Author: MarathonMannUK

There is a parkrun tradition to hold a run on New Years Day and for pairs of nearby parkruns to stagger their start times so that it’s possible to run one, drive (or run) to another and do that one as well.  I have done this a few times and it’s a great way to start the year.

Today I did a different parkrun double in that I turned up to Middleton Woods 40 minutes early to run the course once prior to the start and then run the “official” parkrun.

The Middleton course is lovely in that it is almost all through the woods; you run down a long tarmac path and then return up to the start through woodland paths.   This is quite a challenge and you do this lap twice.  I was pleasantly surprised today in that even though I did the course twice, my official time was a quite respectable 26:41 and I finished 19th out of 73.

(the picture shows two of my wonderful running club friends, Elinor who was volunteering as a scanner and Julie who was trying a parkrun again after a short break from training)

All I have to do now to finish my challenge is an itty-bitty 10K tomorrow morning.  I am also pleased that my online fundraising target of £200 is nearly achieved with £190 of donations so far.  It would be really amazing to hit that target before the end of the challenge.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

1 Peter 5:10 NIVUK

Richard is running 10K every day during June, to raise money for a public access defibrillator to be situated at Rothwell Baptist Church.  To sponsor him and make a donation, please visit his Just Giving Page.‬‬

It’s a strange feeling being so close to achieving my goal of running 10K every day during June.  In one sense I am pleasantly surprised at how good a shape I’m in and I don’t have aches and pains although obviously, I don’t have a spring in my step every day.  On the other hand, I am conscious that I need to keep going another few days and I am terrified of getting injured such that I would fall at the last hurdle.

Going out first thing in the morning is something I love but in the past it did cause me injury.  What the slightly younger and naive me didn’t think through was that first thing in the morning my body is cold, probably a bit stiff and definitely not warmed up.  One time I was injured my physio pointed out that every time I picked up a sprain, it was on a morning run.  I was going out there, running hell for leather and then was surprised I hurt myself in the process.   Therefore I always treat my body with kid gloves in the morning and since I have been doing that, I have thankfully been injury free on those morning runs.

So this morning’s run was uneventful and that leaves two days to go.  Tomorrow I am debating which parkrun to visit and my plan is to get there early and simply run the course twice.  Then on Sunday, I’ll stick something with bubbles in the fridge and go out for a 10K run wrapped in cotton wool and bubble wrap.

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise” Ephesians 5:15 NIVUK

Richard is running 10K every day during June, to raise money for a public access defibrillator to be situated at Rothwell Baptist Church.  To sponsor him and make a donation, please visit his Just Giving Page.‬‬

When I go running in the early morning the first part of my routine is to go into the bathroom and pop in my contact lenses. The thing to remember here is that I wear a mixed prescription, the left eye having a reading lens and the right a distance lens. This combination works surprisingly well. This morning I got out of bed at around 4:40 and left the house at around 5:00.

As I was running down the street I noticed that my vision was blurred but I wasn’t too concerned because it sometimes takes a little while for contacts to bed in. It was also quite misty so I thought I could still see my way so wasn’t too worried.

It was a pleasant morning run through the countryside with stunning mist hovering over the fields. It is one of the benefits of the early morning run that you get to see stuff like this.

Later on it got quite warm so I am rather glad I didn’t need to go running this evening.

When I did get home and looked at the packets my contact lenses came from, I realised my mistake. I was wearing reading lenses in both eyes so I could see my running watch and phone perfectly, but struggled taking in the view. I won’t be making that mistake again.

“‘Look at the nations and watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”

‭‭Hab.‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NIVUK‬‬

Richard is running 10K every day during June, to raise money for a public access defibrillator to be situated at Rothwell Baptist Church.  To sponsor him and make a donation, please visit his Just Giving Page.‬‬