Woof Woof Sausage Run! - 24.04.21 with Saturn Running, 50km

Great day of running at the Lee Valley White Water Centre. Seven and a little bit laps around the Lee Valley Country Park = 50 km. Sunny, warm, lovely route, tonnes of running family there, and a sausage dog medal - do days get any better than that?

Bumped into Richard at Liverpool Street on the way. Good to be back on trains, who'd have thought how much I'd miss them! Coffee, and a walk to the start. Summoned strength to ignore the sunny terrace bar at the White Water Centre, and walk past it to the start. Thanks Richard and Andrew for the run! And it was fabulous to see so many faces about on the route!

Saturn aid station is getting even better. Much watermelon was had, watermelon sweets, pretzels, giant flumps, and giant bits of jammy wagon wheel and fruit jelly fudge. I tried my first sample of Tailwind, but thought it tasted like diluted seawater. 

Lovely to have catch ups and catch some (more) sun at the end. 

Lots of very cute dogs about, but none as cute as the medal.

Did a 50km PB (5:15:29)!

Thanks Saturn! 🐕🐶😎

27 miles in MK (Saturday) and Saturn's God Gave Rock and Running To You 50 km (Sunday)

Good to be getting back in to some back to back long runs, to notch up the training miles ahead of summer adventures! 

Saturday - 27 miles in Milton Keynes 

With Alan and Andrew. Good to see Alan again after the lastest Lockdown! 

Spring is in the air for sure, and it was great to be out on the trails again.

Post run tea and cake - thanks Alan!

Sunday - God Gave Rock and Running to You, 50 km with Saturn Running

Very excellent to be back for my first Saturn event since lockdown! I do love this route - along the north bank of the Thames by Staines (or, St Aines). Each lap is just over 4 miles, but they go by so quick I find - there are so many different sections to the lap that I think it's quite easy to break it up. There are many many posh houses to look at, so many swans in the river (saw a Dalmatian try to start a fight with a swan and two geese, then change it's mind), the Thames twinkling tranquilly in the sunshine (before it shortly crashes down through a weir), a meadow, a lock, and an ice cream van!! Lovely run today and fabulous to see many of the crew out there. I do like lapped events, I know a lot of people I tell about them don't get them at all. But for me, it's not about the medal, nor about adding on another number to the tally. I love them because you have several hours away from the "real world" with nothing to worry about other than how long it will be before you next come across another friend to have a smile and a chat with. And with laps, you know that won't be long. Loved it very much today. Nice and relaxed, lots of catch ups, and an ice cream! Thanks Saturn!

Box Hill Grand National run (14 miles), SVN Lucky Dip Challenge (50km), and Run for Luz

Been a bit lax on the blogging of late, as writing about the same runs probably wouldn't be that interesting. But with the key of Unlocking slowly turning in the lock, things got a bit more interesting this weekend!

Saturday - 14 miles Box Hill Grand National run from Denbies with Tara and Andrew, followed by a cake extravaganza. The run itself was a good workout on the trails and hills, which I have been chomping on the bit to get back on! We did a run from Denbies to Westhumble, then through Norbury park to Mickleham, and a wiggly route (including along The Gallops where part 1 of the Box Hill Grand National took place) over to Pebble Common and up and around Box Hill. There is a trail called the Juniper Top Trail at the top of Box Hill, which includes lots of wooden balancing type things, which provided plentiful jumps for part 2 of the Box Hill Grand National. Alas, it was soon time to rein it in, and trot back to Denbies for the mane event, the cake picnic, which was really quite something. Thanks Tara for being the guide, and the delicious carrot cake! Nay, I only fell over once today (buy hay, that's an improvement on three times last week), and escaped injuries except a bruised shoulder and a tiny graze on my cheek (my falling technique is improving!).

Sunday - first event of the year! The SVN Lucky Dip Challenge. Very good to do an event again, and see lots of friends again after a long time! Loved the Easter decorations in the park, and it was a lovely sunny day to be out.

And I had to mention these from the aid table, as it's been probably decades since I had Sport and Vingar Fish N Chips, and who knew you could get mini party rings?!

50 km done, and I love my medal!

And epic goody bag! Thanks SVN, Traviss and Rachel and Karen for another fun event!

This weekend I was also taking part in a virtual event "Run for Luz". Luz was a lovely lady, and although I didn't know her, she was at the 10 in 10 in 2019, and she was always lovely and smiley and encouraging every time I saw her on the laps. Sadly, she passed away suddenly a few weeks ago. So this weekend Rik at Phoenix had arranged a virtual event, where anyone who signed up (over 600! - which shows how popular Luz was) can upload your miles over the weekend, to show support, and get Luz over the finish lines of some virtual runs she was taking part in when she passed away. Such a lovely idea! And I think it really shows, you know, what a special thing it is to leave behind you on this planet such a feeling of love and enthusiasm which is a catalyst to inspire others. Very special. Rest in peace Luz 💚💚💚