Lockdown Blog

It has been 13 weeks since Lockdown! We have recently been able to enjoy some socially distanced group runs … It makes it a lot easier when you are running with friends. The session seems more like fun…

Here is Darrell’s lockdown running experience…..

Week 1-6

By Darrell Benge

2020 – There were lots of plans at the beginning of the year. I had several races in the schedule including my first half marathon in Milton Keynes and of course the clubs 10k, and was also looking forward to seeing this years couch to 5k group through to their graduation.

Then Covid 19 hit and the country shut down!!

It was looking ominous when I attended my last parkrun on the 14th of March. Lockdown was only just on the horizon, there was an optimistic hope it would pass and things were not as serious as it seemed. Wrong!! I had a good run and set my personal best parkrun time.

Lockdown was announced for the 23rd. England Athletics released a statement announcing all club activities were to be suspended from the 23rd too. Nick and I squeezed in one final club run suitably distanced and followed a similar route that was to be used for the club race up to the Bustard. A very nice day for a long run, cool and sunny. We bumped into Enid at the top of Elston (B*****d) Hill and ran back into the village together.

Lockdown came fully into force on the Monday, no more club runs. A real shame for our couch to 5k group who had been making fantastic progress as a group and were looking forward to the volunteer day at parkrun on the 21st – but alas no Parkrun and no graduation.

Work for me also ceased on the 24th. Time at home , what to do? An opportunity for some daytime runs and maybe some home workouts. It was easy to be really keen early on. Cheryl was working from home too, so could join in on some runs and workouts.

Week 1

I got roped into one of the Joe Wicks workouts …..not my favourite, he really is quite annoying. So instead I did a couple of simple workout sessions and also some yoga, something I try and do more of as I find it helps some of the running niggles. 

I ran a couple of times this first week. I made a mistake on one of these first runs running up the Orcheston track. Not a good move, water was a foot deep in places, too much even for my waterproof trainers.

Lawrence’s boom challenges have been great to help keep us running as I find running on my own much more difficult-just getting kitted and out the door can be hard.

Lawrence had set up the boom challenge to set a ghost run for someone. I went out on a really windy Sunday morning out through Orcheston and up onto the plain and ran a route of around 12k and gave Nick the challenge to follow it. I think Nick had the better of the days running the route on the Monday.

Continued….