I managed 3 parkruns this month. The first one was at Falkirk's Callender park. I have been to the park twice before for the National XC's and it was just as good as I remembered. The parkrun course was of course different but thoroughly enjoyable. I read the course description on the website before hand and just mentioned that there was a wee hill, so I was confident that I could start a bit quicker. So that's what I did and it was pretty flat round the first k, as I made my way round the lake. The course then turns into the woods and up a gradual climb which just went on and on. At the top I was so exhausted I was struggling to run down the other side! I did though and followed the route round getting myself ready for the "wee hill". As I approached it, I looked up and said to myself "this is not wee!!!" I have no doubt been up way harder hills in my time but I just was not prepared for this at all and I was still recovering from the gradual climb. So I just decided to walk it. When I got to the top I actually felt better and was able to run comfortably the rest of the run coming in around 31 minutes. Definitely one of my favorite parkruns I have done.
The next week I opted for a more flat run so I was down at Strathclyde. I knew from the start that I wasn't really on my game today to try and beat my PB at the event so just toughed out a 30 minute run.
The next week I was at Pollok Park, I wouldn't say I was going for it here either but I certainly felt better than the previous week. I wasn't really expecting a good time but was surprised with a 29.21 which is only 11 seconds off my best at the course this year so was very pleased with that.
Yesterday the plan was to do volunteering at park run in the morning then a longer run in the afternoon. Well one of the two went well! And that was the volunteering. I had a great time with my marshall buddy Steve and meeting various other people including John Kynaston for the first time whose blog I have been following for years and has provided much inspiration in that time and was not short of good advice for me about running in the chat we had. Also met John Softley who just hit his 250th parkrun. The run in the afternoon I was just going to take easy and do about 4 1/2 miles. but I got to 1 1/2 and just had no energy. So just walked and cut it to 3 miles. I was meant to to do Kielder 10k next weekend and was hoping for a good easy run yesterday to prove I could get round ok. But this has put doubts in my mind especially as its such a long way to go too. So may just end up at a parkrun.
