Vision2Run returns

 Greetings all

Now I know we’ve been silent for a while. Partly down to Brighton Recovery, and partly down to both Peter and I taking big international holidays (more of that to come in future posts!). We have some news to share though   We are probably biased but we think this one is way more exciting than the oasis pension come back tour!

Some of you are already in the know but for the rest of you beautiful people following our socials here it is…..

 

The dynamic duo are back! Twice the fun, or double trouble, (I’ll let you insert relevant ending!).  Either way, another marathon is in the offing and this time it’s the big one….. I’m delighted to say that Peter and I will be taking part in the 2025 TCS London Marathon, running to support the Royal British Legion.

 

We are delighted to have this opportunity, and we are honoured that RBL would like us to join their team. Now I know lots of you will be reading this thinking ‘really? What happened to ‘never again? What about all that winter training?’

And you’d be right, I’m asking many of those questions too! I’ll address some of them over the coming weeks, but beneath all of them, there is no denying that running events are amazing, addictive and London IS the big one. The one so many people dream of and it was definitely one I wanted to add to my notch bracelet! So I’m absolutely buzzing and can’t wait to get started!

 

Just like all big announcements, there is a ‘but’, and no marathon is ever run alone!

We are doing this for charity, and so we would really appreciate your help. Peter and I have committed to raise £2000 to support the incredible work RBL do, supporting former and existing forces personnel with everything from food, housing, mental health support, and so much more. Any donations you can spare will enable us to take part in this amazing challenge, but more importantly, will go a long way to supporting this invaluable work. If you can help us, please visit: https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/ruthandpeter

Even if you are unable to donate, you could help us massively by sharing our story and our link with your family, friends and via any social media pages you are part of. Over the coming months, we’ll share our stories of training, fundraising, failures, successes, and lots of post-training pizzas; it will all be here! Thank you for all your support with our adventures so far, and we hope you can join us on this next (and possibly the last), large marathon challenge.

Till next time, big love,

Ruth and Peter xx

WE DID IT!

So, … we made it! All 26.2 miles of it….in the bag! It’s still quite hard for me to believe I actually completed it! I was so nervous, stressed, even slightly unwell the week before. Even though I couldn’t wait to get going, I don’t think I fully understood what I was taking on, let alone whether or not I was capable of it! And it didn’t matter that Peter and many more of you told me I could, I didn’t believe it because I couldn’t really feel it! I reached half way with some still left in the tank and that felt spectacular! But around 30K the wheels began to come off, 1 by 1!

I began to walk and run, and ask Peter over and over again if I’d make it. My steps became laboured…it wasn’t pretty! And when I met family at mile 24, I cried and told them all I couldn’t make it! It’s amazing how long 2.2 miles becomes after you’ve done 24 of them! But we made it, and the joy, the celebration, the disbelief of that is something I’ll never forget!

 

Running a marathon is by far and away the toughest thing I’ve ever done, but its also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever completed and by far my proudest achievement!

Nik and I had coffee this week and we talked about this a lot. What is it that makes running a marathon so special? We’ve both run halves completing GNR together and we both ran a marathon. We agreed that the training and the events themselves are another level entirely!

I think this is to do with the intensity, the hard work and the fact that while you are participating in a race, you are ultimately running against yourself. You’re raising the bar for yourself. Regardless of what you might prove to the world, what the marathon is really giving you is that space inside yourself. That space where you face the fact that you trained to become one of that very exclusive 1% club…the 1% who have completed a marathon! You worked and cried and pushed to finish when every cell of your being wanted to stop!

It took me about 30 minutes to stop crying when I finished; I was tired, emotional, cold, overwhelmed, and so utterly proud of myself. As I sat there eating chips through floods of tears, it was Nadiya Hussain that came to mind. Her beautiful victory speech on bake off where she says ‘I’ll never again say something is too hard, that I won’t, or I can’t, because I can, and I will’!

This marathon feels like a life altering event somehow, and I’ll treasure every last memory of it.  From the people we met, the laughs and deep chats Peter and I had on our training runs, all our fundraising missions, all those who supported us (before, during and after the event), you have all contributed to something so incredibly special for me.

If anyone had told me after my first parkrun that I’d run a marathon one day, I’d have laughed silly and probably not come back! But that is the magic of our parkrun family/community and I am truly blessed to be a part of it. Thank you Peter, from the bottom of my heart, for being my eyes for 16 weeks, and for giving me such an effortless, easy run that I didn’t have to think about! You are a true legend and a beautiful soul that I’m blessed to call a friend.

 

Lots of you have been asking ‘what next? Well, I’m quite happy to stick to parkruns and cake for a while (my physio says it’s all part of my recovery!) only, …, while I was finishing off an Easter Egg earlier, I discovered a few guide runners in the South West who support ultras …, #JustSaying

Who knows what’s next; for now; I’m just blissed out wearing my medal with pride and milking the magic of Brighton for as long as I can! Thank you all for tracking us, supporting us, and sending the love, your energy, prayers and kindness all carried us over the line and contributed to an incredible day that I’ll never, ever forget!

 

Reflections on the wall (and how to get over it!).

 

This one goes out to all those of you who are training for, or even contemplating a marathon at the moment.

Marathons are tough (no surprise there, I know!), but one thing people don’t always tell you is, while the physical training is super important, it maybe accounts for 40% of the work you need to do. The remaining 60% is all about mental strength! As a yoga student, I know all too well how powerful the mind is, and how good it is at telling us stories! It will tell you that you’re not strong enough, not disciplined enough, not slim enough, not this, that or the other enough, to complete the challenge, and as it repeats these stories on a loop, they sometimes take route!

Its important to challenge these stories before they take hold of you. The best way I find to do that, is challenge them head-on, and with a pro-active approach.

 

When I began my marathon training, I started to have pain in my left leg. Some of you will remember, I got an injury just before the Great North Run in 2022. In my mind, this pain was the re-activation of that injury, and I wouldn’t be able to run at all! Thankfully though, while rehabilitating that injury, I had the support of Heather over at @next_level_performancegla

While Heather still offers physio, her focus is much more on preventative techniques. When looking at the pain in my left leg, she helped me realise it was less about stimulating an old injury, and more about building strength on the left side, following a movement pattern that had contributed to weakness there.

 

Over the subsequent weeks, we began undertaking strength and conditioning work. Its been tough, and the pain hasn’t fully gone, but it has reduced, and strength has grown. I’ve learned how to manage my energy, and balance different forms of cross-training in order to maximise my runs, and overall well-being. I think its easy to watch social media, and think that, if you adapt your approach to mirror another person’s running technique, or follow the same training programme as someone you admire etc, that you’ll have the magic bullet. The truth is, we’re all different, and we bring our physical and emotional histories to the challenges we undertake. We can either see them as obstacles we need to ditch or change, or we can view them as assets, or at least, core parts of our complete being to work with. It is certainly possible that my lack of sight has lead me to over-compensate for a physical weakness I sense, on one side of my body. I can either get hung up on that, or see It for what it is, and gently challenge the movement pattern to build strength, and alternative muscle memory. I can also be hugely grateful to the body I have, that intuitively works to keep me safe in every situation; how cool is that!

 

Heather is keen to support any readers of @vision2run who would like to explore physio or movement challenges of their own! So, if this feels like something that might serve you, do connect with her, and don’t let the great wall of marathon take over your mindset. Any obstacle along the way is just a challenge, waiting to be overcome.

It’s the final countdown!

 

7 days to go!

 

With the last long training run done and the final countdown in full swing, Its fair to say I’m spending most of my time torn between major excitement, and cold, fearful sweats! Can I do this? Will the wheels come off? Will I make it within the 8-hour cut-off? .., we’ll soon find out!

Until we do, lots of you have been asking me questions about our marathon effort, from the deep to the practical! So, I thought I’d cover some of them here, in case they offer wisdom (or even a few laughs), to anyone else embarking on a marathon journey of their own!

 

Q: why Brighton?

 

A: Well; that was my cousin Drew’s fault (bless him!). Like most marathon hopefuls, I stuck my name in the London ballot, and didn’t get in. When Drew heard, he suggested Brighton. We had planned to run it together, however we quickly realised that wasn’t going to work, given we’re at opposite ends of the country, with busy jobs and lives, making joint training almost impossible. I probably would have dropped out at that point, but the amazing Peter Williams stepped in; and we’re running it together! We’re excited though; Brighton has an amazing vibe, so we’re hoping for seaside breezes, great music, banter and crowds to get us through the course (and some great food at the other side!).

 

Q: Can anyone guide run a marathon?

 

A: In theory, yes! But ideally, you’d want to know each other, be able to practise together in advance to build the trust and partnership you need to get through a marathon. I’d also suggest doing some larger races together in order to get used to running in crowded spaces. Also, while it may seem obvious, but your level of fitness needs to be somewhat in sync. A guide runner might be fitter/stronger than you (definitely true in my case!), but you both need to be able to cover the marathon distance, and agree how you’re comfortable doing that (running/walking, combination of both etc).

 

Q: what have been the best/worst parts of marathon training?

 

A: everyone says marathon training is tough, but nothing prepares you for how tough it is! Training takes over your life, you’re exhausted, sore, and if you’re not running, you’re working! I’d say that’s been the toughest part about it, having to run in wind, rain, snow, run when you have nothing in the tank, run when all you want to do is lay in bed with a chocolate cake! However the flipside is you discover strength and resolve you didn’t know you had. Seeing my strength grow and my parkrun times improve has been a tremendous boost and really helps me believe we’ll make it, along with the incredible support of all the parkrun family and all those who have donated to us, it’s a trust and a responsibility I take really seriously, and want to make them all proud.

 

Q: what’s something no one told you about marathon training that you think others should know?

 

A: Your female bits hurt! Amazingly so after a long run! (can’t comment on male bits for obvious reasons!), not much you can do about this, other than buy yourself buckets of Vaseline and bathe in it!

 

Q: What are you most looking forward to after the race?

 

I know it’s a cliché, but there is nothing like crossing the finish line! I know we’ll be tired, drained, cold, filthy and overwhelmed, but the joy of knowing we made it and the relief of being done will be so special. That is closely followed by the joy of the pizza we’ll hoover as soon as we’ve recovered!

 

Q: Do you think you’ll do another marathon?

 

That’s quite easy to answer: in short, no!! mind you, like any savvy media person, I say no with a caveat! While I can’t see myself doing another one, if @stevehellercornwall ever wants to run the Eden marathon as my guide, I’d be 200% up for it! I think running around Cornwall singing some of his Cornish bangers would be a perfect fit for my Cornish language journey and overall madness, and a great way to raise funds for a good cause, but that really is the only exception! Its just such hard work; and I’ll be more than happy to enjoy my local parkruns for the time being, with the odd bit of touristing and 10K events thrown in.

The next challenge: vision2run returns!

 

Well hello there, 

 Here we are again… I never quite thought I’d be here! (and for anyone not yet in the know, here is just weeks away from the start line of my first marathon)!

 

You might be wondering how that happened; I know I am!! Lets rewind; all the way back to the Great North Run! Along with team Rikabel and a group of amazing parkrun pals; we completed that challenge! We had an amazing, fun, emotional weekend that I can never forget, and an incredible journey getting there! It was tough though, the training, the injuries, the self-doubt, and I had no plans to do anything like it again; my parkruns and the odd 10K would do!

But just weeks later, on my 40th birthday, the amazing Nik and the parkrun family organised a beautiful surprise birthday party for me (my first surprise party as it goes!). Among the beautiful and deeply personal gifts they gave me was a Notch bracelet already marked up to reflect all my runs so far! As I wore it, loving the tactile nature of the notches on it, the fact there wasn’t a marathon on there began to eat away at me! Would I ever have one? Could I do it? Would I be brave enough to try?

Over the year that followed, my studies ramped up, and I had to focus more on work and less on the fun stuff, but I watched friends take on new challenges (Nik succeed at her very first Marathon in Manchester with an incredible time!), and the challenge continued to call to me!

Later that year, I did what anyone with Marathon ambitions does and stuck my name in the London ballot (I didn’t get in of course!). Soon after that, my cousin asked me if I’d consider doing the Brighton Marathon with him. He lives there and fancied a bit of a challenge himself! I agreed but he quickly did the sensible thing and decided it was a bit too much/not the right time etc. I could have done that, however, I mentioned it to the parkrun family, and was quickly met by willing volunteers from all sides! To my delight, among those volunteers was Peter Williams! Peter ran my first ever parkrun with me, and given his wealth of pro running experience and a multitude of marathons to his name, not to mention his extensive guide running experience, I felt completing a marathon with him would be a dream! His wife gave us the green light (partners of runners put up with al lot!), and the rest, as they say; is a work in progress!

 

Right now, we are 7 weeks away from the big day and I’m terrified! But I have a great guide beside me and the wider parkrun family supporting our every step! Team Rikabel remains at centre stage, with Isobel taking me to spin classes for cross training, and Nik updating the social media channels for us! So, over the next few weeks, we’ll keep you updated on our triumphs, PBs (there have been a few at parkrun lately!), blisters, chafing, cakes; the full marathon experience!

 

Finally, as with our GNR challenge, it remains very important to me to try to give back to the blind community I’m part of so for this challenge, I’m getting behind Blind Veterans UK, who do incredible work supporting service men and women rebuild their lives after sight loss, whether in active service or beyond it. These are difficult times for all of us, and so there is absolutely no pressure to donate, but if you can help, anything you can spare will make a massive difference to this amazing cause: do give what you can, and share the link as wide as you can too!

https://2024brightonmarathonweekend.enthuse.com/pf/ruth-forrest

 

Most of all, keep us in your thoughts, prayers, and surround us with good vibes, this is the toughest challenge I’ve ever taken on, but its definitely exciting; especially seeing how strength and endurance really start to build. I’ll share more about that over the next few weeks; but for now,  many thanks; and wish us luck!

Reflecting on the year that was 2022

My parkrun Birthday (yes, it IS a thing!)

Great North Run - Ruth’s reflection

So, the dream that began on my sofa watching the Great North Run culminated in us running our race on Sunday 11 September…finishing it. Thinking back over such a momentous weekend, it’s hard to find the words to express what completing GNR means to me and how much this entire journey has shifted my perspective.

 

Despite all the training and preparation, GNR seemed to creep up on me and I did not feel prepared. I’d been busy with work, I’d had exams and I got injured. Although my physio told me I could participate, I still had to be careful. I had to tape my achilles and walk portions of the run. I felt I hadn’t trained much and I was nervous. Add to that the Queen’s passing and for a moment, we wondered if the race would even go ahead. All of this made me anxious but the real route of my nerves was born out of a fear of not finishing. 

I was fine about walking, fine about the crowds and, if anything, quite excited about the event. But what if I couldn’t finish? What if I had to face all those who had given so much to us in donations and tell them I’d jumped on the bus at mile 6 and hadn’t completed the race? 

 

We travelled down to Newcastle full of laughs and anticipation. It was a joy to be sharing the weekend with Sam and Katy who had both been such a huge part of my journey along-side the other 2 forces that make up the dream Team Rikobel. We were joined  by my husband who was pretty strong and stoic in the face of 5 uber-expressive women. We had a wonderful 2 day race prep attending local parkruns and enjoying great food, company and laughs. Yet I didn’t dare express my real nerves. I texted a few friends back home silently admitting that I was worried about not finishing. Then I just prayed and hoped for the best. 

 

The morning of the race flashed by in a blur; dropping our bags, finding our start line and just like that Team Rikobel were on our way. As we crossed the line, Nik said,

‘this is what dream realisation feels like Ruth, you are realising your dream!’

And she was right.  I knew then that whatever happened, I had to finish this race; it was the real lap of honour following all our hard work.

 

People tell you about the magic of GNR, they tell you about the crowds, the live bands, the love, the positive energy, the masses shouting your name, the incredible sights and stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for charity and those they love. People tell you all that but nothing prepares you for the true wonder of GNR; you just have to drown in it for yourself. People screamed my name and, through smiles and tears, I screamed thanks back cheering them on, lapping up the love and feeding it forward. The cheers became wings on my feet and, though the injury niggled, I kept surging forward. The day became hot unbearably so at times but our incredibly Issy kept us cool. Rushing to collect ice poles from bystanders and  chucking ice water over me at each water station (I did tell her to, honest),

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know I’ve never really gained a working understanding of distance. So, given that and the injury issues, I’d asked the team not to tell me about mile/KM markers, ignorance was bliss in my view.  But, I knew the guide dog bus was at mile 6; when we reached it the tears began to flow. My biggest worry had been that I’d reach the half-way point with nothing left in the tank.  Instead, I reached the half-way point feeling like I could go on;  I started to believe I could finish.

The miles rolled on, I did tire and, as predicted, I had to walk. Isobel’s stride training meant I was able to keep the walks energised and strong, using long strides that made it easier to stretch out the injury and move back into running again when it loosened up.

8 miles became 9, then 10, then 11, and then we turned that famous corner that you see on TV, when the runners run down the hill and the sea finally comes into view. The breeze carried the salt air to me along with an even larger cheer from the crowd; the scent of a BBQ hung in the air- I was going to do this. Then, within what felt like seconds, we had crossed the line. We stood on the grass at the finish, in tears, overwhelmed crying and smiling from ear to ear. None of us had words, we just held each other in a group hug realising we had made it. Sam and Katy finished their run and we all spent a beautiful evening soaking up the energy in South Shields, sharing a fantastic meal and lots of celebratory vibes with Guide Dogs UK our chosen charity. 

 

I could write pages about the magic of the day- the people we met, the costumes we saw and the amazing laughs we enjoyed. If you are at parkrun over the next few weeks, you’ll hear it all from us 1000 times over. Ultimately, it comes down to exactly what Nik said to me at the start - dream realisation.

This incredible journey has taught me something I thought I knew, that dreams really can come true.  If you have a goal in mind and are prepared to work on it, anything is possible.  We all know this but dreams feel easy to realise when you are young. Perhaps, with age, we lose the confidence to follow our dreams and our hearts.  Perhaps we lose the certainty to believe in our gut, to believe that we have what it takes to change our own destiny. The moment that medal was hung around my neck, I realised it was true and made a new commitment to do exactly that. I also realised that it is critical for us to keep on raising the bar for ourselves in life, even more so if we have a disability, as society will never do that for us.

 

Most of all I realised that we truly are interdependent. The wonder of my journey is not what I achieved but the beauty of the component parts that brought it all together. From Andrea telling her co-worker about parkrun, who reached out to Moira and put us in touch. To everyone at Strathclyde parkrun who welcomed me into such a loving, passionate and inclusive community. To everyone who has guided me on my runs (we counted 14 at the last count and its growing all the time), everyone who has volunteered and cheered me over the line, to all those who donated to our page and shared our story far and wide. Before this journey, I tended to compartmentalise my connections never getting too close to anyone for fear of not really being seen or accepted. The parkrun family gave me an equal and affirming space in which I could simply be myself, that has been the biggest miracle/light on the path.

 

Most of all, I owe the biggest thanks to Nik and Isobel for everything they did to make this dream a reality. Their kindness, support, organisation, logistical planning (because I have absolutely none), and their unshaken belief in me is truly humbling and inspiring. My thanks to Nik for being an amazing friend, for her patience and passion on the journey, for all the late night runs after work, for all the deep chats, the hugs, the coffee and the laughs - you are a friend for life.

To Issy, for being an inspiring guide, for giving me back my childhood love of free running, for being a great baker, for being all round ‘mum’ to our group and keeping us right and being an utterly phenomenal wing woman on Sunday- we could not have done it without you!

 

Some of you might be asking so what next? Up till now, I’d always truly believed that GNR was my goal and once done I’d be happy to revert back to my spectator sport of watching runs from the comfort of my sofa; both Nik and I agree that vision2run can’t end here. We don’t know exactly what next; I need to rehabilitate the injury and pass my finals.  We do know we want to do some awareness raising work, especially among visually impaired children and families. We want to share the joy of running I’ve discovered with so many others. We want to continue the blog and I, for one, want to cash in on Nik’s exceptional marketing skills demonstrated all over our socials.  Also …, I might have signed up for the GNR Ballot reminder service for 2023 … ya know, … for information purposes only!

We don’t know exactly what’s on the horizon but we know there is more to do.  I know for sure that parkrun has been the best part of my journey and will be a key part of my life forever.

Thank you each and everyone of you for making my dream come true. You are all beautiful people and I could not have done this without you.

Guide Dogs for the Blind

When I first committed to doing the Great North Run, I knew I wanted to do it for a charity. Part of my attraction to GNR was sparked by the volume of funds raised while having an amazing run and a lot of fun.

The issue was what charity to support. There is so much that needs to be done in the world, there are so many things that matter to me. When I met Nik, this added a new dimension. Whilst we are passionate about many of the same issues, inspired by our own life and work experiences we support different charities.   We could have run for different organisations but the partnership element is key to everything we do and so, we wanted a charity that represented both of us.

I’d been putting this decision off really unsure how to pin it down. The final decision was made on New Year’s Day over coffee (aren’t all good decisions made that way?). We had been to the New Year’s Day parkrun (by far the best start to a New Year I’ve ever had). During the post-run coffee (the best part), conversation turned to the various run challenges the parkrun pals had coming up during 2022; GNR being one of them.  I mentioned that I was really hoping I’d achieve my GNR dream this year, but of course, it was all dependant on what happened with the ballot.  It was Isobel who told me about the GNR charity sponsors who have a number of guaranteed places for those who fundraise for them.  She suggested I take a look at the list and consider applying that way. Sam brought up the list and 3rd from the top was Guide Dogs UK.  Something clicked inside my head, this seemed like the perfect charity fit for us.

Guide Dogs are a charity close to my heart perhaps for obvious reasons. I don’t personally have a guide dog yet. Training for a dog is intense and takes time but its definitely on my to-do list after I finish my degree. Through my work and friendship groups, I’ve seen first-hand what a difference having a guide dog can make giving a blind person increased independence and confidence, rather like running has done for me.

 

Like many charities, Guide Dogs have been hit hard by the pandemic. Their inability to train during covid lockdowns meant that many blind applicants couldn’t get a dog at all. Many of the new puppies lined up to be trained had to be rehomed as the training window had passed for them due to inactivity. One of my work colleagues had to retire his dog during 2021 due to ill health. He has a very active lifestyle with 2 small children and a job that has him flying the length of the UK on a weekly basis. His guide dog is pivotal for all he does however he has been told that he may need to wait up to 3 years for a suitable match. This has, quite literally, thrown his life into a state of flux. Taking his kids to school, or going to the train station have all become major challenges. He now uses a white cane to get around, as I do, however he hasn’t had to use one for many years.  Re-learning this skill takes so much longer. Increased funding will enable the charity to address this shortfall, acquire more potential guide dogs and employing additional staff to train the dogs and their human companions.

 

Guide Dogs do much more than training and matching guide dogs to new owners. They also support blind people with rehabilitation skills, training them in the use of a long cane so that they are fully independent while waiting for a dog. They can help with daily living skills for those with newly acquired sight loss, and do a range of awareness raising work to create improved built environments for the visually impaired and for guide dog users. Funding helps to support all of these areas making a massive difference to so many. It creates a legacy simply by supporting people to maximise their potential through mobility and independence. 

 

To me, my journey with Nik was representative of all of these aspirations making Guide Dogs such a good fit for us. Running has empowered me, it has given me confidence, expanded my friendship circle, and enabled me to raise awareness of both running and sight loss in ways I never could have imagined. By being my guiding star, Nik has acted as my eyes; the way Guide Dogs do for their new owners turning their lives around. The work going on really mirrors our journey. On top of all that, Nik and I both adore dogs of all kinds; it was an effortless match all round. I registered to run for Guide dogs on that same New Year’s Day;  the rest is history. Well not quite as this is where we need your help.

 

To support our efforts for Guide Dogs, we have set up a fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/vision2run Already, we have been blown away by the generosity of friends, colleagues, family members; and all those beyond our circle who have heard about our efforts and offered their support. It would mean the world to Nik and I if you could support our efforts by making a donation. Any donation will make a tremendous difference to Guide Dogs and will truly inspire us to train hard and run strong for you at GNR. Even if you can’t support us financially, you could help us out massively by just sharing our fundraising link, spreading our story through any on or offline channels open to you encouraging others to help where they can.

In the coming weeks, our training will become more intense. We’ll be increasing distance to make sure we can run the entire 13.1 miles that is the Great North Run. We’ll have to think about how we keep hydrated and energised throughout the run. We’re not aiming to complete it in a particular time; we just want to enjoy our first joint experience of running a half marathon. We are already so thankful to everyone who has followed, shared and, hopefully, been inspired by our journey. You are the driving force behind every step we take. Thank you in advance for any support you can offer, it all makes a difference and really does motivate us as the big day gets ever closer.

With thanks and love,

Ruth and Nik (Team Rik) for Guide Dogs x

Thoughts on yoga and running

I’ve written briefly about yoga on the blog; I speak about it all the time. If you ask any of the parkrun family, I’m sure many tire of me singing its praises. For anyone who’s not had the talk, I wanted to share a little about why it means so much to me and how it could help you improve your running. If you’ve never wanted to go to a yoga class and don’t necessarily think yoga is for you, this is the blog for you  

 

I discovered yoga in 2016 after various unconnected contacts had recommended it to me. I knew roughly what yoga was but had little interest in it. This was largely due to my aversion to attending classes and being unable to see/understand what was being demonstrated.

After doing some research though, I realised that yoga has a rich tradition of being taught 1 to 1, directly from teacher to student, in precisely the manner I needed to be taught.  So, I went and found myself a teacher and decided to give it a go. My first class was tough, painful and awkward due to my complete lack of flexibility. Even with all those aches and pains, I already knew I was hooked and that yoga would be a practise for life.

 

Yoga is an Indian wellness practise which sits within the banner of Ayurveda,  an ancient school of healing similar to traditional Chinese medicine. Yoga practises are wide and varied with differing practise styles and lineages. Most have originated from India but some take their origins from Chinese Martial arts. There is some evidence to suggest that yoga was practised among tribes in Western and Northern Africa.

 

The school of yoga I mainly practise is ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga means 8 limbs, and of these 8 limbs, physical practises, known as asanas, form a small part. Arguably it is this part that is most relevant to us as runners.

The other 7 limbs are comprised of attributes (such as non-violence, non-attachment, discernment etc), as well as breath control, meditation and focus.

 

How can ashtanga yoga help me as a runner?

So, how can ashtanga yoga help us runners? On a physical level, the ashtanga primary series is fantastic for building strength, endurance and flexibility, which are all key for runners. It helps to open the upper body and the chest, while the breathing practises contained within the series help to build lung capacity which is critical for long, healthy runs. Many of us in the West breathe through our mouths, which can be detrimental to our health and can impede the breath when running. Ashtanga helps to build strong, deep nostril breathing as well as combining breath to sync with movement, which is key when running.

 

Practising ashtanga yoga was my first introduction to free movement, and I now realise I would not have had the confidence to run without this grounding. Ashtanga is mainly taught 1 on 1. Even in group classes, students will come and practise the sequence alone, at their own pace and according to their own ability. The teacher will come and adjust/give feedback, based on the students need, like a 1 to 1 in a group setting. This way of working really empowered me, but also helped me understand my own body movements in relationship to others, and improve my proprioception/understanding where my body was in space, critical if you’re doing a headstand. 

 

Practically though, ashtanga has kept me strong, resilient and relatively injury free. Lots of runners tell me they don’t practise yoga, because they aren’t flexible, which always makes me smile. After all, if we were flexible already, we wouldn’t need it.

Long runs will tend to tighten the hips, knees and ankles, but yoga is the perfect way to strengthen the muscles and reverse any tightness or unnecessary tension that we carry. 

 

The ashtanga yoga primary series can be off-putting, it takes about 90 minutes to complete, and a traditional student will practise 6 days a week, with 1 day off.  If you run, work and engage in other sports, you probably won’t have that time, or even the inclination.  That doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate elements of ashtanga yoga into your life to improve your runs.

 

Here are a few links to teachers I know and follow, and some of their resources you might use to get more familiar with yoga practises to improve your runs.

Leading Yoga teacher David Swenson created ‘short forms’ which are extracts derived from the primary series which makes fantastic warmups before any run, and only take about 15 minutes to complete when you know them well.  Check out one of his short forms here:

https://youtu.be/dAySDECiM90

Glasgow based yoga teacher Mark Russell works extensively to Taylor yoga practises to meet the needs of runners. In this blog post, he shares thoughts on why yoga is so important for athletes:

https://www.fionaoutdoors.co.uk/2013/10/guest-blog-benefits-of-yoga-for-runners-and-triathletes.html

Finally, when it comes to your warm downs, yoga can be just as helpful. I think we’re all guilty of missing out the stretches when we get home, but they are critical if you want to build flexibility and stay injury free. Slower yoga practises such as yin yoga, can be incredible for helping ease tired muscles and aid recovery post-run, try this lovely gentle weekend flow that will take you less than 30 mins.

https://youtu.be/6MFo7p-wtxA

 

I hope some of the above do inspire you to try incorporating some yoga into your fitness routine. I’d love to hear about ways in which you use yoga to improve your running.

Ruth X

Learning to Fly

It might sound strange to some but there were definitely a few years in my childhood where I didn’t really know I was blind. That is to say, the limitations and potential safety issues around having no sight were nowhere on my radar. During that time, I remember I ran about with friends; I knew my way to the playpark close to our house, I played hide and seek with the street kids, I climbed trees, fell over, ran into walls and ran across roads not really getting that cars wouldn’t stop for me.

Slowly, over time, and with my parents realising I had this blissful unawareness of danger, people gradually began to tame and restrict me. It was not their fault; free movement is obviously dangerous if you can’t see what is in front of you. Yet some free movement is necessary;  I didn’t register exactly what it was that I was losing because losing that childish care free attitude meant realising I was different in the eyes of society. It meant learning to walk with a cane, it meant trying to look/act sighted as far as possible. It meant missing out on sport/PE to learn braille and other practical life skills. It was years later, that I discovered yoga, and realised how much tension I held in my body. As I learned the ashtanga yoga primary series I found freedom in a degree of free movement once again.

The muscle memory began to return, the soul memory did too tugging at my heart and reminding me of a time when I had once ran all on my own with the wind in my hair.  A time that I wrote about here, a time when I ran all the way beyond the finish line at a school sports day. That was in the past though and wasn’t something I could ever get back … or was it?

Last Thursday and following our success at race for life, Isobel and I had agreed to meet up and train together. Isobel is a great coach;  she planned to do some drills with me - working on strides, slow jogs and fast sprints. I needed this to build up my confidence and balance. As part of her post injury recovery,  Isobel needed it too; so we were a perfect match.

On a quiet bank holiday morning, we headed over to the grassy football pitches a few mins from my house. The grass was firm enough to walk on, the pitches deserted owing to the holiday, the air cool and fresh. We did some slow jogs and slightly faster runs together. We worked on long strides and lunges, opening the knees and the hips. I was enjoying this, the movements similar to the yoga sequences with which I often begin my mornings. The soft, even grass was gentler on the feet and I enjoyed the feeling of boundless space and safety I felt around me.

Perhaps sensing this, Isobel casually said ‘why don’t you try some free running with me next to you? There are no obstacles here, no one else about, no trip hazards, what do you think?

That’s when I realised how wise Isobel was. I’d walked around this field with her several times by this point, I didn’t have to trust her word. I already knew the ground and she knew me. Her teaching/coaching instincts had got to the heart of something I didn’t even know I could still do, yet in that moment, it was all I wanted to do. I started to run, the wind blew over and through me. I smelled the dampness of the grass, breathed deep and ran, seeming to fly. Suddenly, having no sight was no barrier, in fact, I was seeing or feeling everything in HD; I was free flying and it felt brilliant.

After my first lap of the field, I just hugged Isobel; I didn’t have any words that came close to articulating what I felt. Reflecting on it now, it was just boundless joy, free, innocent and childlike. Yet there was nothing childish about it, because it was an adult, broken and bruised and blazing a trail. I was able to leave all my baggage at the end of the path and let go, be free, and fly over that grass. We covered a few more laps of the field as free runs even managing to work on turning technique. I improved my balance, and worked on use of my gaze point (yes, looking/facing where you are trying to go matters; even if you can’t see!) slowly my turns began to improve. 

I came home that day, letting Isobel know she had made my day, and letting everyone else know it too. From the neighbour I caught while putting out my washing to Katy who met me for coffee later that day; everyone got the story.

In the days since, I’ve reflected deeply on why that day was so special. There are the obvious elements of feeling free, capturing the enthusiasm of free running I’d not known since my childhood, but there are other more subtle qualities too. I’ve written before about trusting my guides but perhaps I don’t focus enough on trusting my own abilities. Nik has got to know me intuitively; she often calls me out on my lack of self-belief and rightly so. Others can tell you what you are capable of;  you can read and study and learn about running technique but ultimately, there must come a point when you believe you are a runner. When you trust your body and spirit to get you over the line. There is something else too, the element of surprise. By definition, surprise is just that, it is the joy of not knowing what is ahead. This can be naturally problematic if you can’t see (I don’t know there’s a tree ahead of me, I’d rather not face the surprise of running headlong into it!), but free running in this way gave me back that element of surprise and spontaneity, rather like you running out of your front door with no particular destination in mind.

While I won’t be able to free run my parkruns and races (for the safety of all involved!), I can find football fields, tracks and other safe spaces in which to keep enjoying this freedom. Not only that but as I capture more and more of it to memory, I can bring more and more of that free flying energy to my races. It can take both me and my guides to new heights and that’s when real magic can happen. So thank you Isobel for reading this blog and making something wonderful happen for me. Something that will benefit me and all of my guides, I absolutely loved learning to fly. 

My First Official Race

On the 22nd May I took part in my first 10K event; the Cancer Research Race for Life. On a bright Sunday morning, around 4000 of us gathered at Glasgow Green to walk, jog or Run 10K to raise much needed funds for cancer research. The Race for Life was one of the first races Nik and I entered. We wanted to get our distances up but we also wanted me to have some race exposure prior to GNR.

Sadly, due to Nik’s injury we were unable to run together. The parkrun family stepped in as they always do providing me with incredible guide running support. Best of all, Nik was there to support us and cheer us on from start to the finish.

Having never raced before, I didn’t really have any perceptions of what a race day would be like. I was a little nervous about being in unfamiliar surroundings, and not having run 10K plus for a few weeks I wondered if I’d be able to go the distance.

The energy of the day was electric, the music, the crowds, the warm up and build really fired up my adrenalin; being surrounded by familiar parkrunners from my home run made me feel at ease and added to the joy. The route was fairly flat so there were no major obstacles to contend with. I had to keep fairly close to my guide owing to the crowds, but in the main, I coped well with. When we could spread out and get into rhythm and move our arms, we did.

All along the routes, choirs, pipers, members of the public, volunteers, marshals and folks in cars cheered and spurred us on. Their kindness was so motivational. Honestly, the miles slipped by and I didn’t feel remotely tired. The day stayed cool for us for which I was grateful. I’m definitely more of a winter than a summer runner.. Most of our parkrun family running the Race for Life had challenges. For some of us, it was recovering from injury. For others, it was about building up distance again. For folk like me, it was about staying steady and maintaining focus and stamina. We all supported one another, keeping each other going when we began to flag.

Before I knew it, the final 200 meters were upon us and I was almost sorry it was over. We all made a great team but my 2 main guides, Sam and Isobel did an exceptional job. Sam kept our community posted with live updates on Instagram, as well as clearing the path to make way for Isabel and I who were obviously not single file.

Despite this being her first long run, Isabel stuck it with me all the way to the end, she coached, motivated and inspired, channelling Nik’s energy all the way round the course.

Nik and the rest of our support team were there to cheer us over the line; I honestly can’t describe the high at having finished. I was absolutely buzzing; it was my first race and the journey we had all been on to get there felt so significant. The people we had met along the way, the stories we had read and the support we had witnessed was humbling and inspiring in equal measure.

The medal I received yesterday is one I’ll treasure forever; it marks my first race. It also contains all of the joy, excitement and sharing of a fantastic day I’ll never forget. Thanks to everyone who made it so truly special; I hope it marks the beginning of many more for us.

My Guiding Stars

Before I even began my running journey I knew that, as a totally blind person, I’d require the assistance of guide runners. I was quite anxious about this and for many years, the idea of requiring a guide really put me off.

My anxieties were partly down to logistics…where would I find guide runners? Would I have to pay for them? Would anyone actually want to run with me? Would we both require training? How much time would that take? If I did find a guide, would they even be willing to match me in my Great North Run ambition?

On top of that, I had some emotional anxieties too. What if I found a guide but we didn’t get along? What if the guide who ran with me was just doing so because they had to, either out of financial necessity, or because parkrun told them to. As blind people, we often experience situations where we require sighted guides. For example, when navigating a train station or a busy airport. This assistance can be very hit and miss. It often doesn’t appear at all even when you book it. When it does show up, those providing it are either significantly over-familiar, wanting to know the ins and outs of your eye condition, or seem rushed, stressed; as though providing this service is the last thing they want to do. For most visually impaired people, we long to find activities we can engage in fully independently without a sense of obligation or duty to anyone.

It was with some trepidation, that I approached parkrun, and began my first run with a sighted guide. As I’ve written here before, I needn’t have worried at all. Guide running has been an incredible blessing in my life and has taught me so much. It was definitely difficult at first but the more I run and experiment with different guides and environments the more I learn. 

You might wonder why the huge 180 degree shift on my part? There are so many reasons. I’m pleased to say that my guide runners turned all of my perceptions on their heads.

The first thing that shocked me was their willingness. As Nik and I have said, parkrun is managed by volunteers, that includes those who guide run. Everyone who has shown up to guide me has done so under their own volition. This humbled me in ways I truly cannot express. People do not have to run with me; they actively choose to. That is incredible.  It instils within me a real sense of accountability too; even on the coldest, wettest days of the Scottish Winter, I knew someone had got out of bed to run with me. They showed up for me so I showed up too.

Guide runners who have run with me have all been different. I admit I did feel nervous about this to begin with but yet again, I was proven so wrong. Running with different people has taught me so much. Some of my guides have been seasoned race runners. They have coached me and given me amazing tips on how to improve my performance with many helping me secure new personal bests (PB).

Some seem nervous of guiding so we start off with quite a slow run. As we both settle into the run, I feel them relax and we both start flying over the track.  It is a beautiful thing to witness.

Some of my guides, just like me, enjoy a good chat and a laugh, and that is our focus as we run. Working with different guides has built my confidence, and has been an amazing way to get to know my wider parkrun community, forming the lasting bonds of friendship.

While I have run with a wide variety of incredible guides, Nik and I have run the most together. We jelled as soon as we met. Having run a few half marathons before, she immediately volunteered to be my guide. She messaging me the very same day to sort out training runs. We knew we were attempting something new and ambitious, and we also knew we’d have to take our guide work to another level.

We are blessed at our home parkrun with an almost uniform track, and as everyone knows us, we get a clear run almost every week, with little to no obstacles.

The Great North Run would not function like that so we signed up for some local races, mostly 10K events, to get me accustomed to the busy nature of a race day. We also began practising on other routes in and around the local park to get me used to roads, traffic, and different types of terrain.

I have definitely found this difficult.  My run often slows as I try to adjust my perception to different sounds, crowds etc. My feet seem to land heavier on new surfaces as I try to explore them, subconsciously working to avoid trip hazards and falls. Working this way has meant Nik and I have had to build up a great deal of trust. I must trust her to tell me what I need to know about the environment to avoid injury. Equally, Nik has to trust me to let her know of anything I’m struggling with, or any information I might need more or less of on unfamiliar terrain. This is a balance we don’t always get right but only through running and practise are we able to fine tune it to work for each of us.

Working in such an intensive way develops a very special bond by default; it has to. There are things Nik knows of me that no one else does. Working so closely means she has seen me at my best, my worst; and my most vulnerable. While some might find that scary, I’ve found it deeply empowering and liberating. When I run, I’m running with a true friend, who knows my strengths, weaknesses, fears and emotional hang-ups. When I’m flagging, Nik knows me well enough to know if I’m genuinely fatigued, or just having a moment of mental doubt. Having this knowledge means she’s been able to coach me from 5 to 10K and beyond, distances I never thought I’d achieve when I began running in October.

When Nik went down with an ankle injury a few weeks ago; I was deeply worried for her; and for our running ambitions; but as ever, she was several steps ahead of me.

Before she even told me of her accident, she had contacted the parkrun family, securing guides to help me with our pre-booked races, and parkrun events. I know this is the last thing I’d have thought of if I had injured myself, and her commitment and passion for our aspirations genuinely overwhelmed me.

On the 22nd May 2022, I took part in my first official 10K race; the ‘Race for life’ in Glasgow, raising much-needed funds for cancer research.

Though Nik couldn’t run with me, she was there to cheer me on. She had facilitated a truly amazing group of supporters and guides, who got me round the course effortlessly, with lots of laughs and incredible mutual support.

I cannot imagine my life without these guides, without the parkrun family and all that they bring to me. Running with guides has boosted my confidence in ways I never thought possible. I’ve made incredible friends and learned so much from each of them. Working with guides has also made me more assertive about asking for help when I need it, and not feeling awkward or guilty about it. I have also learned the reality that in truth, we are all interdependent, and all have talents we can use to guide, care for, and empower one another, just by being who we are.

Saying that, I know my experiences are sadly unique in many ways. I have many visually impaired friends and colleagues who aspire to become runners but often have to miss local parkrun events as there are no volunteers available to run with them. What we have at our Strathclyde run is truly incredible, and I’m so grateful to the organisers, the volunteers, and in particular, those amazing, brave and thoughtful individuals who take time out to run with me and others like me. If you are reading this and have never considered guide running, please do. You don’t need any special training or qualifications. All you need is an open heart, and a willingness to try something new. Trust me, your impact is nothing short of life changing; at least for me, and I’m sure many like me. Thank you for opening my mind to something incredible. Each and everyone of you who have run with me truly are my guiding stars.

Mini goals and disaster

So the ultimate goal is to run the GNR in September but with official events recommencing comes the promise of some medal bling and free t-shirts (all included in the entry fee)! Additionally, the thought of progressing from 5K (3.1 miles) to 21.1K (13.1 miles) can feel quite daunting. We were regularly running more than 5K so entering an official 10K event seemed like a good idea. It would give us a target date for reaching that distance so we could comfortably run and experience the buzz of such events.  I have never run the GNR before; I have heard that the atmosphere is quite incredible. I have run in other official events and can honestly say there is nothing quite like the buzz of the crowds, the entertainment and the encouragement from other participants. 

We entered the Cancer Research Race for Life 10K and the Acorn Trails Woman’s 10K; training was well under way. We had even managed to comfortably run further than 10K a few times so were quietly confident that both these events were manageable. Sadly, the Acorn Trails event was cancelled but the Race for Life was definitely going ahead. 

Then disaster struck; with 2 weeks to go I injured my ankle playing badminton with my wife, Laura. We had only just started playing again and, in pre pandemic form,  Laura was hitting winning and quite spectacular shots on a regular basis. I am convinced she is a former badminton champion or she has a practice court at work. I’m not usually competitive but this day I was a bit tired of losing every point so I turned on competitive mode. In so doing, I damaged tendons in my ankle and was told no running, sport or long shopping trips (genuine NHS advice) for 4 -6 weeks. Yes I am being a big bit dramatic by calling it a disaster; I was so excited to be running an official event with Ruth that it felt like a bit of a disaster to me. I knew that Ruth would be more concerned about my injury than anything else. I also knew, without a shadow of doubt, that one of the parkrun pals would run with Ruth. 

I put out the call to arms and within seconds a plan was formed. I phoned Ruth to let her know what had happened. She was, as expected, more worried about me but she was also delighted that others had offered to guide with her. 

Thankfully, I was able to go and support her and the parkrun pals running the Race for Life. Katie, Gray and I waved Ruth, Isobel, Sam, Karen, Ann M, Mary Anne and Louise off at the start line and saw them cross the finish line. Isobel was guiding with Ruth and Sam on standby just in case. Sam kept us up to date throughout the run with some videos and images of the run. It is Ruth’s story to tell so all I will say is she looked like she was enjoying every bit of it. We were all a bit overcome with emotion watching our friends cross the finish line; first event and longest distance post covid for many of them and Ruth’s first official event completed with ease. I could not be prouder of her and hope she does not under estimate the enormity of her achievement. It was only a few weeks ago she declared that she ‘was not really a runner!’; this being said as she was half way through a 7 mile run. 

Ruth, it is over to you for your story of your first official event. 

First a dream

Walt Disney once said ‘ all our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them’.  During my first guide run with Ruth I learned that her dream was to run the Great North Run (GNR), an iconic half marathon held annually in Newcastle. A half marathon is 21.1 kilometres or, if we’re being traditional, 13.1 miles. It is more than 4 time the distance of a parkrun. Ruth had already taken the first courageous step towards making her dream come true but even I know that training for a half marathon requires more than a 5k run every Saturday. 

I think many of us will admit that the covid-19 pandemic had an impact on our health and wellbeing. In the first lockdown, we were more motivated to be active under the misguided belief that it would not last as long as it did. As restrictions continued and guidance became more confusing the drive to be active diminished; unhealthy habits started forming and before long many of us were complaining about our clothes shrinking in the wash. I fell into this category, I was struggling to get back into running and made every excuse not to go out for a run (too hot, too wet, too late, too Wednesday 🤷‍♀️). Admittedly I am not a huge fan of running on my own and when I run with music I run to the beat. There must be occasions when I look like I’m running in slow motion. My motivation for asking Ruth if she wanted to go for a midweek run was about supporting her to run regularly; the reality is she would be supporting me too. 

As I was driving home from parkrun that day I realised that I had not asked if Ruth had a place or a guide for GNR. Places are allocated by ballot with no guarantee that you’ll be successful. It really is your luck; I know of people who have been very lucky in obtaining a ballot place on their first attempt whilst others have tried several times. I wasn’t sure how guide running in official events worked but I already had a place in the GNR rolled over from the previous year.  Offering to guide with Ruth seemed the most natural suggestion to make. I fully expected her to politely decline; I was pleasantly surprised when she accepted the offer. And so, the plan to make a dream come true was well and truly established. 

An unexpected event

In a previous post I mentioned that I thought many of the volunteer roles required specialist training; this was particularly relevant for the VI guide role. That was until I got chatting to Moira, a member of the Strathclyde parkrun core team, parkrun ambassador, prolific runner and all round wonderful person. She suggested I shadow Ruth running with a guide one week then volunteer to guide with her another time. 

I remember quite distinctly the first time I guided with Ruth. The wind was blowing a hoolie that morning; I seriously considered ditching parkrun for the comfort of a warm bed and a long lie. I had almost convinced myself that fallen trees would block every road from Strathaven to Strathclyde park. I knew I was ‘just’ shadowing so I wasn’t really needed that day. I could definitely just stay in bed but I didn’t; I got up, ready and headed out the door. I genuinely do love parkrun but there are some days I question my sanity and that of everyone else who turns up to run when the weather is at it’s very worst.

As with every Saturday, I spent time before setting off chatting to the parkrun pals; we were probably moaning about the weather as we all huddled together in penguin fashion. Sam was guiding Ruth that morning with Katie and I running alongside. We had our run plan and were confident that everything would be fine. As we approached the 1K marker, Katie started to feel and look unwell. Sam is a paramedic so much more useful in a health emergency than I ever could be. Ruth agreed that I could take over the VI guide role so off we went.  I had absolutely no time to be nervous about guiding for the first time. 

Within seconds we were chatting like old friends, putting the world to rights and running like we had been in this partnership for years. Ruth had run a few parkruns by this point so was familiar and quietly confident with the route. She uses a running tether; a small piece of cloth held by the VI runner and guide. The idea is that it gives the VI runner a bit more independence. Ruth was relatively new to using a tether; when she first started running she linked arms with her guide. She told me that learning about the tether had been a pivotal moment for her; that it was the closest she would ever get to running freely. In that moment it dawned on me that Ruth cannot simply just put on her trainers and go for a run; she will always have to rely on someone to run with her. It was the most humbling moment I have ever experienced.

I am happy to report that Katie made a full recovery and completed her 5K with support from Sam.

Ruth and I chatted and laughed so much that before we knew it we were at the finish line. Another parkrun completed for both of us, a new volunteer experience for me and the beginnings of a beautiful friendship. 

If you are interested in being VI guide with Ruth come and have a chat with us. It truly is a rewarding and humbling experience. 

Strathclyde parkrun - the value of volunteering

I started going to Strathclyde parkrun in 2016 but completing only 7 runs in the first 2 years, I can categorically say my commitment was very questionable. People talk about the parkrun community and it definitely does exist. Strathclyde parkrun is one of the bigger events often hosting over 200 participants; the community feel can get lost amidst such large numbers.  Perhaps that is why I was less committed back then. 

So what changed? Well, I discovered the joy of volunteering. I actually have no idea when it occurred to me that parkrun events across the globe rely on volunteers for events to go ahead.  I know now that it is mentioned every week in the pre run brief so perhaps I was not listening (retrospective apologies to the run directors). Anyway, as soon as I realised this I offered to volunteer; I’m sure my first role was as a marshal because I thought the other roles needed specialist training. It turns out that no specialist training is required, no role is too hard and each brings it’s own rewards. I have found that every person who volunteers has a favourite role. Some enjoy being out on the course encouraging every runner or walker to keep going whilst others enjoy being there at the end to offer a well done or have a chat about conditions that day. 

Through volunteering I learned that a new event at Lanark Moor was soon to join the parkrun family. Prior to a new event’s official start there is a test run so any teething problems with routes/signage etc can be ironed out before the first official event. I offered to be one of the runners testing the route although it is fair to say the route tested me more than I tested it. For some perspective Strathclyde parkrun is one of the flattest routes in the UK, Lanark Moor is definitely not! I have this event to thank for meeting the loveliest fellow parkrunners who have come to be very dear friends.

Had I not started volunteering it is reasonable to say that my participation at parkrun would have continued to be intermittent. Now with only 6 more runs until I reach my 100th parkrun I can’t imagine Saturday mornings without my weekly dose of 5K fun whether it be the run or whatever volunteer role I’m doing that week. More importantly had I not started volunteering I would not have met Ruth but more on that in a later post.

Oh and if you’re interested in volunteering at Strathclyde parkrun please follow this link https://www.parkrun.org.uk/strathclyde/volunteer/  for more information or contact your local parkrun for more information.