As if the trail racing, birthday celebrating excitement of yesterday wasn't enough for one weekend, today was just as much fun as I rushed off to Leeds Waterfront Festival and the Veggie Runners Art Run! I first encountered the Veggie Runners (mum and daughter team Jayne and Bibi) about a year ago when I was starting to look more into running resources online, having been properly bitten by the Running Bug after my (first) Great Manchester Run. It was a very pleasant surprise to find someone else who was fuelling their running on a plant based diet (though I have since found many more) and I now follow their blog, being recently chuffed for them when they won Best Blog at The Running Awards 2014. When an idle twitter browse a couple of weeks ago turned up the fact that they were delivering an art running tour on a day for which I had no other plans, I jumped at the chance to go and meet them and see how someone else was managing an event that I had an idea for but not yet realised.
| The Art run started with a quick warm up by the waterside (just as well as it was not the warmest of June days!) before taking in 6km of the Leeds Docks area and some of the Leeds to Liverpool Canal (the route of a recent ultra marathon!) Jayne led the session and we stopped at various points along the way as she told us in detail and with a clear love for the city about various historical events, from the 18 million bricks used in features of Victorian engineering to changing uses of old mill buildings; facts about the industrial heritage of the area, but also more human stories, such as the man publicity executed for stealing a drying cloth(!). The session was very relaxed whilst being at the same time well organised and provided a perfect mix of running and resting! Anyway, following my 65 mile week culminating in the Longest Day Run and races on Thursday and Saturday, the session was a novel way of fitting in a bit of much needed recovery whilst still being out and about and doing something! Incidentally, if you're wondering where the 'art' was; Jayne explained at the start that we were the art! We also got to take in some of the arty features of the festival too such as March of the Robots, numerous craft stalls and the freshly commissioned street art as pictured above! To add even further value to the session, the group was also treated to a Yoga for Runners class after the tour. Provided by Yoga Hero Leeds, I was very impressed that the entirely free class was a full length, one hour session and not just a taster as one might have expected as a freebie! The class ended at about 2, so I had just enough time as the sun came out to stroll around a bit more of the festival before heading back Manc-wards! An exciting day, but still just the right mix of running and chilling out! | 
Leeds Waterfront Festival
One of my favourite things about running with others is the opportunity for chatting of course and it was, as ever, interesting to hear the stories and backgrounds of some of the other runners. Of course I couldn't stop myself being a bit of a fan girl and bobbing up for a conversation alongside the very patient Jayne as she skilfully mother-henned the group safely over roads and round unexpected building works. Still she made time to chat though and I was made to feel very welcome. I had wondered if I might find the stopping and starting a bit uncomfortable, or if I might struggle to keep to a slower pace than I usually like to run but really that wasn't the point of the event and there was so much to see and hear about that I didn't even notice. 
Thanking Jayne and saying goodbye after the yoga!
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Many thanks to Veggie Runners; may you go from strength to strength!
