March parkrun update

 March was my worst running month in a while.  Mainly due to a lack of midweek runs and my health not being 100% especially toward the tail end of the month. But on the positive side thing I did make my presence felt at all parkrun opportunities available.

5/3 - On the first Saturday I volunteered as a marshal at Queen's.  This was actually my first 5k volunteering since December last year. Due to Queen's being cancelled for the one I had my name for in Jaunary. Then in February I wanted to get my 250th out the way and then had plans to go further a field.

12/3 - After talking to one of the run directors at Queen's the previous week, Richie.  He was keen to do some touristing this week and fancied some company so I happily obliged.  We decided on Kirkcaldy as we both hadn't done that before. Catelyn who was also volunteering the previous week at Queen's came along too so it was like a proper road trip.  To be honest I was delighted by the whole arrangement.  As I don't drive long distances, particuarly motorways, I would have to do overnights even to go to parkruns in Edinburgh. So having company and getting my own bed to sleep in really was a win win.

So we drove through to Kirkcaldy and arrived in plenty of time for Richie to do a good warm up. While Catelyn and myself met up with Rob and Anne who conincidently chose today to get their K for the alphabet challenge.  I enjoyed the run and it was the first time this year I had managed to run a parkrun without stopping.  It's a nice two loop course with a fair bit of a hill to run up each lap, then you have a nice diversion round the pond on the second lap to make up the distance.  Finished in 30.32 which is my fastest time this year.

19/3 - Today I was back at Queen's and this time running.  Not a great run as had to walk the hills from the 2nd lap.  But at Queen's now I kind of go in expecting that I'm going to have to walk bits so no big deal.  Didn't feel that fit today and finished in 34 minutes, which is only 3 and half minutes off my PB for the course so still doing not too bad.

26/3 - Unexpected visit to Springburn today as Richie texted me the day before saying Stuart who is another Run Director at Queen's and who I know well and him were heading to Springburn. I was happy to tag along having not been there in years.  It was very busy, well compared to how I remembered Springburn.  It's a nice rolling course and can be fast.  But due to my lack of running in the previous weeks it showed and I came in just under 32 minutes. 2 minutes faster than Queen's the previous week mind.  Stuart and Richie had great runs and all in all another great wee road trip.

February parkruns

02/02 - The weather for this one was a bit dodgy. The previous day tempretures got down to -6 in Glasgow and some parkruns called off on the Friday with others in the Glasgow area holding off till Saturday morning to declare.  I had it in my mind to go to Tollcross again as I they had the good XC course. It came to Saturday morning and I was a lot more prepared than usual to deal with the elements and also cancelations.  I got down to my car for 8.15 and got rid of all the ice.  In the past I have missed parkruns due to not descraping quick enough - not today! I checked my phone and refreshed facebook reguarly for updates.  Victoria was first to declare it was on. I waited till about half past and no one else had posted yet. So I thought to just go for Victoria.

When I got there it was reasonably busy but it was quieter than I thought considering Pollok, Linwood and Ruchill were off plus Victoria is usually very busy at the moment.  The run itself was good. I think I started a bit too far back as for the first lap the pace was very much dictacted. For the second and third laps there was a lot more room so I actually ran a pretty good pace for me.  As it was the alternative course it was slightly longer so I reckon I would have been under 29 minutes if it was the normal course but I still managed under 30 coming in at 29.45.

09/02 - I went on a run on the Tuesday at work which was to change the way I want to approach running. It was a great run, I really pushed it and got round the route faster than I ever have before. Well below sub 30 min 5k pace.  However it took me days to recover from it and I did feel a bit dazed for the next few days as my body recovered. It made me realise that I was trying to race too many runs and I needed to take it easier if I am going to improve and be able to run more.

So with this in mind I went along to Pollok on the Saturday with my new easy approach mentality. I'm not going to say it was easy as the words "Pollok" and "easy" don't really go together. But I did run it more conservatively than I otherwise would and ended up doing it in 32.13. I realise this strategy is going to mess up my goal of averaging below 30 mins for parkruns throughout the year. But I am thinking of changing it so I do one all out effort a month.  This is something I used to do when I was a lot more successful a runner and I think it may be the way forward. I'll try it anyway and see how it goes.

16/02 - What a difference a week makes.  I have had a really good week running and I rept the rewards today.  It was Springburn parkrun time and I started off the run chatting to Pauline who is the ED at Rouken glen. Although she quickly realised I wanted to run slower and she wanted to run faster so off she went.  I maintained a comfertable pace all the way round and felt really good.  I looked at my watch when I finished to see 28.31. I could not believe it. A seasons best and the best I have run since I last did Springburn in September last year.

23/02 - I was due to run Pollok today according to the schedule. But that schedule has now gone out the window. I saw the weather forecast earlier in the week was meant to be good for the weekend. I fancied a bit of adventure so headed up to Aberdeen after work on the Friday and stayed overnight within a short walk of the start of Aberdeen parkrun.  This was an extremely good run. It is an out and back course. But the out is beside the road on a wide pavement with plenty of room for the 300 runners.  It takes a while before you get views down to the beach but they do come.  At the turning point you go down to the bottom path which is nearer to the beach so no problems at all with people getting in the way as you are on 2 different paths.  The path on the way back does have slight inclines and delines but this is a very flat and fast course. 

In terms of my own performance it couldn't have gone any better. Getting faster each mile and at no point I would say I was feeling it while putting in a good effort. I think taking it easier and have more runs during the week is starting to pay off. Time was easily a seasons best 27.40

So after saying I would scrap the average time thing in week 2 of this month. I have ended up getting an average of below 30 minutes this month. So average parkrun time this month was 29.32. And out of January and February average I have reduced it to 30.23.

September

This month 5 parkruns were on offer and I did all 5! Meaning I have now done 9 in a row.

First up was Springburn parkrun. And oh it was a struggle. It is a 2 and a half lap course and I was having to take walk breaks from the start of the second lap onwards finishing in 32.19.

Second up was Pollok parkrun. This was better than the previous week and my Pollok attempt 2 weeks prior. This time I managed to run the new hill all the way the first time round and just have to walk up it the second time. Apart from that I was running the whole way. I have heard a few people say that the start is more congested now. But for me its always been that way. 31.38

Third up was Lanark Moor parkrun. A very new event. In fact this was the 5th time the event had been run. I would say this is one of the most difficult ones to pace well due to the variety but I gave it a very good effort today and didn't have to walk so all good. The first section is a 1km loop which goes down to the loch round to the right and then right again up to the start. The next loop goes all the way round the loch so this is quite a long flat section. Then quite a fun bit for 2k as it goes into the woods and is basically a roller coaster of a trail section with some hills that are so steep it does slow you down considerably but you get the speed back on the downhills. Then it goes back down to the loch, round for a bit then up to the finish. I think this will be popular with tourists as it is a nice setting and an interesting course. 32.19

Fourth up it was back to Pollok. This was an even better run than earlier in the month as this time I conquered the new hill twice and didn't have to walk at all. I did chat to Chris for the first mile which took my mind of things which was good. 31.04.

Fifth and finally I was back at Springburn as I wanted to get a better run than earlier in the month. And boy did I get a better run! This time I started a bit more aggressively and managed to keep it going all the way round. Not only did I break 30 minutes. I broke 28 minutes, finishing in 27.51. This was a bit of a surprise but I have been running well during the week so I guess I should have expected it.

So overall a good month and looking forward to October where I'll be visiting a few parkruns I haven't done before while hopefully increasing my long runs.

October/November - well overdue an update!

Been a while since I posted so thought i'd give an update on where I have been at.

Went to Great Run Local in Glasgow city centre for the first time.  The course is 2 laps which includes going over the Clyde 4 times.  I had a really good run and ended up with a seasons best 5k time of 25.36.  In saying that I probably won't be back as although its a good atmosphere I wasn't a fan of the course. Especially when there is a really narrow bit and you've got runners coming the other way and a low railing on the other side where the Clyde is.  I'm really not good with drops like that.

Also I did Pollok parkrun.  On the way round I wasn't sure how well I was doing as on the first lap Liz overtook me and was winding me up for being slower than her.  But at the time I was thinking I was going alright.  Then on the last uphill I saw myself catching her and overtook her on the last steep bit of the incline.  I maintained a good pace and managed to stay ahead. That'll teach her lol.  Joking of course. But I did actually have a really good run and finished in 26.15 which is my fastest Pollok time since my return to running in August 2014.

Then I did the Victoria parkrun which since it was Haloween they did it in reverse.  This did mean that everyone is kinda crammed round the narrow paths before it opens up when it goes into the loops of the course. So pace is very much dictated and I clearly started too far back.  26.43 though so course best and a good time considering.

Then I did Springburn.  In contrast to Victoria I started way too fast on this one. 7.30 pace. Now even though its a down hill start its still too fast for me.  For the final 2 1/2 miles (ie most of the race lol) I was struggling but was very surprised to cross the line in 27.05.  Showing I can still dig in when I need to.

At the start of October I went to Pollok and had a terrible middle section of the run.  I just was not in the game at all. But the positive to take from it was that I still did it in 28 minutes which I was trying to do the whole of last year which would have been considered an amazing run if I did it then. So really does show progression.

Bit disappointed to only have managed 5 "races" in the last few months, some missed out due to illness, some missed out due to laziness (I refuse to run on black ice too), some cancellations etc but I have still been running a fair bit. My mate Andy from work and I have started lunch runs in work which we have been doing 2-3 times a week. They have been great as we are totally spoilt to have trails actually going round the building. On my run the other day i actually saw baby deer.  Andy's 5k times are very similar to mine which helps too.

Last weekend I did my first junior parkrun with my niece at Roukenglen. She was one of the youngest there and did really well.  The standard was amazing - even if I was at peak condition there would be kids beating me left, right and centre.  Hopefully in future more kids her age would join in though, so she has more folk to run against. I get the feeling she likes competition!

Marcothon starts tomorrow and logistics wise tomorrow is going to be the hardest day due to a work Christmas lunch. Fitness wise though at the moment I think everyday will be a hard day lol. I'll just see how far I get with it.

August

August on the whole has totally rocked! :-)

First parkrun of the month I went to Victoria park in the westend of Glasgow for the first time.  Its a pretty much flat 3 lapped course with a slight incline in the far side of the park to where it starts.  I paced it pretty well and finished bang on 29 minutes. At the moment sub 30's are my aim so very pleasing.

Second parkrun of the month I was back at Pollok. I can't really remember much about this one but again I finished under 30. Just!  29.56 so a good solid run.

Third parkrun I ventured out to Springburn parkrun in the north of Glasgow.  I had a look at some other folk I knows times before it and it looked like the course is a about a minute slower than flatter courses. So I thought sub 30 might be pushing it.  This was again reiterated at the first timer briefing where the guy warned that it was an undulating course.  It starts in the middle of the course then you do 2 and half laps finishing nearly where you started.  The middle of the park is the highest point so its a downhill start.  Although there is obviously uphills they are very gradual, and it does feel like a flat downhill course somehow. I paced it well, not walking any, and finishing knowing I couldn't have given it anymore.  I went home to look up the results and expected to see 30 min something. Only to find 28.15! My fastest time since returning to running last August!

I was thinking of doing Pollok the next week but since I had such a good run at Springburn, I was curious what kind of time I could do at Strathclyde where I hadn't really given it a good effort there since last December. Most of my runs there this year have been comeback runs.  I really did start this run aggressively.  I managed until 3.5k to sustain the pace and then I had to slow a little. Unlike previously at Strathclyde there was a lot more people around me which helped keep me going. I made it to the line and thought that it was going to be a close call to match my previous best at Strathclyde which was 28.23.  ....and when I got home and checked my result?  28.05!  Another seasons best, fastest time at Strathclyde and best time since returning to running.

So today, could I get another good time at Pollok?  Well this one had a twist. As my mate from uni Stu decided to join me for his first parkrun. We had a chat at the start if he wanted me to run with him. But he said he'll just try and keep up and if its not happening I was just to go on as he has not done any exercise in quite some time. So we started together and I didn't start as aggressively as the previous week. We got to about 1.5k and Stu just said for me to go on, I wasn't feeling that great myself but went on hoping it would get better. I got to 3.5k and just had to start run/walking to the end. Just not my day. But even then got home and saw the result and got 31.51 so can't complain about that time at all since I did have walk breaks.  My mate Stu did really well too for his first parkrun finishing just under 34 minutes.

So overall a great month. I am down to do a trail 10k race at Strathclyde Park next week but not sure whether I'll do it or not given I was struggling quite a bit today. We shall see.

For anyone who reads this that does parkrun (or if anyone reads this lol) I found a cool thing on the parkrun website where you can see a list of all your parkruns you have done on the 1 page no matter where you did it and also shows you your best time from each year regardless of location. Just go to an event page for a parkrun you have never done before. Search for your name and voila!