The VRB system really works

[Beachcomber66]

Park Run 4 today, boiling hot and only two days since running 18k. Quiet plod around I thought. First target was easily achieved. I think it was Dexy5 who jokingly suggested I target Tasha99 as someone to try to catch and overtake; no problem as it turns out; in fairness she was a Tail Walker today! I just settled into a manageable stride, found a nice gap in the field and stayed there. Result, to my surprise, new Garmin PB leaving "only" 30 seconds to get to the my target 30 minutes minus a second. I have got to give Tasha99 credit. She paced me for my second Park Run run, taking me out of my comfort zone, but it taught me that I can run more quickly than I thought and maybe trying to run every run at conversational speed is something I can move on from now (sometimes!) In short VRBs provide support and confidence which have certainly taken me to levels I thought impossible, so thanks to all. Hope everyone has a great weekend. 😊😊

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

You did fabulously today especially in the heat! You’ll get that sub 30 for sure! You’re an exceptionally nice man but I wish you’d give yourself more credit! Although I may have got you back into parkrun, I can take absolutely zero credit in your successful running! YOU ran it. YOU did it. Congratulations.

BTW on my slow tootle around today as tail walker I pondered your statement that ‘people in their 60s don’t get PBs’. I wholeheartedly disagree. Of course they do! Apparently once you start running, you improve for 7 years just by keeping going! I looked this up last year 🤣

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

What I meant was athletes like Mo Farah won't be doing PBs in their 60s.....bit quick now though😊😊

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Yeah but that’s because he started young! We’ve only just started running 👍🏽

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Wonderful BC! Very well done. Gosh you’re sooooo close to sub 30 - and won’t that be a party?! 🎉🏃👊👏🎉👍🏃

It was hot today too, so extra credit. 👍

I volunteered at ours this morning. I had some very tired and hot “customers” in my barcode scanning queue. 🥵🥵🥵

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Saving your energy CC; game face on 😊

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

👊👍

[Sandie1961 Graduate10]

Hey, you snuck that one in didn’t you? I don’t remember reading about you doing 18k 😳 I thought 10 miles was going to be your limit. You’ll be doing a HM next 🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Sandie1961]

We seem to me the only ones left Sandie- I am definitely not doing more than 10 miles! I think I tagged you but you were probably enjoying a glass of vino.

[Sandie1961 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Ah I see now that you did! I’m with you although OH says I should do 10 miles a couple more times before GSR to get used to the distance 😬

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Sandie1961]

That’s good advice Sandie, once I can get my first one 😆

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

It was a "go with the flow" effort last Thursday; total accident!

I set my watch for 10k and thought "I will just see what happens if I jog along at 8 minutes plus". Next thing I knew I was at 18k. It took 2 hours 29.

I think cheeky must have woven one of her spells😊. I did confess at the time, but I may have concealed it in one of Cheeky's posts 🤷‍♂️

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Yes you sure did! 😅😅😅

[Sandie1961 Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Just see what happens when I look away 😂 Well done you. You’re streaking ahead of the rest of us musketeers! Well done on the parkrun too 👏👏

[Gran4z Graduate10]

Well done BC66, you're doing brilliantly, a 30+ minute ParkRun is amazing. I've been slacking off for a while, doing more volunteering than running ParkRuns! It was hot just standing on the beach bar code scanning. Happy running

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

Thanks Gran4z. It was pretty hot up here too. I was soaking by the time I finished! Well done you for volunteering m. More sensible than running in this lot!

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Well done Beachcomber66. The heat has reached you now then.

No PB time for me but as I was on a tourist parkrun I got a PB for Hanworth parkrun and 1st in my age group.

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Well done Dexy5. All I will say is look out for the powers of the chipmunk 🐿 😊😊

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Yes I’m seeing her next weekend so I’ll be a bit vulnerable 😂😂

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

HM here you come!😳

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Beachcomber66]

I haven’t even done 20 Miles

[Katnap Graduate10]

Here! Here!

🐱 Katnap 🐱

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10 in reply to Katnap]

Thanks Katnap. CC’s big day tomorrow! Hope it is cooler than today.

[Lavender1962 Graduate10]

Well done! Getting so close to 30 and after such a long run. 😊

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

Thanks Lavender. I think that the long slow run may have helped, but I am not planning to run that far every week! 😊

[Couchpotato2]

That's great and well done on running faster than... the tail walker my friend paced one of my park runs and the same, it was a little over my chatty chatty speed but not too uncomfortable and made me finish with 3' off my pb. She did try and slow me down a few times but I told here (I was able to talk a bit) that actually I was feeling ok so I just went on at that pace. It's such a help to be paced by someone! Well done you!

[Beachcomber66 Graduate10]

Thanks CP2. I think that it is a lot about confidence. We get a little push out of our comfort zones, no limbs fall off and lungs don't implode, and after that, it is easier to push on to another level. Learning from every run is part of what maintains my interest. 😊