parkrun no. 7 = Merthyr Tydfil

[IAmCharliemouse]

By far the furthest parkrun from home so far. Went to a family wedding yesterday and that means a good opportunity to do a distant course today.

The bad news is that finally I have ended my run of faster and faster times. By one second! Yes, I was slower by 1 second than last week.

The good news is that I was only 1 second slower than Cambridge, an incredibly flat course, when this one was definitely the hilliest parkrun I have done so far.

It's not exactly the Brecon Becons, but it is an 'undulating course'. You have been warned.

Anyway, felt great, could have kept going much further, which makes sense when I am up to 7k during my week runs.

Oh and really, really friendly. Everyone was cheering me on, and a great welcome at the finishing line. Also the smallest run I have done, with less than 50 runners.

Pure tourism continues, 7 for 7.

[Debston Graduate10]

Fantastic, I guess the run of faster and faster times had to end eventually. One second though, grr! 😂

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Good run for you today, I also enjoyed my parkrun this morning, got a PB of 32.01, so I feel very happy about that run. 🏃 😊 Enjoy your 7K during the week, I am thinking of running another 10K next Wednesday, that would be my second. 😊

[IAmCharliemouse Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

You're a lot faster than me. Well done.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to IAmCharliemouse]

👍 🏃 Thanks, you soon will get a sub 35 minute 5K 🏃 😊 I was at Dunfermline, but not too far away Falkirk Parkrun was celebrating it's 400th event, they were hoping to get 400 runners, guess what?! they got 571, that is a lot, their average is around 200.

[ArnoldAx]

Great that you’re trying different park runs, I’m hoping to at some point. I got a PB of 31.29 at my local one and I’m absolutely desperate to get it sub 30..... but I’m just going to have to keep adding the miles until I get there!

Are you on the bridge to 10k now too? Ax

[IAmCharliemouse Graduate10 in reply to ArnoldAx]

Yeah. Each week I'm increasing by 0.5k for one run, up to 10k. Plus a parkrun, plus another run of between 3 and 5k. It's virtually identical to Ju-Ju's plan, but that's kind of accidental so far. It's just been what's fitted into my week.

[ArnoldAx in reply to IAmCharliemouse]

Brilliant!

Unfortunately I have a work week away this week with early starts, late dinners & very little opportunity for free time & I’m desperately trying to make sense of adding the 7k in somehow! What on earth has happened, think we’re addicted!

[IAmCharliemouse Graduate10 in reply to ArnoldAx]

I'm the same. It's like someone else is saying it.

[UpTheStanley Graduate10 in reply to ArnoldAx]

Adding the miles is fine, but doesn’t involve running faster. So you might also need to try running shorter distances to develop a faster pace. You need a 6’00” pace for a sub-30 parkrun, so try to make say 3k at that pace, then stretch the distance by 500m each week. Also, trying this on a treadmill means you can set the pace you want exactly. Just a thought.....😀

[ArnoldAx in reply to UpTheStanley]

Thanks that’s great advice 👍🏃‍♀️. I’m currently doing ju-ju’s plan for 10k so I can add some faster short runs, but will give your advice a go when I’ve finished the 8 weeks.

[UpTheStanley Graduate10 in reply to ArnoldAx]

When I was bridging, I included 30:20:10 intervals in the short run each week - that’s 2 sets of 5 repeats of 30 secs slow jog, 20 secs normal run, 10 secs eyeballs out sprint, separated by 2 mins or so recovery jog. Together with 5 minute warmup and cool down jogs, that sorted out 4k quite nicely for me.

[ArnoldAx in reply to UpTheStanley]

That actually sounds fun & I’ll give it a go. Love the ‘eyeballs out’ description too!! Thank you for your help

[IAmCharliemouse Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

That does sound fun to try. I am still in the 40's for a 5k, but gradually improving, so I have just let the speed take care of itself.

10k is the goal I am concentrating on, but it would certainly be nice to take less time in the day to do my runs.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

You’re hooked aren’t you Charliemouse! Excellent! 😅👍

[IAmCharliemouse Graduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yes, yes I am.

[UpTheStanley Graduate10]

Small fields are fantastic! 10th out of 70-odd on tour seemed so much more exciting than my usual 140th out of 450 ...... in the same time ✅

[IAmCharliemouse Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

For me, 60th looks better than 400th.😉

[wyrdwolf Graduate10]

I might have to try a park run at some point (probably November when I have my next free Saturday)

[Coddfish Graduate10]

It sounds delightful. Small and perfectly formed!

[IAmCharliemouse Graduate10 in reply to Coddfish]

Yep. Just the opposite to me.

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Well done . You got a PB for Merthyr Tydfil. You can’t really expect to compare your times with different parkruns as conditions are completely different.

[IAmCharliemouse Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Yeah. Not just hills, but a Y-shaped there-and-back course. So very different to what I've done before.