The Joy of Running Without Chasing the Clock (Copy)
Zig Zag Running Events - The Norfolk Running Festival - Bawsey Park
This last ten days has seen running events in Norfolk from the polar opposites of the sport. Not just the difference between road and trail , but culturally If the Wroxham 5K was fine dining, the Wibbly Wobbly Log Jog and the Zig Zag Norfolk Festival of Running are a barbecue with mates by comparison.
Total opposites, and I've realised I need both. Not that either pole requires less preparation for the challenge ahead of course.
In the build-up to Wroxham, you can feel the anticipation. Norfolk's elite runners arrive, club members from the East of England and beyond fill the field. Podcasts dissect the race,( check out the Snail and Pace Podcast - link below.) and everyone knows it's a day for performances. Also standing as the county championships, it carries a sense of occasion that's hard to match.
This year certainly lived up to the hype. Local stars Logan Smith and Ellie Grubb produced outstanding victories in their distinctive CONAC vests—affectionately known as the "flying deck chairs" thanks to their colourful stripes. Personal glory, club bragging rights, county titles and, of course, the traditional ice cream afterwards. It's brilliant, but it's also intense, especially in this year's heat.
Wroxham 5k
For the last couple of years I've been chasing improvement: faster times, more miles, more strength, lower weight. I enjoy setting goals and seeing progress.
This weekend, though, I tried something different.
I entered two events with no expectation other than to enjoy them.
This isn't the new me. I'll still chase improvement because I genuinely enjoy the challenge. But it did make me question whether every run, every race and every season has to be approached with maximum intensity.
The penny finally dropped.
Varying intensity isn't just good for the body—it's good for the mind.
I'd always thought about recovering muscles, but recently I've been reading more about the stress that hard racing places on the central nervous system. High concentration, maximum effort and sustained motor unit recruitment all increase mental fatigue and elevate cortisol. Sometimes your body isn't tired because of the miles you've run—it's tired because of the intensity you've carried.
Swaffham parkrun
At 63, running isn't simply exercise. It's a passion, alongside photography, that shapes much of my life.
That means I need another metric besides pace, distance and finishing position.
I need to measure the fun.
Sports psychologists often talk about intrinsic motivation—doing something because you genuinely love it rather than because of external rewards. If we lose that, the sport eventually becomes another job.
Sometimes the best training is simply laughing with friends, running a little easier and noticing the places you're running through.
That's one reason I rarely race parkrun. For me, parkrun is about community. It's about encouraging others, catching up with friends and putting something back into a sport that's given me so much. When we first started, people encouraged and welcomed us. Now it's our turn to do the same, especially through volunteering, something Helen and I both love doing.
Running clubs are much the same. They remind you that running is about people as much as performances. Although, perhaps don't trust someone else in the club with your phone if you don’t want additional photographs in your icloud space :) . You know who you are !.
So this weekend I deliberately entered two events simply for the enjoyment of being there.
The Wibbly Wobbly Log Jog
First up was the Wibbly Wobbly Log Jog in Brandon Country Park, organised by the brilliant Brandon Fern Hoppers.
We'd marshalled the event before but never actually run it.
The name suits it perfectly. Around five miles of twisting woodland trails, sandy tracks, tree roots and gentle undulations leave your legs feeling just a little... wibbly wobbly.
The start is largely single file, the footing is constantly changing and, being Norfolk woodland, there's always the question of ticks. Thankfully the vegetation had been well cut back this year, although we still packed the tick remover and gave each other a thorough inspection afterwards. Experience has taught me not to give the little critters time to find somewhere comfortable.
There are a couple of impressive bomb holes to negotiate and one hill that certainly gets your attention.
More than anything, though, it was simply fun.
Huge thanks to the Brandon Fern Hoppers for another fantastic event. If you've never done the Wibbly Wobbly Log Jog, I'd thoroughly recommend adding it to your summer calendar.
Zig Zag Running Festival
Zig Zag Marshalls - as good as it gets
The second event was the Zig Zag Norfolk Festival of Running at Bawsey Country Park.
If you've heard of Zig Zag Running, you've probably heard about the cakes too. The reputation is fully deserved.
The organisation was excellent, the welcome genuine and friendly, and the atmosphere refreshingly relaxed.
The course was made up of laps over deep sand and rough trails. I discovered just how unforgiving that combination can be on lap three when I left with skin on both knees and returned missing some of it.
I don't fall very often, but when I do, I like to make it memorable.
As I lay there wondering what had just happened, an experienced ultra-runner passed by shouting, "Get up and run it off, boi!"
Exactly what I needed.
I laughed, got back on my feet and carried on. Ultra runners really are a different breed.
The lap format catered for everyone, from 5K to ultra marathon. Helen and I completed the half marathon and thoroughly enjoyed it. The runners were incredibly supportive and welcoming.
The culture couldn't have been more different from Wroxham.
Not better.
Just different.
And that's exactly the point.
In the space of just over 10 days, running gave me two completely different experiences. One demanded everything I had. The other reminded me why I fell in love with running in the first place.
I need both.
Perhaps that's the secret to enjoying running for decades rather than seasons.
Every now and then, stop chasing the clock.
Run because it's fun.
As Marcus Aurelius wrote:
"Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them."
The legendary Zig Zag cakes - served with additional smiles
