In with the New

LWFitness4all running club and a hash

It was a great dissappointment when our Thursday evening trainer had to move away recently. She had successfully helped us run a good half marathon earlier in the year and we would miss her.

Individual members of the group had started looking around for other clubs to join and Becci, my running buddy, asked me if I would like to try a gym which had a running section. So on Thursday we turned up at LWFitness4All Running Club in Colchester where we were met by a lovely lady called Ness and were warmly welcomed to their run evening.

I had booked online for the session and had also been greeted on their Facebook page. There was a map of the run to look at online if you wanted to check the route out. 

When we got to the gym Ness told us what we would be doing that evening. We ran uphill and then worked in teams of two, running at 80% on one of two sides of a circular route. When we met our partner we turned round and took a recovery jog back. Then we did a set of five sprints trying to improve where we reached each time. After that it was a lovely downhill jog back to the gym.

After Ness gave us a tour of the gym and we bumped into some ladies we knew from our previous Thursday running group. Then we were signed up for a period of time during which we would have unlimited free use of the gym. The running sessions are free in any case.

The Ipswich road is part of the Colchester Half Marathon
and is uphill but somehow on this training
session it did not hold the same terror!

I realised that our speed work had been sadly lacking lately and this more organised session felt as if it was going to help a lot.

It was another very warm evening and I struggled as usual at the start until I could find my rhythm for both breathing and speed. I really enjoyed this running club and am looking forward to joining them again next Thursday.

Monday evening Mersea Island Hash House Harriers in Layer

The Donkey and Buskins pub at Layer de la Haye

Layer de la Haye has a very interesting history which you can read about using this link. We gathered in the car park on another beautiful evening - both runners and those joining us for a lovely evening walk.

Waiting for everyone to arrive
this was a popular meet and there were, maybe,
twenty-five of us running

We had to find the start of our trail on the opposite side of the road to the pub. It didn't take long to find the route and we were soon running along paths where there were interesting cottages along the waterside. We also ran past an enclosure with small dark brown pigs (no idea what breed they were but they it was too dark to photograph them) and a field with some rare breed sheep. All sorts of things not usually seen when confined to the car in the lanes which is why it is such fun exploring whilst out on a run.

Mill Wheel on cottage beside the stream

The fields were golden in the setting sun and I was hoping for a sighting of an owl. This same evening my friend Mags posted on FB that she had seen a barn owl on her way home from Singing From The Heart, which is in my local church St Edmund King & Martyr during the summer, and that is where I would have been if Hashing had not gotten into my blood. Oh well, I think there were so many of us that we would have scared off any wild life that might have been about!

Hashing takes you through the farming year
it's harvest at the moment

The weather has been perfect for lush growth recently and we found ourselves unable to run in places as we had to go in single file where the nettles and brambles were at their thickest.

A log jam as we go into a nature reserve where the path
was overgrown

It soon became clear that we were on an 'adventure in the jungle' hash where there were obstacles which seemed like initiation tests.

After testing ourselves against nettles and brambles
we were then trying our balancing skills on an old tree trunk

My balance on the tree trunk was fine but when we were faced with climbing across a stream over another fallen tree I opted for the longer route and meeting at the bridge further upstream.

Um - no I don't think the thought of
toppling off this fallen tree into the water appeals

There were plenty of stops on this hash which makes for a very sociable evening chatting.

Becci making time for a quick chat and a sneaky sit down

Then came the true adventurer's dream - a rope attached to a tree over a hollow. Once again I decided not to try my arm - literally, as I did not want to find out said arms might not be my strongest limbs in front of everyone.

The "Hare" above in mid flight

Memorable quotes of the evening

"Why are we all following the Hare - surely he set the course"

"He (no idea who they were talking about) is spoiling it"

"I once ran up a mountain because they assured me there was a tea shop at the top"

Recap

The course took us up hills, through woodland, nettles and briars and gave us a lot of fun with obstacles. It was a warm evening and as usual we were glad to see the pub at the end of the run.

There was good company and chatter to enjoy at the end whilst we slaked our thirst with a drink before setting off for home feeling satisfied at keeping ourselves fit in such a great way.