Barnet Runner

A sunny-but-not-too-warm 6K. Took a different route, although it meant more traffic. Two hellos. I was slightly startled when a pair of armoured police vehicles raced past with sirens blaring. #Running #UKRunChat

Wind and cloud, with a few blasts of sun. Ran 16K (my biggest distance since April), dodging wheelie-bins and bin lorries. Saw 12 Canada geese in the field. Two hellos. One cat. Two wacky-baccy smokers. Abandoned items: a picture frame, a mirror and three handbags. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran a weary 6.5K on not much sleep. Fairly quiet, except for the parakeets. One hello. No cats. #Running #UKRunChat

A few aches, but ran 6.5K under spots of light rain. Passed plenty of seagulls, crows and parakeets. (Smaller birds are sadly now increasingly scarce.) Saw three England flags, left up from the Euros, rippling in the wind. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran 14K. A lot of dogs and other runners on the river paths. No cats or exotic birds, but three hellos. It was grey and overcast until the sun broke through at the exact 10K point. The last couple of kilometres were a bit of a slog, but I’m pleased to be upping my distance again. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran 7.5K. The schools are now on holiday so the paths and roads were less busy. The weather started out overcast but the sun broke through. Very humid. Smiled at two runners who didn’t smile back. #Running #UKRunChat

Very low on energy but managed to grind out 6.5K along the river path on muscle memory alone. Two hellos. The highlight was seeing a pair of goldfinches. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran 12K. There was light rain, sun, then more light rain. Five friendly hellos. Delighted to see the family of Canada geese back in their field after a long absence. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran 6.5K. Very tired, so I was just grinding it out in the unpleasant humidity. No cats and no hellos. Mainly I just saw school kids and seagulls. #Running #UKRunChat

It’s wonderful news. So relieved.

Thanks. I appreciate it.

Ran 6K. Too weary to go any further. Passed a man enjoying a “recreational” cigarette. A shaggy dog went for me. His owner reined him in but took his time over it. Saw two beautiful cats. Fantastic news: the playing fields have been saved – for now, at least. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran 10K before the sun broke though. A weekend festival is being held on Barnet Playing Fields. It’s heartbreaking to see the whole area (including the nearby roads) strewn with litter – a taste of things to come if the football stadium plans go ahead. #Running #UKRunChat @barnetpost.bsky.social

Hot morning. Ran 8K, chasing what was left of the shade. It went inexplicably better – and faster – than my last couple of runs. Snakes and Ladders again. Saw a “lost cat” sign. Then saw a little black cat, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the one in the poster. #Running #UKRunChat

Went early and ran 6.5K. It was quite chilly, with a bracing wind, but the sky was a glorious blue. One hello. Four parakeets. #Running #UKRunChat

My legs felt fine. I just felt I had zero energy. Happens sometimes. The next run will be better.

A slow, lethargic 6.5K. Felt a sense of “imposter syndrome”, as if I’d never run before. A few spots of rain. Saw two cats, one rat, one woodpecker and one cycling club. Very grateful for the two smiles that were sent my way. #Running #UKRunChat

Hope that sore throat eases quickly.

Blue skies and a refreshing breeze for my 7K. For some reason, I ran my usual route in the opposite direction. More interesting, perhaps, but it’s surprising how much more difficult that made it. No hellos and no cats. Three abandoned chairs. #Running #UKRunChat

Too hot for running, but I went out early and did a 6.5K anyway. It was slow and sweaty. Saw an abandoned sock. Two hellos. Passed a boy wearing a Beatles T-shirt. Highlight: beautiful white egret flying over the river, dazzling in the sunlight between trees. #Running #UKRunChat

The humidity was 84%, and that, plus a salty pizza meal out last night, made for a difficult 7K. It felt like I was running through treacle. On the plus side, I made it round before the sun could burn away the clouds. And one of the dumped chairs had been pulled out of the river. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran a humid 6.5K, with lots of little black flies swirling along the edge of the brook. Four friendly hellos – all very welcome. Low point: running through a flood in the road from a burst water pipe. High point: a bike boy doing an improbably long wheelie. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran 10K. It was cooler, with a little light rain. One of the shopping trolleys I saw on Sunday was inevitably now in the river. No hellos, no exotic birds and no cats, but it was a solid run at a satisfyingly even pace. #Running #UKRunChat

After a mostly sleepless night I scaled back my run to a “gentle” (i.e., slow) 5K. Another hot morning. One hello. Two abandoned supermarket trolleys, neither of them in the river (yet). #Running #UKRunChat

Good point!

Thanks. Way too warm for me but glad I got it done. Hope you’re well.

Ran a weary 6.5K after almost no sleep. Started early to get ahead of the heat but it was already too warm for my liking. A lot of runners and dog walkers had clearly had the same idea as the paths were already busy. Once again my cat met me on the way home. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran a very warm 6.5K, dodging dogs and school-run kids. One waft of wacky baccy fumes. No hellos. Happy to meet my cat on the walk home. #Running #UKRunChat

Ran 10K. It was quite warm. In the housing estate, I saw an abandoned chalkboard with “Lemonade” written on it. No actual drink to be seen anywhere, although I could really have done with one. #Running #UKRunChat

That’s wise. I really should have gone a couple of hours earlier.