Tuesday 15 November 2011

Coming to a corner . .

I raced on Sunday . . or maybe I should say that I took part in a race. It was extremely hard work, but well worth the effort . .

I've continued to run in different parkruns through the autumn, at East Park in Hull, Concord Park in Sheffield, Braunstone Park in Leicester, Southwick Country Park in Trowbridge and at Rye Meadow in Abingdon . . and I've taken photos a few times at Abingdon too . . here's me running past Southwick's Spirit of parkunner statue at the start of the final lap . . thanks to Andrew Morrison for the photo . .


So Southwick's time came as a surprise. But also a relief. Because at the end of October in 2009 I took over 30 minutes for a 5k for the first time (and that was a very unwelcome shock, believe me). Since then I've struggled with my breathing and have tried to learn to breath whist running again. Finally I understood that I had become obsessed with my breathing, and so had to learn to ignore it, and allow it to take care of itself. And finally it feels as if my hard work is paying off.

I wouldn't say that I've turned a corner, but I've certainly arrived at one. I've begun going to my running club on Wednesday evenings, where there is now a bridging group to help aid the transition from new runner to joining the regular groups. And for someone returning from illness or injury, the bridging group is invaluable. So having not run through either of the past two winters, I'm planning on training right through this one, and we'll see where that gets me.


The race on Sunday was Watford Joggers' Autumn Challenge, where I've taken photos for the past two years, but not having had much take up decided just to come along without my cameras and watch, and cheer on some friends who were taking part. The recent good feeling I've had about my running persuaded me to enter what would be my first event of longer than 5k since I took part in the Guy Fawkes 10 miler in November 2009. I declared that to be my final race and I'm very pleased that it wasn't. I have to report that 5 miles is an awfully long way, that there were 4 runners less fast than I, and that Cassiobury Park and Whippendell Woods are quite beautiful in autumn sunshine. The avenue of trees above was great to run through on the way out of Cassiobury Park, but it was hard work going back the other way.


The previous day I'd been on photo duty at the 28th Abingdon parkrun, and here are a couple of photos taken during the run . .


followed by a little montage showing the fun we had outside Coffee Republic in the Market Place after the run . . 


On Saturday I'll be at the 2nd Dirt Half Marathon Challenge, at Leighton Buzzard . . and you'll find the photos here

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