hotel! WE strained to listen to the briefing but it is nye impossible at Worthing. Is it just the rudeness of some of the crowd, a bad positioning of the start with a large shelter obscuring the view and sound or a combination of both? With well over 500 runners most weeks, it is impossible to huddle around the RD even with the aid of the megaphone, we heard nothing! There could have been a warning of a herd of wilder beasts at the turn around point...........we wouldn't have known! We both trotted off and found our pace that we hoped would be around 40 minutes as there was no wind and the temperature just right. Beyond the pier the children's Easter roundabout was  still taking up some of the prom but no probs for us as the rush had definitely passed. Jason was at Canada Flag, cheering us on and the turn around was in site. Lesley 'let me go' as she decided to do her walk a lamp-post and run 2 for the next couple of km. I continued to trot alongside Colin until he 'sprinted' at the pier. Lesley kept me on touch finishing only about 30 seconds behind me! (39:42) Seemed a good tactic for her with a dodgy hip/leg thingy? Breakfast with Graham, in town, a little altercation with the cafe owner that made a big thing that she would only accept cash payments ( or would like to next time we come in future) due to rising costs of a card machine payments. For running days and everything else we use cards, phones, apps and smart watches. For good or bad this now and probably the future. If 50p or what, has to go on the bill then that is what must be accepted as part of the working expenses? Hey-ho, back home on the bus and the rest of the day chilling in the garden, pottering around and cleaning out a muddy car from Thursday night's mud-run!

Worthing for a nice sunny morning run as we take the number 10 into town. 29 years ago to this date we would have been panicking as we were getting married this morning! Amazing how time flies-by! Now, all of the children are spoken for, we are doing parkrun.......that had nowhere near been invented and tonight we are going out for a meal. It is a bit low key as I am not really travelling, certainly abroad and food can be a problem! Mustn't grumble, we are both here to enjoy. Pete is back from Aus and about 8 Striders are also here today including Colin, a senior member, who normally runs but is barcode scanning this morning. The high tides and onward shore winds have caused havoc on the prom with the pebble beach covering more than half the parkrun start area. We had noticed on facebook that Littlehampton had a similar issue but teams of volunteers had spent some time clearing their prom prior to Saturday morning. Worthing core-team should have put out a similar request for assistance as whilst most of the prom was fine, the area around the start was like walking on marbles! Going back to prom clearing, both Littlehampton and Worthing are holiday destinations where trade businesses rely on visitors and locals to be able to walk safely on the proms. Why is this not a top priority for the local councils to do their bit, after all, this was/is an Easter holiday period and it doesn't reflect well for tourism. Gripe over, the numbers seemed to be pretty large as we gathered for the briefing that did include PEBBLES, BE CAREFUL OUT THERE. WE decided to start on the beach as at least you are aware there will be some slipping and sliding, before the hazardous bit, up to the pier. Beyond that, all was fine including the weather that was very kind this morning. Running both together the turn around point soon came up where I continued to jog and Lesley did her lamp-post thing, dropping back less than 30 seconds at the end. Pete and Barbara waited and we sat outside Coast in the hope of being served. The rear of coast, without any sun can be quite chilly........and it was, so we took an empty table inside commenting on how empty it was (nearly 700 finishers again) New staff we didn't recognise this week and still a 20 minute wait for coffee means we must move on and find another venue. Still, next week maybe a tour to Bognor parkrun, a strange 3 lapper but with a really nice cafe at the end........watch this space . 

It's one of those sunny and nice to look at, from behind a window, as we set off in a chilly 5C to Bognor Regis,  Hotham Park parkrun. Its only 12 miles west along the A259 and at 8 am, only 20 minutes by car to the ample car-parking very close to the start. Although Bognor is a seaside town and does have a long, very flat, promenade where parkrun would be an ideal location, but the fact that Butlins fronts onto the said prom and hordes of holiday-camp revellers can flock out of the  gated access, probably meant they had to seek a better and safer location. They couldn't have picked a nicer spot than Hotham Park. A well established and mature tree-ed park with the stunning clock-tower and building at it's heart with a boating lake, crazy golf, children's playground, miniature train rides, winding tarmac paths and an excellent cafe.....what could be better? Today was a 'Striders' away-day meet up and once we had parked our cars and sorted a 'free' parking space for Graham's motor bike, apparently the traffic wardens leave them alone as there is nowhere on a bike to stick a parking ticket on, we posed for a group photo but as usual some had gone missing, probably for a warm-up or loo stop! Today's Briefing took on a bit of RD humour with the guy holding up various numbers to remind us of the 3 passes of 'Derek' by the wall exit, the 4 loops, 1 small and 3 large, the 14 crossings of the miniature train line and simply finishing where we start! All good fun and the shuffle went pretty well once the crowd had thinned with me coming in, in under 40 and Lesley just over 40 mins. Breakfast was served very efficiently considering the numbers, the fine weather and it was all excellent. We couldn't resist using up our 'time' on the meter and took a stroll on the promenade as it was now getting quite warm. The sea was Mediterranean to look at with a couple of the usual brave 'cold-water' swimmers and the prom was pretty full of Butlins 'escapees'  some still in their Hen & Stag, presumably, last night's clothes or were they just looking pretty smart compared with the rest of the casual prom-strollers? This was not to be our only 5km run this weekend as we had 'promised to do a school charity event at or local school together with quite a few 'Striders' This was the Romero 5km ( and 10km) run held each year on a Sunday morning, the end of April. The start ( following the children's 1km round the playing field) was on the field where we did just the 1 loop of the streets of Goring/Ferring, down to the seafront and along the coast-path, that was still covered in marble like pebbles from a previous storm, through the Plantation woods and back to the school in about 40 minutes..... for us. Coffee and bacon butties from the Friends of Romero school and back home, just 10 minutes walk away, for the rest of the afternoon in the garden.

One of those tragic down weeks for the family but........parkrun is good for the soul, giving a boost for energy and a boost for the mind & has certainly been tested for all over the last week. A warm morning with sunshine as we take the bus down to the gathering. 'Striders' are out and a pre shuffle chat with everyone we know. It's May 4th and there is a Star-wars theme with 2 or 3 having some regalia to run in, including a friend of Chris with the full Stormtrooper gear! Lesley has upped her pills and is feeling much fitter..whether that is a good thing, who knows? It's a good run today with me following Lesley most of the way, both shuffling and me doing fast walks towards the end. It feels like a pretty good time today, for us and indeed 38 minutes will do fine. A small group photo and drinks and snacks on the beach, sitting on the breakwater and soaking up the relative warmth of an early May 'heatwave'

Bikes out this week, 1st time since op last year. The weather was perfect for the 20 minute cycle to the parkrun start at Worthing. I brought the wrong keys so no lock keys for our ancient Marins so we leant them against the tree at the meeting point, wrapping our 'snake' locks around.....just for the effect! It looks like a large turnout today as anyone, weak-willed due to weather, would be there. We were fairly confident, with no wind and a blue-sky day, bodies not complaining too much, that we would complete the 5km under 40 minutes today. A few 'Striders' appeared, not too many as they were doing some crazy hilly thing tomorrow morning in the South Downs and Pete & Barbara were tourists again at Alice Holt parkrun in Hampshire. We ran all of the way to the turn around point, patting our new family investment (beach-hut) as we passed by. On the homeward run-in we tried the......walk between each lamp-post and 'sprint' alternate ones. Judging by the few folks we overtook and the few shufflers we kept up wit,  it seemed a pretty good plan and, we still kept enough in our tanks to have a run-in, all the way from just before the pier. It was 38+ minutes again....not too bad at all, considering......... After our beach-hut photo and the post run chat we sat at Cloud 9 horse-box hut and had our cake and coffee facing the beach, reflecting and contemplating the tough week ahead for all the family and especially in our thoughts are our daughter and grandaughter.

Tough week through and both feeling pretty tired as we decide on the bus would be the better option this morning, due to the forecast, for parkrun, around 8am to 11am is not looking so good for us but pretty good for the garden! A few spots on the windscreen as we board the bus that appears, from negotiating the humps and pot-holes, to be running on no shock absorbers. We pick up Helen at her usual bus stop. She says she has missed the last couple of Worthing parkruns due to taking a grand tour of the West Country, in her motor-home. The usual natter with parkrun friends around our starting place and then some attempt to warm-up by bending and stretchingbits of our bodies that probably are not going to be used during our very economic low-step shuffle! It looks like 600 or so  again even though it promises to chuck it down very shortly.........but it is very humid and layers are soon taken off and packed into our small back-packs. Rain it does, but hardly enough to notice and after the around turn it wasn't that that that was causing me some distress.. No, belly ache of the, where is the nearest loo, kind. I suggest Lesley runs on whilst I work out which of the 3 loos would be reached before.......... I decided on the one adjacent to the pier, which to be honest is not by any means a rosette winner in the 2024 best kept loo in Worthing stakes! Needs must and with a loss of 3 minutes running time and some instant pain relief I soldiered on over the line in just under 41 minutes! We wandered off with Pete and Barbara to Coast where we had the usual wait long  and some confusion from a new member of staff but it all arrived, with some to-ing and fro-ing..... eventually. My youngest daughter and hubby arrived and we sat down with them whilst they took their breakfast.They had come for a chat and also to check out the newly acquired family beach-hut. It has been a very tough week for them and a walk along the prom & pier with a now warm and clear blue sky can only do us all some good. With the 700 bus just about to leave we said our goodbyes and spent the rest of the day getting our own 'therapy' in our rapidly burgeoning garden.

We have our 'guest' from NZ arrived in the week, Lesley's brother Brian. He has walked 5 parkruns with us when he can't think of a decent excuse, when we are running, to not come with us. Today the sun is shining which is a good thing as he ducks out should it be raining or there might be a hint of rain. Also this week it has been panned to go to Bognor's 10th birthday event and a promise of cakes! There is a theme also and it is something beachy. We wear orange and one of the Striders has bought garlands to adorn us as a good looking gesture. Looking around at the array of  themed clothing the parkrun gang have worn today, from hula-hula skirts to cardboard sandcastles and beyond. I am sure some folks use this 'excuse' to show-off the other side of themselves to the world! Such as, a bearded bloke in a red skimpy ladies swimsuit, stuffed out in appropriate places, slightly gross to say the least but I suppose it was  beach-themed. Back to the run, a sort of 3 laps with several crosses &  wiggles, passing the cafe 3 times and Eric behind the wall, 3 times. There were close on 300 today and quite a few 'Striders' had made the short journey. Lesley did her walk/ran to stay with Brian and I shuffled on most of the way, chatting to those that had the same stunning 'pace' as me. We were all cheered over the line by our faster crew with Anita, a Strider and Bognor ED (event director) encouraging along one of our very own couch to 5k...... to the end! Well done all and a well  deserved social breakfast at the excellent cafe in the park. Afterwards we walked down to the rather tired seafront and decided to  stroll west, past the underwhelming pier, to find a much nicer beach, prom and pleasant manicured gardens. Just a tip if you are visiting Bognor and the small cafe besides the prom has lovely scoops of ice-cream!

The weather is fair but a little windy today and it is back to Worthing with Brian who has woken early to do the parkrun. We think he may be getting the bug!! We introduce him to our number 10 bus to the town centre as he does not take the bus at all in NZ preferring the car, even for short distances, would you believe. It is end of half-term and quite a few folks are tourists at Worthing boosting the numbers I am sure as we chat with our usual crowd and quite a few 'Striders' gather before taking up their positions according to pace. Hence, we are close to the rear as Lesley will walk with her brother and I will shuffle along ahead of them. I catch up with Sue who has just joined our run club and has just started to take part in parkrun, after a long break from running. She has embraced the friendly atmosphere and really looks forward to her run, now each week. I feel ok this week but still find myself walking for short sections before a slightly speedier run in between. It does seem to work as finish in a tadge over 38 minutes with Lesley and Brian in the forties as he now walks with interspersed shuffles. Coast is pretty mobbed and as a haircut for me is booked for 11am we wander into town for breakfast at a cafe we have been to before and it's not bad. Bus back and a morning in the sunshine followed by a visit to the two daughters for tea and chatter in the garden room. Next week it may be our first parkrun in Wales if we can find an event close by.

North Wales is our first port of call after a long journey from home. We stay on a working farm in a converted farm building near Betswy-Coed. All is peaceful and quiet until the farmer decides to separate mum from twin cows she has looked after for just over a year. With mum pining at full volume in the tin barn, all night, probably not a lot of sleep for us! After spending 3 nights and days in this lovely part of the country we took the long road moving down south. Haverford West is our closest parkrun as we travel to South Wales arriving Friday night in Trefin near St Davids. An early wake-up call and all 3 of us are up in time (yes Brian as well)! to take the 30 minute drive through the narrow, but empty, country lanes to the old racecourse ground.The luxury race-meeting facilities have long gone with just one sit-down and 1 urinal in the back of the cricket club changing room. Brian dose not feel 100% but still starts with us, Lesley and I deciding to walk shuffle with him until at about 2km he 'pulls-up, lame ' and sits down to cheer us & the rest on. parkrun was starting on the race-course itself, following a briefing with the countdown in Welsh, we canter on through the un-mown grass and rabbit holes with a gentle uphill to the turn that forms the first part of the horseshoe shape 5km  (very apt) About 3km in 2 sections are on grass and 2km in 2 sections are on a nice concrete path with marshals at any point we need to change direction which is a good thing as we found the course a little complicated for our early morning brains, certainly having been more used to  simpler out and backs! I shuffled most of the way and Lesley almost caught me up with her shuffle, both finishing in a little over 40 minutes. Our finish position was 110 & 112, a good number but even though they normally have only around 80 finishers, this week there were a massive, for them, 120! Coffee was served by a couple of lads, in aid of the guides, for a voluntary donation. We chatted with a guy that had spotted our 'Worthing Striders' vests and said he has run with us a few times  when he visits Worthing......small world?  So on to Tenby for lunch and  the rest of the afternoon walking the sandy beaches before heading back to our cottage via some pretty harbour villages on the way to our 3 night stay, farm building, now a  converted-holiday cottage. With it's spiral staircase and low eves, many a banged head for the up and the downs and of course, the low beam strategically placed between the kitchen and lounge, I am sure is to catch anyone out above 5:9" in height......that is if you haven't fallen at the 1st hurdle of the rocky non-path from the car to the front door! QUAINT? So that is our 1st Wales parkrun and next Saturday we will be back at Worthing to support and join all the couch-to-5km team that are having their inaugural 5km after the last 6 weeks of Tuesday night training with the Striders! Certainly what we have seen of them they look a pretty fit bunch......and much younger than us 2 (Brian is off on a London visit)

Sometimes a horrendous forecasted weather report doesn't live up to it's name.......this morning ,in Worthing, today, it certainly did. We were rained heavily upon walking to the bus-stop , rained and blown off our feet from the town to parkrun, Splashpoint Green, where at 8:45 we were to have a Worthing Striders photoshoot. All ( well 4 that ventured out) of the couch to 5km inaugural group plus as many supporters as possible were gathered, in the rain, under the poor shelter of the trees, getting ready for a happy group pose! With almost all of us present we had photos and shuffled off through the gale to the start. Due to weather conditions we were asked to gather on the beach for the essential briefing, essential especially today as there was, wind, rain and a few obstacles on the prom. This summer sees the return of the 'big wheel' near the pier and all was ready to assemble it. Huge crane and ancillary equipment........but not today! No chance of assembly but the prom had been considerably narrowed by crane. It didn't really matter as only 365 finishers today (only)! so plenty of room and to be honest, a narrow 50m section was the least of the problem as we had everything nature could throw against us including hail! Several times I almost stopped with westerly gusts virtually taking us off our feet especially the unprotected zones. To be honest, I didn't look up very often and my only incentive was the fact I was getting closer to the turn around and therefore, closer to the finish. I did spot a few Striders running the other way, shouting words of encouragement, "it's better going back" etc. And, It certainly was better, with my lightweight, water-logged jacket held open it had me trying to slow myself down but still putting in a spectacular ( for me) return leg where all of our team were cheering us stragglers on, over the finish line. Circa 38 minutes was beyond belief in those conditions and speaking briefly to others, they too had to hold back at times! We all went to a new cafe, to us, The Laughing Dog, just around the corner. Apart from 20+ of us no one else was silly enough to have ventured out so they were very pleased of us even though we were drenched and left puddles on their seats! A variety of breakfasts were quickly served together with almost instantly served coffees. Good times, despite the soaking, was had by all with plenty of chuckles regarding the weather and how ridiculous we all were turning out this morning!

Worthing for Brian's last parkrun with us before returning to NZ..... and it is a drive down today...........just in case it rains! It didn't.A selfie plus one today for the family and the clouds clear to give a perfect morning with just a hint of breeze to keep us cool. Our warm-up chats and a group decision to use the Laughing Dog for afters and off we go. Brian and Lesley walk and I shuffle with a somewhat aching hip that turns to an aching back later, so no fast time today. Although it does seem to wear off I decide to protect it somewhat so no sprints. A brief chat with the 'ladies' as I pass them and a brief chat with Clare on the way back before getting into my return to the finish rhythm. of walk/run. I made up a bit of ground on the return as I finished in a shade over 40 mins. We gathered at the end waiting for all of us to finish before a short walk with Pete and Barbara to the Laughing Dog! It was packed, inside and out with mainly parkrunners, some that have abandoned Coast, shame but had to be done. It was that sort of day as The Flower Pot opposite was bursting at the seams. Despite the queue we found a nice table in the window and waited for breakfast and drinks. Brian seemed pleased with his 5 weeks in blighty and apart from the 27 hour flight back, looking forward to being home, although he said it was only a 'cold' 18C there! We think he almost enjoyed the parkruns here, perhaps less the run but more for the social scene. Now he has turned 79, we wonder if we will see him again. Lesley was understandably upset as we said our goodbyes at Gatwick. Text came late the next day, he is back home. We now have an interesting few days with Lenny the puppy-dog, our daughter's new addition, staying with us including a sleep-stopover!

It is definitely summer and due to Lesley running a fun-run in East Sussex this afternoon, we have both volunteered at Worthing....our turn for a stint and parkwalking gets a volunteer number and it does not loose getting a timed event albeit reducing your timed averages......if that's what floats your boat! After the build up and all round chats and greetings, the first-timers briefing had quite a crowd of tourists and first time runners. Hovering near the rear of the start crowd we were asked quite a few questions & dressed in blue high-viz it attracts varied enquiries, such as today, "where do I get a bar-code from", "where is the start " "where can I leave my bag" "does it finish here" "where are the loos" and so on and so on. We chatted to a lady that runs the Whitstable parkrun, a very nice beachside event & one we have done just the once, when visiting my brother, nearby in Faversham. So after the briefing with mention of the new big-wheel on the prom reducing the path by half, it's off the 600 + go and we split up at the pier, both picking on some likely walkers to chat with, encourage and generally have a good walking time with. I find a lady that walks while hubby runs in about 22 minutes. She used to run/shuffle and is trying to get back to fitness and did very well today, finishing, even with a little sprint. I joined a mum & daughter, mum had just got back from a family visit in Aus......and still suffering a bit from jet-lag. Daughter was more of a walker than mum but seem to really enjoy a catch up natter and walking at a quicker pace than she would normally do. We caught Lesley up near the pier after a mum and small daughter that she was walking with, decided to start running to the end! We all finished in a pretty good 'walking' time of a shade over 52 minutes, plenty of time to say our goodbyes & choose The laughing Dog for breakfast before the  move on to the next activity. Lesley was to take part in a lunchtime start, 5 mile Sussex league fun-run near Hassocks. It was a hot afternoon and despite her aches and pains managed to gain 1 point for the club with jubilation and a shade of disappointment when she learnt that she was 5th from last as she was convinced there were no runners behind her. Never mind there is a fun-run in a couple of weeks time.......she obviously needs to try less hard if she is to pick up the virtual 'wooden-spoon'!

JULY 2024

When will the summer really start. 6th of July and it is just 14C as we leave the house at 8am to catch the bus. Extra layers on, such as windproof jackets and I have a Runderwear under-layer that I normally use for winter and cooler seasonal days. Warm-up on the prom includes a wee-stop run and back with chats to the usuals that all are complaining about the cool westerlies. We have quite a few Striders today including Laura & Colin, that joined us on our Thursday evening 'slow' run group. Graham and the brave Fraser who is doing his first parkrun with 2 small children seated nicely in their 3 wheel speed buggy.......in this 25mph wind! Both our bodies are not at our best........no surprise there, but perhaps our Thursday Gym and evening run have taken it out of us? Friday was an all-wet day so we opted out of Heads On thinking Saturday would be fine..........our bodies said otherwise as we took our places up towards the rear of what seemed a smaller crowd today. By the pier and Pete our mate who was a marshal, my legs and Lesley's legs felt like lead! Me, together with the usual, but annoying, tightness around the op. site that seems to restrict my lung movement and make it generally hard work, knew that this would not be a record breaking day!! We dislike the strong headwinds but battle on to the turn-point, just so we can fly back with the wind behind us. No flying today though as we struggle to go no quicker. Lesley picks up on a struggling girl with cheery words of comfort and encouragement, so much so she picks up speed towards the pier. Colin and eventually Clare pass us both. Lesley slows to walk with me as she has twinge and I am just slow. However, perseverance and we both cross the line in 39 minutes something. I stretch out and get my breath back before we walk to the newly opened Dolce Vita kiosk by the pier for superb lattes and 2 of their Italian cakes that they call 'lobsters' .Weather seems to turn back from sunshine to showers and as one descends on us, walking along the prom, we take refuge in the family beach hut, just past the Burlington Hotel. Out of the wind and views of the 'white horses' out to sea, pains temporarily forgotten all was well with life again. Italian cakes and strong coffee, comfortable chairs, super views. out of the breeze..........chill! This coming week seems a bit full-on with Lenny coming back to us for a few days, helping my daughter sort the storage garage, gym, my 1st 'fun-run' on Wednesday evening 5miles along and back on Littlehampton beach........literally! A few days out catching up with old friends (old being our age), phew!!

It is to be an away-day parkrun whilst visiting friends and staying in Norfolk, near to the Lowestoft parkrun, set on the prom with a few rather moving figures on the sandy beach! Weather was changeable, as it has been for some time now as we drive the 20 minutes or so and park at the Pavilion Pier, close to the parkrun gathering and right by the finish, but not the start. It is warm and pretty sunny as we decide to pay for 4 hours parking so we can take in the breakfast and a few sights. Unlike Worthing prom, there is a lower and an upper prom and at the far end is joined at the turn point by way of a steep path incline that must be negotiated twice on a 3/4  loop! Not only a nice surfaced prom but there is also a promenade garden to run around two times and today, in the garden, there is a 1940s fete on with 40's singers and folks dressed up in their best 40's gear!  We firstly listen to the briefing where they have an RD more like an MC who shouts out ( 6 times), via a mike and large loudspeaker, for 1st timers , tourists and milestones. We get a mention in despatches with our Worthing Striders kit on that attracts a fair interest from those that wish to tour or simply don't know where it is! We take the obligatory photo in front of the Lowestoft parkrun sign and set off for the 1 and 3/4 loops. The out seems a fair way, almost running out of prom before the first of the uphill climb and back to the garden loop and back up to the end of the prom for another climb. It is quite tough today but we are not last by any means as we do the loop and climb again eventually finishing in the garden, in about 39 minutes! We take breakfast in the team recommended, Thatch Cafe, before taking in a stroll along the splendid sandy beach. We have to leave at lunch time to shower and change and to meet up with friends, a short drive away. Sunday gave us some free time to come in on the excellent bus service that runs between Norwich & Lowestoft. This gave us chance to walk along the beach and stretch our legs visiting these strange statues in the sea. It is a new art installation  ( pictured above) and they are really very good.and very popular.......well worth the visit if you are near by and just outside Lowestoft you have the splendid Oulton Broads, if you are into bird-life or simply take a cruise or day-boat for some peace and tranquility. If you are eating outside, just a gull warning , my half of a splendid cheese and ham croissant...........yes, you guessed, went to a brazen, flypast-huge gull !!!

AUGUST 2024

After a record number whilst we were away, Worthing is being cancelled for the next 2 weeks. Summer brings school holidays and the prom fills up with a traditional fun-fair. Ghost trains, dogems and whirly things take up most of the prom and combine this with the Big Wheel and holiday makers, it is not safe to run with near 700 parkrunners! We opt for a parkrun that is only 30 minutes away, at Chichester. We have never 'fancied it' as it is run on the park green in the town that is quite small and therefore goes around and around 3 times with squiggles in between. When I say "we" it is just Lesley and a few Worthing striders. I have drawn the short straw and are minding little Lenny dog whilst my eldest daughter is away on holiday! He is 4 months old and a ball of fluff, a bundle of fun and much too young to run! Once the 250 or so set off and he spots Lesley in her orange T-shirt he just wants to run with her or everyone in an orange shirt and the few dogs running today were also a source of excitement..I was pretty tired by the end of the run and Lesley had managed to take a tumble on one of the few roots sticking up between a small group of trees.......the only trees on the whole course that she mastered the first 2 times! No damage done and she finishes with a 'sprint' downhill towards the Theatre where we take pictures and indulge in a light breakfast and coffees. It's my turn apparently with  next week's parkrun to run while Lesley holds back Lenny dog. We haven't decided where to go as Worthing will be cancelled again, so watch this space. 

It's Bogor parkrun in Hotham Park and ideal weather for just the one of us running today. It is our penultimate day for a week dog-sharing with our cute mutt, Lenny dog whilst the daughter is on holiday. Lesley has drawn the 'short straw' of, watching from the cafe with Lenny as I shuffle past them 3 times on the long loops! I am feeling OK for the recent me, but with dog sitting, a little run-rusty so not expecting a wonderful time but just to finish 'still alive'. I start near the back of a reasonable crowd including a few 'Striders' as Worthing is still cancelled. I think I should have started a little further up towards the front as today I had to shuffle past quite a few walkers, push chairs etc. In my humble opinion, they started much too far up and it is not an easy course to overtake on the narrow path section of the first loop. The 3 loops and 1 small loop soon caught me out as today I could not shuffle all the way without the occasional 'count to 10' walk. So that is my excuse for finishing in a shade over 40 minutes & walking at times probably didn't help. Afterwards, we both discussed that we could do with some more , in the week, practice runs , perhaps on the days we don't have little Lenny as it will be a good few months before his little legs mature and he feels up to keeping with our scintillating pace ! I do like the cafe in Hotham Park and a warm day had the outside seating pretty full today but Lesley had anticipated my needs for a sit-down and  pre-ordered our coffees and breakfast, seeing immediately that I needed a rest. The week will be busy as the Striders have their annual running event on Wednesday evening where we are all either marshalling  and or generally help with set up and all other duties, in what is promised to be a well attended evening run over Highdown. Weather forecast looks OK so report back later on this Sussex League Fun-run and Lesley doing a lead stint for training at Heads On running club on Friday!

Worthing was open again, the fun-fair had left but everyone was itching to run again and we still have a wealth of tourists to boost the numbers to over 730 finishers!!......so we saw later. It has turned into a heatwave week following a day of rain on Thursday. and a lovely evening for our Highdown Hike on Wednesday where over 400 ran the course with late finishers coming home in near darkness, especially through the woods just before the finish line. Saturday was my turn with looking after little Lenny dog and Lesley to run with the parkrun crowds. Water was needed today, even at 9am as the start of the day proved to be warm with just a gentle breeze. It was nice to see our parkrun friend, Chris, back not with dog, but on his own, after a long year recovery from a knee thingy. Lesley managed under 40 minutes and a natter with all at the end before a group of us retired to the Laughing Dog cafe for breakfast. Lenny is very socially aware now and laps up all the attention before relaxing, chilled out, under the cafe table while we munch and chat. We finish off the morning with Italian cakes and coffee taken to the beach hut until the wind picks up and drives us back home. We both had a good training run Friday at Heads On track circuit whilst my daughter took the dog around the nearby enclosed training field. Needless to say, all the 'caged' dogs just ran around with each other and obeyed no commands at all! Ah well he joined us and all the keen Striders on the beach early Sunday, before the heat, for us to walk to Ferring and back and them to run long and shorter distances towards Shoreham. The week looks pretty warm ahead so lots of shade needed.

A plea for more volunteers from Worthing parkrun on Friday as barriers around the funfair was taking up a lot of the prom so that needed some experienced marshalling around the obstacles, especially for the predicted numbers. It was a nice day so we cycled in and decided that we wouldn't run if they were still short of help. They were. So off we went to take up positions, Lesley at the pier and me at the Lido, opposite the roundabout & M&S, notorious difficult spots as quite a few people access the prom from these 2 places. All went smoothly as 630 or so took part today sprinted, ran, jogged and walked with an assortment of buggies and dogs. Everyone seemed pretty friendly, runners greeting with thanks and those holidaying watching and enjoying the spectacle.........until ' Mr Grumpy'. coming head on from the west in the middle of the prom, with pushchair & child & wife in tow barged his way through using the pushchair in front as his weapon and wife that was less than pleased with his attitude. He mumbled in passing something about his rights and it's a public path etc. etc. I always stand in mid path, with my arms out and try to get the runners to keep to the sea-side, giving room for other members of the public to pass safely. This method works pretty well and people appreciate that most are out to enjoy the 30 or so minutes of comparative crowding. About 5 minutes on, Lesley experienced 'Mr Grumpy' and his pushchair-weapon, now hurling abuse her way..........ah well, takes all sorts, perhaps he just got out the wrong side of bed this morning! After around an hour of marshalling we followed the tailwalker back to the finish, gave in our high-viz & said our goodbyes,  Cycling slowly along the prom to the beach-hut for a chill &  swim.......via, of course, the pier kiosk for 2 coffees and Italian cakes. The sea was OK but quite a lot of seaweed made the entry in a bit slimy & unpleasant but once in, ahhhh! It's Bank Hols next week so probably lots of additional 'tourists' to boost the numbers even more!

A mid-week announcement that parkrun Worthing is cancelled this week following inspection prior to the Bank Holiday Carnival Weekend only to find the prom now has more fairground rides taking up both sides of the prom, both before and after the pier! Whilst the prom is obviously still accessible the width and obstacles would make the event too dangerous to let it go ahead.. So we could go elsewhere? On the door-step, or within a 30 minutes radius.,......not that a radius really works  when you live beside the sea, but there are plenty of alternatives. However, we had kept an eye on the pending tail of a hurricane that has battered the north west of the UK after leaving the Caribbean some 2 weeks ago.. All we are promised in the balmy south is a Friday night deluge with strong winds developing and heavy rain for the rest of Saturday......or, parkrun day! Nothing much puts us off but today, with tired bodies we settled for a duvet-day while we watched the rain fall in bucket loads out of our bedroom window! Our inactivity didn't last as we soon got back to gym and I managed a close-on 7 mile hilly walk mid week with the Rambles as well as spin class and running around the track with Heads On and of course lots of early morning Lenny-dog walks.

The last weekend of August and the nights are drawing in but Worthing, after an early morning shower, is looking good with a gentle breeze and a not too hot, ideal for running day as we walk down from the free-parking zone on the prom (warm-up). We meet up with our parkrun friends who have been around and about from fairly local parkruns to some further afield. Quite a few Striders opt for Worthing and for one it is his first time ever to run a parkrun and first parkrun for the club. I am looking to walk-run as the body is not on for a fast-time! We have both kept up our shuffling and gym in the week so 'could be worse' ! Next weekend we are camping.....yes camping, in the New Forest where Striders are doing various events from the full Marathon, half Marathon, 10k or, for us, the 5K. Bit of a novelty as we haven't camped for many, many years and age has caught up with us as far as putting up and taking down tents as this invariably involves bending and stretching! Back to parkrun. I manage to stay within view of Lesley for most of the way and manage to run up and beyond the turn-a-round before I drop into my walk-run mode. I can see Care ahead and she is slowing so I politely pass and encourage her to finish a shade above 39 minutes with Lesley just 30 seconds, or so, in front. We both congratulate ourselves and natter to our friends before retiring to The Laughing Dog for breakfast and back to the beach hut for a rest before returning home. Sunday morning we plan to do a beach walk without the shared dog as he is back with mum and sister for a few days before returning to us early next week when we anticipate a fair-weather week for our camping break!!!

SEPTEMBER 2024

We wake up Friday morning to the sound of heavy rain beating outside. The car is packed with tent and assorted essential accessories to make our weekend slightly more comfortable. Forecast is rain to stop at 3pm and we can enter the camp-field at 3-30pm so no problems of erecting the tent in rain. The drive down at lunchtime was horrendous with spray and fairly heavy traffic all the way to the New Forest until we seek out the correct farm gate that should be open with a friendly smile by our welcoming run team organisers. We (Lesley)had not read the Thursday email stating unfortunately the gate would not be opened until 4:30! Hey-Ho because the rain was still stair rods and spookily it stopped just as we  entered the field and secured our pitch. Good start as the first few arrived and our flag was up to welcome our team. 2 hours later ( 20 minute erection tent) we were all set up and the kettle on for our brew. Light was fading and we were very pleased we weren't in the group of younger members that left after work or after school and would be putting tents up by torch! We had already done our homework and Brockenhurst parkrun was just down the road and was just at its winter venue thatwe had run before earlier this year, deep into the forest on lovely undulating trails. Overnight rain cleared to give a perfect morning for the short drive to the parkrun. Photos taken, pre-run chats and off we go on this lovely course that undulates for 4km before 'The Wall' A steep ascent that has us walking until the gentle run up to the finish.....virtually one loop save for a short double-back. Time was within a few seconds of earlier this year with Lesley finishing side by side. Back to Brockenhurst village for breakfast and back home (tent) for a chill before the big marathon day on Sunday. Marathon went well........we  managed to avoid the monsoon downpour by taking shelter in the porta-toilets while others earlier starters got drenched, but as we set off last of the bunch we missed it!. Other Worthing Striders did either the Marathon, the half marathon, the 10km or like us, the 5K. We didn't avoid the puddles though and 5k of puddles was enough as it was impossible to avoid them. The staggered start meant we all finished fairly close together....nice touch? The sun was out, the food from the stalls was awaiting and the live music kept us going until the sunset when we retired to our camp with a tripod fire basket, sausages and burgers. A nice long weekend as we even managed to have a really dry tent to put away on Monday morning.

250th parkrun for me and Worthing is at it's best with blue skies and just a hint of breeze, chilly start to the day, but near perfect! Last day of wearing my '100' black parkrun shirt as the '250' will hopefully be on it's way soon! Bus down and mill around with friends at the start. Mike has already been told of my milestone and its shouted out at the briefing. The off was fine and I settled in just behind Lesley passing the pier, tapping the family beach-hut and passing the 2 ladies just before the turn around. Jogging all the way out gave me the chance of brief short walks on the return which suited me fine as I am not running too often of late. 39 minutes or so was good and Lesley finished a minute in front of me. we had a busy day ahead and bough coffee and Italian cakes at the pier booth, taking them to the beach-hut for a brief relaxed chill, watching the waves and enjoying the sunshine.......perfect start to the day and probably the last parkrun recognised milestone that I will achieve as 500 is next and i achieve has taken from 2014 to get this many!!

OCTOBER 2024

Isle of Wight walking holiday this week and there is no way we could parkrun and walk on Saturday. Its a 5 day break with walks on 4 days, one of which we are leading. Shanklin to Bembridge by 2 busses with 17 other local Ramblers, many who have not been on a bus for decades let alone the thrill of the top-deck of the Vectis double-deckers. All goes to the planned timetable and with visit to the NT windmill and just a hint of drizzle on top of Culver Down for lunch stop, the day goes as planned a couple of weeks back. We all finish back at Shanklin by 2 different routes , some taking a well earned beer stop and then back to see the red squirrel appear briefly for us. A great 8 mile walk.

Worthing Striders volunteering takeover week so yet again no jogging for us. For me the stressful but enjoyable job of timekeeping with Rob, our striders chair, and new to the art of rapid finger tapping the app on a very wet phone for 1 hour in the rain, wind and the inevitable numbing finger cold! Lesley marshaled in relative dryness some halfway up the outward straight. We hopefully made no mistakes and around 600 finishers all in the right order and correct places. My phone packed up briefly at about 4 to go over the line. A little water ingress had a blank screen to tap! No harm done though and all up loaded fine. We all went back to celebrate and dry out in the Laughing Dog cafe where we joined tables together for a chat, coffee and cakes or full breakfast for those that needed some sustenance . The Laughing Dog staff are very efficient at  serving drinks and food considering it was a full house today!

The forecast for the weekend was pretty poor after a couple of stunning October days where we managed pre-winter chores in our garden.....well not really chores but enjoyable, therapeutic and really quite relaxing. My new 'green 250' tee-shirt had arrived and this was to be the first outing however the rain was bucketing down we as we sipped our early morning cup-a meaning that the T would be covered by a water proof layer! No. 10 on time and by the time we arrived at the sea front the good old south-westerly had picked up somewhat meaning a slow out with driving rain was on the cards ( no -pun intended) As we chatted to our foolhardy parkrun mates, Chris, with his new dog, had spotted a glimpse of blue sky that looked around 15 minutes away, goody, just 15 minutes of horizontal rain and then....drying out, perhaps. A very depleted crowd today, partly because the Great South Run was on the next day but mainly, we felt, the grim weather had put off, all but the foolhardy! A large and deep puddle had taken over a good deal of the prom, close to the coffee van and close to the start. We decided to hang back, as usual, to avoid the puddle and a few hundred runners trying to squeeze past a small gap, rather than risk wet feet for the next 20 minutes(40). As expected the wind hampered any aspirations of a -40 minute time. Even after the rain stopped, the sun popped out and the wind became much more favorable following the turn around, 41 minutes was the best that both of us could achieve. We were not too disappointed as bodies had not been at their finest for some time, by any means, but we enjoyed it, we are still alive and kicking and, back to a much quieter Coast where an upstairs seat, with Chris and dog for breakfast and coffee before getting a rare lift back to Goring. Thanks Chris.

So it was down to a choice between Bognor and Worthing for parkrun this week. We had been away for a couple of days having my routine  'check-up' at Guildford Royal Surrey Hospital. When I say 'routine' there is nothing routine about the suspense following a scan and a 2 month wait for the good or bad news! It was, however, pretty  good with no negatives  with the result, save for a check up at the doctors for a PSA test. The weather forecast did not bode well.........yet again and I am afraid the only picture taken was both huddled into our, not too, waterproofs. Well over 500 came out to experience Worthing ( yes we thought at least there was no grass and mud) at it's very worst. The only thing missing was really high wind and severe cold! We sheltered in the usual place, near the start, until it became over full and we took to the beach. we both, sensibly, wore Gore-Tex trainers but less sensible were the shower-proof only, jackets! To say we were soaked through would be an understatement. Once again it appeared that our part of the coast had just clipped a persistent patch of rain whereas other areas, looking at other parkruns, had a lovely sunny day! No coffee, no cake or breakfast, just the first 700 bus, that was tantalizingly already stationary at the bus stop, home to shower and chill out. It has been so wet this few weeks that it is a wonder all these folks keep turning out in droves for Worthing, Bognor, Lancing and Littlehampton parkruns. All of these fall into what I believe is the regular, South Coast,soaking area! Ah well, better weather next week?

A week has passed and Lesley found her 'old' shingles affliction had come back with a very nasty headache that has lasted over a week. Prescribed  strong pain relief have let her sleep and Friday she ventured out to walk for almost an hour around the local running track with our friends at the NHS charity group...Heads On! I continued with the couch to 5km training, running ,walking for almost an hour. To be able to exercise & chat certainly helps both of us and all the club members that share differing experiences. Saturday...parkrun day and doing well on the painkillers it is time for a volunteering session for Lesley and there is a vacancy in the parkwalker role that allows one to walk and encourage while still clocking up a logged run and a time! I, meanwhile, trot and walk to a really good time of 37+ minutes following just a second behind Claire. We met back at the Laughing Dog for breakfast and a chat before taking the 700 back home. Apart from a bit of sea-mist towards the end it was a near perfect day for parkrun. 

NOVEMBER 2024

It's been a week of medical issues and wait and see and a few results for all of us. I have had a PSA test and Lesley has upped her medication at the request of the doctor. I get good news on Monday that my PSA is normal and all the blood tests at Guildford were fine. Lesley is going to Chichester to check out her condition on Tuesday, my son is in for an op at Brighton on Monday. parkrun was scheduled as per normal with a bit of shared Lenny-dog swaps to allow us both to run. My eldest daughter experience Worthing parkrun, as a spectator, for the first time, picking up the mutt at 8:30, having a photo-shoot opportunity before we set off. Me, today was not 100% or quite the percentage I am normally at the moment. Lesley is OK and it showed as she left me at the turnaround point to for me to finish a good 30 seconds behind her. With over 600 runners and walkers on a regular basis, almost regardless of weather, we have to scroll down a long way to find where we come in the numbers ranking! The Laughing dog awaits as Graham announces that his watch showed his first under 30 minutes by 2 seconds but he is waiting for 'official' confirmation from the HQ software before he jumps up & down! ( confirmed as we tuck into breakfast) Next week is going to busy again with the ,now too often, hospital appointments, cousin visit , doggy walks and hopefully a Ramblers walk before a Worthing Striders team-awayday parkrun at Lancing, not one of our favourites but it is flat, along the path at Widewater before returning to the green for the finish and into the Perch cafe for the usual.

It was a very good turnout today for the Worthing Striders away day parkrun. I lost count but it must have been more than 20, most in a tee or hat but a few new ones doing a first at Lancing Green. Lesley was just looking after Lenny today who was making sure she didn't run as 2 weeks with no running, was the hospital instructions following her open-head investigation. Both daughters were there today to cheer me on or was it perhaps the thought of breakfast in the Perchcafe afterwards? Whatever, it was very nice to see everyone. One pace me, I certainly am, as I seemed to have developed a circa 40 minutes shuffle. Under this and I am doing well, over and I am not on top form! Today, despite the the longish grass section, I shuffled without a pause for 39 minutes 15 seconds, so I am pretty chuffed with that. My youngest daughter took a video nearing the end and apart from looking like an old man trying to stay upright, I was feeling fine. It was not a too fast time, as the paths are quite narrow and well used by bikes pushchairs and dogs so I imagine for the really quick runners may have to constantly check their pace and adjust or perhaps, even slow down! Not me though, lots of time for ' good morning greetings' to fellow Widewater strollers. A 'sprint' to the finish across a short stretch of grass, take a token and get it scanned before leaving it (some didn't) on a nice board with hooks on that you place your finish token, choosing the position you finish on the correct hook. Good idea but at Worthing with 600+ runners it would need a huge board with a lot of hooks for it to work there, so the buckets and volunteers sorting afters is fine for them. Circa 200 at Lancing  the system works well for them. After a nice catch up in the Perch it's back for a rest at home and then out into the garden for pre-winter jobs as the weather is set to change from Monday.

DECEMBER 2024

Weather changed as Storm Bert was forecast for the end of the week. We weren't too bothered as we had booked a few days away, very local, on a HF walking holiday....50% special deal! We needn't have worried about missing parkrun as, as it transpired, Bert had forced the whole of our coastal stretch of parkruns on the proms, to cancel. No such luck with our HF walk on The Seven Sisters as this went ahead as planned with the 2 groups of us buffeted by 50-60 miles-per-hour gusts. Strong enough to take you off course and off your feet. So bad were they that we all took to sitting on our bums to slide down some of the steeper 'Sisters'. All was well, the day was fine but National Trust had not opened the cafe at Burling Gap, so no coffee and cake stop and perhaps worse still.....the public toilets were firmly padlocked causing distress to the many visitors that had come to sample the wind, the views and the giant waves. Probably elf & safety protocols? Luckily the cafe was open at Cuckmere Haven and were doing really good business..... unlike the NT??

No weather issues this week as we all decide against Horsham and head back to Worthing where a near perfect day for parkrun....with no wind, no rain and about 12C on the promenade. We catch up with a few parkrun friends and shuffle round, on the pebbles to listen to the briefing as it was 'leaked' that Paul Sinton-Hewitt, founder and 'god' of parkrun would be here with us this week, where he will be volunteering at the funnel whilst his wife Mrs. PSH runs the 5km with us or perhaps more accurately, a long way in front of us! At the briefing, there he was humbly waving to cheers from the burgeoning crowd. We both shuffle off hopefully putting our aches and pains behind us and without the normal westerly, we seemed to be pretty happy to have ran all the way up to the turnaround, without too much grumbling. Same on the way back although I did mange to keep going at 'pace' for the last 1km leaving Lesley a good 30 seconds behind...wow! PSW is there at the funnel to shake hands with as I blame him for not having a Saturday lie-in for the last 5 or 6 years! We managed, along with many others I am sure, to get a photo opportunity with him, once I have done the token scan and rounded up Lesley and our friend Colin to share the moment with him. Back to Coast, that is surprisingly queue free, for breakfast and coffee with Graham from Striders. Nice-one! A productive  afternoon pruning or lopping bushes to fill our green bin......all in all a pretty busy day. We were hoping to get a long Ramblers walk across the South Downs this week as we both feel back to somewhere near coping with distance again and if the weather stays the same......it's good to go.

No parkrun this week as another named storm causes widespread disruption with floods and high winds, especially around the coast. We take a trip to Lesley's son to watch the boys play football on Saturday morning...........cancelled. Lesley managed to slip over in the week and has a bruised ribcage, so slowly getting back and hopes to parkrun next week when it will be a Striders visit to Littlehampton. We will have doggy so she is hoping to walk with him along Littlehampton prom where he will probably go half way at least. It is now the build up to Christmas so we have already had one seasonal meal with the Ramblers and this week brings another with the run club at an Italian. I managed to find a map where the red blobs show all the cancelled parkruns across the UK!! scary!

Christmas is coming and most of the Striders had some form of festive or elf embellishments.....but not me!! Not a bar-humbug but just felt it was a little earlys it is still 11 days to go, so perhaps the 25th I will make the effort? 18 of us had decided on Littlehampton and what a perfect day, for a change. A hint of sunshine and blue sky, 4C + to start and almost no wind as we posed for the obligatory group photo. Lesley and Lenny had volunteered this morning so her position was ( very conveniently) to stand by the busy section at the Beach Club cafe, where we would end up afterwards! With numbers, thankfully, far fewer than Worthing,  I hoped I would still have plenty of pepes behind me. Lesley and Lenny greeted me on my 4 times of passing them on this out, back, out, back course, which is not usually my favourite as I find it a bit demoralising when I realise at the turn around that I have to do it all again. Today I trot along after finding my 'pacers' which turn out to be a fast walker that leaves me for dust and 2 chirpy, first time to Littlehampton, runners. Jayne  from the Striders is just ahead of me for most of the way and on the home straight, towards the end, we run together before I "let her go' (rude not to) finishing in 38:11, the same time as Jayne. Token taken and scanned and it's back to the Beach Club, passing and cheering on Jenny from Striders who finishes in the forties. The breakfast table was already taken by Lesley and Lenny whom gave the high-vis back to the tail walkers to save a bit of a journey back to the start! Good move this as we beat the rush and queue with coffees appearing within 10 minutes and breakfast a little tardy, after a half-hour. Mushrooms and scambled egg on brown sourdough! With the sun now poking through and the temperature rising it was time for a few hours in the garden to fill the green-bin , once again! It is perhaps time to think about the festivities, we have just had 2x Christmas parties and 1 more later this week, just Christmas day and New Year day parkruns on the horizon.

Worthing and Lesley's birthday parkrun at Worthing following us running or training 2 days in a row! So, straight out, no opening prezzies ...just yet and face the threat of rain with also the threat of gusts of 40mph winds from the SW! There was a Christmas flavour today with elves and Father Christmas outfits in abundance but not us, as it was a Birthday run ... a big 72nd. Plenty of 'Striders' had come to celebrate and a 100th run for one of them. Dog barking had drowned the briefing, annoying or what ?  We persevered and clapped the volunteers who do a splendid job each week before setting off at out steady shuffle and walk pace. We passed the '2 ladies' just after the pier and trotted alongside Colin, a fellow Strider and oldie, I might add, until the turnaround where a group of our mauve 'Heads On' were running and walking in intervals, allowing us to catch them up for a brief chat before they headed off, finishing about 30seconds in front of us. So it was looking to be well under 44minutes and so, not too bad as this was Lesley's first run for a while and still suffering from her sore ribs from her fall on my birthday! So as we rounded the last corner at Splashpoint, the volunteer team sung 'Happy Birthday' ........a nice end to the parkrun before we posed for team Striders pictures and headed off to the Laughing Dog cafe for coffee and breakfast treat. Windy, gusty even, but we stayed dry despite the awful forecast. We will be back in the morning for another 'not parkrun' where we hope to get a good pre-Christmas crowd to celebrate one of the girls 12 year old son, trying his first run and needing all the support Striders can muster!

Christmas day and the parkruns that take part for the special day are limited, but for us, not much of a drive today to Littlehampton prom. As expected, the roads are extremely quiet so less than 10 minutes and we are parked up very close to the start. Despite the 'warning', one toilet had been kindly opened and just a short queue with 20 minutes still to go! Needless to say and us included, there was the usual Santa themed turn out, Lots of our Worthing parkrun chums, so lots of posed photos including about 12 of our Striders....... and turn-out there was, with, as we found out afterwards, almost 550 ran, shuffled ,wheeled and walked and even carried ( yes, a young grandchild on Heads On, Ian's shoulders) going the out & back and out & back again course. We were both very pleased to just come in the low 500's with our now, well practiced shuffle. Large numbers took the volunteer team by surprise as I believe they only had 400 tokens! With the usual skill and adaptability, 2 volunteers at the finish had clipboards and pens forming 2 queues to take all of our names down and parkrun numbers. It worked like a dream with results coming through pretty quickly and both getting the same-ish time as our Strava.& Fitbit. Our team had kindly waited for us few slow runners to finish before saying our goodbyes and heading back home to carry on with our Christmases.

It's the Saturday in between and really, should be a normal parkrun. But, Worthing had attracted the  usual crowd plus a couple of hundred more 1st timers and of course , tourists, many down here for the Christmas break. making up the well over 700 today. Lesley has a tweak in her bum, picked up yesterday morning while we were out doing a seafront, early morning shuffle! So, with Lenny dog she volunteered for the much needed marshaling & cheering on outside the recently  talked about, Lido. I mingled with parkrun chums and about 20 Striders before the OFF when Colin, Craig and I realised we were far from alone! Even from way back from the start, the crowds were pretty thick and it wasn't until the pier that we had room to breath! The 3 of us were nattering and pretty similar paced until the turn around when we caught up with Jayne, a  Strider and friend Claire. Colin dropped back to get his personal PW ( worse time) while Jayne, Craig and I run to finish pretty much together at just over 38 minutes. Not bad as we all said we had too much food over the last few days! After the obligatory Striders snap with the usual suspects missing! I walked back to see Jenny on the finishing straight and met Lesley and Lenny coming back to finish her marshaling role. A chilly walk back to the Laughing Dog to warm up as it hadn't gone above a mirky 5C all morning. We sat for 45 minutes chatting with some fellow Striders before home, some more food and outdoors  for some essential gardening, pruning the rose bush and planting bulbs in the new (Christmas present) vases!! There is no gym for me until into the classes return in the New Year so hoping the running, walking and gardening will keep up my fitness level.

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