Since last week, the streets have gone very quiet. Shortly after posting the parkrun entry for 21 March, our computer failed. Luckily, I was able to take it to our local shop (who built it) on Monday morning, after which strict 'Social Distancing' rules came into force. Thankfully, my daughter Kate was able to pick the repaired computer on Tuesday after attending her grandma's funeral. Thank you Kate.
Thanks also go to Grapevine Computers in Altrincham for sorting out the problem and replacing the 2TB hard disc that had failed. Luckily, all the data could be transferred to the new disc, and our Dropbox back up files weren't needed.
Last week I reported seeing 47 other runners during my parkrun substitute. Today I saw just one runner and a few dog walkers, albeit I set off well before 9 o'clock. Moreover, I've decided to avoid the busy canal towpath where two metres distancing from passing cyclists is impossible, in favour of Walton Road's quiet pavements.
Derbyshire Road South, pictured above, is normally fairly quiet, but Marsland Road, pictured below, is a busy main road - virtually empty yesterday as I jogged along in the lovely spring sunshine.
I tuned in to the Vassos Alexander's YouTube parkrun video and quiz again this morning. 9/15 score this week was a big improvement! Perhaps because Sue was absent due to social distancing within our household (weird!?) and also because she was at Sainsburys, having taken over as household shopper because she gets priority as an NHS employee working near 'the front line'. (Sadly she is not allowed to work from home.) Thanks Sue, you did well this morning. (We have flour and pasta!)
My 5 km times have slowed drastically this week to just inside 30 minutes. Today's 28.00 was my best time since last Saturday. The exercise is valuable though.
Take care and stay (at home) safe.
You had a much finer morning than us today. Rather overcast here and a bit breezy. Like you, I opted to go out early(ish) and as a result only saw one other runner and a couple of dog walkers. A contrast to mid-week when I found myself having to run down the middle of the roads to avoid people; fortunately there was no traffic to contend with. I'm now sticking to the two routes where I'm least likely to meet people and most likely to be able to pass safely.
ReplyDeleteOnly 5/15 here on the quiz, and they were all the really obvious questions. Would I have done better if Mick hadn't been upstairs on the phone at the time? We'll never know!
That's a disgraceful score, Gayle!
ReplyDeleteI'm now happy with my jogging route that avoids the towpath. You can see from the photos how easy it is to keep a distance of about 5 metres from anyone else, given the lack of traffic and the wide roads. There are very few people out and about before 8 am anyway.
Stay safe.
You joggers have something to answer for according to Ruth ( Coastal Walker) who I think you all know.
ReplyDeleteAs a prim and proper, well educated , retired GP Ruth was reduced to a mild expletive about joggers but I suspect it was actially more frustration at the general situation and that was just somethng on which to vent her feelings.
See her comment and my reply at:
http://conradwalks.blogspot.com/2020/03/disconnected-jottings-early-days-covoid.html
I mesnt to add:
ReplyDeleteAll good fun - we've got to have a laugh.
Haha, I've made my comment on your posting, Conrad. I do have some sympathy with Ruth, but every day the distancing increases. Sadly, parks and towpaths are the hardest places to stay safe, and my exercise is now taken beside wide, empty, roads, where everyone seems to be giving each other a wide berth.
ReplyDelete