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 to this time as some of our club are doing parkrun 'pacing' takeover running & several are volunteering, including us.
