The first Saturday and it is very cold as we put Lenny in the car whilst scraping the windscreen ( please don't worry about Lenny, he is going to be dropped off at his mum first} After dropping Lenny off we use her 'facilities' leave the car in Shoreham and walk the pleasant riverside path, 2.5km to the start of Downs Link Shoreham parkrun. It has been operational for just a few weeks and we resisted the inaugural 'first' as all the world and it's friend said they were going! 
We sensibly waited but still over 350 arrived by the time of the 9.00am start. It has a couple of draw-backs, no toilets, no cafe. Although the latter has been addressed. So meet under the A27 flyover, briefing and off down the graveled and pretty level ex railway track. Good surface compared with the tarmac path from Shoreham up to the start that was very frosty and icy in places. With the sun shining it was a stunning morning as the full moon was falling over the distant Lancing College, captured by an early bird photographer who was keen to show us his results on the camera screen. A strange place to gather, under a flyover, but can see the benefits in inclement weather! 1st timers briefing for quite a group that had gathered including one that was his 1st time ever! Why do they choose a day like this?....... Met a fellow Worthing Strider and friend before the main briefing that included a few milestones, out for 2.5 km on the left, back for 2.5 km on the left. Finish under the flyover....you are all welcome to join us in The Amsterdam Inn for breakfast! And we did! So, 40+ minutes, bit over-dressed toward the end and back safely to the aforementioned pub for coffee and bacon sandwich. We definitely will be back but hopefully in warmer weather!
We check the forecast before bedtime on Friday and it doesn't look like a nice start to Saturday. Already a few cancellations but we wait until a 6:30 wake up call.... and it's not looking good as we have Lenny and we have to think of his wellbeing! (he's probably fine it's probably just us). Littlehampton promenade had a request for an early morning team to clear the beach off the prom and Worthing, from past frosty days, can be especially slippery especially if we are trying to restrain the little furry fella! The white roofs and lawn and a max of 1C for most of the day made us pull the duvets up even higher......after a cup of tea of course. It's a funny feeling when you see the hardy gang turn out including Pete, Colin & Jenny, all Striders seniors like us! Only thing is....we had little Lenny as a trip hazard. Not an excuse but a sensible decision. Next week is a Shoreham Downs Link takeover for Striders and we have volunteered to do the token-sorting hopefully in the warmth of The Amsterdam pub, after we have done our run!
It's a not a bad morning about 8C with chance of sunshine, clouds and showers. We set off for Downs Link parkrun, Shoreham by Sea in plenty of time to park in the large carpark on the west side of Shoreham road bridge (A259) It's a bit bumpy and puddly or dusty in the summer but early morning there is plenty of room. The other bonus is it is free and has loos that were open at 8:15am. 
On the volunteering roster today but sneakily we are token sorting which means we can also run/ shuffle! About 30 Worthing Striders are gathering to do the volunteer takeover.....great turnout! After greetings and catch-ups we chat with Vicky, a downstairs neighbour of my eldest daughter who is doing her 1st run at the new Shoreham event as she usually runs the nearby Lancing Green. Also it's her first back after getting through an injury. 1st timers briefing and today were quite a few including 1 actual 1st timer to parkrun. The RD does some essential information, 3-2-1 and we start towards the rear before overhauling some destined to walk all the way, unlike me probably doing a run/walk and Lesley hopefully shuffling all the way! A few puddles and a some slippery patches but otherwise a perfect, almost flat course. Lesley is never far in front of me and encouragement from some Striders marshals and a few that have run because like us they are doing a dual role! Pete is not feeling too good as he says he has 'jelly legs' as I pass by. He ends up mainly walking but like us, manages to finish OK. We all retire to the Amsterdam pub, quite pleased with our under 40's, and find a nice size table to start our task of sorting just under 400 tokens, drink coffee and eat a bacon sandwich.....all at the same time, multi-tasking or what? Dexterity and brain power, with help from Barbara and not so much help from Pete, who insists on talking all the time! It's done. One token, number 172 is missing as we hand the sorted tokens back to the regular team. Walking back through the pub, I spot a token on the floor! 172!! All complete today and none 'stolen' for souvenirs!It's back to my daughters to pick up little Lenny dog. Nice day.
Worthing has been chosen, mainly because it's nearby, bus-able and we haven't been for a few weeks....and of course, the weather forecast says 'no rain'. Number 11 bus and the driver says the wind on the seafront is awful and as we alight it's in your face straight away! South/south easterly means its not cold but it probably won't give us any relief in either direction. Still, compared with 2 Striders this weekend, it's a walk in the park. Both Tom & Dan, 2 very fit guys are running the Arc of Attrition. Tom is doing the full 100 miles and Dan is 'only' doing the 50 mile. The 'Arc' is the Cornwall South West Coast-path starting at Coverack for the 100 and starting at Porthcurno for the 50. Both finish at Porthtowan. Running through day and night in, this year, horrendous stormy weather. 
Amazing or very silly? For us, the usual chat while we shelter from the warmish wind, gather for briefing and off we go. Just the 671 finishers this week so a very crowded start. I counted 28 seconds before we moved and even then it is a slow walk/shuffle to just before the pier! I think it can count on a minute lost for us at the rear before we 'really get going'. I use the 'get going' fairly loosely as for me it is a steady shuffle, passing some...yes, being passed by others....yes that too! Lesley is nowhere to be seen until the turn around but Pete comes into view fairly soon. He had a pretty awful wobbly night at Striders social run and we walked him back to the pub. Today he was a little slower than 'normal' but doing pretty well considering. I finish in a tad over 40 minutes and Lesley considerable quicker ( by 1 minute) Back to Coast with some others for breakfast before the bus home for the rest of our day! Nice to get a nearly full house of the 70+ Striders today!
Weather has settled down for Saturday and as we have Lenny we won't expect a PB! The prom is virtually wind free and a good deal of sunshine with a beautiful sky. 'Family' photo taken, we meet up with about 15 Striders today and discuss the important thing 'where shall we go for breakfast and coffee afterwards?' Starting towards the rear it is a slow shuffle before we get into our doggy pace just before the pier. Like us, it's a while before he settles as we pass by Maurice with our usual greetings.
A sudden veer to the beach finds Lenny needing a 'comfort break', his 5th one so far this morning. We calculate, together with crossing the prom to the poo-bin, a loss of 2-3 minutes! At this point the 1st runner is already returning and I have to dodge him. Just a gripe............he was running so quickly that normal prom people would find it extremely intimidating to have to dodge someone hurtling along at break-neck speed, let alone those that may be less agile, children playing, dogs out for a stroll etc. etc. It turned out later that he broke the course record in a ridiculous time of 14 minutes 13 seconds.....some 3 minutes faster than the next guy! This is not a running track with crowds that are well away from danger and runners are in a clearly defined lane. When he passed me he had no chance of avoiding the unexpected and a serious incident occurring. I feel it is just a matter of time but what can be done about it? Very difficult but I feel that 600 or 700 parkrunners will loose this venue and that would be great disappointment to many! The rest of our run went well as Lenny had settled into our pace with very little stopping for sniffs, wees and other doggy things. By the time we reached the funnel, 600 runners had already churned the green up into a slippery mess, so with muddy shoes and paws we opted for the Laughing Dog but seats were taken and a big queue.....so on to Jonny's in town for a more relaxed coffee and breakfast for around 8 of us.
With a mainly rain soaked week with just the 1 fine day, Saturday is looking grim. Heads On Friday track run was grim with all of us getting soaked! Very brave but probably , very silly. Lesley was not fully over her nasty cold and builders in and out the house meant she preferred to stay home with Lenny dog. We woke on time but all three of us at no enthusiasm to venture out in the wind and heavy rain......so for the second time this year it's a duvet day! Those that did run....we saw the pictures and the reported, less than fun weather, phew, good call!
Not a parkrun day but following our duvet day and returning little Lenny home, Sunday was our twice a year CU Fitter, charity 'fun' run! The summer run is from Angmering but winter run is from 'flooded' Arundel. Lots of last minute panics and changes due to this horrendous weather that had flooded both both sides of our route leaving no choice for Anita, the organiser, to move the start location to just inside the gate of Swanbourne Lake......right next to the lodge house with a toilet and an early opening cafe!! The course had been adapted to ensure it was still 4 miles+ with a short out-and-back before getting stuck into the watery flat section towards the Black Rabbit pub where a veer to the left and the first of 'The Hills' takes us nearer South Stoke, the turn-back point and water station. It's all up and down from there back to the new finish at Swanbourne Lake......after a pause for a huge tractor taking up all of the road and both verges! We must have lost 1/2 minute making our time of just seconds over 1 hour excellent, considering! Breakfast in the Swanbourne lodge cafe after cheering the tail runners and walkers home, group finish photos, and very pleased with the whole event raising over £3000.00 for Cancer United. The next Cancer United run is later on in the summer where it runs through trails in Angmering Woods.
A cracking Saturday parkrun day, with a full on sun & blue sky as we mull over the local events, deciding that Lenny would enjoy the walk down and back through Mewsbrook park......so it's Littlehampton today! I didn't mention, it is just zero Centigrade as we belt-up and drive the 15 minutes to our free parking spot!. Mewsbrook walk and down the prom towards the meet-up area, take advantage of the newly installed toilets and greet the other 12 or so Striders, running or volunteering today. We take off with the mass, dogs and walkers and push buggies......seems a lot today for Littlehampton (441 we saw later) . After the 1st turnaround Lenny and us settle into a steady jog. 
At this stage he does tend to veer towards the cafe that we would hopefully be utilising in a while but keeps remarkably steady. Just over 41 minutes, a PB for Lenny and a pretty average time ( nowadays) for us. We think the good time was due to our Lenny not stopping for a poo break.............saving a good minute as he normally has to go down the beach for his business. Valentines day today had bought out the crowds and already filled Beach Cafe to queueing & overflowing. Both of us squeezed, being just 2, we were able to share on one of the 10 person, high tables with Lenny resting quietly underneath. By the time a gang of the volunteer Striders arrived we had the whole table to ourselves. Coffees arrived & we ordered one large breakfast divided between the two of us. This was was more than ample Lesley and I ..............nice day, active and social. It is back to Littlehampton again next week as this time, some of our club are doing parkrun 'pacing' takeover running & several are volunteering, including us.
Bollards! After our walk down from the north end of Mewsbrook Park to the assembly point on Littlehampton prom, some 2km in lovely sunshine, we volunteers are dispatched, along with with Sue to the furthest extremity of the parkrun course. I have 3 bollards at the turnaround point to make sure everyone turns back ( twice) before heading for the finish line. It's a pleasant day, a little chilly standing around but words and claps for the participants keep me warm. 
Lesley is opposite Wave where they deemed it a 'risk' if pre & post gym goers cross the road and get bowled over by 300+ parkrunners! It's called a 'flag-up' of a start-up health risk assessment , parkrun have to do before the event is allowed to operate. Striders have a large contingent of pacers and volunteers today. It was nice to greet them as they passed me twice. Tailwalkers, parkwalkers etc. a few runners including Mike & Sian, returning back from health issues. Clapping and cheering kept me warm and only the one guy knocked all the bollards over! "sorry" he said, trying to pick the scattered bollards up...."leave them, I will do that" Well it is a tight turn, especially if you are running 5th or 6th.
Worthing today and as we have little Lenny we have decided to split up, Lesley running and me.....just do what ever Lenny wants! It's a nice day with very little wind and no rain as we chat to out parkrun buddies that includes quit a few Striders today and what soon appears to be almost 600 runners and walkers. Lesley heads closer to the front and I stand with Lenny at the rear whilst the briefing RD announces this may be the last Worthing parkrun for a few weeks ( months). This was not unexpected as the underground, somewhat controversial, heat pump works, are about to move on to the prom. Chaos has plagued the town center with shopkeepers and venues, up-in-arms about the lack of footfall, parking nightmares and cancelled concerts, bringing some to their knees or going out of business. Now ,I believe phase 2 is moving to Splashpoint leisure center and also to the pier and Lido. Hey-ho. Some tourism expected or over-full nearby parkruns such as to the east, Lancing Green, Shoreham Downs Link or Littlehampton and Bognor to the west? Of course if we wish to travel further......Horsham, Chichester, Havant, Haywards Heath, Tilgate, Ifield......and so on! I digress. Lenny is a little spooked by the crowds and other the dogs at the rear, so we don't get off to a good start. Lesley Pete and Barbara are soon out of sight with just Jenny to catch up somewhere near the pier. It's a difficult start most weeks now with the pavement being narrowed to let non-parkrunners through taking quite a few minutes to get the masses underway. PB's are becoming difficult but to us it doesn't matter as the old cliche says....it's the taking-part! Despite a few dog comfort breaks before the start, Lenny stops mid prom for another. The 2 tailwalkers pass by as I find a poo-bin and off we go. Lenny likes the second half, or return leg, as he steadies down. I must admit that I am the same and we keep up a steady pace, no dog PB but a creditable time of just over 40. We retire to Perch on the Prom where Striders have organised a special breakfast with Ross for 15 or 20 to join him on his return from a bad injury he had on an ultra run, on the downs. Still on crutches but operation now behind him, it's a slow and frustrating road to full recovery. Its a very nice venue and the 15% discount for Striders, the shared, with Lesley breakfast, made it pretty economical too! Next week is an awayday we hope, but where to go?
Awayday......no parkrun as we couldn't arrange transport from Church Stretton to Shrewsbury. Too early train as we would miss our HF all inclusive breakfast and the essential 'packed lunch'! We more than made up for the lack of a 5k by walking from Church Stretton via Little Stretton, up the beautiful babbling stream of Ashes Hollow to Long Mynd and back down the equally beautiful, Townbrook Valley. Not a parkrun but....there is always next week?
Back home to finishing touches of our new extension, a training night Tuesday for Lesley and a walk to Cissbury ring for Lenny and I. Then a Thursday social run where Lesley took we, 'shufflers' that consisted of the 2 of us plus Lenny and Colin on a lovely evening from the Windmill at High Salvington, along the upper bridleway to the top of Long Furlong and back along Honeysuckle Lane to finish off.....in the lovely local bar/cafe called The Refreshment Rooms.
It threatened to be a lovely Easter Saturday parkrun at Worthing but as we caught the bus and the short journey down to The Lido the sea mist descended, the sun disappeared the westerly breeze got up and for the first 20 minutes....it was horrible! Pete had his grandchildren over from Australia. The girl would want to run and finish in the mid-thirties and the 14 year old boy....22 minutes. Lesley found Josh from the Striders who was willing to 'pace' him. 
Pete Colin, Lesley and I were aiming just =/- 40 minutes! Well over 600 parkrunners today and a very slow start from close to the rear. The prom was particularly narrow from the coffee hut which is always there, beyond the Two Face Twins art gallery and....now Worthing Gin had parked their wagon, together with several sets of tables and chairs, probably in anticipation of hordes of Easter tourists desperate for their G&T! Walk over and Lesley and I started our routine of shuffling......against the mizzle and wind! Pete was struggling and I joined him for 5 minutes before I felt pretty OK shuffled a little quicker and was on my own...save for about 650 in front of me! Turn-around and mizzle turned to sun and wind was now on my back! Said hi to Lesley then Pete and much further back as is her norm....Jenny, bless her. I kept going at a reasonable slow pace to finish in 39 minutes. 2nd best time this year and we are over 3 months into it. Lesley was a couple of minutes behind me and Pete, a couple more minutes. Photos taken of us and his grandchildren (26 minutes for the young one and 36 for the elder) before taking the large table out on the terrace of Coast, for a well earned breakfast, in pretty good weather.
It's a tour today but not far.....Lancing Green, just a couple of miles east of Worthing. We have completed this one several times but never been tail-runners and this is to be a Striders 'takeover' of volunteering roles. We decided early in the week to bag this slot as we would record both a time and volunteer credit! Clever? We have Lenny and we could take him along for the walk along with 2 other high-vis Striders also 'bagging' the role. To be fair, Ross is coming back from a nasty broken leg and Cameron.......just turned up! The day is looking stunning but Lesley has been sick in the night from, I don't what and did really well to get up and get out of bed.....dedication or silly? 
We park up and take Lenny for a run along the Lancing golden sandy beach ( the tide was out) before donning the high-vis and taking up out position. Lesley is not sure she will make the whole way and nor is Ross who in recovery has not been further than 35 minutes and 1 hour is more the norm! Nearly every role is a Strider, from timekeepers, course checker, turn-around, and marshals all along the route, with token handouts and scanners at the end and coffee drinkers and breakfasts at the Perch! Lesley made it through her off-day.....just and took on water before a little DIY purchase in the shop nearby before drive home and back to bed for her until almost 4pm! We were timed past the finish in just under the hour, well done all and the lady we were supporting.............shame her other half and dog sprinted off at the end!
Weather has been near perfect for the whole of April and today is just the same but even better as the easterly has subsided somewhat leaving a warm Mediterranean feel to the promenade. We have no Lenny so it's down to us to only blame or praise each other to try and achieve a sub '40'. The close on 700 today are milling around the briefing and start area. We have our usual chat with the 'ladies' and Maurice who is doing his first run for a little while. A gaggle of Striders are meeting and greeting, lots of chat on the day before the London Marathon where several of our team are taking part, including ex-work colleague, Mark, he who did the Brighton Marathon 2 weeks ago. On checking back our stats on Strava, whilst having after's cake & coffee, at least 30 seconds are lost at the start as <700 have to squeeze through the coffee hut, the art shop and the loos, where walking is the order of the day. Back to the run and although the usual grumbles from our bodies are still present we both shuffle pretty well together, passing a few and getting passed by even more! Passing the Lido it does look as if our 'goal' is marginal. Lesley has 'wooden' legs and I have 'Jeffing' down to a tee. From the pier onwards I abandon 'Jeff' and do my best to achieve a run only finish! 39.40! for me and a shade over 40 for Lesley.......shame, but there is another week? The Laughing Dog for breakfast and a sit in the beach hut before a walk home. the week will bring a Tuesday Striders training night and it is Lesley on the rotor to take the hour session on Highdown lower fields. Over 50 registered on 'Spond' and a few more made up the 53. She did a great job with 3 helpers, splitting up in 3 groups...running 'sprints' up hills, relay across the footy pitch and the old favourite 3 sided square ( don't ask). All abilities from the slightly slow to the super fast. No guesses where I fit in! Social evening trot on Thursday and Friday Heads On around the sports club track! Can't wait.
Weather is forecast today to be the end of our warm dry & sunny spell ( almost the whole of April) to get back to some long awaited rain showers! The garden is as dry as a bone and needs a springle..............or heavy rain storms allegedly starting at 3pm this Saturday! We take the 8.02am,701 bus to Littlehampton that arrives and departs at 7.58 with us, just about by a few seconds, on-board. We both didn't think busses ran 5 minutes early but what are we to know? It ran ahead of time until Rustington where it did actually wait and catch up, having probably failed to pick up the prompt, paying passengers at intermediate stops? Enough about us as it is a switch today to the local other coastal parkrun we frequent from time to time. It's warm enough and sunny enough for shorts today as the river, harbour and seafront resemble the cote d'Azur. It is usually frequented by 300-400 participants and today is no exception. An all together more manageable number that hush when the 'quiet' signs are raised by a seemingly more laid back group of volunteers and parkrunners. We meet up with a few Striders and an 'Arunner', Martin that has made a remarkable recovery from the same cancer op that I had, just a little after mine. He hopes to get back to his pre-op time of circa 24 minutes! (he does ,by the way) Out and back in the glorious sunshine and then it's out and back again. No fast times for us, just over 41 minutes so not too bad. Alex, a Strider has managed to get a PB of slightly over 20 minutes and joins us for Breakfast at the Harbour Lights cafe on the waterfront. Egg and beans on toast, 2 x coffees and a short walk back to the 701 bus where we arrive back at 11.00 and finish some garden jobs before the rain appeared at 3.30pm and not 11am as per the forecast! The rest of the bank holiday weekend was fine and Sunday was a beach and water park visit with the grandchildren.......back to Littlehampton!
We have doggy and the plan was to visit my middle daughter in Shoreham for her Birthday today.......and of course, before that we have ...Shoreham Downslink parkrun. Therefore, a slightly earlier get up today as its a 10 minute longer drive and Lenny takes a bit of getting out, like a small child! He tends to hide under our bed at the very mention of about 5 key words. " walk" is one of them but we have blocked off the entry route and taken him for a prior 'stroll' so it's our breakfast and off. We park in the large carpark about, 20 minutes walk away, from the start, up-river on the river bank path and it is a beautiful warm and sunny morning. Over the Wooden Bridge to join the path to the start. However the weather and stunning river and downs views, it's not a pretty start, under the flyover bridge with the noise of the traffic above, drowning out any conversation with fellow parkrunners and straining one's ears to hear the brief briefing. 3-2-1 and we are off, close to the rear as usual alongside a number of dogs this morning. It's an average run with a mixture of pace from a slow walk when the bulk of the 'herd' come back on the out & back course. Lenny doesn't like the thundering feet and the sound of gravel being thrown up from the old railway track. They soon pass and he is back at pace in the front of us. Lesley is suffering with some sort of muscle, bone, joint ache this that gives her a broken sleep and difficulty raising her legs. Despite this we are in in around 45 minutes. 2nd to last dog and a few walkers/ Jeffers/ shufflers behind. Back to the Amsterdam for breakfast and coffee.................only one gut there! One young lad serving, when we could find him, and an announcement. No food until 11am! What's going on? Surprise surprise, since our last visit with a new full pub, ample staff, swift service and breakfast....a change of ownership!! Oh well, nice day we go back to the 'horse-box' cafe on the other side of the Wooden Bridge for a lovely coffee and superb cakes ( although mine did give me a little problem some 30 minutes later) Nice day though!
Lovely morning on the prom as we three take the 701 bus into town. Lenny dog seems to be getting used to the bus and prefers running up the stairs to the top deck, where he can sit on our lap and observe the dog world out of the window! It looks like 700 + today as we gather a small crowd of Striders for photos and chats. The start comes suddenly but with the numbers today t is very slow to reach the wider path close to the pier. Worthing Gin seems to have taken up a new pitch with tables and chairs out side the French-van.......who buys gin at this hour? even if the sun is shining! 
We meet the usual crowd and start with Lenny , near the rear. The off is a slow as usual, certainly for any runner after the 1st speedy group and today with the bottleneck close to Worthing Gin, we all walk at a steady pace until we reach the pier. Just after is a Lenny no.2 comfort break and then just a steady run out and a stead run, holding Lenny back on the return. Just over 45 minutes so no change there! An aborted visit to Perch on the prom as the queue is snaking outside and a pretty full house. Back to Coast for a pleasant sit outside with Striders and back to our beach-hut for a chill on the beach before taking the bus back home. No Worthing next week as there is an event on the green so an opportunity to change venues.
It's Lancing Beach Green this week as Pete is volunteering and we haven't seen the pair of them since his unpleasant 'procedure'. We don't have Lenny but we do have a plan to pick him up afterwards.......or at the turn-around! Nicola ( Lenny's mum) will meet us at an estimated time of 9:20am, appreciating some runners will have finished or very close to it. Clare & Chris have ventured over from Worthing, hardly counts as 'tourism' as just a few miles away and we set off across the green, out & back then onto the beach path and eastwards passing Widewater lagoon on the left and the stunning blue waters on the right. Sure enough, Nic and Lenny are waiting patiently for us, handover of lead, hug for Nic and off with a slightly bemused doggy who has no idea what is going on! 
However, he soon settles into our pace and we finish in.......yes 45 minutes! The handover was pretty slick, not quite Grand Prix tyre change and we could only have 'lost' 30 seconds. Numbers today were swollen from the no-go Worthing and the Perch cafe was chocker. Next is a small beach cafe that apparently is seldom open! This being a bank holiday weekend and half term week the owner must have decided to it could just be lucrative. We had an excellent bacon sandwich and 2 coffees, that purported to be 'lattes', but never the less they were very drinkable. Pete and Barbara shared our table as we had found shade.............yes it was about 24C. Before promising to pop in later in the afternoon to look at our new extension and subsequent works.............yes, it's finished! All in all, a very pleasant day, by the sea. Next week we have Brian, Lesley's brother, arriving for 5 weeks from NZ. We have a wedding, my son Robert and his partner, Janine next Friday and of course walking and trotting.....if we have time.
Wedding went really well and a great time for all and the happy couple shared some memorable moments to start their married life together. Weather was superb and the after food in the Italian restaurant in Brighton, next to the Pavilion where they did the deed earlier was a huge 4 course menu that went on and on. After this was in the Stiegel Tent chill out for more alcohol and dance! Today was parkrun day and regrets that we ate too much and drunk too much wine and beer.....but, son getting married only happens once, we hope! Lenny had stayed with friends that dog sit so no probs getting up, getting the bus and greeting friends on the prom. Sticky hot this morning and already 22C, perhaps this was enough to blame on a pretty average shuffle of around 43 minutes. 
Near 700 parkrunners but few dogs, good thing in this heatwave. Coast queue was too much for all of us. Pete Barbara had made their way to the beach kiosk and we followed for a really nice refreshing cup of coffee and cheesy twist to share/ Just the bus and back to pick little Lenny up after his 1st sleepover away from us & Mum. He was fine, greeted us like long-lost friends and apparently was as good as gold for Don & Jenny ( Jenny who runs parkrun and is a long service Worthing Strider) We both felt happy to leave him again if we had to. First few days of Brian and a week of packing before our cruise, so no parkrun for a while! We do hear the ship has a deck for running around, if that is your wish......we'll see and let you know!
It's Saturday and we are just getting into the 'cruising' with a departure from Southampton docks yesterday afternoon and sailing overnight to Zeebrugge in Belgium. Saturday was supposed to be the highlight on QM2........ as well as opulent fine dining of course! 
I say supposed to be as Brian and ourselves had heard much about it's beauty with a look of surprise when we tell friends we have never visited. So we cleverly booked a private ( not Cunard inflated $ prices) transit coach and an early morning canal tour of the ancient city. "This is the captain speaking...we are sorry to announce that due to a strike by Belgium dockers we will be unable to dock.........etc......etc. So floundering around in North Sea before a lumpy overnight dash to our second port of call......Le Havre for now, 2 days! Back to parkrun Saturday and yes the ship has a jogging/walking circuit, all around deck 7. 
So 8am ( the earliest one is allowed to disturb the customers below) parkrun vest on and a pretty empty and perfectly surfaced wooden deck, off we go around and around to achieve the mandatory, 5km, with about 8 circuits in an acceptable 43 minutes. This time did include photo stops and zig zagging through the sundeck chairs! We went in a clockwise circuit and found we were ahead of a fellow, anticlockwise, parkrunner shirted guy from Nottingham as we found when we joined him in the breakfast melee afterwards. on the way round we received claps and cheers by a couple of ladies that recognised the now, universal parkrun logo . Our next run was to be the following day on le Havre promenade in perfect sunny but cool weather. We had also visited the prom on Sunday following yet another announcement that due to a big charity running/walking event in the town there would be no shuttle busses and we would need to walk approx. 40 minutes to the town......no probs for us but some less able others., too much of a challenge.......! It was for us 3 ( Brian also ) pretty lively on the sunny beach front & prom due to a large amount of participants, some in cowboy hats and outfits but all in logoed pink shirts ,the event made us feel very much at home with banners and pop-up tents selling active wear & shoes and of course, fast food. Running for the 2 of us, the next day (day 2 at le Havre) we took the now operational shuttle bus to the town center before walking down to the sea for a stroll to the next nearby seaside village and then the superb and well used seafront path, 5km run/shuffle back to the QM2 via a brief, gated security check that didn't involve a face recognition scan, or a fingerprint match or even a passport check. Loophole here , look like an aging runner, with a plastic deck pass card and you are in! A bit of a tough run after all our 'included' eating but we made it and felt better for it! Sail- off at 7pm for Cherbourg overnight cruise. Large & posh breakfast before a Cherbourg town visit via the superb unmissable dockside museum, an unsuccessful snack in a French eatery before returning for more food, average evening entertainment whilst sailing back to Southampton, a last breakfast before debarkation and train home .. Did we enjoy our first ship cruise? Parts were OK but the jury is out as to doing one again, especially 'posh' Cunard......with its smart dress code evenings & suit and the 'smart' dicky-bow gala night!!
Back on dry-land and looking forward to this Saturday for a Worthing 10th birthday run with a promise of cakes at the end!* Lenny is with us and Brian is away for a week visiting friends. Up nice and early, breakfast and down the road to catch the 701 into Worthing. 
Lenny seems to now enjoy looking out of the window as we stop frequently to pick up customers before arriving at the sea-front in plenty of time to chat with parkrun friends we haven't seen for a little while. It's a special day for Worthing parkrun as it is the 10th anniversary and introductions and thanks to all run directors, past and present that have turned this event in what it is today.......huge! Yes, 776 finishers and we were not too far from the back with some 40 behind us. Lenny needed 2 poos and 4 up-ups & sit-downs on the prom seats plus of course his frequent wees and sniffs. However, it was most enjoyable and we soon forgave him for an 'off' day. Cakes were made to celebrate the event but, as usual, all had been consumed long ago leaving just a tin of chocolates being handed around for the latecomers. A photoshoot with the Worthing banner and now deflated number 10 balloons. After our Striders-goodbyes it was on to the pier for coffee and Italian cakes at the kiosk cafe with a sunny sit on the pier followed by a stroll up to the family beach hut before the bus back home.
Will we or won't we, that was the evening mid-week decision. The annual 5mile Littlehampton Beach-run! we fin 3 reasons not to go. Maybe our bodies are not up to it, it's England's first World Cup match and will clash plus we have Lenny and he is not allowed to run. Come Monday and it's decided..........yes we will! All issues delt with. Bodies will cope or we stop, football, we may miss a few minutes but it is on the radio and Lenny will be happy for 3 hours to 'home alone'! Saturday comes and we have volunteered at Worthing, Lesley Tail Walker and me a marshal at the rowing club entrance. Early 701 bus and Lenny is upstairs in a flash finding his seat ready to up-ups on Lesley's lap to look out of the window. We stroll over to the volunteer team, register and take our high vis. Its on the prom for a chat and I help with the funnel ( not the finish funnel) to keep 6-700 runners clear of a couple of meters for ordinary folk that are just trying to walk or cycle through! Reasonable success in the separation although it appears the 'fast' runners need to rush to the front by any means to get a good time or place! Lesley and Lenny take up their rear spots.....even that is not simple, as one has to spot who is actually starting and who is running and starting late! 
For me it is a stroll back to take up my marshal position on the last 'chicane'' before the crowded home straight. This pinch point is pretty challenging as the segregated cycle path finishes and it is a well used junction of ordinary folks coming down from the car-park. The front runners pay no heed to requests of slowing down or giving-way but today we all 'got away with it'...just! Under 1 hour before the tail appeared so not bad at all! Coast cafe and upstairs for one of the best views from a cafe, in Worthing. Lenny sat on the stool and surveyed the dogs outside protecting us from any potential trouble. Bus back home and chill out in the heatwave that is set to last until next weekend....phew!!
Beach run was a success and we finished, just 5th and 6th from the back and 8 minutes outside last year's time. Weather was almost perfect with a gentle breeze a nice evening temperature and the beach was an almost flat sandy surface, apart from the run down and back up the beach at the end on a mountain of pebbles! Feet (a pair of old running shoes) did get pretty wet in a few places but no 'swimming'. Saturday or parkrun day was a Striders 'takeover' and we both took the park walking volunteer role. Good move as we get our volunteering credit and we get a time credit, and we took little Lenny. Perfect day and we had a good time encouraging walkers and chatting to all of the Striders volunteers en-route and at the end. Team photo before retiring back to the Amsterdam pub for a coffee and cake. Would have preferred a bacon bap but it was not on the menu! Come on Amsterdam pub management, sort yourselves out!
It was a short break week to Weymouth, no parkrun as we were due back on Friday afternoon. The only shuffle was a glorious early morning 4km along Weymouth promenade......an ideal parkrun it would make but.......they use the tracks around the Lodmoor Country Park!! 
Obviously there might have been an objection to using the prom but all we saw were dozens running solo and groups out enjoying the views and the wide, flat and very quiet sea pathway. Whilst there we visited Lulworth Cove for a swim and walk and an excellent pasty! I must say that the day and the views we could have been in Greece! The water was calm and warm. There were very day trippers and plenty of room on the beach. Transport there was the Jurassic Breezer bus. Great few days. The train journey took us back with little stress and we were back in time for our local parkrun but it looks as if Worthing may be suspended for quite some time, thanks to Hemiko works on the prom. We had Lenny dog this weekend and it was forecast to be warmish 23C so Shoreham Downs Link was chosen as it is pretty well shaded for all of us! It was a lovely run, not sure if it was at Lenny's pace or Lenny was running our pretty slow pace?
43+ minutes recorded and after we strolled back to the Amsterdam pub to find a...........big and very slow queue. So several of us ' Striders' abandoned the pub once again to enjoy a short stroll for a cake and coffee at the Wooden Bridge refreshment hut. Next week will be a lot different as Tuesday is the long awaited and planned day of Lesley's foot operation. She will be out of running action for some time so leg-up and me doing the 'waiting service' I will try and fit in some shuffles in between but can't promise. Volunteering will be a Saturday morning option but not just yet for Lesley as she has some healing to do. No go for exercise for both of us in the week, save for gym Monday morning and both walking to Goring Hall hospital Tuesday for the dreaded foot op! Skipped Thursday, Lenny back Friday so late and early walks as the heatwave was well set in now. parkrun looks a positive but will it be too hot for me and rather silly for a 77 year old shuffler?
A stiflingly hot week by day and by night with temperatures above 30C in the day and occasionally 20+C through the night. No problem for me sleeping on my own as Lesley, with her foot raising and fidgeting issue, has elected to go into the new bedroom. I am also now allowed to use the new loo and the nice new shower....as long as I keep it clean and don't splash water everywhere! 
She is steadily improving and not in pain and Lenny is back with us so strictly early morning and late evening doggy walks as the pavements are unbearably hot! He has no problem chilling out with the addition of a cooling fan in the garden room. Back to parkrun Saturday and despite the forecast staying as low as 26C at 8-9-10 am. I can see no obstacles into going to Lancing Green ( one of the new locals now Worthing is suspended) Early morning doggy walk for wee and poos, breakfast cereal, cup of tea, lightweight orange parkrun vest even though it is my 'Wendover Woods' vest, hydration and off we ( me ) go! It is only 15 minutes drive early morning and around that to work the pay-for-park machine! ......grumpy me again...I know it is nice and probably mandatory to cater for wheel chair users......good they have lots of set aside parking spaces but with 2 payment machines..........couldn't one be at a height where us oldies and many youngies struggle to bend that low to see the screen, push the green button several times, register the number plate, decide on the length of time we are saying, select how we are going to pay and search for the card swiping or inserting slot?? If it was a tad lower and supplied with a foam kneeling mat that might be OK. So who thought or didn't think it would be a good idea that both were that low? PS, only one machine was working today with nearly 425 runners, quite a few bringing cars as Worthing is not on....a large snaking queue and a lot of runners starting late with some I am sure running giving up & running the risk of the man in blue coming round, rubbing his bonus hands.............rant over! So, a large gathering, a few Striders, a mas turn out of the blue T-shirted Run Academy, no dogs.....nice to see and off we go. Pete is a volunteer marshal and Barbara, tail-walker. 
I run beside Alan from Worthing parkrun & Run Academy, a 75-79 year old like me, until the turn around when I pick up my pace, ever so slightly and run along side another self confessed, 'ancient' runner. Still able to converse at 'speed' he tells me he used to do marathons etc etc but one day he plucked up courage, beat self check-in appointment system and saw the doctor. After the consultation when he said his problem was he lacked breath when running, the doctor politely noted his 'good age' but after insisting he was eventually advised to go to the hospital to check it out.....'just in case'. I assume triaged then admitted there & then , little op, stent inserted etc etc. Now....not short of breath & back happily running albeit at a much slower 'sensible' pace but never looking at his sports watch, works wonders! After leaving the renewed heart patient slightly behind I joined a lady that was jeffing like me. She swore to herself that if she did foolishly parkrun in this heat she would walk all the way. Failed, as competitive streak had picking up the pace by running a little more than walking leaving me behind and as she turned the Perch corner and down hill to the finish....almost a sprint! I finished in a healthy, for me, 42 minutes. Back to the beach cafe next to the Perch as I couldn't be saffed to wait in the slow moving queue, just for coffee and a cake.....all perfectly acceptable and I was in the shade. Pete and Barbara could be saffed to wait for a Perch-Pete breakfast so I said my goodbyes....see you at the gym on Monday. Back home short drive to see Lesley and how she 'coped' with Lenny. Perhaps next week will be cool enough for a Lenny parkrun?
No, another stifling week of upper 20's and lower 30's. Dog walks and any playing were strictly early morning and evening time. Pavements were warm enough to fry the proverbial egg on, a definite no-go for dogs paws. Lesley is up and out on the EV truck with early morning prom walks to the beach hut and swim for me. Lenny has gone backwards and forwards between homes but Mummy is finding it increasingly difficult to keep him in the flat where it gets extremely hot. I did gym on Monday and Run training Tuesday night. Bit silly but very measured effort and Colin & Jenny ( oldies) were there also! We had a clash of events on Friday, us a funeral and Nicola, a last of the season art class with party afters. Lenny was left with grandaughter, grandson and Derek....son in law! We know Derek is no too keen on dogs but the 2 'kids' were fine! We arrived with a bemused little boy to find they were out or in bed and had 'forgotten' their offer. Derek did his best apparently but within seconds Lenny ate the cat's food and wouldn't settle! It was only about 4 hours before he was collected by Nic...... oh-well, plan B or C next time. parkrun day and we were dog free and it was a Striders 'takeover' of volunteering duties at nearby Littlehampton. So, up early and park at the north end of the lovely Mewsbrook Park. A level and flat pathway all around the lake make light work for the mobility EV truck, right down to the prom and along to the river where the assembly team were sorting us into our roles. 
Lesley hoped to be near the start and finish and it turned out to be perfect, at the turn around point for the 1st lap. Me......the far end 'Wave' crossing point. Meet and greet about 20-30 Striders, miss the team photo as I had to head East back to where I joined the prom! Never mind, it was a good spot to see 400+ runners & walkers and to cheer them on whilst taking my life into hand helping the other prom users to cross the parkrunners to get to the beach! At frequent points for about 20 minutes there are so few gaps so I took people to the turn around point to cross, for every ones safety. parkrun rules are to return when the last participant passes by with the Tailwalkers. Nearly 1 hour and no sign of them! Some had said they turned back as the last lady with 2 or 3 children had 'given up' . We strolled back to find the Tail had no one with them and were starting to jog to complete their own run and get a time! Yes indeed the last lady had fallen out! So 1 hour and 10 minutes we were back at the start/finish. It was 2 of our guys birthdays, thus they both wore a Tutu, no idea why but it seems to be a tradition. Mike discarded his at the 1st opportunity but Ross seemed to wear his.... even to the Harbourside Cafe, for breakfast baps and coffee! Nice day and a big Striders social event.
The 3rd heatwave is apparently finished as we parked at the edge of the lovely Mewsbrook Park. A stunning blue sky and gentle-ish breeze from the west as we passed by the swans and their 8 offspring to walk or drive the EV truck 1km down the prom to the start. Foot is mending and stiches removed but 3-4 more weeks with the raised boot on.......thus,
Lesley is clocking up another volunteer credit, token scanning! Me, I have to shuffle. It seems to be a 400 plus turn-out with a large group of Striders at the start. Josh is aiming to break the 20 minute and quite a few are pacing or supporting. I am just looking to get under 40 minutes! The temperature rises to 27C over the next hour and this, I blame, on failing by 13 seconds, 40:13 ! Josh too fails by 1 second ,20:01! Never mind there will hopefully be another chance and time is not so important to me, it is more about trying to enjoy and trying to survive. 
I finish the last leg alongside a (fast)mum and 15 year old daughter that probably does not want to be here. With words of encouragement from mum and me she finishes just behind me and said she quite enjoyed it! She also mumbled along the way that "this has traumatised me for the rest of my life" A group of us wandered or trucked to the Harbourside cafe for coffee and cakes. Littlehampton river and harbour looked stunning with some very nice expensive looking yachts, moored. The lifeboat crew training, youngsters crabbing. It could almost have been a Mediterranean scene but really, much better than the 40+ and forest fires! Back along the prom and the beach was filling up with holiday makers. At the Beach Cafe the kite-surfing championship was in full flow, what a day for it, calm seas, warm thermals and now a stiffer westerly breeze! Makes a change for a weather reliant event to go to plan in the UK.
Another rainless week and pretty extreme heat for most of the UK including the south coast! Worthing is postponed again, due to a raucous unwelcomed ( by us) promenade funfair. With loud music blaring out, frightful looking rides as well as kids favourites including the round abouts and a £5.00-a -go......fishing a plastic duck out! ( not verified but told to me by a respectable source). I went to the mainly American car show on the Steyne Sunday morning but so did hundreds of others. 
The heat, the smell of unhealthy food being pushed into 'hungry' mouths cut short my trip to seek out a quite place to sit down on the pier, lovey kiosk coffee and an indulgent Italian snack cake. So, back to..........Lancing Green parkrun and both clocking up another volunteer 'credit' Lesley with her clipperty clop boot still on, scanning tokens and me to parkwalk. parkwalk will get both a credit for volunteer and I will record a time....albeit not a PB! The heat of the day was an hour or so off as we parked in the £1.00 per 2 hour adjacent carpark....not extortionate by today's rip-off parking charges. My fellow parkwalker was an injured 'young' runner of 74! Undergoing laser treatment on a shattered knee but due to return back to running 30 something minutes very shortly! I was pleased his pace was on the quick side and so were the walkers we tried to converse with. I picked on 2 girls that were talking & walking pretty fast. After about 10 minutes one said to the other " OK run now for 5 minutes then back to 10 walking" That display of jeffing was the last I saw of them. I slowed and 'Dana' from Worthing parkrun, walking a little slower, caught me up. The conversation once again was revolving around an injury preventing her from running. She was receiving manipulation etc. etc. We were well on the way back and my parkwalking compatriot joined me briefly....at a fast walking pace he forged ahead and I continued with my walker before she put in a jogging 'sprint' to go over the line in faster than my respectable 47 minutes. So much for being advised to try not to run! Breakfast at the adjacent Perch with a perfect crispy bacon bap and coffee that took just 30 minutes to arrive.....hey-ho! The beach was pretty full now but apparently, several minutes later, after we had left, the school or is it shoal of dolphins arrived to entertain the crowds and we missed it!
Apparently the 5th 'heatwave' of 2026 is about to arrive but before that some pretty nice summer weather with a breeze and a distinctly cooler feel in the evenings. Wednesday was our annual, Worthing Striders, 'Highdown Hike' 5 miles off road from the Worthing Rugby Club, up and around Highdown and back to finish where they started......I said they! 500 turned up, a sell-out and the evening got off to a record 101 junior runners taking part in the earlier 1 mile circuit of the club fields. The evening was finished off with a bar and food cooked by the Striders team followed by heaps of homemade cakes! I marshaled in the woods at Cow Lane where the late finishers were literally..... in the dark! 
My torch and some woodland LED lights prevented too many falls on the roots. So, parkrun! .......Worthing for the first time in 5 weeks of postponement due to Hemiko works and a fun-fare on the prom. Hemiko will be back in September so probably more postponements? Lesley was marshal at the boat club/Crab-shack bends and I was shuffling! As expected, a large turnout today and I took up my start place on the pebbles beside the briefing position. The start, as usual, was jammed packed and slow with a double pinch point at the coffee kiosk and again at Worthing Gin van. Once these obstacles were cleared I trotted off at a normal pace catching up with one of the 'ladies' at the pier, Aussie Pete at the Lido and Pete& Karren (Heads On) just before the first shelter. This, I admit was not my strong pace, but the lack of speed from others ! Walking and trotting, I reached the turn-around in around 20 minutes. As said previously, the turn-around is not half way so on course, if I can maintain my 'pace' , for 42-43 minutes. But no, my fastest of the year at 39:25 minutes! I ran the last 2km with a couple, mum and young teen daughter, the latter needed encouragement to keep going and keep going she did! Being a kind sort of person and not being caught up in the competitive streak of some runners..............I overtook her on the last Splashpoint path finishing one second ahead! Oh well! I waited with Lesley at her marshal position until the Tail Walkers appeared at 1 hour then back to breakfast in Coast to complete our parkrun morning.
