Horsham Joggerblog

Veni, vidi, vici

2007-04-23T21:53:00.000+01:00

I guess you want to know what happened, eh? The bare facts are that I finished my first marathon in 5hours, 24 minutes and 44 seconds. But what, I hear you ask, was it like?

I reckon my preparation was as good as it could have been bearing in mind my recent problems with achilles and knees and after the final 10 mile training run I did the sensible thing and wrapped myself in cotton wool for the rest of the week, I even stopped drinking. The ultimate sacrifice I’m sure you’ll agree. The final piece of the pre-race master plan was to stay overnight in a Travel Inn which I found right next to the DLR so that Wendy and I could be well rested before the start and avoid an ungodly early start with the HJ mini bus. All we had to do was take a leisurely breakfast, jump on the DLR and 35 minutes later we’d be in Greenwich, sorted. However like most well laid plans of mice and men fate had other ideas.

We breakfasted heartily on porridge and toast at the Beckton Travel Inn’s very own interpretation of an Olympic village, I guess it’s good practice for 2012, I wasn’t sure if it was the scrambled eggs or the nerves which I could smell though. After that we popped onto the DLR; destination Greenwich. The banter among the runners and supporters on the packed train was surreal and at times it read like a Spike Milligan sketch.

Lady runner (I’m guessing from Barnsley) lifts her fleece to reveal a Whizz-Kidz running vest with a hand stitched “JO” sewn on her vest above her number.
Barnsley runner: “Eeeeh, do you like what me mam did for us?”
Barnsley supporter: “Ay, smashin’ that, shame your name’s “OJ”!
Barnsley runner: “Eeeh, I know. But she put one on me back an’ all so that one’s the right way round!!!”
Maniacal cackling and laughter all round.

We then had a change at Poplar and that’s where it all went wrong. Today of all days the DLR had a “technical difficulty” resulting in them terminating the service which stranded us north of the Mudchute station on the Isle of Dogs with the advice to walk to start or…………..walk to the start. Mmmm, some choice. We weren’t alone though and so we and a few hundred other runners began a 4 mile yomp to the start via the Greenwich foot tunnel. By the time we got there we were too late to make our designated Blue start and as the gun went off we were still dumping our gear on the “odds & sods” lorry and had to tag onto the tail end of the Red start with the fun runners and fancy dress brigade. Not the best start I’m sure you’ll agree but we decided that nothing was going to spoil our day and we just had to relax and take it in our stride.

It took us 25 minutes to get over the start line but straight from the get-go the atmosphere was amazing, I hate to sound too smug but if you haven’t done it you simply have no idea. There were times when I thought “this support is all for me”. We were told to print our names on the front of our shirts and this was a fantastic piece of advice “Come on Nick, sexy boooyyyy!” honest. Ultimately Wendy prevailed in the namecheck stakes but I guess that’s something to do with with being a bouncy 6” lass with your name emblazoned across your breasticles.

Straight away we knew our #1 enemy was going to be the heat and around mile 1 a priest standing outside his church was the first of many to shower us with water albeit a paltry portion of the Holy variety (some of you may know that I’m an agnostic but as long as I was allowed to survive I was happy to take the blessings of Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists and maybe even Presbytarian soap dodging tree huggers alike). After that we were regularly showered by firemen, spectators with hoses and kids with water guns, I thank you all!!!!!!

Cutty Sark and 6 miles came up in good time but after that I don’t remember much until 12 miles and the landmark Tower Bridge. Zoe & Karen spotted us and gave us a huge holler and I must admit to having a bit of an emotional moment. Shortly after that though the wheels started to come off. Between 12 and 16 the heat seemed to be at its peak and I started to struggle with my breathing and felt light headed and nauseous. I was in trouble. I remembered that one of my German friends had collapsed at 35km during his first marathon the week before during similar temperatures and I knew I had to back the pace off even further in order to survive. Wendy was great in telling me to dig in and kept me focused and I simply set my sights on getting on mile 17 where we knew her Mum, family and friends were waiting for us. If I could just get there, refuel and stretch I hoped that I could start again. Lin, G and James were great at providing encouragement, vitamin I, water and factor 20 and as we set off again we now knew that the “miles to go” were into single figures as we headed into Canary Wharf. Suddenly we had a break, the weather clouded over a touch and a breeze sprung up which I guess was generated by the tall buildings. This enabled me to cool down a little and get back into some sort of rhythm, my moment of crisis had passed.

The whole of Canary Wharf was a blur of colour and noise and before we knew it we were through 20 miles. I glimpsed Jean H on my right (outside a pub) and around now the crowds became even more intense and vocal, during my brief walking breaks I almost felt like I was letting them down so I quickly got back running again. At times it looked really frantic behind the barriers and it felt better to be on our side running rather than watching.

The final few miles were a blur of Alzheimers & Anthony Nolan cheering stations, the London Eye, Cleopatra’s Needle and Big Ben and then before I knew it Birdcage Walk and The Mall were upon us. By this time I had been running for 1 ½ hours longer than I had ever done before but I didn’t want it to stop, the finish came too soon. Four months of training were distilled into a few hundred emotion laden yards and Wendy & I crossed the line together, as promised.

Job done, medal presented and back to the meet & greet with the other joggers on Horseguards. What a buzz. Thanks to:
Gordon for doing a great job of co-ordinating the training.
All the club supporters who made it up on the day.
All of the running buddies who have motivated us on the long runs and on the track.
But most of all thank you to the person who started all of this with a lucky penny.

I have uploaded a few cameraphone photos onto the flickr site and you can view them here, I hope they give you some sort of feel for the day. One of the staples of my reports has been the running/motivational quote and I could have used any number of well used marathon quotes in this final FLM entry. Instead I have decided to paraphrase Albert Camus in order to pay homage to my long suffering friend.

Don't run in front of me, I may not follow,
Don't run behind me, I may not lead,
Run beside me and be my friend.

I hope that you’ve all enjoyed my journal and my occasionally verbose outbursts. I have run this blog as an adjunct to my fundraising page in memory of my mother Jean and if you have enjoyed my ramblings I implore you to log onto www.justgiving.com/nickdubyah and donate whatever you can spare. Whether it’s £2 or £20 it can make a huge difference. My mother’s illness had a huge impact upon myself and my family and the Alzheimers Society does tremendous work to help fund research and provide support for sufferers and their families.

And so ends the final instalment of Nick’s Marathon Odyssey, the end of the journey. Or is it? I have a plan so you’ll all have to come back next week to see what my next challenge is. You know you want to, don’t you?

N

“Houston, we are go for launch” or "Per ardua ad astra"

2007-04-18T13:10:00.000+01:00

So there you have it, training done. Crikey! I’ve just made my last entry in my training log and from 31st December ’06 the raw data is:
Miles: 297.1
Time: 49hrs 43minutes 05secs
Avg Min/Mile: 10.04

To give that some perspective 297 miles is further than Horsham to Carlisle or Newcastle, it’s even further than Nantes in the Loire (assuming I can swim, which I can’t). If all goes to plan by Sunday afternoon I will have run as far as Dusseldorf, actually that would be plain stupid but you get my point.

One of my colleagues asked me if I was nervous, I am not. The best analogy I could summon up was feeling like an astronaut on the launch pad; my training is done, I have completed it to the best of my ability and there is nothing more I can do to prepare myself for the task ahead. Consequently I find myself strapped into a rocket on the launch pad and control has passed out of my hands, someone else has their finger on the button and the only certainty is that when the blue touch paper is lit I will be off. Granted my progress will be slightly more pedestrian than an Apollo rocket but I’m only working with an eighth of a horsepower here.

So if I’m not nervous what are my emotions right now? Well, I’m anxious not to do anything stupid like trip over the cat or fall over putting my socks on. Apart from that I don’t feel very much at all. I’m sure that once I get up to the Expo on Saturday the butterflies will start to kick in but until then I’m trying, and so far succeeding, to keep a lid on things. People who have never attempted something like this look at me like I’m mad, people who have been there before look at me with a mixture of pity & envy. Right now I just want to join the club and be able to say “you have no idea!” accompanied by a maniacal grin.

What do I want from the Marathon? Well, apart from a medal, t-shirt and a space blanket I don’t have any firm expectations. I think it is something I will have to experience for myself before I can pass judgement. Previous participants I speak to have had their own reasons for doing it and have taken their own benefits and lessons from it. I think that is what I am most looking forward to; seeing for myself how I stand up to the challenge and determining what my limits are. I don’t want to get too philosophical about this but it’s a big deal for me on many levels.

And so the countdown has begun, the clock’s ticking and I’m on my way. This won’t be one small step, (in fact I reckon it will be around 42,327 steps) but it will be a giant leap into the unknown. Luckily for me however I will have my own version of Buzz Aldrin at my side for support and guidance plus 30,000 other like-minded loons so I won’t be lonely that’s for sure. Next week will see me post the final blog of my odyssey, let’s hope it’s a happy ending.

N

Jinxed by Jack Hargreaves. It was all going so well………

2007-04-10T09:46:00.000+01:00

Oh dear, I appear to be falling apart a little. I haven’t missed a single Sunday training run/race in the schedule but this week I’m afraid I put up a black by stopping half way round the 14 miler. Regular readers will know that I have struggled with my left achilles for a few weeks now but so far I have managed to contain it through a complex strategy of running slower and drinking red wine. However this week the right achilles really started to play up and I decided that enough was enough. With only 2 weeks to go and with all the long runs behind me I decided that now is not the time to be a hero and so I stopped at around 7 miles somewhere between Maplehurst and Monks Gate and waited for the cavalry in the form of Ali & Nigel. After an intensive course of sympathy, advice and Mini Easter Eggs from the pair of them I felt much better, thank you.

It was a shame really as it was a beautiful morning for a run with clear skies and warm temperatures and I must admit that before the wheels came off I even had a few Jack Hargreaves "Out of Town" moments spotting Foxes and a Woodpecker along Sedgewick Lane. I bet there won’t be many of those to seen on the 22nd. Subsequently I decided to compensate for the abbreviated run by doing some cross training and cycled a route through Copsale, Southwater & Christ’s Hospital. Following some sound advice on hydration from Pete Leuw last week I made sure I stopped at the Bridge House in Copsale for some essential fluid replacement. Lovely light straw colour, cheers Pete!

So I think an easy week is in order. Plenty of HI-RICE and maybe an easy run on Thursday. 10 miles next Sunday? We’ll see but one thing is for sure; wild horses won’t keep me from the starts line in 2 weeks from now. The advice and encouragement which has been forthcoming from all those who’ve been there and have the T-shirt is amazing and made the training experience so much more bearable. I’ll try not to let you down.

N

Loving the taper

2007-04-03T15:38:00.000+01:00

So, courtesy of Worthing Harriers I have finally joined the “20” club and I must say it’s a relief to get a run under my belt with a 2 in front of it. One of the most quoted pieces of Marathon lore suggests that first timers should train for the first 20 miles and then do the 6.2 for themselves, we shall see how true this is. For now however I am happy that my preparation has been as good as injury, work and personal commitments has allowed.

In recent weeks I’ve carried a bit of an achilles strain and consequently missed 10 days of training plus a blog, sorry. I hadn’t really felt it during the training runs but after Silverstone it was pretty bad and daily thereafter it provided me with a nagging reminder that what I am doing needs proper preparation and can’t be taken for granted. I prescribed myself plenty of ice and vitamin I and kept my fingers crossed.

Fate chose the perfect date for my first 20 miler but thankfully the mid-week forecast of high winds and rain proved to be a little extreme. It was a little windy but what do you expect on the seafront in April? Laps aren’t usually my cup of tea but they seemed to work for me this time, 4 lots of 5 miles? Piece of cake……….

Lap 1 saw me start in woolly hat and gloves but these were discarded at the end of the lap. Wendy and I had managed to park on the course near the start and only lost a few seconds stashing them in the car. From there on I think it’s fair to say that on lap 2 we took it more steadily, on lap 3 we took it easy for a bit and then slowed down on lap 4. Initially 10.5 minute miles felt ridiculously slow but after 2 hours we slowed further to 11’s and I reckon that this is our expected race day pace. It’s so slow compared to some of the training runs but I have to remind myself that I will need to sustain it for around 5 hours and I have calculated a simple algebraic calculation which backs this up; (a+w)*b=S² (a=age, w=weight, b=beer, s=slooow).

I only have two criticisms of the race:
1 More lavvies please
2 I know we all have drawers full of them but sometimes, just sometimes you think you deserve a Mutley Medal for a job well done and what do you get, a towel. I ask you.

As a more positive footnote to Worthing I would like to thank the HJ supporters and fellow runners on Sunday for keeping us motivated, particularly Alan & Nigel, and the marshals were fantastic. As usual Keith V picked up a V50 medal (perhaps he should change his name to Keith V50?) and the ladies claimed 2nd team prize. Well done also to Julia, Jo & Sarah andf the other HJ's out there. No medals for us but satisfaction of a job well done.

And so I meander back to the start of this blog, 20 + 6.2, can it be done? Near the end of the last lap I asked myself if I could go round once more and I found that mentally I could, whether my body will be quite as willing in 3 weeks time I don’t know. I find it ironic that looking back over the previous weeks it will be the 12 mile lollipop which will haunt me and not the 18’s & 20, weird, but having broken the back of the training I feel relief and anticipation in equal measure. Time to taper, beer & pizza anyone?

Weekly total: 26.1
Long run: 20
Weight: 95.2kg
FGI: 8

Quote of the week:
"On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you have a limit. And you then go for this limit and you touch this limit, and you think, 'Okay, this is the limit.' And so you touch this limit, something happens and you suddenly can go a little bit further. With your mind power, your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high." -Ayrton Senna

Who do you think you are, Nigel Mansell?

2007-03-19T09:34:00.000Z

Stop press:
Horsham Joggers trio beat Nigel Mansell in 3 lap sprint around Silverstone!

If only it was as easy as it sounds, Wendy Tee & I rolled up at Silverstone on Sunday morning looking for a half marathon PB confirmation to back up the amount of effort we have been putting in recently. Nigel Mansell was the starter and he then joined in with his sons for the 3 laps. Game on, the moustachioed one was going to be toast.

I have done this race twice before and as this race track is officially the flattest place on earth it has great PB potential, unless the weather’s bad…………Predictably it was hell on a stick, really strong gusting winds and cold temperatures melded together to lash us with a sleet & hail storm at the end of mile 1. At times the wind was so strong that it felt more like yachting than running as I tacked and jibed my way down the hangar straight and getting a drive through penalty at the end of the first lap didn’t help my cause either.

My target was to get under 2 hours for the first time and so I planned to do 9’s which should have got me round in 1:57. The mile markers took the form of 15ft high Adidas towers with a clock on top of each. Unfortunately as a consequence of the strong winds most of them had been blown down (or maybe laid down due to elfin safety) and this meant that my first split check wasn’t until 8 miles. I worked out that I had been doing 8:50’s but now the weather really began to kick in. It clouded over again and then a really vicious hailstorm kicked in. As this was going on Liz Yelling was just finishing and in her interview over the PA she said that it was like having handfuls of needles thrown at your face and she had an “ice cream headache”, whatever that is. I just knew that I was being sapped and my left hamstring was tightening up. Think FLM, think survival, think don’t be a prat. There will be other opportunities. Consequently I knocked the 9 minute miling on the head and finally dragged myself across the line in 2:03. However this was still 20 minutes quicker than Barns Green last October and 40 minutes ahead of the man Ferrari fans call Il Leoni for his never say die attitude.

I have to congratulate Wendy and Tee for their performance and perseverance. Due to the shocking conditions they also both picked up injuries to go with their PB’s and they certainly earned their medals. Despite all that though they can still say that they whipped the 1992 Formula 1 World Champion around his favourite track!

N

No title this week, everything hurts too much to be witty.....

2007-03-12T11:25:00.000Z

Did I not like that? For me that was without doubt the hardest run so far and for the first time I got an indication of the mental and physical challenge that awaits me on April 22nd. Physically I wasn’t feeling particularly bright all weekend but it was just one of those days when nothing felt right and I had no gas in the tank. I knew I was in trouble even before the 1st water stop but I tried to tell myself that some days you just have to grit your teeth and grind it out.

However by the time we turned for home after the Polo club I was running in what an IT geek would term “Safe Mode” with all non-essential systems shut down just so I could continue to put one foot in front of the other. By the time I made it to Strood Lane my CPU usage was running at 99% and not even the best efforts of Bon Scott and Angus Young could keep me going and I walked most of the next mile. Around this point Julia G caught me up and thankfully she gave me a little pep talk about training always being harder than the day and generally made me realise that it was ok to have a bad day sometimes. This gave me the kick up the arse I needed to run/walk the remainder. Ironically after all of this drama queen act I actually came in quicker than last week over the same distance, and if you had offered me 18 miles in under 3 hours on 1st January I would have bitten you hand off but somehow I still felt very deflated. Funny business this running lark, the grey gloop between your ears really is more important than the legs and lungs.

Last week I quoted one of my heroes, Muhammad Ali, and to paraphrase he said “…the will must be stronger than the skill.” I momentarily lost that part of my psyche in Strood Lane but I will be sure never to make that same mistake again. PMA my boy.

PS. Thank you to Paul A and his kids for servicing our needs. The training run supporters deserve our thanks for their efforts, particularly now that the distances are creeping up.

Weekly total: 22.5 miles
Long run: 17.9 miles
FGI: 4

Quotes of the week:
"Perfection is giving your all, so those who think those who try their hardest and fail aren't reaching perfection, they're wrong, because if you try your hardest, you have reached perfection.”

“I don’t train. I just run my 3-15 miles a day.”

N

Duck spotting (a beginners guide) & Navigation the A-Group way “What blue tractor?”

2007-03-05T11:46:00.000Z

My how I enjoyed that! It was dry for all of 10 minutes before the weather turned bad, deteriorated and then got steadily worse. I noticed that even the Waterfall Course at Mannings Heath GC was closed as I passed it while doing a passable impersonation of a Mallard in Asics. You know the saying “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, sounds like a duck it’s probably a Jogger doing marathon training.” However the weather is an uncontrolled variable which we must tolerate, but the terrain……..

Now I’m not criticising the map/instructions per se but I did note that Pete wisely chose the Half Moon pub at the Warninglid crossroads as the location for the 2nd water stop. This gave him the capacity to service runners arriving from all 4 possible directions. Apparently Sarah H was the only person to pass this particular initiative test and I’ve heard that she will be giving map reading lessons to A-Group at the earliest opportunity. I don’t think Horsham Joggers will be entering a team in Orienteering events any time soon. I thought that I was doomed never to see the eponymous blue tractor in the written instructions until it finally appeared on the causeway at Hammerpond towing a trailer of soggy bales. I’m guessing that this was a different tractor, how I laughed. Personally I clocked 17.9 miles (1,100+ feet of ascent) in 3 hours 2 min which I was pretty pleased with.

I also seem to be winning my battle with hunger/fatigue on the long runs and in addition to the rocket fuel I now take a chewy bar along to sustain me from 10 miles onwards. However I still can’t believe the amount I’m eating in the week. On a workday I try to take sandwiches whenever possible and usually I find I fancy a nibble around mid-morning which will see me through to lunchtime. The previous Monday was no exception but I was a little disconcerted by the looks I was given by my office colleagues as I put myself outside of my wholegrain ploughmans; the reason? It was only 8:50AM………..what a guts.

Finally, I know I’m running the risk of jinxing myself but I feel I’m coping better with the fatigue and I feel I can see light at the end of the training tunnel. Also the run-in to the big day is now mapped out for me and for the first time it all seems possible.
11th March - 18 mile club run
18th March – Silverstone Half (hoping for sub-2hours)
24th March – Legoland! Come on, give me one day off.
1st April – Worthing 20
This is then followed by the tapering runs of 14 and 10 miles. I’m getting excited, easy tiger.

Weekly total: 29.5 miles
Long run: 17.9 miles
FGI: 9

Quote of the week:
Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: A desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill. - Muhammad Ali

I’m not around Tuesday so see you all on the track Thursday.
N

“Time on your feet” or “Dying on your arse”, the Jury’s still out.

2007-02-28T10:48:00.000Z

Following the respite of having to do “only” 6 miles at the Chichester 10k on the 4th (that seems so long ago) the long runs have been arriving with all the regularity and monotony of a Tony Blair platitude………“Our boys will be home for Christmas, honest”.

This weeks HJ schedule saw the 2nd of the 16 milers and as I had plans for my graduation to Vet status on Sunday this meant that it had to be done on Saturday. Now I know I’ve said this before but I am constantly surprised by the shifting perspective which the long run gives you. At one point I went over all of the dreadful runs I had in 2006 and almost without exception they were the stupid short 4 or 5 milers, and here I was doing the equivalent of 3 Fittleworth 5’s back-to-back plus a bit more.

One of the recurring mantras (aren’t mantras recurring by definition?) which you hear from marathon vets is “time on your feet”. To date I’ve had no reason to quibble with this particular piece of advice, indeed I’ve invoked it myself a few times to beginners, but as I approach the 3 hour mark in training I am tempted to ask for a re-phrasing, hence the title of this particular blog entry. At the conclusion of last weeks run I couldn’t have managed another yard and this week I even had to resort to some MP3 support, my first selection of Morcheeba was altogether too mellow so I stuck it on random and what did I get? “Hell ain’t a bad place to be” by AC/DC! Methinks I shall stick to Groove Armada in future, the word you're looking for is eclectic. Which brings us neatly to 17 miles this Sunday, 2/3rds FLM distance and another landmark at the Mudchute, we shall see(try this link for photographic tour of the FLM route).

Weekly mileage: 28
Long run: 16
Weight: 97kg
FGI: 8

Quotes of the week:
Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable, let's prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all. - Douglas Adams

Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb. – Winston Churchill

N

Performance enhancing drugs, a beginners guide to shuffling with multi-lingual panache

2007-02-19T16:33:00.000Z

At last my drugs have arrived! No, no no, don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking EPO or THG here. Calm down Lord Coe. No, this is the usual caffeine/fructose/glucose mix but in a different format. About 2 years ago a German colleague was training for the Frankfurt Marathon and he told me that he had the usual problems with gels i.e.; they taste like wallpaper paste and you need to take gallons of water on board to make them both palatable and consumable. Great for hanging a bit of woodchip but not much good on race day with the usual dearth of latrines.

Luckily for him he had found a new product which the Tri nutters over there use. He told me the name which sounded like “Raketenkraftstoff macht dicken Mannlauf, wie ein fein Sportler einstellen“ which roughly translates as “rocket fuel“ (I’ve since learnt how to pronounce it in properly in German but I’m never sure when to stop, actually I made that bit up). The upside is that it comes in individual little packages slightly larger than a marshmallow and with the same consistency. You simply pop it into the side your mouth between your teeth and you cheek and let it dissolve, or for the German speakers among you try this claim from their website “Sofort Energie! Durch die direkte Aufnahme über Mundschleimhäute wird der Magen-Darm-Bereich entlastett” the literal translation of which is “Immediately energy -Through the direct reception over mouth mucous membranes, the stomach-intestine-area is relieved”. Now that bit I didn't make that up. Nice.

Downside #1 is that it's not available in the UK. Downside #2 is that the large lopsided bulge in your mouth leaves you looking like a hamster that’s just had a severe stroke. Now I’m sure you’ll agree that really is a classy look but frankly I don’t care. But the real bummer is that they’ve been out of stock since December, mein Gott! Thankfully mein freund has since made a bulk purchase for me which arrived under plain wrapper last week. Thomas, ich liebe dich.

So with the aid of my Raketenkraftstoff I was able to trot round the 16 miler in relative comfort (sorry Ben, did I say trots?) together with the moral assistance of Wendy & Sarah H. I’m relieved to say that my achilles, which had been troubling me, are fine although I do have quads of oak instead (should that be achilli? Any members of “pedants are we” are free to comment). I have to say the long-run distances are now looking a little bonkers especially to normal folk.
Q: How was you weekend Nick?
A: Pretty quiet, I ran from BBH to Slinfold, Slinfold to Five Oaks, Five Oaks to Billingshurst, Billingshurst to Barns Green, Barns Green to Christs Hospital and then home. Apart from that not much. How about you?
Q: Errrr…………

I have 2 quotes again this week; choose your favourite depending on your depth of pomposity:
“Games require skill. Running requires endurance, character, pride, physical strength, and mental toughness. Running is a test, not a game. A test of faith, belief, will, and trust in ones self. So hardcore that it needs a category all to itself to define the pain. When game players criticize, it's because they aren't willing to understand, not because they're stronger. Running is more than a sport; it's a lifestyle. If you have to ask us why we run, you'll never understand, so just accept.” - Jessica Propst
Or
“I don’t train. I just run 3-15 miles a day.” - Jack Foster

See you all Tuesday,
N

Climb every mountain & record breaking Valentines frolics

2007-02-12T12:54:00.000Z

That was a weekend well spent. Due the Valentines run on Sunday I had to shift the long run to Saturday and thankfully 5 souls were happy (gullible) enough to come along for the ride. We clocked up 15 miles which was impressive enough but throw in 990ft of ascent (equivalent to sea level to the top of the tower on Leith Hill) and I have to say I was really pleased with everyone’s performance. There was a time when a 10 miler or half-marathon was a serious proposition and the few days beforehand were dedicated to being in the right physical and mental state to tackle it. But now the long run seems routine with virtually no prep being done; get up, shoes on, run around for a couple of hours and home for tea and medals (only without medals). Thanks to Jean for providing the water stop and telling us “it’s all down hill from here” at the end of Park Lane. Well, downhill apart from Prings Hill and the 160ft climb in less than a mile up to the A281 but she means well bless her.

This was followed by the annual Valentines Mud/Fun Run. Bog snorkling’s got nothing on us. James Baker once again led home the field by finishing the 3.8 miles in 20min 5sec! I’m pleased to say we had a record entry of over 280 runners and here’s where I get to say thank you to the team without whom it just wouldn’t happen. Special thanks to the key staff Jon & Mary K, Andy Spriggs and Chris Beaken. Thanks also to Wendy, Tee, Trish, Jean, Philip, Gordon, Maggie, Mari & Richard, Jo, Bas & dogs, Dave, the Rustington footy contingent and anyone else who I missed for giving up your Sunday morning in order to help out and once again provide a quality event for the runners. Photos and report should be up on the website by Monday night, although those of a squeamish or delicate nature might not want to look too closely at the filth, and hopefully we will get a slot in the WSCT this Friday. Let's hope we get some quality gurning.

I won’t be around at all this week but I look forward to a return to Sunday ‘normality’ with the 16 miler on the 18th.

Weekly mileage: 27.4 miles
Long run: 15.1 miles
Weight: Didn’t bother, but my strides are getting looser
FGI: 9
Quote of the week:
"I think people can handle 150 to 200 miles a week. But something has to give somewhere. If he's a student, how's he going to study? He may be at the age of chasing and courtship, and that's an important form of sport and recreation, too." – Bill Bowerman

See you Sunday,
N

Z-Group track work pays dividends & HJ Gurner of the Month

2007-02-06T09:50:00.000Z

Well, what a performance, I can’t speak for the A&B groups but at our end of the field it was PB’s all round I think. I knocked more than 6 minutes from my 10k PB, Ma’am also 6 minutes & Tee-Hee took off 11 minutes! Now I’d like to be able to claim that this was down to charm, charisma and my grade-1 race turnip but I would be lying. The truth is this; the track works. A few weeks ago someone looked me straight in the eye and said “Right, you’re coming on the track tonight. Aren’t you!” Without that encouragement I would still be a one pace pony and would never have had the confidence to continue to push through the middle of the race and to finish so strongly. Mind you, the downside to this is the point when you cross the line gasping for air, put your hands on your knees and see a huge puddle of someone else’s vomit on the ground in front of you just when you’re breathing really deeply. Nice. Therefore praise and thanks must go to Z-Group Leader (now there’s an ironic nomenclature for you).

We had a really good turnout of Joggers at Chi and looking at the results both Men’s and Ladies teams pulled in some big points in the SGP league. Let’s hope we can keep this up.

In addition to the official SGP points awards I propose a new award, HJ Gurner of the month to de decided by lurkers of this blog. You know the scenario, you ran really well, you smiled at the photographer and can’t wait to look on their website to see how aesthetically and athletically pleasing you look. But they never seem to get your best side do they? Therefore for the February award I propose Ben & Nik. Click on their names to see the proof and register your vote. Fortunately for Nik he has redeemed himself by getting onto the Chichester Observer website photo of the event. Nice work by our director of communications.

And so it’s back to marathon reality this week with the regular Tuesday run and Thursday track (weather permitting). I will be doing a 15 miler on Saturday as I will be organising the Valentines on Sunday. So far there are 5 of us doing the Saturday run, any other takers? I will make sure that there is an 8-10 mile short cut if needed. Also if anyone can help this Sunday I would appreciate it.

N

Turnip head. This week I will slow down

2007-01-29T10:08:00.000Z

That’s what I keep telling myself every Sunday at 8:55AM. I know I can’t continue at this pace and hope to complete a marathon so I give myself a stern talking to and make myself promise to slooooww down. But then as soon as we start it’s “off with head, on with turnip” and I’m back to killing myself and clock watching, what a pillock.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m happier than a dog with 2 ……..bones but I can’t help thinking it’s wrong. Consider the facts;
BG ½ 2006 13.1 miles 2hr 25mins = 11 min/miles
31st Dec 9.8 miles 1hr 38mins = 10.0 min/miles
7th Jan 11.2 miles 1hr 45mins = 9.4 min/miles
14th Jan 11.9 miles 1hr 46mins = 8.9 min/miles
21st Jan 13.3 miles 2hr 05mins = 9.4 min/miles
28th Jan 14 miles 2hr 07mins = 9 min/miles

Now my knowledge of mathematics is fairly rudimentary (There are only 3 types of mathematicians; good ones and bad ones) but it seems that the further I run the faster I get. That can’t be good for me so from now on if you see me running too fast please do me a favour and trip me up. So sorry Trish, you may be on your own from now on. Or maybe not. Having said all that I will be doing the Chichester 10k on the 4th Feb and I will be going all out to improve on my PB of 57:30. We shall see.

Psychologically the runs are definitely getting harder. I have a copy of the FLM course on my fridge and as some of you may know I use it to introduce virtual landmarks on the run. For example, when I started flagging this week I visualised crossing Tower Bridge (as I passed the Real Cornish Pasty Shop in West Street) before hanging a right to run alongside the Thames (Guildford Road). I then found myself gazing at Canary Wharf which miraculously appeared somewhere over BBH before finishing alongside the Rotherhithe Tunnel (Tesco’s Car Park). Is this normal or should I seek therapy.

While we’re on the subject of insanity I am missing the track sessions. It was cancelled on Thursday due to an icy track and I shall be away this Thursday and will miss out again. My total mileage for the year is now 108 miles which is equivalent to Horsham to Coventry and by 8:00PM Tuesday I should be in Solihull, let joy be unconfined. Methinks running is taking over my life.

Weekly mileage: 23.9 (didn’t run Wednesday, bad dog!)
Long run: 14 miles
Weight: for it
FGI: 9

Quote of the week:
I do not run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days.
Ronald Rook

Until next week,
N

A new force arrives on the track & “Is this a Jogger I see before me?"

2007-01-22T10:19:00.000Z

“Is this a Jogger I see before me….or art thou but a jogger of the mind, a false creation?”

Oh do be quiet Will, what do you know about running? Before today’s run I worked out that as I passed the cricket pitch in Byfleets Lane on the return leg it would be the equivalent to going over Tower Bridge in the “Virtual Marathon”. It’s one of those iconic images that we’re all familiar with on the telly (the bridge, not BBH Cricket Club) and it still seems a little unreal that I’ll be there for real in April (touch wood).

I have to say I struggled for the first time today especially along Strood Lane after we got off of the A281. Thankfully Trish was on hand to help pass the time; I must also say it was a gutsy effort from her to complete her first 13 miler while putting up with my delirious babbling. Well done & thank you. Thanks also to the days provender, Ann.

By my reckoning it was 13.3 miles today with just over 750ft of ascent. In comparison the Barns Green ½ is only 630ft so I was pretty pleased to take 20 minutes off of my 06 BG time. Next Sunday is a new route courtesy of yours truly, I know how you all missed doing Hammerpond on the 12 miler so I’ve incorporated part of it into the 14 miler just to keep you all happy. No need to thank me.

The speedwork session this week was livened up by 2 events. First we had Eileen “Hollywood” Quinton being filmed by the BBC for a forthcoming programme. We were promptly inveigled into “performing” for the cameras and I’m pretty sure that our showbusiness lap was the fastest lap of the night. I just hope they got my best side, “Teeth and t*t’s everyone!”. Rumour has it that Dame Helen’s coming down next week to coach us on how to run whilst wearing a tiara and carrying 2 Golden Globes. Steady there, that’s enough of your smut Jen. Thanks for the donation by the way.

The second event saw the birth of a new group of uber-atheletes. Running sets of 800’s on your own can be pretty gutting but this is a problem no longer as we now have Z-Group, hurrah! I must thank Zoe for providing guidance and encouragement to all of us track newbies. She was taking no prisoners and secretly I think she quite likes it. “TRACK, out of the way Keith!”.

Weekly Mileage: 26.7
Long Run: 13.3
Weight: 96.9kg
FGI: 7.5

Quote of the week:
I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.
Jesse Owens

See you all Tuesday,
N

Damning with faint praise

2007-01-17T18:25:00.000Z

I know I’m a little tardy with the blog again, how slovenly. Maybe it’s because I’ve been too busy RUNNING for heavens sake! I’m writing this in my hotel room having just completed a run in Solihull del Sol, there’s commitment for you. Still, at least I got a decent kipper tie and I’m about to hit the mixers, whatever that means.

I really enjoyed the 12 miler on Sunday, it made a difference to see that big yellow thing in the sky again and I managed to negotiate the route in good order thanks largely to encouragement from Ron H. In fact I got round so quickly that Chairman G and Alan Sweatman were only just leaving the car park as I trotted in (although I’m guessing they did have time to shower and wash their hair). According to my calculations it was 11.9 miles in 1hr 46mins which equates to, wait for it: 8.9 minute/miles!! Well go to the foot of our stairs, where did that come from, an 8 point something? Yes I know it’s a point 9 but I’ve got to start somewhere. Track training is improving also with 6 sets of 800 on Thursday in an average of 3:45.

The race schedule is firming up, a bit like my ar nooooooo TMI! I’m doing the Chichester 10k on Feb 4th, Silverstone ½ on 18th March and the Worthing 20 on April Fools Day (insert your own devastatingly witty quip here). Oh, and apparently there’s something on the 22nd April as well.

Weekly mileage: 25.8
Long run: 11.9
Weight: 75618.56 Scruples (UK,apoth. It’s a genuine unit of measure, honest!)
FGI: Got to be a 9

Motivational Quote:
“You must always aim for the moon, even if you know you can only hit the Sh1thouse door.”

Finally a “D” group reminder, the Valentines Run in Southwater is confirmed for Feb 11th and the deal is this. Run it or marshal it! There can be no exceptions and I will accept no excuses whatsoever. The entry fee is only £2 so take a deep breath and do it for the greater glory of the club

N

Just another day in paradise?

2007-01-07T19:09:00.000Z

Well, week 2 of training squared away and the good news is today's 11 miler went without a hitch. The bad news is that in my "virtual" marathon I'm still in bloody Rotherhithe, I was so looking forward to Bermondsey too but patience never was my strong point.

Once again the weather was perfect for marathon training, ducks and Southern Water but awful if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. No complaints from me though, caring soul that I am.

This was followed by lunch with my Physio friend & families. I took her advice on re-hydrating very seriously and proved it by pouring just enough Chimay and wine down my neck. It seemed rude not to and anyway I reckon I'm worth it.

I should be around this Tuesday (small possibility of jetting off to Tamworth but unlikely) and Thursday I'll be back on the track. See what you've started Gordon?

Weekly mileage: 25.4
Long run: 11.2
Weight: 98.9kg
FGI: 8
(Ooohh, do you think that's a bit too Bridget Jones?)

I was particularly pleased to see that one of my work colleagues donated to my justgiving page this week until I saw the accompanying message: aut vincere aut mori. Now I never been done much of that learning stuff but I reckon that's victory or death. Charming.

Finally this week's quote:
Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible. - Doug Larson

Until next time,
N

The first day of the rest of my running life plus... Good News, I'm really fat!!!

2006-12-31T12:42:00.000Z

So there it was, the first London Marathon training run is squared away and the 10 miles places me in Rotherhithe according to the FLM map. I suppose you want to know what happened?

Well, in Horsham the day dawned clear and bright with a forecast high of 19 degrees. Oh , bugger that's Horsham, Victoria (I thought I was under dressed). No seriously, it was overcast, damp and mild and if that's a harbinger of the training weather to come then I will be a happy bunny. Unfortunately we all know it can't possibly last. Anyway it was a nice introduction to the new regime and I made it round 1hr 38min for the 9.8 miles. Mind you after last night's rain of the "cats & dogs" variety one had to be careful not to step in too many poodles.

I also received a compliment from Mary (bless her), "Ooohh, have you lost weight?" Well thank you Mary, now you mention it I have. In fact the other day my decreasing girth prompted me to check my BMI (as you do) and for the first time in years I am no longer Obese, I am officially only very fat instead!!! Happy days. Mind you if you apply the BMI to Muhammed Ali in his prime he was obese too, it's just that everyone was too scared to tell him. Although maybe that's what George Foreman did just before Ali opened up a can of "whup-ass" on him in Kinshasa but I digress.

I have decided to introduce a new weekly performance/confidence index which I shall call FGI (Feel Good Index) which operates on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being Jade Goodie and 10 being Paula Radcliffe. Today I am going to give myself a 7, Nell McAndrew (i wish).

Finally I thought it would be nice to sign off with a motivational quotation so I trawled my memory (and t'internet) and couldn't choose between these two so just pick whichever suits you best.

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."
or
"Act like a horse. Be dumb. Just run."

See you all on Tuesday for more fun and frolics (ooohh, the endorphines must have kicked in).
N

28th December - Leonardslee Run & Piiizzaaaa!

2006-12-26T18:08:00.000Z

Hello all,

If you're reading this I guess you survived the festivities too, if you're not reading this I told you to go easy on the Yule Log but you just wouldn't listen, would you? Anyway it's time to turn your attention to the 28th so here's the plan.

9AM Run at Leonardslee
Get in your car and head out from Horsham on the A281 towards Brighton, through Mannings Heath, past the Cisswood Hotel (don't worry I'm getting there) and after another 1/2 mile you will approach a sharp RH corner at the entrance to "Leonardslee Gardens". Turn Left at this junction and after 200 yards you will see a village hall on the left, pretty isn't it? Park here, get out of your car, put on your shoes, eat a banana etc. etc. Must I do everything for you? Follow this with 7 miles of cross-country heaven which is usually v. muddy but as it's been pretty dry this past week maybe not too bad, shame. Probably not a good idea to wear those shiny new shoes you got for Xmas though, no matter how comfy they are. Maps provided but bring your own oxygen.

8PM Pizza Express?
Nothing booked, no time fixed but this is my best guess. Maybe meet B4 in Bar Vin/Black Jug/Doom & Gloom*? Once again it's probably not a good idea to wear your shiny new shoes albeit for a different reason (we'll all take the pi55 out of you and if you go in the Doom & Gloom you will end up standing on bricks). Any feedback?

N
*Doom & Gloom = Horse & Groom
I was being ironic about meeting in there, jeeez some people

Ssshhhh, the B Group Lurkers might be listening.....& Xmas thanks

2006-12-22T14:54:00.001Z

I've recently heard rumours that some A & B Group members are keeping a clandestine eye on our blog. I ask you, is nothing sacred?

Well I have given this some thought and as I'm feeling particularly generous at the moment I have decided that if you are one of those racing snakes I am prepared to grant you temporary "lurking" rights over this festive season.

Furthermore you are welcome(ish) to join us on one of our D-Group X-country mud-fests that I am planning for the morning of Thursday the 28th. This will be 7 miles around the back of the Leonardslee estate (Lower Beeding) of which 90% is on footpaths and bridleways. We did this run last year and it is CHUFFING HILLY* with almost 800ft of ascent. I will post times and where to meet shortly and I will provide maps on the day. So, tell your friends and if you don't have any friends tell a jogger.

Thinking about a 10 miler this Sunday, probably from my house. 50/50 split on/off road. If anyone's interested leave some feedback or text me.

Finally I want to adopt my serious & humble persona just for a moment to thank and congratulate all in D Group for your performances in 2006. To all of our new members who have joined and excelled all through the baking summer months and freezing winter nights I say "bloody well done". It has been a pleasure to run with you and count some of you as my friends. Individually and collectively the year has seen some determined performances from the group, you know who you are (take a bow J,T,Wx2 et al) and I have personally taken great joy and pride from seeing you improve and excel. Whether your target has been to run non-stop for 30 minutes, run a 10k, run a half-marathon or simply to run to enjoy yourself I hope that we have helped you to fulfill you aim. In a short time the group has progressed from an ill-disciplined shambles into an elite athletic outfit (sorry, slipped back into character for a moment there).

So if I don't get a chance to do this in person, have a Merry Xmas and an athletically successful New Year. Final reminder that Marathon training begins on the 31st at 10 miles. Go on, look me in the eye and tell me you don't love it!

N

*Authentic UK Athletics race category, look it up if you don't believe me.

Long time no blog & Xmas D group pizza

2006-12-18T10:01:00.000Z

Shocking lack of updates since the 10th, je suis desolée.

My recent sojourn in Paris put paid to any running but i managed to fit in some core stability training with a couple of Brazilian dancers on the river Seine so it wasn't a complete washout.

New lesson learnt, never trust the fast runners. Paul Aylett said Sunday's run would be 10 miles but on our return he confessed that it was 11 and a bit (plus a bit more). Thanks to Jean for keeping me company and thanks to Rebecca and the Aylett minors for the mince pies and refreshments at the Roosthole.

And so to the future. I will be at BBH this Tuesday, who fancies 7 or 8 miles? Don't all shout at once. Come on you lot, where's that fabled PMA. Anyway you all need to earn your calorific burn surplus prior to all that Turkey and Xmas Pud (is J still experimenting with cheesecake I wonder?).

Ref Xmas D Group day of celebration it looks like being the 28th then. Run 9/9:30 AM around Leonardslee estate (it's a bit like a Sierra estate only muddier) and Pizza/Ruby in the evening. This will be the final bun fight for me prior to the proper FLM training so you have been warned, it could get messy.

N
PS Congrats to Karen
"Get your motor running,
head out on the highway!"

Sundays, PMA & a lucky penny

2006-12-10T19:33:00.000Z

Well colour me pink and call me Cecil, Sundays will never be the same again. I arrived at this mornings handicap race with expectations pitched no higher than being on the receiving end of a cup of tea and one of Eileen's sublime flapjacks. It just shows how wrong I can be (very occasionally mind!).

The marathon draw odds of 14-1 were subjected to an onslaught of PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) by some of those in the room and hey presto the 4th and final place goes to yours truly. Cue ungracious smug grin and overwhelming relief. To those who voiced their pleasure I thank you. There I've said it. Rest assured normal service will be resumed on 31st December whereupon this blog will be renamed "Nick's Marathon Odyssey".

Pennies from Heaven indeed.

N

Tuesday 5th December & D group crimbo pizza

2006-12-06T12:41:00.000Z

Another sterling effort last night team, 6.1 miles in 1hr 5min. I should be there this Thursday but I'm away on Tuesday 12th. Jean will be looking after you all.

More importantly we need to fix a date for our Xmas run & pizza/ruby murray. I am off between Xmas and New Year so can do most days but I am thinking either the 27th or 28th. I will take a run in the morning around the back of Leonardslee Gardens, it's a lovely run if the weather's good and if you're lucky you might see some of the Leonardslee wallabies, altogether now "aaaaaaaaaahhhhh". I suggest we follow this in the evening with either Pizza Express or a ruby (though not the one in London Road, 2 words "Japanese Flag").

So please leave your suggestions here and we'll try to reach a concensus. Failing that I'll just tell you all what to do.

N

Thursday 30th November

2006-11-30T21:00:00.000Z

Well done team, another sterling effort. 7.4 miles in 1h 18min. It was just a shame the lights were up with no one home. Maybe next week.

Current plan is still to do the Duck Pond Waddle (http://worthingstriders.co.uk/) on Sunday. D group entrants so far are myself, Tee, Jo C and someone who wishes to be addressed "Ma'am" (although I'm told cap doffing is optional). 9 miles with potential for serious mud with on the day entries accepted. Latest forecast is heavy rain with strong winds ( www.bbc.co.uk/weather ).Wusses need not apply.

Otherwise see you all Tuesday.
N

Tuesday 28th

2006-11-28T20:45:00.000Z

Well done all, 6.2 miles in 1hr3min. That's almost proper running that is!

I should be there Thursday too, see you all then. Maybe further & slower, 7+ miles?
N

Passchendaele twinned with Rusper

2006-11-26T16:44:00.000Z

I never knew that mud came in so many hues and textures although as Jen pointed out it was the green stuff that we found downhill and downwind of the farm which was the most hazardous. Let’s just say it was full of “nutrients”. Felt like running in treacle but looked much worse. Once my map reading error was taken into account we did 6.8 miles with almost 500ft of climb. I'm not sure what our overall minute miling was but I reckon we were doing 6's in the field full of horses (why the long face?).

Anyway, it looks likely I will be around this Tuesday so see you all at BBH.

No Sunday run next week as I will be doing the Duck Pond Waddle. However I am having physio for it and hopefully I will be running straight again soon.

Tuesday 11th Results, Sunday Run & Grammar

2006-11-21T22:09:00.000Z

Tuesday the 11th accounted for another 6.6 miles in the log in 1hr 11m. Great effort from Joanne who showed real grit tonight beasting the hill at the end for good measure, well done.

I won't be around on Thursday so behave yourselves.

Sunday is confirmed as Rusper with an 8:30 start whatever the weather. Aim to meet near the tennis courts opposite Ghyll Manor.

Finally, following criticism from some quarters you will be pleased to note that I have corrected my grammar in the previous post. "Mea chuffing culpa".

N

Water, water everywhere.........

2006-11-18T19:50:00.000Z

After this morning's "run" I am considering affiliating D group with the Royal Marine Commandos. Some PLC's spend thousands on the kind of team building we experienced today but for you lot no charge. There's no need to thank me.

According to the Southern Water website we are still suffering a drought complete with its' attendant hosepipe ban. Why then following overnight rain did we spend 1/2 of the run ankle deep in water (or waist deep in my case!)? Was I the only one who had UB40's "Many rivers to cross" running through my mind half of the time?

Therefore next week we will revert to the hills of Rusper which I am reliably informed will not be underwater. Although knowing our luck it will probably snow instead, I suggest bringing snow shoes just in case.

For the record we did 6.2 miles of running with 600 metres of breaststroke thrown in for good measure.

N

Sat 18th

2006-11-14T21:11:00.000Z

Tuesday 11th was 5.7 miles in 1h 4m.

Weekend run confirmed as Billingshurst on Saturday at 08:30 meeting in the car park near the library/budgens. Distance around 6.5 miles of footpaths and bridleways.

I have planned future runs for Rusper, Shipley and Lower Beeding (Leonardslee) to keep us all busy up until Xmas.

Any takers?

Sunday Run12th Nov

2006-11-10T14:43:00.000Z

Hi All,

I will run Sunday AM but I would like to kick off around 8:30 if poss as I will be going down to the rememberance service later with the kids.

Meet in Hampers Lane, Horsham once again and maybe do Billingshurst next week when we have more time.

Any takers?

N

PS Sorry to hear you've been poorly Jen, maybe the ruby got you as well after all.

Thursday's run

2006-11-09T21:03:00.000Z

Top marks "D" group, that was a great effort tonight.
Particularly well done to newbie Sharon (said she'd only done 7 miles before but we all know she was telling porkies). Welcome to the group.

7.7 miles in 1hr 20min with 257ft of ascent. You may allow yourselves a brief period of rejoicing.

Thursday 8th @ BBH

2006-11-08T17:47:00.000Z

Hi all D group,

I should be there this Thursday at 7PM as usual, maybe try a shorter run with a little speed-work thrown in.

Thinking about Billingshurst this Sunday in deference to Wendy the 2nd and Jen. What do people think and who's up for it?
N

Horsham Joggers Blog

2006-11-07T16:04:00.000Z

Hi to all of you in "D" group.
I'll be using this blog to let you know where I will be when and to organise our Sunday runs. Who knows we may also find time for a little social gathering time to time. The phrase "Harem Xmas Pizza" springs to mind!!
So........
I will be at BBH tonight at 7PM probably doing 5 to 6 miles. Be sure to welcome Lucy who will be putting in her first appearance. Don't be too nice to her though as she did the BG half recently and she'll probably run us all into the ground.
Don't be late.
Nick