Whoooooosh!! This thread moves so fast - I see interesting you guys chatting about interesting things but the conversation has moved on by the time I get on here! I will just need to check MN more often 
Happy Birthday emummy
My calves are not too bad but I try to practice Chi running which focuses on relaxed lower legs and avoids pushing off with your feet. It certainly makes you feel much lighter when running and I no longer plod along heavily. The secret seems to be maintaining a higher cadence than I used to and I love it, but it has been a fairly slow process to transition.
thursday YES! I was just moaning about this to someone, I have a lovely white triangle in my inside elbows! I am also sporting a panda bear face from getting too much sun on Saturday, so just ordered myself a running visor.
Good suggestion to use Parkruns as competition. I just wish that our weekends were quieter so I could fit one in! Maybe next week.
I did 7km first thing this morning. I had forgotten how nice it was to be out before the rest of the world - cool, quiet & pretty.