Unofficial PB

I was supposed to get up early today to get to Bushy Park for the Park Run 5k TT at 9am but in my lazy state I did manage it. I spent the rest of the day putting off running but finally got out at 6pm.

I decided to run a slow mile and then do a fast 5k. I set my watch to autolap at 5k, ran the warm-up, selected my new 25 minute playlist, hit lap and went off hard. I had no real goal other than to pust it and try to maintain a constant speed for the whole 3 miles.

I tried not to look at my watch and managed it until about half way. It was hard going and I kept having to push myself to avoid letting my speed drop. It find the concentration levels very demanding.  It did help that I had a couple of other runners to chase down.

The last half a mile goes slightly uphill (and I mean slightly) but it made it so hard to keep the pace. I think it did drop a bit.

My watch autolapped before I could see my time so it wasn't until I'd done my mile cool-down and got home that I could see my splits. 5.2 miles in 40 minutes. The 5k split was 21.21, my fastest every 5k and an unofficial PB.

Now I can't wait until Saturday where I will definitely get to the Park Run to have a go and try and get under 22 for the first time. The cynic in me says the Garmin was out so I need an official event. Either way, it's proof that I am getting quicker.

Park Run in the sun

I headed up to Wimbledon Park to run the free 5K as it was such a beautiful morning.  As I cycled there, I listened to the Marathon Talk podcast which had a Park Run special.  I love the event but hearing all the history and the facts made me realise just how brilliant it is.  There are now 41 Park Runs around the country (and Denmark) delivering the same formula of an accurately marked 5K course, timed and free to everyone.  Its pretty special; they have over 70,000 people registered and over 20,000 of those have volunteered at some point.

Today, I remembered my bar code.  I ran a few of these 5Ks in 2008 but only returned to them last month.  I didn't realise that everyone now has a bar-code which they need to bring otherwise you get an "Unknown" in the results.  I have one "Unknown" from last month.

The race itself was OK.  I started and felt terrible as my pretty hard week was evident in my legs.  I wasn't going for a quick time which was a relief.  However, when I run a 5K on my own, I only seem to have one speed.  I got to half way in around 11 minutes and thought I might as well try for a sub 22.  Kilometer 3 was good but 4 was poor.  I got over the line in around 22:30 which was fine.  As always, I was glad to finish but 10 minutes later, I wanted another go.  "I CAN GO FASTER" is all I can hear in my head.

I am determined to get my times down.  I'll continue my hill work and speed work in the week and try and get to a 5K at least very 2 weeks.  A sub-22 is now one of my main targets for the summer.  I also want to do as many Park Runs as possible as I want a coverted 50 t-shirt.  I've done 12 so far so I could get one early next year or next spring.

5K Race

I had to get up early to collect my daughter from a sleep-over and deliver her to the station so she could go off on her Duke of Edinburgh trip.  As I was up, I cycled over to Wimbledon Park to run the Park Run 5K.

I find these 5K races fun but incredibly painful.  I can't just jog them and end up going balls-out for the entire run.  I don't find it fun running on the edge for 3 miles.

Also, it feels so hard whilst running but as you recover within 2 or 3 minutes of finishing, it never feels like you have given your all.  With a marathon, you know you have done something incredibly hard but with a 5K, I always have the feeling that I could and should have gone harder.

I had decided to try and get my PB and get under the 22 minute mark.  I know I can do it and it really annoys me that I never have.  I set off quickly and got with four or five others all going hard.  I instantly felt on the edge and having to concentrate so hard to keep the pace up.  I heard my watch bleep and looked down to see 6-something at the 1 mile mark; sub 7 minutes so on target.

At half way there was a bloke reading out times and I went by in 10:45 so really on track.  11:14 to do the second half.  But it was really starting to hurt and my legs felt like jelly.  I lost touch with the group and felt I was going nowhere.  As I got closer to the end, I knew I had a slim chance of getting under 22 so I tried to push on but there was nothing left in the tank.  I cross the line in 22:28.  I'll be back in 2 weeks time to try again.

Distance: 5K
Time: 22:28
Average HR: 176 (zone 4.4)
Position: 59th out of 178
Cadance: 85