Monday 18 June 2012

Riddlesdown parkrun fifty-four

Last week we had to drive to Riddlesdown from Westminster, this week was the same. You see, we refuse to buy a TV. That is fine most of the time, but when one of the major football competitions is on it means that we uproot ourselves from our TV-less dwelling in Kent and set up camp in London.

Matilda joins the rest of the volunteers as they head to their respective posts

As I mentioned last week, the journey is not my favourite. This week, as we drove away from big ben the clock showed 7:40. The reason we were slightly late? Down in the car park my brother - who was running for the second time in two weeks - announced that he couldn't find his barcode. When I pointed out that he'd have to face the wrath of either Nicki or Jenny at Riddlesdown if he turned up without it he decided to pop back home to have another look. A few minutes later he came back with no barcode in hand, looked in his car again and there it was, sitting in his bag all along!

A nice, easy start

With the panic over we made the tedious 30mph drive along the A23, I noticed along the way that the go-kart track at Streatham had been knocked down. Although I hadn't been for at least 8 years I always had it in my mind to go back and have a little race. Looks like that will never happen - I suppose there will be flats built in its place. :(

off we go down opening straight

The parkrun took on a familiar feel this week. A little warm-up, start from the back, make my way slowly through the field and try to avoid doing anything that could bring on any hamstring-related discomfort. I stayed with my brother for the first 600 metres or so and then parted company to continue with my plan.

Mrs7t was a marshal and was on marshal position 5 or something - I never remember which one is which - It worked out that she was at the 1.6/4.5ish km point.

Approaching the final straight

Because I took the first kilometre much easier this week, I ended up about a minute off my usual comfortable finishing window. There was the opportunity to get involved in a final straight sprint with one of the juniors, but I was never going to do that - it would have been an interesting sprint and I suspect that he would have beaten me, as he unleashed a very impressive last 100 metre kick.

Approaching the final straight for the second time

Once I had been given my finishing token I immediately turned back to find and run the last section with my brother (as I did last week). He had made it around the course much faster than the previous week and set himself a new personal best by a massive 2 and-a-half minutes!

Mrs7t heading back with Matilda under her volunteers' vest

We spent a good deal of time in the good companions pub, chatting and discussing all sorts of things with the rest of the Riddlesdsown crew. All in all a very nice morning of parkrunning!

Lastly, if any of you are reading this as part of Juneathon. I am sorry to say that I had to give up. If it was beer-athon or pringles-athon I would be one of the top participants. I think we're all allowed a bad phase every now and then. Unfortunately mine came during the 'athon.


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