PETER GIDDY.: PE HOBIE BEACH PARKRUN #2 17 AUGUST 2013

PARKRUN AT HOBIE BEACH IN PORT ELIZABETH.

There's a wind a blowing all accros the land
Fragrant breeze of Heaven, Blowing once again
Dont know where it comes from
Dont know where it goes; let it blow over me.
Oh, sweet wind, come blow over me.

Theres a rain a Pouring, Showers from above.
Mercy drops are coming. Mercy drops of Love
Turn your face to Heaven
Let the water pour, let it pour over me.
Oh sweet rain, come pour over me.
.

Theres a fire a burning, falling from the sky.
Awesome tonguess of fire, consuming you and I
Can you feel it burning
Burn the sacrifcie. let it burn over me
Oh, sweet fire, come and burn over me.

It was a cold and windy morning with smattering of reain early on. This brought the beautiful chorus to my mind this morning.

Catherine has captured some of the images that you can expect to see if you come down to PE Hobie Beach Parkrun on a Saturday Morning. It is a 5k walk run that starts at 8am every Saturday Morning. There are no medals and no prizes. And no cost. Register on line and bring your barcode and you will receive a time and place each week. After 50 parkruns you will even receive a commemorative running shirt.

Oyster Catcher pecking at the rocks for tasty morsels.

The pier at Hobie beach taken from Pollock Rocks

This morning there was a strong West wind. This tends to flatten the sea but also creates these dumper waves at Pollock beach.

Waves crash against Bird Rock with the view of the city in the background

PE HOBIE BEACH PARKRUN #2

This morning was quite different from the first PE Hobie Beach Parkrun. The wind had been blowing a chilly westerly all night. There were smatterings of rain and so staying in bed would have been quite attractive to many people.

However the best thing about meeting friends on the run is that it is not as easy to bail as if you were going on your own. I collected Adrienne and we met Mike; Neil; Stuart; Warren and John on the beach front. It is a 5;30am start. Still dark, cold and a slight smatter of rain is falling. Despite this we feel blessed to be able to be out and running.

We started off into the Westerly. We all had long sleeve tops and put our heads down into the wind and made our way up the promenade. We passed by Humewood beach where a motorist must have tried, without success, to drive on the pavement. Then past Mc Arthur Baths where last night's party was still in progress. As we came up Humewood road to Virgin Active it started to rain and so we pressed on up Walmer Boulevard, not too much talking, just trying to reach the top of the hill. Each time we run past the old church -- Mike reminds us of the tree where he had an argument with a branch some weeks ago. Stuart promises to remove it.

We continue up Walmer Boulevard to Third Ave and turn left past the airport. Stop for a drink of water and then have the luxury of running with the wind all the way to Strandfontein road, down second avenue and then along Erasmus drive to 5th ave. It is only when we reach the promenade again that we have a short run into the wind again. Adrienne and I swim. It is our tradition. Adrienne had been winging a bit earlier but I think that was due to the fact that she was out at a dinner late last evening. Got to be around 1am? We were all impressed that she was on the run this mor

PE HOBIE BEACH PARKRUN
I meet up with Rosalind and do some placing of Cones on the Parkrun Route. We have a brief talk to Eckhart who is organising his event from Pollock beach. He has a 10 and 5k event and we both agree that we have the same goals so will work in Harmony.

Parkrun team of Pauline and Rosalind. Happy to see the runners turn out in the chilly wind at Hobie Beach parkrun.

Meanwhile the rest of our group go for Coffee at the Filling station. We then meet at the start for the start of the second parkrun. Rosalind announces the route and explains a bit about the event and then we all set off. Today there is a much smaller group of us. Cold wind; No Bruce Fordyce and less hype. But those of us who are there are determined to enjoy ourselves. The sun makes its way through the clouds and we begin to warm up. Stuart and I run together. Adrienne is just behind us. We pass a couple of people doing the Pollock Beach event but there is no clash and the marshalls for their event are quite helpful.

Stuart and run stick to the hard sand as we make our way to First Pipe

Parkrunners coming from the beacon; past Second Pipe and along the beach to Pollock Rocks

Peter and Stuart had to work hard to keep up with this Grade Three Grey boy

Stuart looks strong as we make our way back up to the Something Good Parking lot.

Along the promenade to the beacon, down to the beach, over the two Pollock Beach Pipes and then we jog along the hard sand to Pollock Rocks. Here Catherine Sweetnam is marshalling, Actually she is taking some awesome pics of the beach and the runners. Stuart and I jog the last bit to the parking area together. Adrienne is right behind us. Burt Sweetnam and Shane had been up front. John and Warren bring Elmarie in with them. Elmarie had run the Pollock Beach Ten K in 53 minutes starting at 7am and then sprinted down to Hobie beach to make sure that she finished her second parkrun.

Elmarie keeps the men on their toes. John and Warren seem to be happy to be on the beach this morning.

Here comes Ron and his group.

Peter and Stuart on Pollock Beach.

Lyn is warmly dressed for the parkrun. As the sun came out it became quite warm this morning.

Lyn and Ron take part in their first parkrun and seem to have enjoyed the event and the concept.

Rosalind tells me that I used to run with her father: Anthony Wilson. I remember him from some years ago. He has now moved to CT and Rosalind tells me that Anthony still runs Marathons. Their friend, Ray is doing the scanning and data capture job. It is Ray's birthday today.

Ron looks relaxed

Adrienne finishes her second parkrun at Hobie Beach this Saturday Morning

Ron strides along Pollock Beach

Pauline and Rosalind celebrating Ray's Birthday with their success on Hobie Beach.

Burt Sweetnam and Adrienne. Adrienne shows off the Hunks that she meets on the beach doing the PE Hobie Beach parkrun.

Warren, John and Elmarie finishing their second parkrun

Lyn has her barcode ready to hand over to Ray to be scanned.\

Ron looks very happy as he completes his first parkrun

Warren; John and Elmarie. Elmarie has run the 10kay in 53 minutes and then sprinted to Hobie beach to complete her second parkrun.

After the event I drop Adrienne, Julia collects the tent and camping stuff. She plans a night at Addo. We hope that she does not get blown away. I go to watch Jessica playing Hockey at Clarendon Park. They have a match against Westering. Jessica plays a good game and is part of the success of the Clarendon team who win 2;1.

Jessica is part of the Clarendon Park second team that beats Westering.

Jessica plays a strong game this morning and here she attacks the goal.

Ally returns from the hairdresser to be with the Pearson supporters cheering on the First Team to victory

The Pearson boys and girls at Westering school are a solid team of supporters.

I then pay a quick visit to Pastryworks where I meet Sheryl (Ralph's wife) and purchase some nice stuff. Off to Westering school where I meet Andrew and Catherine and other Pearson Parents. We watch the Pearson vs Westering rugby. Pearson have a shakey start. The game is mainly in their quarter and they have to work hard to prevent a try being scored. But for most of the rest of the game Pearson dominate. They score one after another breakaway try and the score is strongly in favour of Pearson at full time. Barbara and Ally had joined me and Barbara goes to visit Gail.

Ally and I go back home where we make ourselves a meal. I warm us some Pastryworks Spinach and Feta Quiche and Ally has some Spagetti Boglonaise. Later this evening Ally has her last Academy Hockey match at Gelvandale. They play Old Victoria Park where Beth Hechter and Simone Upman and Shannon Bradford are part of the team. We sit on the balcony with the parent group; shout encouragement and enjoy some beverages to ward off the cold wind. Later Ally has a birthday party and a sleep over. Barbara and I were to go to Nicky Roote's wedding celebration but it is just too late so we apologise.