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Man Vs Ultra
The Round Reading Ultra 2017
To begin I should state that I can’t remember why, specifically, I entered the RRUM. It might be because it was the inaugural event, or because it was 31 miles (much less than the other ultras I’ve completed) or both, or another reason entirely, but I did find myself questioning my motives while out on the course last Saturday. I knew I wouldn’t be able to run the whole way due to insufficient training and injury. I was biting off more than I could chew, but maybe my original thinking was that even if I did get around slowly I would still get around, and that was the important thing. Fine. I’m happy with that.
Despite the lack of physical preparation, I had planned the rest of the weekend well, organising travel from London, accommodation and working out how to get from the Premier Inn to the event start on the Friday evening to collect the race info, as well as what time to get up on the Saturday morning etc. I had also spent a lot of time in the weeks prior to the event going over the course and having a good luck at all the sections that were viewable on Google Streetview to familiarise myself with landmarks and to help avoid taking a wrong turn. This was definitely a good idea, as I found that several times out on the course I recognised places and remembered where I needed to go. Added to this were the detailed instructions and maps given out by the organisers, the proliferation of very useful arrows at various points along the course, and being able to follow other runners. I had the route installed on my Garmin watch too, so there was never any real danger of going wrong. I almost took a wrong turn at one point, but that was it. The arrow stickers in particular made navigation uncomplicated. For most of the second half of the route I relied solely on these, and my faith was rewarded.
At about 7am I grabbed my gear and walked from the Premier Inn to the start of the race at the Wokingham Waterside Centre via the path along the River Kennet. When I reached the centre I had something to eat and drink with the other runners and made some last minute adjustments to kit. There was a definite sense of anticipation, with a few runners looking contemplative, wandering around near the start line, no doubt focussing on the task ahead. The thirty-odd 100km runners had set off two hours earlier at 6am, but their ghosts lingered – there was a feeling like we had been left behind, were late to the party, and maybe that too made people eager to get going.
At about five minutes to 8am we were called to assemble at the start line for a short race brief from one of the event organisers. If I forget to say it later on, I’ll say it here – the event felt very well organised and executed. I’m sure there was a hell of a lot for the team to think about and keep track of, but they did it without any obvious stress or panic, which can’t have been easy.
With no delay all 90+ of us we were counted down and sent on our way. I tucked into a small group and took it easy, thankful that most people didn’t seem bothered about getting off to a fast start. The first stretch, along the Thames from the waterside centre to Tilehurst, was nice and steady with no real obstacles and, naturally, flat. Rain had been forecast for later but this was hard to believe given how bright and warm it was. We reached the point where the Thames Path leaves the river and ascends to the Oxford Road via steps and a footbridge. Turning right at the top there was a short run along the road before diverting into trees then a housing estate. My right Achilles tendon which had been causing me problems for a while, and which had flared up during the small run to and from the waterside centre the previous evening wasn’t causing me any problems so far, but as we continued on and I saw the road continuing uphill, I wondered how long my luck would hold out. At a roundabout we left Nursery Gardens and headed onto Purley Rise, everyone calling out to those behind them if a car was coming. I’ve noticed before that in ultras, more than in other races, people are far more inclined to think about others instead of just themselves. It’s almost a team spirit, with everyone wanting everyone else to get through and finish the event. The fairly long stretch along Beech Road led to a turning that took us away from residential roads and into fields, a lovely section of the course that, despite the growing attention from the sun, was a joy to run. I wasn’t keeping track of the distance, so I was pleasantly surprised to come to a spot I recognised from recce-ing the course on Google – the playground just before Calcot Community Centre, aka Feed Point 1. The first nine miles were in the bag.
I headed in, filled my water bottle (I only emptied one on the first section), had some Swiss Roll and flapjack, then left, walking first then jogging toward the gap in the hedge and Bath Road. Checkpoints are always a welcome sight on an ultra, and I only ever focus on the next one – I never think about the finish until I’ve left the last checkpoint. Bite-sized chunks are what it’s all about, otherwise such a distance can be overwhelming. I also try not to spend too long at checkpoints, particularly the first few, as I like to save any dawdling for the end of the event when I’ll be more tired and need the break more. Indeed, on this occasion I spent more time at checkpoints as the event wore on, but never felt like I stayed too long. And I should point out that all the checkpoints were well-stocked and manned by very friendly and encouraging volunteers.
Onwards from Feed Point 1 I was able to navigate from my memory of the route on Google, though shortly after coming off the roundabout I nearly went wrong, but thanks to another runner was steered in the correct direction, returning the favour not long afterwards when we reached Beansheaf Community Centre where the arrow marker was harder to spot. This section was shorter, only 5 miles or so, and was another pleasant stretch that followed Holy Brook and the River Kennet. But by the end of it I was finding myself already starting to walk in small increments. I decided I would run as much as I could to at least Feed Point 2, then even if I had to walk the rest of the course I should still make it back by my desired finish time of 3pm.
Feed Point 2 was at the Green Park Business Park. I filled my bottles, downed some more food and cola, then headed off, feeling fatigued now but not really surprised since my training hadn’t been enough to see me through the whole event at running speed. I tried to keep the runners ahead of me in view, but was soon on my own for the first time as I followed the narrow, enclosed, tree-lined track alongside the vast Tesco distribution centre on one side and the roaring M4 on the other. Eventually the track opened out and brought me to the almost elaborate pedestrian/cycle overpass which eventually deposited me on the Basingstoke Road. There were runners ahead of me again now, so I followed some distance behind, turning onto Church Lane then Hyde End Lane. After a fair distance I saw a runner up ahead motioning to the turn off to the left, so I waved in thanks before he disappeared and not long afterwards arrived there myself, heading across fields again before reaching another residential area and re-joining Church Lane. Shortly after this, while running up Oatlands Road, I started to feel a pain in the quads on my right leg, which seconds later became full cramp, making me stop, then kneel down on the ground in an effort to straighten the muscle out. This must have been quite a sight, and I had to reassure several helpful fellow runners that I was fine before getting back up and walking on. About ten minutes later I tried running again and the muscle seemed to have sorted itself out. My hydration and nutrition should have been fine, so I put the cramp down to no stretching before the race, and generally not preparing my legs for what I needed them to do.
The next stretch was a long one, with myself and a couple of other runners taking our time running and walking in turn along wooded lanes and farm paths. It was still warm, and again I wondered if we would avoid the rain altogether. Along Gypsy Lane a couple had set up their own feed point (‘especially for David,’ according to the sign), and not long afterwards I came to Mole Road, knowing that Feed Point 3 was very close. I crossed over the roundabout and entered Bearwood Recreation Ground, finding the checkpoint at Winnersh Community Centre. Here there were generous and tasty chocolate covered flapjacks and salted peanuts (I think I was craving salt at this point). I hung around for a bit longer here, using the loo and chatting to the volunteers. Again I remarked on the forecast rain missing us, but regretted these words shortly after leaving the checkpoint when it did indeed finally start to rain. I put on my ultra-light Salomon top. It isn’t fully waterproof but it did the job, although I was prepared to use the waterproof top I had with me if I absolutely had to. Ahead was another stretch I recognized from Googling the route. When I reached the Walter Arms pub I turned left, knowing there was a long road section now along Sadler’s End and Sadler’s Lane.
Thankfully, even though the rain was intensifying I could see the skies clearing, and not long after running under the busy M4 and turning off down Woodward Close on to Watmore Lane the rain subsided. My legs weren’t getting any better, but I was alternating walking with running, surprised that I had actually done this well. Robin Hood Lane took me over the A329 and remembering this stretch from research I crossed over, found the lane parallel to the road and backtracked toward the A329, following the lane around to the right at the end, passing Mungell’s Pond and soon coming to the car park where a group of people (possibly friends or relatives of another runner) congratulated me and wished me well as I headed into Dinton Pastures.
Before the event I had been deliberating over whether to wear road or trail shoes. Some discussion on Facebook helped me come to the decision to wear road shoes as there was more road than was originally thought, however I (and no doubt other runners in the same position) questioned this decision on the Dinton Pastures stretch of the course. It was a beautiful section, winding around White Swan and Black Swan lakes, Heron’s Water and following the River Loddon, but after the rain shower the path was more than a little bit slippery. The positive side of this was that I discovered that running on it was a lot easier than walking, so it encouraged me to get moving again, and before too long I was out the other side, emerging onto Whistley Mill Lane, turning left to cross over the River Loddon, soon taking a path to the side to, thankfully, get off the road before entering a field near Copperbridge Brook and crossing that to soon reach the Land’s End Pub. Ignoring the delights of the pub (a good sit down would have been more tempting than a pint at that point) I turned left and followed Park Lane, knowing that Feed Point 4 wasn’t far away now.
Sure enough I reached the Piggott School and saw the checkpoint set up not far away from the road, so I headed down, had my number taken and helped myself to some more cola, Swiss Roll and flapjack. I filled my bottles again too, but wasn’t worried about nutrition now as there were only around four more miles to do. I chatted with the marshals for a few minutes, telling them how well the course had been marked out and how enjoyable it had been, then headed off just as another runner was arriving. Back on Park Lane I followed it down to and over the roundabout, turning left onto the Old Bath Road and following that to the next roundabout and along the A4 until the point where the course crosses it. Once on the other side I remembered that this was a fairly long stretch of hard, pavement walking, but that I was pretty much now in Sonning, and once on the river would only have a mile or so to do before reaching the finish. I tried to run again but only managed a few minutes as the legs weren’t having it. After turning off to the right into a residential estate I heard then saw, perched in a tree, a sizeable bird of prey. It sounded like there were a few more around, kestrels maybe, no doubt waiting for me or another runner to give up and collapse so they could have something meaty to peck on.
A few minutes later and I was passing quaint old cottages, and came to St Andrew’s Church which I remembered from walking the Thames Path in May this year. Unfortunately on entering the church yard I must have missed an arrow, as I followed it down the right side of the church and into someone’s front drive. Instead of backtracking I just walked to the road, then down to the river, knowing I would be on the river path if I had gone the right way anyway, and was soon leaving Sonning behind.
The sky had been darkening for the past twenty minutes or so and I had been moving faster in the hope that I could get to the finish before it started raining again, but no such luck. I, along with a few walkers and a father and daughter in a dinghy got caught out as it started to drizzle again, and as I reached the Thames Valley Park Nature Reserve I saw the finish in the distance and so started to run again. Only a few seconds later the cramp in my right leg returned and I was on the floor again trying to straighten the muscle, no doubt to the bemusement of the older couple walking behind me. Typical – neither the rain nor the cramp could wait five minutes for me to get to the end. Again – if the cramp sounds a bit odd it shouldn’t - I knew I wasn’t fully prepared for the ordeal I was unleashing on my poor legs, but I hadn’t planned on a great performance, so I can’t moan too much. Once my leg had quit complaining I walked on along the river and then as I entered the final straight risked a bit of a run and managed to keep the cramp at bay until over the line.
My exhausted body now had a nice medal hanging from it, and I had a drink and a chat with the marshals before heading up the steps to the nerve centre of the race to collect my bag. I chatted with a few other runners and ate a very welcome Danish pastry. It was still spotting with rain as I stood out on the balcony and watched a couple of other runners come in. I had finished at 2.45pm, a quarter of an hour before my ideal time of 3pm. I had walked a fair bit of the course, but I was still happy with what I had achieved. After having a couple of years off running ultras because of injury, this was a good indication that, maybe, I was back.
From my perspective the inaugural Round Reading Ultra was a great success. It was well-organised and a lot of fun. I may well be back again next year. Who knows – maybe I’ll run the whole way this time.
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47 Parks - The Greater London parkruns (Congregation - Foo Fighters)
47 Parks: 47 - The Beginning
Bushy Park
8th July, 2017
It felt good and at the same time quite strange to think that it was all coming to an end. In one way it wasn’t really ending at all – South Norwood, the 48th Greater London parkrun was starting the same day I was running Bushy, and Hoblingwell was due to start the week after, but I had always planned for the last parkrun of my personal challenge to be Bushy. It made sense for me to stop where parkrun had began, and with what must be the biggest average attendance of any London parkrun. Besides, with the rate that new parkruns were springing up, the challenge could have dragged on forever. I will definitely get to the new ones, but with a little less urgency than before. It was time for a rest.
My brother Darryl had driven down from Ludlow to support me on the final parkrun of the challenge. It was quite fitting since he was the one who had introduced me to parkrun a few years back and had encouraged me to go with him to Bushy Park. It felt like it had all come full circle. Here we were again at Bushy Park. Only now I was doing it with the experience of fifty or so other parkruns behind me.
The course had changed since the first time I had been there, and due to me misjudging how far I had run (I don’t like looking at my watch during the run as it nearly always has bad news for me) I left the final sprint to the finish too late, but at least this meant I had more in the tank if I had needed it, which was good. And considering I had the Ludlow 10k later in the day this wasn’t a bad thing. It also meant that I was probably fitter than I thought after the slump in training due to the Achilles tendonitis. I was never going to get a PB this week, but that didn’t matter, what mattered was enjoying the last run of what had been a very long series.
The recent heatwave had made sleeping difficult over the past few nights, but I felt ok when the alarm went off, probably because the sun had slowly woken me up over the previous hour. I got up got dressed, had breakfast then checked I had everything I needed in my rucksack. Darryl had been kipping in the living room and was also now up. He was going to cycle back to where he had left his car in Hampton while I would catch a 65 bus from Ealing Broadway to Kingston and walk to Bushy Park from there where we would meet up.
For practically the whole journey I was thinking about timing and how I would feel if for some reason I got to Bushy Park late or not at all. This was the day I had chosen to end the challenge. If it didn’t go to plan I’d have to wait at least a week to try again, at which point South Norwood would be the 48th Greater London parkrun, and the compulsion to add it to my challenge would be powerful. Luckily the journey was quicker than I expected and with no hold-ups, so I got off the bus at Kingston station at about 8.15am, to head in the direction of the bridge.
Finding Bushy Park was fairly straightforward and I was soon following the path along the edge of the King’s Field, seeing a herd of deer grazing nearby as I headed in the direction of the car park. I got there and found Darryl. Even though there was still twenty minutes to go the area was very busy and a crowd of runners had already formed at the top of the avenue near the Diana fountain. I warmed up a little, did some stretching, then headed over to the start. The number of people there was immense compared to every other parkrun I’ve been to, but this was no surprise. Looking at the results pages for Bushy you will see that the number of runners is regularly over a thousand, with it rarely dipping below 900. This is where it all began with Paul Sinton-Hewitt and friends in 2004. This still felt very much like the beating heart of parkrun, a Mecca where every tourist would have to come sooner or later. The run director went through his messages then we were moving, slowly at first, then into a light jog, then a run. There were voices, there was puffing and panting, and under it all a steady, thundering rhythm. The rhythm of a stampede. A stampede of good will, of shared interest and the pursuit of positive change, improved fitness. It was a glorious sound.
Further on I drew alongside a group of men dressed in old military uniforms. I can’t remember what they were supporting or commemorating, but fair play to them – they must have been sweltering. They looked happy though.
Once the course reaches the end of the avenue, it hits Cobbler’s Walk then heads roughly East until it reaches Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club where it turns left, then soon afterwards turns right before turning left again then heading northwest in the direction of Leg of Mutton Pond. Just beyond the pond it turns sharp right and heads all the way to Sandy Lane, where it turns left and runs parallel to Sandy Lane all the way to Chestnut Avenue where it turns left and follows the avenue for over a third of its length before turning left again back onto Cobbler’s Walk. It now heads back in the direction of Leg of Mutton Pond, but turns right before it gets there and follows a curving path toward Heron Pond, passing over the small bridge, and following the outside of the pond all the way to the finish funnel.
As well as being a beautiful location anyway, Bushy Park also has a fantastic one-lap course. I haven’t run this configuration before, otherwise I’d have known when to speed up near the end and sprint into the finish funnel. Although it did take a couple of minutes to really get going at the start due to the large crowd, I wasn’t really held back, and it didn’t affect my overall time. I still achieved a time I am happy with.
If you live locally to Bushy Park, and it was the only park you had ever run, you would have a good reason to be content. It’s a beautiful place with a great course and is extremely popular, so wherever you are on the course, and whatever speed you are moving at, you’re unlikely to be alone. That said, there are so many other parkruns out there, London itself having 47, sorry – 48 . . . Actually it might be 49 by the time you read this, and someone’s bound to want to bag the 50th Greater London parkrun soon, so . . . Numbers aren’t important, are they? Just bear in mind that with parkrun the numbers are likely to grow and keep growing. It doesn’t look like they’re going to drop any time soon. Speaking of numbers . . .
Time: 22 minutes 28 seconds
Position: 165 out of 927
There is definitely the sense of an ending right now. I will be running South Norwood (number 48) and Hoblingwell (number 49) soon. But as far as the challenge goes I had to draw the line somewhere, and Bushy was the best place to do so. I’m Lon-done for now. It’s been a very, very long challenge. I began last June, over a year ago, and with very few exceptions have run a different parkrun every week, getting up earlier than was sensible to trek across the capital. It has been an exercise in self-discipline, but it has paid off. I have seen more of London than I ever thought I would, and I have been amazed at how many fantastic parks and green spaces are in this city alone. We are utterly spoiled, and we should all be getting out and enjoying these places more. Who knows, they may not be around forever. After South Norwood and Hoblingwell I have a few more parkruns I’d like to visit, but I think I’ll hold off on setting myself any more challenges for a while. It’s nice to be flexible.
And my favourite of the 47? Trying to work that out would be a pointless waste of time. They’re all fantastic for different reasons. I could choose Bushy because it’s the original and the biggest, Burgess because I recorded my fastest ever 5k time there, or Northala Fields because I ran it on my 40th birthday. But that’s the thing – on paper there is no way of determining which is the best. It’s all down to personal experience. If you want to know which of the Greater London parkruns is the best, you need to get your running shoes on and get out there.
Just remember to set that alarm clock earlier on Saturday.
Oh, and don’t forget your barcode.
Dean Carter, July 2017
Bushy parkrun, 8th July 2017
Bushy parkrun, 8th July 2017
47 Parks: 46 - Penultimate
Wimbledon
1st July, 2017
The approaching end to my 47 Parks challenge was on my mind all week. Barring the extension to the challenge i.e. park number 48, South Norwood, I was only two parks from completion, and the whole scope of the challenge, how long it had taken, what I had done and where I had been in over a year, was starting to dawn on me. I was also starting to feel a little sad that it was all coming to an end, but all good things must.
I had been looking forward to Wimbledon Common parkrun for some time. I’ve been to the common a number of times in the past, and had checked out the course a month ago while training for a long hike along the Thames. The only worry I’d had was the potential for mud, but although it had been raining this week, the ground wasn’t too bad at all, and off-road shoes weren’t necessary. If you are heading to Wimbledon for the first time, however, it is worth considering the weather and taking off-road shoes with you if practical. That said, it’s only a couple of stretches that are really susceptible to heavy rainfall, so nothing to be concerned about.
I woke at 6.15am and got up to see light grey cloud through the window. So long as it wasn’t raining this was fine with me. Again, it’s amazing how few times it has rained on Saturday mornings while running parkrun. Crystal Palace was the only occasion when rain was really noticeable, but even then it wasn’t able to spoil the experience. I ate and dressed and was out of the house in good time, heading down the road for a warm-up run to Ealing Broadway station. After making the decision to run without an ankle support in the last week, my Achilles tendonitis had improved a little, and I was able to start running faster again. On the run to the station I could feel that my foot was coping better and complaining less. Provided I had an ample warm up for the run today I reckoned I could be on for another fast time, even if I had no chance of getting near my parkrun PB.
I took a District Line train to Earl’s Court and changed there for another District Line train to Wimbledon Park station, getting there at about 8am. It was only a short walk from there to Wimbledon Park itself, but when I got there I found the gate padlocked. The plan had been to follow the Capital Ring signs from there to the common, but without access to the park, this wasn’t possible, so I continued up the road intending to divert around the park and maybe pick up the Capital Ring somewhere further on. After another good warm up run I stopped and checked the map on my phone – a good idea since I could easily have gone wrong if I hadn’t. I turned down a side road and past some shops, and was soon running alongside the common itself, heading all the way to the end of the road before turning left into the trees where I tripped on a tree root and went flying.
After dusting myself down and looking around to see if anyone had noticed (no one had, thank God) I headed on along the path toward the windmill, to find that several groups of runners had already arrived.
I dropped my bag by the tree and a group of welcoming volunteers, and headed off onto the course itself for some more warming up. I had it in my head that it was a clockwise run, perhaps because that’s the way I went around when I checked it out a few weeks ago, but it’s actually anti-clockwise. I did some stretching, seeing more people warming up, then headed back to the start where a few hundred keen runners were now assembled. After some notices and milestone announcements from the run director it was time to get cracking.
From the gathering area near the windmill and car park, runners walk along the wooded path to the start line chalked on the ground. From here the course heads back down toward the gathering area and finish funnel, turning left at the end and heading back up the common on another long wooded path parallel to the A219 before eventually turning left, then left again and soon running alongside the King’s Mere Lake before turning left and heading down the long, tree-lined path, avoiding the odd tree root and mud patch and eventually crossing over the start line again and beginning the second lap. At the end of the second lap, the course continues on to the gathering area again, entering the finish funnel instead of turning left. There are helpful white, chalk arrows on the ground at key points, as well as volunteers to ensure you don’t get lost in the trees, end up in the lake etc. Not that that’s likely.
Due to Wimbledon’s popularity there were a lot of runners lined up at the start, so it took a while to get through the crowd and run at a challenging pace. Once there though I was surprised at how well I maintained a relatively fast pace, possibly due to the speed-training I’d started up again during the week. I could definitely have pushed myself harder, and if I was running the course again, I would have the advantage of knowing what to expect.
Time: 22 minutes, 42 seconds
Position: 85 out of 405
The improvement in performance and time continues, despite the Achilles tendonitis still being with me. I’m really looking to forward to the finale of my challenge at Bushy Park next week, and reckon I can get an even faster time, something close to my parkrun PB. Wimbledon is one of the oldest parkrun courses, and I can see why it’s one of the most popular. The ground is soft, the paths are wide and the terrain/scenery is varied and interesting. There are no uphill sections, so provided the ground isn’t too wet there is a great opportunity for getting a PB if that’s what you’re after. If it’s your first foray into parkrun, the course and whole Wimbledon experience will guarantee that it won’t be your last. And as for Wombles? Well, I did see a couple of small creatures scurry off into the undergrowth at one point, but they were surely too small to be wombles. Saying that, I didn’t spot any litter . . .
Flashback Movie Review: 1 - Down and Out in Beverly Hills
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_and_Out_in_Beverly_Hills
I’ve decided to revisit some movies from my childhood to see a) How much I remember, and b) if they are any good. I’m starting in 1986, the year before I started high school, and finishing at 1992 when I left. I’ve also chosen comedies, since these tend to be the movies I watched when I was young but didn’t seem to re-visit much later on.
So, let’s begin with Down and Out in Beverly Hills. It was based on the french play Boudu sauvé des eaux, and directed by Paul Mazursky. It stars Richard Dreyfus, Bette Midler and Nick Nolte. The premise is that after having his dog ‘Kerouac’ stolen by a stranger, the homeless Jerry Baskin (Nolte) wanders on to the property of coat hanger magnate (yep) Dave Whiteman (Dreyfus) where, after filling his pockets with rocks, he attempts to drown his sorrows and himself in the pool. Spotting his drunken suicide attempt, Dreyfus rushes to the pool and dives in to save him. Afterwards, feeling a responsibility for the homeless man after saving his life, Dreyfus lets Jerry into his home, and his life, much to the initial outrage of his wife Barbara and their children. From then on we basically get a by-numbers buddy movie, with Jerry gradually ingratiating himself into the affections of the family and helping each of them to feel free and shrug off the pressures that they and others have put on them.
And that’s it, plot-wise. If, indeed, that is a plot. It reminded me of Mary Poppins, in that a lot happens without there being much in the way of plot. Don’t get me wrong, I like this movie, and Mary Poppins, and I’m actually impressed that both are so entertaining without seeming to bother much with story.
Do I remember this movie from when I was 10 years old? Well, bits of it. I remember the dad (Dreyfus) having it away with the maid in the middle of the night, but then given how old I was, it’s hardly surprising that image was burned into my memory. And I remember the end. The rest? Nope. It’s all gone, and I’m sure I watched the film at least twice back then. Go figure.
So is it any good? Well, yes. Given it’s a comedy I didn’t really laugh much, but I still liked it. It’s off-the-wall without being annoying and its heart is in the right place. What’s odd is that it didn’t feel like it had a specifically 80s sensibility, but the way some characters are dressed, this could not have been set in any other decade. Little Richard pops up in a few scenes and provides some comic relief, as does Dave’s dog Matisse.
The movie begins with an alternative version of Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads, and it ends in the same way. That in itself endeared me to it, and it’s a relevant choice of music. The running time is relatively short at 1 hour 46 minutes, so its one of those movies that avoids outstaying its welcome, unlike Nolte’s Jerry.
So, yes a worthwhile trip down movie memory lane, even if I didn’t really remember any of it much. Would I recommend it? Yes. If it’s on TV and you have nothing else to do, you could do a lot worse.
Up next: The Three Amigos
Gladstone parkrun, 24th June 2017 (5th Anniversary)
47 Parks: 45 - Aloha!
Gladstone Park
24th June, 2017
Now that the temperature had dropped, sleeping was easier. Sleeping had been hard work for the whole country due to the hot weather this week. I had been more tired last night (Friday) than I can remember, finding myself dropping off in front of the TV which I very rarely do. But despite a cooler, more restful night I still had to face the usual early Saturday start, and I woke at 6.30am asking myself serious existential questions.
I got up, ate, dressed and went over the travel plan in my head which was actually pretty straightforward. I had intended to run Gladstone Park (named after the British prime minister William Gladstone) last week but when I realised that it was their five year anniversary this week with an Hawaiian theme, I decided to delay it. I still had the Achilles tendonitis but l had managed to get in two runs during the week rather than the usual one, and when the pain grew too much to bear this time I tried running without the ankle strap which I had originally started wearing for the chronic sprain in the same foot. The difference and relief was immediate and I wondered if in fact the strap itself had been the cause of the tendonitis in the first place. Typical – the solution of one problem is the cause of another. Saying that, the tendon was really stiff this morning making me think I’d been a bit overzealous on the last training run, strap or not. But sure enough, after warming up later it would prove to feel better than it had in weeks.
I left the flat at 7.20am and walked down to West Ealing station to catch a 7.26am train to Paddington, where I caught a Bakerloo Line train to Baker Street and changed to the Jubilee Line to get to Willesden Green. I arrived at about 8.10am with plenty of time, and jogged to the park in less than ten minutes. When I got to Gladstone Park I could see a couple of volunteers already setting up the finish funnel, so I headed over to the finish area where a table was being set up with melon, bananas and other goodies, and dropped my bag by the café. I then headed off, following the course markers to get an idea of the course and see a bit more of the park. I wasn’t expecting the uphill section, so I was glad I was scoping it out in advance and saving myself the potentially unpleasant surprise later on. But it isn’t that steep, and like any uphill, how hard it is depends on how fast you’re going. I reached the top of the hill near the Stable café and the remains of Dollis Hill House, then turned and followed another path, heading eventually back to the other café as it was getting close to 9am. A lot of runners had gathered now, some wearing Hawaiian gear and getting into the spirit of things. The sky had been grey all morning, but although a few errant drops of rain were felt, it stayed dry and even seemed to be clearing up a couple of times.
There was a briefing for first-timers followed by an entertaining briefing for everyone, recognising the park’s impressive five year history, and everyone who had helped bring it to life and keep it going. We then walked to the start point not far from the Park Avenue North entrance, and with little more ado were counted down.
The course begins on the path not far from the entrance and heads straight up to the top of the park where it turns left, going up and across the bridge over the railway track, then continuing uphill on the tree-lined path before taking a left turn, followed shortly by another one, curving down to a crossroads where it turns right and follows a long curving path, going uphill again before it reaches another corner by Dollis Hill Lane where it turns left and then left again, going downhill now by a vast, open stretch of grass. Near Mulgrave Road the course turns left and follows the south path before heading northeast to meet the crossroads again by the playground, but turning right (avoiding other runners) and heading back down to the bridge where it turns left and begins the second lap. Once you have completed the second lap, you head back over the bridge and retrace your steps to the start point, turning left by the marshal and striking out across the grass toward the welcoming finish funnel.
Having had a good warm up, my sore ankle was in good shape for the whole run, and although I took it relatively easy all the way around, never pushing myself, I still felt I’d put in a better performance than the past few weeks. There was more uphill than the previous few parkruns, but I never felt like it was slowing me down. In the briefing for newcomers the director had said that although there are hills on the course, the course will look after you. Having run the course, I think I know what he means.
Time: 23 minutes, 17 seconds
Position: 48 out of 207
It’s nowhere near my best time, but it’s the fastest I’ve run since Gunnersbury Park a month ago. Hopefully it’s a sign that the tendon is healing. I can happily recommend Gladstone Park to any would-be tourists. There is a great mix of flat, uphill and downhill running, plenty of twists and turns and scenery to look at, and a huge open section in the latter part of the lap to make you feel like you’re no longer in the city but out in the countryside. There is a friendly crowd and let’s face it – if it’s been going for five years it must be doing something right.
47 Parks: 44 - Not Long Now . . .
Grovelands
17th June, 2017
Thankfully I didn’t have to battle an awful hangover this week. But although I got to sleep ok the night before I could have done with more. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to getting up earlier on a Saturday than I do during the week, but with the 47 Parks challenge drawing to a close, I won’t have to do it for much longer. The alarm was a huge shock this week. Normally the artificial daylight it creates wakes me up gradually, but this time waking up was like being slapped in the face. It’s a good job too that I have a repetitive piano tune as an alarm, rather than a radio. If it was something I’d actually like to listen to I’d probably fall straight back to sleep. I stopped the alarm, grunted something incoherent, got out of bed before my eyelids could close again then went to sort out some breakfast. My foot had felt better during the week but it was still sore and I was now sure that it would stay that way until I could take a couple of weeks off running altogether.
Leaving the flat on time at about 6.50am, I walked to Ealing Broadway where I caught a Central Line train to Oxford Circus, then a Victoria Line train to Highbury and Islington, where I caught a National Rail train to Winchmore Hill. The trains, in general, seemed busier than usual for this time on a Saturday morning. Some people were obviously going to work but there appeared to be more tourists about, perhaps because of the great weather which today was particularly hot and sunny.
I left the station, checked my phone to see which way I had to go to get to Grovelands Park, went the wrong way, corrected myself and walked up Broad Walk, turning right into Branscombe Gardens, at the end of which was a wooded path that led into the park. I stopped to take some photos and videos, then headed along the path to the gathering point near the boating lake. I found the loo and had a very short warm-up run but it wasn’t really enough. Time seems to go so quickly on these parkrun mornings. I dropped my bag by a hedge near the gathering point and at some point a marshal must have moved it from there to the finishing point. It’s a good job they were more concerned about it than I was. Thank you to whoever it was.
Soon everyone was gearing up to go and I listened in on the newcomers’ briefing to get an idea of the course which is relatively straightforward. I then joined the main group with a minute or two to go, soon realising I was at the front of the crowd facing everyone else, so got out of the way and joined somewhere in the middle. A few minutes later after the main briefing we all set off, a bigger group than I had expected. I was feeling very comfortable with the starting pace, so I sped up and moved on to the grass on the left side of the path to move up to something more like my average pace.
The roughly speech bubble-shaped course begins at the north side of the boating lake and a small group of trees, and heads northeast along the perimeter path in a long anti-clockwise curve, passing the tennis courts and heading uphill to the top of the park where the course turns back the way it came, following a long straight section until it’s time to turn left and slowly descend back toward the boating lake, but continuing on along the path, bearing right and going around a small roundabout just beyond where some marshals are gathered to cheer runners on. At the end of this stretch there is a sharp, hairpin turn to the left which takes you back to the path alongside the boating lake, past the entrance to the finish funnel and eventually onto lap two. The next lap is identical, but on the third lap you turn into the finish funnel about a third of the way along the lake.
Although I started off quite slow, I did pick up speed and even with the uphill section still managed to do better than last week. But considering how hungover I was last week, this might not be saying much. I did feel I could have run faster though, so maybe next week will bring something like a return to form, provided my foot can handle it.
Position: 34 out of 162
Time: 23 minutes 29 seconds
One of the great things about the Grovelands course, like a number of others, is that on some stretches you can see people ahead and behind you. And at the end of the run, if you have time to stick around, you’re given the perfect vantage point for watching runners approach the finish funnel or embark on their last lap. It’s a great course - straightforward with just the right amount of up and downhill in lovely surroundings. Great fun. I now have only three more parkruns to go before I’ve completed every one in Greater London.
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47 Parks: 43 - The Hangover
Peckham Rye
10th June, 2017
Ok, so I could have felt worse but boy was it hard work this week. I normally try to avoid drinking alcohol the night before a parkrun but I thought I would have a few this week to celebrate a colleague’s birthday and, inevitably, a few turned into quite a few, which turned into a few too many. Although I didn’t get home disastrously late I didn’t get anywhere near as much sleep as my lager-poisoned body demanded, so that I woke at 6am to find myself laughing at the alarm clock. It had to be a joke. It wasn’t. I dragged myself out of bed and took manual control of my body since attempting to do anything on autopilot would have led to bizarre and disappointing results. I downed a smoothie and coffee (solids a bit too much for my stomach at this point) and sat on the edge of the bed knowing that if I were to lie back for just one second I would be consumed by an immediate and deep sleep. And while this concerned me, it was also very tempting. But given how cross I would be with myself later at missing a parkrun I would just have to endure the exhaustion and nausea and get on with things. Besides, today was Peckham Rye, one of five parkruns left to do in my 47 Parks challenge. I was so close to the finish now. Too close to mess things up.
I somehow got myself organised and out of the house on time and headed down the road to Ealing Broadway where I caught a Central Line train to Bond Street, a Jubilee Line train to Canada Water (no time to visit Decathlon this week, sadly) then an overground train to Honour Oak Park. When I got to Honour Oak Park I was in dire need of a toilet, a situation no doubt brought on by the ‘celebrations’ yesterday and which worsened quickly. I decided to turn in to the nearby park and see if there was a loo there, but it soon became apparent that I was out of luck and fast approaching a situation I could describe as ‘total crisis.’ I then spotted another church-like building at the end of the park (which turned out to be the crematorium). It was simple – if this building didn’t have an accessible toilet I would have to improvise, a word I won’t (for the benefit of anyone reading this) elaborate on. Luckily it did have a toilet, which was actually palatial compared to most public conveniences, and so disaster was averted. Outside I checked my phone to see where I was in relation to the park, and although I could have gotten there fairly quickly from where I was, I ended up retracing my steps and getting to the park the long way round. Still, I had enough time so it wasn’t a problem.
At the bottom of the road I found the entrance to the park and was encouraged to see several other runners about. I quickly found the gathering point near the finish funnel and dropped my bag by the fence. Oddly I forgot to stretch this week, but considering the poor state my mind and body was in, I’m not surprised, and don’t think it would have made much difference anyway – if any week was absolutely not going to be a PB week, it was this one. My Achilles tendonitis seemed a bit better, but it was still stopping me from running as fast as I would like, and because my running had dropped off due to the near-injury, I wasn’t in top shape. Still, the important thing was to just get around, and the slower pace was enjoyable. I joined in the briefing for visitors and first time parkrunners, learning about the various features along the course, of which there are quite a few. Then it was time for the general briefing and we were off. The sky had now brightened considerably and the temperature had risen. All morning I had been thirsty, due to the hangover, but what was strange was that after the run the thirst had gone rather than gotten worse.
The Peckham Rye course begins on wide path in the middle of the open grass area, and soon takes a left turn and heads roughly northwest, continuing ahead at a crossroads and soon bearing left to head toward and around the oval-shaped ornamental garden. It then follows the River Peck and passes the bowling green. There are then two left turns in quick succession before turning around the pond and then following a loop around the Small Acres School, before heading back out onto the open grass on a path toward Colyton Road, turning right and heading back toward the start point to begin lap two.
I started off nice and easy then increased my pace a little, conscious not to get too carried away, bearing in mind I was hungover and delicate as well as nursing a sore ankle. I really enjoyed the many twists and turns of the course, and given the many features of the park, I can see how any route around it would be varied and interesting. It is almost completely flat, and the surface is good. Although there were other people out enjoying the park and the weather it certainly didn’t feel congested and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I’d be more than happy if this was my local.
Position: 56 out of 183
Time: 23 minutes 42 seconds.
I was content to be under twenty-four minutes, and to be honest, trying to get anything faster than that in my condition would have been foolhardy. I really do want to get back to faster times, but trying to overrule or ignore your body is never a good idea. I’ll just have to keep being patient. There are only four more Greater London parkruns to go in my challenge now, just one month (all being well) until I can say I’m done. Lon-done.
47 Parks: 42 - What I Dream About When I Dream About Parkrun
Greenwich 3rd June, 2017
Although I had finished the last day of my Thames Path walk last Saturday and had done nothing remotely energetic since, I still felt exhausted today. It may be the culmination of the 200 miles of walking still having an effect, or it may have been the hot nights making it difficult to sleep, but either way it was difficult to keep my eyes open on the train journey to Greenwich. Luckily for me, running is one of those activities I can motivate myself to do regardless of how tired I feel. A lot of it is just forward momentum, not that much effort needed. It’s when you have to run fast and for long distances where it can get tricky. So although I could have done with going back to bed I knew I should be okay for this morning’s parkrun, provided my Achilles tendonitis wasn’t going to stop me. I had tried a couple of test runs at work (while no one was looking) during the week and the pain did flare up, but it receded fairly quickly too. The alarm went off at 6am, waking me, ironically from a dream about parkrun. The dream had taken place in a park I’d never been to before on a grey, drizzly morning. The lead runners had come around to lap me after what seemed like only seconds from the start of the run, and I soon found myself alone, heading out into woodland and realising I must have missed a turn somewhere, and wondering where all the marshals and, come to think of it, the rest of the runners were. No dream PB for me then. Back in the real world I roused myself and got dressed, trying to work out if I’d forgotten to pack anything. Although I’d completed the Thames Path - walking the length of the river from the source to the Thames Barrier, I’d intended to walk the rest of the way to where it meets the sea, and today I’d planned to walk from the Barrier, via the Thames Path extension to Erith. Was I really going to be bothered? I decided to wait until after the parkrun to see how I felt. I left the house and walked to the station, catching a Central Line train to Bond Street, then changing to the Jubilee Line to get to London Bridge where I caught an overland train to Falconwood. I’m always surprised by how tight they are with leg space on these trains. It is literally impossible to sit in the seat properly without causing myself significant pain. How people taller than me are supposed to cope I don’t know. It almost makes standing preferable. I left the train and the station, tempted to get a coffee but deciding I didn’t have as much time as I had expected, and walked down the road to the entrance to Avery Hill Park. The weather was, as promised, sunny with a fair amount of cloud. I walked across the park to the café to find a small group already gathered, dropped my bag and had a bit of a stretch and a warm-up. There wasn’t a lot of time left, and I didn’t anticipate a fast time anyway, so the exercises were more out of routine than anything. It was then time for the race briefing which led swiftly into the countdown and the start of the run. From the Avery Hill Park café the course heads roughly southwest, passing the tennis court on the left, then taking a sharp left to follow the line of trees almost to the bottom of the park but taking a left, then right turn before hitting the path where a marshal is stationed. The course then follows the footpath along the bottom of the park before eventually turning left near the Avery Hill Road entrance and further on heading slightly uphill then northeast until it almost reaches the top path, but instead heading across the grass all the way back to the start to begin lap two. For the third lap, runners head through the finish funnel part way across the grass instead of back toward the café. I was just happy that my foot didn’t call a halt to proceedings this week, though I won’t lie – I wish the damned thing would hurry up and heal. I, like a lot of runners, am very impatient with injuries. I want to let it heal, but I don’t want to stop running and lose fitness. A frustrating and potentially damaging paradox. Hey ho.
Position: 46 out of 203
Time: 23 minutes 40 seconds.
So the time was more or less the same as last week at Bromley. I could have run faster if my foot wasn’t so sore, so it was a balance of trying not to run too slowly and trying not to run too fast and risk making the foot worse. Greenwich (Avery Hill Park) is a great course. It’s a fairly straightforward lap with a little uphill and downhill mixed in, and a fair amount of running on soft, flat grass in pleasant surroundings. Highly recommended. I’m beginning to think I’ll never find a parkrun I can actually criticise, but hey, that’s nothing to complain about. And in case you’re wondering – I didn’t go to the Thames Barrier to continue the walk. The brain was willing but the body was having none of it. Actually, I’m not even sure the brain was willing . . .
47 Parks: 41 - A Very Peculiar Marathon
Bromley
27th May, 2017
I have to say I was dreading parkrun this week. Not because of where it was, or the nature of the course, or the weather or anything like that, but because physically I was in ‘a right state.’ I still had the Achilles tendonitis that had been plaguing me for several weeks, but I was also several days into my Thames Path walk, where each day averaged twenty miles. My legs and feet were taking a pounding. Today would be the last stretch of the trail, from Putney to the Thames Barrier, but I would have to do the parkrun first. I had initially thought the walk to be 15 miles, but it ended up being over 23. So altogether today involved a marathon, albeit a very odd one . . . With only three miles actual running. Although last week’s parkrun at Gunnersbury had been ok, I was concerned that all the relentless walking and my refusal to let my tendonitis heal (apart from a couple of rest days in the middle of the walk), would put me closer to injury than ever before, and although I was determined to rein myself in and run slowly this week, I still thought there was a chance that I might not be able to run at all. I would have to see.
I woke at 6am and had breakfast, making sure all the gear I needed was packed in my rucksack for the parkrun and the walk afterwards. Thankfully with the final stretch being in London there was no need to pack too much food as it was readily available. The weather looked ok, just a bit more overcast than the day before which had been glorious. I left the house in good time but resisted jogging to the station. I needed to do the absolute minimum of running to ensure my feet got me through the parkrun.
I caught a District Line train to Victoria from Ealing Broadway and then caught an earlier than planned train from Victoria to Bromley South which turned out to be the first stop. Leaving the station at Bromley I checked my position on my phone and navigated my way to Norman Park, a fairly long walk but straightforward. There were some pretty grey clouds overhead, and it did start to spot with rain, but thankfully it didn’t progress to a full-on shower.
When I reached the park I could see the car park was filling up and several groups of people were arriving or warming up, even with half an hour still to go to the start of the run. I walked along to the finish funnel and dropped my bag off before jogging down the path a little way. The heel was stiff, sore and reluctant, as I knew it would be, but with a little more light running and some stretching it felt like it would be ok.
I could see a lot of runners arriving and crossing the park now, so I headed back toward the entrance, then left along the path to where people were gathering near the start. There was indeed a large crowd, and what looked like a fairly constant stream of arrivals, right up until the countdown. I headed over to the run briefing for newcomers and tourists and learned that the current course is the dry, summer alternative, which hasn’t been used for a while. A few minutes later the countdown was shouted out and everyone got going, a massive group of people that to anyone who hadn’t witnessed parkrun before or even heard of it (if there even are such people) must have looked pretty impressive.
The course starts in the southwest corner of the park near the athletics track and heads north up the grass to the top of the park where it joins the path and turns right, heading past the pavilion before turning right off the path and following the dog-leg of trees almost to the bottom of the park before turning left and heading up the other side and turning right as it hits the path again. It then, briefly follows the path again before turning right and following the trees on the northeast side of the park, curving around the car park and bearing right to follow the bottom path, passing both pavilions until it reaches the athletics track again where it starts lap two. The third lap is only half a lap and takes you from the start line, around the top path to the second pavilion and the finish funnel.
I ran tentatively from the start, averaging a 7 and a half minute pace which remained consistent for pretty much most of the run. It was painful with the heel, but I was determined not to slow down too much or stop. I certainly wasn’t as fast as I was at Gunnersbury Park the week before, but all the hiking was probably the cause of that. My poor, poor heel. What it has had to put up with.
Position: 144 out of 555
Time: 23 minutes 37 seconds.
Well, it was a long way from being one of my best times, but since the idea was just to turn up and run the course today without doing myself an injury or tiring myself out before the rest of the day’s activity, I can’t be disappointed. The Norman Park course is obviously popular, given the number of people who turned up, and it’s not difficult to see why. If I had been in better condition I’d have enjoyed it a lot more. It’s flat, has great surfaces to run on, and like a good book it has just enough twists and turns to keep you interested. Yet again it was nice to run at a slightly slower pace and feel more like part of the crowd. That is, after all, what it’s all about.
It took me a while to get to Putney to continue and finish my Thames Path walk. It was hard work and I didn’t finish it until after 6pm, but it was good to be done, and also good to know that I had completed the whole walk without missing a parkrun.