The last three months have been a dark time in my running career as I was struck down by first a blood disorder , mainly due to my “no lunch” diet (what was I thinking?) and lately a bad case of Plantar Fasciitis. The worst part of not running is not the not running part but missing time with my mates.

Over the years my non-running friends have fallen by the wayside as I became more and more focused on running and less and less focused on sociable activities, much to my Wife’s disgust. My Wife has often remarked how she’d like me to put on weight and drink more ! Not the normal grumblings of a partner of course, it’s usually the opposite. Anyhow when you’re injured there is no one to share your grief with. (because it is grief! )  Funnily enough I have written a post on grief , in relation to running… https://www.runbkrun.com/2017/04/17/injury-what-injury-the-five-stages-of-grief/

What run do I miss the most ? Need you ask, my Thursday morning 14k progressive, starting at 5:30am and finishing at the best café in Perth to take onboard the best muffin and coffee in the Southern Hemisphere. If you are lucky enough to live in Perth, or even Australia, you need to go to Yelo at Trigg and indulge with one of their banana and dark chocolate or even berry and chocolate muffins, warmed up of course. They really are so good, there is a caveat of course. Once you taste a Yelo muffin you will never be able to eat a muffin from another source, they really are that good.  The coffee is also very good or that may be just because your taste buds are enjoying them muffin so much anything tastes good !

As this is a running blog and not a culinary one I need to justify that last paragraph. To earn the muffin and coffee combination we would have run a 14k progressive run which is one tough affair,  with the obligatory sprint for the last 4-5k as each runner pushes themselves, and each other towards the Yelo café. To make this run special you need friends to initially talk to for the first 7k and then, finally,  to run against for the final 7k. Runners pride will always make you put in that extra bit of effort when chasing (or being chased) by running mates.

Then there is the long runs on Sunday. These , for me, are mainly for the food and conversation after the run, to tell you truth I prefer to run twice a day compared to one long run , all bar the Sunday run. This is do able because of the company, by myself a long run is torture.  We’ve had some great experiences over the years running long on Sundays , as most runners will attest to.  As a group we tend to run at a reasonable pace on the outward journey but pick up the pace as we turn and head back towards the coffee and pancakes, I’m sure all running groups are the same.  The photo below is from a 30k Yaberoo trail run a few months ago in the heat of the Perth summer. The T-train has organized a water drop but it was too little , too late for the journey home. As the group splintered it was every man for himself in the race back to the car and air conditioned safety.

As well as the Sunday long runs there are the “special’ runs. These are organized, normally annually, and nearly always ‘up the ante’ with either more mileage or elevation. In the photo below its racing against a train which makes the ‘choo-choo’  run so special. Again I have written a couple of posts on this run which are worth a read and a chuckle… 2016 : https://www.runbkrun.com/2016/11/15/the-choo-choo-run-an-exercise-in-living-on-the-edge/   and last year https://www.runbkrun.com/2017/09/15/choo-choo-run-2017-man-against-train/ (Still not sure how Mike made it last year ? I suspect Uber?)  For those living in Perth this run is scheduled for two weeks after the Perth City to Surf marathon, so probably early September. There is a facebook page somewhere ? Just heard from Simon Coates,  the Choo-Choo this year is on September 23rd, the long weekend in WA. If you get lost at least you got a few days to get home…

Then there is the work lunch run. Working on St. Georges Terrace, Perth, we had some great running tops made up thanks to Rhys and Mel. This photo was taken at the height of the St Georges Terrace Running Club glory days when we always had a good contingent that would meet every midday at the lights outside the Woodside building.  Together we’d explore the various bike paths around the city  and trails in Kings park and it was a welcome relief from the work related problems that would often plague you. As with all runs they would start at a leisurely pace before Jeff or Andrea got to the front and then it was on for young and old.   Today the group has splintered to some extent but most of the people pictured below still make an effort and regularly get out there just not together as much, all bar Big Paul (front right) who wandered to the dark side of lycra wearing cycling due to a bad knee.

The St. Georges Terrace Running club.

Couldn’t leave without one more photo of the Yelo café with some of the usual suspects, in the photo below you have Gareth, Mike and the elusive Mark Lee, a rare sight but always good for some quality banter. Happy days and I hope to be back with the lads soon, just got to get rid of this Plantar Fasciitis but that’s a post for another day….

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