Half term

There has not been much running this week, but then I always struggle in school holidays.
Wednesday Madam and I headed to our Essex retreat (the relics abode). Our time was spent visiting friends old and new (10 weeks old new!) young and old (hers and mine) two legged and four legged. Much chatting was done, a little shopping, craft planning and consumption of too much food!
No return to Essex would ever be complete without us doing the Chelmsford parkrun.
Here we met:-
Mrs F and her family, relative new comers to a 9 am Saturday 5k. Mrs F struggled for four years in helping me keep hold of my job and to try and teach me the intricacies of software and computers. For this she deserves a Nobel peace prize nomination! Lovely to see her for a quick catch up. So glad that we have a parkrun connection now, something else to chat about on top of what we are making for dinner and what our hubbies have done to annoy us recently! Great to see you Mrs!
The H family consisting of master H, (madams age) his younger brother and their super fit, super fast parents. Mr H was the pacer for the 20 minutes time, see I said they were fast. Mrs H was doing the dangerous task of getting the younger one to complete the mileage.
And last but no mean least my Essex running buddy and her son CT whom also is Madam’s age.

As mentioned there was pacers today and I should have tagged along with one but at the final minute I had a crisis of confidence and decided to run my own race. The course was slightly different and flatter than normal due to a a firework display being held in the park that evening. At the point I was thinking ‘boy I’ve run along this path a few times in all weathers during marathon training, on my own and with my RB’ there she was at my side my RB. I was very grateful for her company (surprisingly quiet but maybe my laboured breathing gave her the idea I would not be able to speak) for that last mile. I envy the way she can run at that pace, so gazelle like compared to my lumbering elephant impression. She tried to get me to do a sprint finish, but I was feeling a little sick and the legs said xxx xxx, at that point. I was gutted and thrilled to see Madam and her long legs pass me finishing 3 seconds ahead in the final straight!
We both got a Chelmsford PB by over a minute, but it baffles me that I can run Killerton faster!

A lovely post run drink, cake (only Madam and I had cake but then that was our lunch also) and chat was par taken at the new cafe. Talk centred on the children, their new schools, running and future running plans. Was I going to do a marathon next year? My reply? After doing four I realise this is not my distance (yes I am slow in more ways than one ) and the thought of training through another winter does not appeal, at all.

( thanks to Alma and Paige for their kind knitting offer, but wool, needles and instructions left with mum!)

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