Will I ever go sub 30 minutes at parkrun again?

 27th August 2022 - The location Largs prom parkrun.  That was the last time I ran under 30 minutes at parkrun. To be precise 957 days ago. That's a long time.  It does make me wonder if I will ever go sub 30 again.  What would it mean to run sub 30 again. It's been a benchmark for me since I returned to running in 2014 and started running parkruns more regularly. From 2014 to 2022 I achieved this every year dipping as low as 25.59.  

But since that day in Largs prom my fitness just hasn't been the same........

............until now!!!

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes , yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes

I DID IT

Fast forward 957 days to the 5th April 2025. The location Crinan Canal parkrun. And I got my sub 30 again coming in at 29.58. Sneaking under, but my golly am I taking it.

I went up with my folks to Oban the night before and stayed the night there.  The road from Oban to Crinan was actually closed for a time on the Friday due to a landslide. And on that side of the world there isn't that much alternative so thoughts of going to Crinan may have had to be abandoned and go to Ganavan Sands parkrun in Oban instead. But my Dad nipped into the police station on the Friday night and asked if it would be open in the morning and they said yes so we were good to go.

It's about an hour to get down to Crinan and we arrived in plenty of time. Just as well because the main car park is at half capacity at the moment due to construction and Crinan really isn't the biggest place at all.  In fact its single track roads with passing places to get in and out.  So I would recommend getting there before 9 if you want a place in the car park.  In fact I would recommend getting there before 9 if you want a space in the further away car parks too as obviously its further to walk. But while Crinan is small, it makes up for it in character. 

And the parkrun certainly lives up to the hype. 49 of us charged up the canal path, with the canal on one side and the sea on the other on this out and back course. Very picturesque.  And although slightly cold, there was perfect blue skies.  For my first mile I did it in 10.19, so really at this point I thought I was going quite well but sub 30 never even came into my mind as if I did 3.1 miles at that pace I would be nearer 32 minutes.  But I didn't have much traffic (people) round me and was able to up the pace in the second mile coming in 9.19.  I was taken a back here as I haven't had a mile as quick as that for a while. But still sub 30 never even entered my mind.,..

That was until about 2 and half mile point where I caught up with a women and passed a marshal who knew her and she said "Well done ______ , you are on for a sub 30".  At which point I thought, holy smokes, so am I.  So I kept battling away and third mile was 9.06. Then I managed a sprint finish at 7.58 pace.  So voila, a sub 30, 29.58 in the bag.  Delighted and exhausted.

A 24 hour escape and totally worth it. Cheers to the folks for the company.

Although this is my first sub 30 this year, there have been signs of great improvement.  With 31.08 at Largs and 31.18 at Cuningar loop. While at Queens I got down to 33.25 and Pollok today I ran it in 32.06 with no walking. Which I think must be the first time I have gone a whole hilly parkrun without walking in a long time too.

Thing is I've not even been doing running midweek but I have been walking a lot more. Averaging about 10,000 steps a day which seems to be making all the difference.

With Crinan Canal parkrun starting I was due to become an Albateer (complete all the Scottish parkruns) again. But parkruns have started in Nairn and Aberfeldy with a new one in Aboyne imminent. So I've got those to look forward to later in the year.