Been a while since I blogged and plenty has happened in that time.
By far the biggest development was on 23rd June when my daughter Abigail was born.
As a Dad I naturally want the best for my daughter and would like to think she will want to be active and live a healthy lifestyle, something I'll admit only came to me later in life.
With this in mind and only with a little bit of me wanting to show her off(!!) I took Abigail to her first parkrun today.
She might only be 12 days old and too young to have a barcode but that doesn't mean a Saturday morning 5k can't be part of her weekly routine.
I don't yet own a running buggy and she is too young, and small, to make use of one so I volunteered today to be tail runner at Oldham parkrun. I figured that I would be able to push her round at the back without too many problems.
It was a wet and horrible morning as we set off on our short tram ride into Oldham and I was beginning to wonder if I'd made the right decision; Abigail would be okay under her rain cover but I'd get drenched.
"Fear not!" said the parkrun weather fairies. The rain stopped and the clouds cleared to leave a fine parkrun morning.
I completed the first lap with my wife Jan, who wanted to do a brisk mile walk as part of her return to running after pregnancy. To say I was the proud Dad as we strolled in the sunshine watching the runners streak ahead of us would be an understatement. I even managed to stop and show Abigail off to some spectators on the way round!
When Jan stopped after the first lap the fun really began as I had to catch up the next person who was about 300 meters ahead. Having no previous experience of running with a buggy I upped the pace and trotted along thinking this wasn't so bad.
Then came the hill...
The first hill at Oldham isn't that bad but I still had to dig in to get us both up. If this is what is like tail running I'm glad I'm not pushing for a time! It's good strength training if nothing else.
As I caught the next runner up they decided to drop out of the run; the chase continued...
Downhill this time, which was harder than it sounds especially when I accidentally kicked the break on part of the way down! The buggy we have is in Jan's words designed for "shopping" not by some lanky runner.
We caught the next runner up and followed them round while chatting to marshals and other runners.
Break issues aside we got round, enjoyed the morning and went for a well earned full English in the cafe.
I'm not sure how long term the arrival of Abigail will effect running. People have said I'll loose time due to the lack of sleep. I'm an early riser as it is but 3am is early even for me! With marathon on the horizon until spring 2015 I don't need to be hammering the miles, less distance but more quality is the order of the day.
Watch this space!
Thanks to Garry Bower for the photos.
By far the biggest development was on 23rd June when my daughter Abigail was born.
As a Dad I naturally want the best for my daughter and would like to think she will want to be active and live a healthy lifestyle, something I'll admit only came to me later in life.
With this in mind and only with a little bit of me wanting to show her off(!!) I took Abigail to her first parkrun today.
 |
| The Yarwood family on their first parkrun. |
She might only be 12 days old and too young to have a barcode but that doesn't mean a Saturday morning 5k can't be part of her weekly routine.
I don't yet own a running buggy and she is too young, and small, to make use of one so I volunteered today to be tail runner at Oldham parkrun. I figured that I would be able to push her round at the back without too many problems.
It was a wet and horrible morning as we set off on our short tram ride into Oldham and I was beginning to wonder if I'd made the right decision; Abigail would be okay under her rain cover but I'd get drenched.
"Fear not!" said the parkrun weather fairies. The rain stopped and the clouds cleared to leave a fine parkrun morning.
I completed the first lap with my wife Jan, who wanted to do a brisk mile walk as part of her return to running after pregnancy. To say I was the proud Dad as we strolled in the sunshine watching the runners streak ahead of us would be an understatement. I even managed to stop and show Abigail off to some spectators on the way round!
When Jan stopped after the first lap the fun really began as I had to catch up the next person who was about 300 meters ahead. Having no previous experience of running with a buggy I upped the pace and trotted along thinking this wasn't so bad.
Then came the hill...
The first hill at Oldham isn't that bad but I still had to dig in to get us both up. If this is what is like tail running I'm glad I'm not pushing for a time! It's good strength training if nothing else.
 |
| Finishing and collecting my token. |
As I caught the next runner up they decided to drop out of the run; the chase continued...
Downhill this time, which was harder than it sounds especially when I accidentally kicked the break on part of the way down! The buggy we have is in Jan's words designed for "shopping" not by some lanky runner.
We caught the next runner up and followed them round while chatting to marshals and other runners.
Break issues aside we got round, enjoyed the morning and went for a well earned full English in the cafe.
 |
| The proud Dad enjoying a post run brew. |
I'm not sure how long term the arrival of Abigail will effect running. People have said I'll loose time due to the lack of sleep. I'm an early riser as it is but 3am is early even for me! With marathon on the horizon until spring 2015 I don't need to be hammering the miles, less distance but more quality is the order of the day.
Watch this space!
Thanks to Garry Bower for the photos.
You take Abigail running.....Janet will take her to FC United...That's the first few years sorted!
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