Maybe I CAN???-- get under 30 minutes??

[Bazza1234]

So close, yet so far! - I knocked a minute and a half off my 5K time at parkrun this morning. I seemed to have leveled out around 32 minutes - and I was thinking that I had reached my limit -- but it was much cooler this morning , only 20C with lower humidity. So I managed 30:34. This put me 85th out of 213 runners and 38th out of 213 on an age weighted basis. Not bad really for an old F*** like me who 15 months ago couldn't run to the other side of the road.

I am intending to do a few months of slow HR training now - and will be away from any "racing" opportunity until mid- June. Although - I have found a 5K race at the Palm Springs airport in mid-May which will be close to where I am at that time. Maybe!!!!

[runningnearbeirut Graduate]

Knocking 1 min 30 s off your 5k time is brilliant, well done!

What's another 35 seconds?! Just keep doing what you're doing, because it seems to be having a great effect.

Hope you find plenty of running opportunities in cooler and less humid conditions.

[AncientMum Graduate]

Oh well done Bazza, that's really impressive

[Hidden]

Oh my word that's an amazing improvement ! Well done !

[turnturtle Graduate]

Right Bazza. You have thrown down the gauntlet. My new goal is a sub thirty minute 5K. Forget 10ks and half marathons. This sounds a much more sensible ambition for us senior citizens. Can I beat you to it? (I have many more minutes to knock off than you but I love a challenge)

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

Well -- I guess it doesn't really matter whether we run a 5K in x minutes or x-1 minutes?? It does matter that we run though during the week - and I am getting the message loud and clear from other sources that to run faster we must run longer - not meaning long just on one day of the week but increase the overall volume of our runs ( done at an easy pace) . This can only come about by increasing the number of days that we run.

And ALL OUT attempts like I put in this morning should only be done about once per month !!

[turnturtle Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

But it does matter to me Bazza as I need the motivation of training for something specific. Otherwise I find it just too easy to say 'Feel a a bit under the weather today - I'll run tomorrow'

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

That is why I always run to some kind of "plan" -- and if I don't have the time to run a longer plan put out for some distance, I make one up myself and commit it to my calendar. Once it is there , it forces me to cross it off as -- COMPLETED!!!

[old_git Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

This last couple of weeks I have been 'upping' the mileage and have noticed a big difference in my pace and stamina. As a retiree it is easy for me to find the time. The other factor has been the running club I joined, lots of really good post C25K advice and it was great to have them cheering today at the parkrun!

[Lyndz7 Graduate]

Well done that's a fab time!! If you keep going with the training and determination you will surely get under 30 minutes...onwards and upwards

[Toonlou24 Graduate]

Wow! That's brilliant!!! Of course it's possible! You're almost there now!!!! You will do it. Don't push too much too soon though. Don't want any injuries. But well done Bazza!!!!!

[Windswept1 Graduate]

Well done. Hope your planned programme brings results. 20C is far too hot for me!

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Windswept1]

Nah!! It is lovely and cool for us -- especially considering that we have been labouring in 30C+ temps for the past 3-4 months - day after day!!! I will be back in 30C temps soon in the USA - but at least there, the humidity will be much lower

[goonkeepgoing Graduate]

Yay - well done. You always say you're not one for speed !!!!!!!!!

I was going to run stepping stone yesterday but the mp3 failed on me so I just ran blind (or should that be deaf????)

. I also knocked 1 min 30 off my 5k pb to get to 30:24. Thus, I know how hard you must have worked your body. At one point I thought I was going to just collapse but I chanted juicy ju's "punish that body" to get myself smiling again.

I agree though - I won't be trying that again any time soon!!

Ps I have age somewhat on my side so I assume you ARP would smash my time out of the park

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to goonkeepgoing]

Well -- I really am not that interested in "speed" - I am a middle of the pack runner and there I will stay!! But that 30 minute 5K is definitely a goal - one that I had come to think was not possible for me - and I was happy with that idea. HOWEVER - it has raised itself back into my gun sights.

What I do really want to be able to do - and I AM achieving this slowly - is to be able to run easily.

[Hidden]

very well done Bazza

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

That's a huge leap forward Bazza! Your target must surely be in reach.

[GettingFitter Graduate]

Well done Bazza you are really getting there now

[old_git Graduate]

Well done Bazza! great time!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

That's great Bazza. I've always found that you can just sort of slog away for ages thinking you've found your limit, then all of a sudden a massive improvement takes you by surprise! You must be delighted x

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Yes - basically that is what happened. IF I had known that I was going to be that close , I know that I could have found another 34 seconds over 5k!! I pushed hard - but was still quite conservative around the middle of the run (realising that I had gone out quite fast at the beginning)

But it doesn't matter - what does matter is that it looks like I've dropped another 2KG!! The highest I have ever seen on my scales was 83.4 Kg - after a 3 months cruise around the World !! - and yesterday the lowest ever seen was 71.2Kg. Mind you - that was early morning after a 7K run

[Curlygurly2 Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

You'll crack it next time. That weight sounds good, how tall are you? BTW that's exactly what I weigh!

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

5 foot 5 inches -- but I have always been fairly solidly built. Would have made a better lightweight wrestler than a runner!!