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 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 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.
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 starting at 3pm Saturday! We take the 8.02am,701 bus to Littlehampton that arrives and departs at 7.58 with us, just about, on-board. We both didn't think busses ran 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. 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!
