New Year 2014

It is always nice to start the year with a purge from NYE. This year it was a stay at home affair with the gorgeous Mrs UB and our new baby Audrey. Aside from about 3 hours sleep as would be expected with a new born, a number of ciders and a glass or two of cava needed to be purged from the soul. The answer: Parkrun. 

I think a number of the usuals from the running club had deferred to the Serpentine 10k in Hyde Park so a small number of the club; Margaret, Derek, Cookie and myself set off in the cold pouring rain for the only Parkrun in South London at Dulwich. Cookie had recently run an 18.56 so I said goodbye to him after exchanging pleasantries, happy with a sub 24 as I was feeling a bit lacklustre. Off I went with 172 other hardy new year runners and quickly found that I settled into a nice pace...not looking at the watch but running very confortably. After mile 1 I caught up with Cookie and we chatted for the next 2 miles as we trotted round in 7.10s and caught up with the Xmas and New Year news and gossip. Cookie blasted off for a cameo last 300m. Nice to clock a 21.58 for an event that an hour go I was still in bed. There is some real quality at this event as I came in 50/173 runners.

A nice 3 mile warm down in the heavy rain and a big fat sausage and onion sandwich later and all is well. Happy New Year readers.