Getting back in the groove

Today, after some time away from running, I returned to Parkrun at Walsall Arboretum. My attempt was somewhere between slow and not bad for BMI.

Coincidentally, I haven’t been blogging for a little while and it’s nice to be back doing that too.

Welcome to September.

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Regular readers (if there are any!) will know I have been going to Parkrun at Walsall Arboretum for a few years. In fact, it’s coming up to my third anniversary. I haven’t been a consistent attendee, so am still some way off my century, but the point is that I’ve recently made more of an effort to get out in the freezing cold bracing outdoors and throw myself round three miles of green and pleasant land.

On the road again with Dischord

Just a quick post to highlight Dischord’s next gig.

We’re on the Arboretum Bandstand in Walsall in a couple of weeks’ time, and looking for collaborators who fancy sitting in for a few numbers. Last year it was good fun, and very relaxed. This year, we cancelled our first Arboretum date due to bad weather. Here’s hoping we’ll be able to make this one.

 

Walsall 10K

New Personal Best in the Walsall 10K this morning. Another record in what’s been a very pleasant month, slicing a good six or seven minutes off my previous best.

Goodness me I’m enjoying this running lark.

Running for a Record

Today I completed my 50th parkrun. Five kilometres were duly covered and I had a lot of fun. Not least because apart from hitting this (hundred-and-fifty-) milestone, I ran it faster than ever before.

After last weekend’s slightly disappointing 10K time, I stormed home in 31:46, a solid 20% improvement on my first parkrun and a time of which I’m justifiably proud. I know I say I’m not a runner, but it’s looking more and more like I am really.

To celebrate I have purchased a few bottled ales from Morrisons. Since I’m in a month of sobriety to help with my running I feel this is the most appropriate way of marking my success. Next weekend it’s the Walsall 10K. I’ll be back to being sober by then.

PS: And thanks to my friend on Facebook who misunderstood the comments on my celebratory post and assumed I was celebrating my 50th Birthday today. You cheered me up no end and more than one mutual acquaintance is now trying to wipe coffee off their screen.

I won a prize!

I still contend I’m not really a runner, but it’s nice to be accused of being a runner in certain circumstances. I have been awarded Walsall Arboretum Parkrun‘s Runner of the Month!

Running in circles

Last year, I announced I had begun running on Saturday mornings in Walsall Arboretum. Parkrun has since become a regular feature of my weekends. To date I’ve clocked up 44 runs, covering a total of 220km which otherwise wouldn’t have happened.

Open Dischord

I love playing live music, and Dischord has been a great way to enjoy this vice with little time commitment. The entire premise of the band is that we simply roll up on the day and improvise. We’re comfortable enough to mess about and we “win” by making beautiful music.

Dischord’s next gig is this coming Sunday 20th July in the Bandstand at Walsall Arboretum, and we’re throwing the doors wide open. Do you play an instrument well enough to jam in public? Pop down and give it a throw. We won’t judge you, (although the audience might!) and you might find it’s something you enjoy. There’s a Facebook event page and everything.

Even if you don’t want to play, please do come down and have a listen. We’ll be playing laid back music from 2 til 4(ish) for anyone who walks past.

Blues in a Bandstand

I went to the Churckery Festival gig yesterday at the Walsall Arboretum Bandstand. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and was happy to be in a place where my boys could come along and listen too. We even saw half of the Grey Goose Blues Band set. Being able to name the members and say I’d played with them was very cool.

Day 9 – Sunday 21st July – Chuckery Festival 2013

Another gig at the Bandstand? As if last weekend wasn’t good enough, there’s more.

It’s great to see the Chuckery Festival using this venue in Walsall Arboretum. It’s been getting a lot of use since the refurbishment, and what’s particularly special about this event is you can catch the Grey Goose Blues Band and Walsall Jazz Orchestra on the same bill, closing with Fat Lip and plenty of other musical gems to keep you entertained all afternoon.

I can’t recommend this line up enough, and according to the Met Office there might actually be a bit of Sun in our Sunday.