Well as far as months go January was a pretty good month, especially when you consider the challenges with the weather. In fact I recorded my highest milage month since last May.
During January I managed 5 out of the 6 parkruns available this month and here is how they went down,
1st January - The only time of year you can do the double, meaning 2 parkruns in the one day. This is something I have never attempted before. I have volunteered at one, then run the next but never actually done 2 in a row. This has only been an option for a few years and this year with the growing number of parkruns participating the combinations and choices also increase. This year I decided to go for Pollok and Victoria. The Pollok run I took easy as I could while still managing to run all of it. The course was slightly altered due to a fallen down tree. Meaning instead of going up a gradual hill. You took another path which was flat and turned up a short steep hill joining back on to the usual route. Victoria I took the same approach as Pollok and set off nice and easy. I was feeling pretty good considering I haven't really got full confidence in my fitness at the moment. This course was also slightly altered due to flooding meaning the route hugged the small lake more so the finish was further round than normal. I was pleased to go a wee bit faster at this one. Although by the end, not surprisingly I was feeling it. This also ticks off Victoria from the list of completing every parkrun in Glasgow 5 times as this was my fifth run there.
6th January - Ruchill parkrun - This was my 3rd run at Ruchill. In my last 2 attempts I have struggled badly with this course. Those times I put it down to just coming back from illness. This time I didn't really have any excuses other than I knew it was a hard, 3 lap course. And it proved again that the course really did defeat me. I ran the first lap, but the second and third lap were run/walks. I did manage a bit quicker finish but the hills had already got the better of me.
13th January - Pollok - This was my favourite run of the month. After finishing my warm up which comes at at the back of the crowd. I did panic! As everyone was walking/jogging away. I thought I'd missed the start but it turned out we were on the alternative course which starts at the bottom of the car park. There a met up with Gregor and had a catch up. When it started he went off, but it wasn't too long before I got some company again and had a good catch up with Graeme for about a mile before he went off too. This run was a bit slower, as the alternative course is longer but I did feel really strong going up the hills and was able to push it more in the last kilometre. It's always fun passing people.
20th January - No parkrun - Today was cancel parkrun fest with the only parkrun in Glasgow on being Tollcross. I was actually all ready to go and was out de-icing the car but I had a bit of a dodgy stomach and was struggling to de-ice my car quickly so I just decided to leave it and have a rest day instead.
27th January - Pollok - I did plan on going to Drumchapel but my car was playing up, my windscreen wipers weren't working and it was switching on as soon as you turn the key a bit and it was raining. So I went back up to the flat, dumped my jacket. And ran/walked down to Pollok which is about 3 miles. It was back to the normal route today and it was a wee bit muddy and puddly but that makes it more fun. After about a mile I caught up with Claire and we ran together a bit with her son. This did actually make me go faster and I ended up getting my fastest time this year. Not by much but still faster.
All in all a good month. I am really not the quickest I have been in the last few years at the moment, but I feel I have something to build on and if I can keep this going my times will come down.
No comments:
Post a Comment