Post Grad update . . . . It's official!

[Julian1970]

So last week I completed my first park run since graduating C25K and I was sooooo pleased to have done it, YIPPEEEEEEE!

But - (WHY is there always a BUT!!!!!!)

According to my time piece - my ever reliable Umbro sports watch (£20 out of Argos about 2 years ago), I clocked a time of 29:55. Jubilation, disbelief and any other adjective you can think of to sum up how I felt about doing a sub 30 minute 5k. Then I saw the "official" parkrun result . . . . . 32:10.

Damn, blast, oh dear never mind, better luck next time eh! All the nicer things/words that could have passed my lips, but didn't. I don't think this is the right place to put the words I actually said, you lot are far to nice and delicate for that kind of language.

So, Saturday morning comes around again and following pretty much the same routine, I head off for PR2. Now here is the spooky bit. I cross the line and hit stop on my watch, not looking at the display, (needed a couple of seconds to get my breath back). I then look at the display . . . .29:55 (AGAIN!!)

After the events of last week, I now have no faith in my Umbro time piece at all. I am convinced the stop watch only goes up to 29:55 before getting stuck. So now I have to wait for my official time from parkrun.

Official time . . . . . . . 00:29:57

So there we are, two parkruns in and I am officially under 30 minutes. I know its only 3 seconds, but as far as I am concerned, it's a new world record - move over Mo, there's a new guy in the park! (Sorry Sir Mo Farrow, you are a legend and I'm only joking).

[Alanist Graduate]

Fantastic well done Julian. I think the 1st sub 30 minute 5k is worthy of world record status. Might be time to retire the watch though 😀🏃‍♂️🥉

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to Alanist]

Seriously considering it Alan, I give it one more chance next week. If it says 29:55 again I think I'll get a priest in to do some kinda exorcism on the damn thing.

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

Stamp on it. Bury it. Sprinkle salt on its grave. Then jump up and down and shout "Hallelujah". That normally works best.

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

You've had an Umbro watch too sallenson! Ha! Ha!

I thought about tying it to a rock and throwing it in the river. But then I remembered the damn thing is water proof all I got was visions of the closing scene of Deliverance, but where they had a hand rising from the water, I could imagine this blasted watch strap rising up from the depths!

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

And if you bury it you get the classic scene from end of Brian de Palma's Carrie, or else a complete re-enactment of Poltergeist because you've inadvertently disturbed a Native American Burial Ground.

Life is full of tough choices!! Those of us with OES need publicly-funded support and recognition!!

[Jay66UK Graduate]

Wowsers. Well done, matey!

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Cheers Jay, was so up last week after thinking I'd cracked it. Up even more this week to know I have - bloody hard work though and I mean bloody hard. The 16/17 minute guys make it all look so easy.

[Jay66UK Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

You sub-30 minute guys make it look easy to us sub-45 minute guys! 🤣🤣

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Huffin' and puffin' with a bright red face, leaking more precious fluid than Thames Water . . . . hardly making it look easy Jay

[Ashley0304]

I think you done fantastically!!! Well done!

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to Ashley0304]

Thank you very much Ashley. Would never have achieved it without C25K!

[LoungeLizaard Graduate]

Dude, I mean.... say whaaaaaat! Sub 30!!!!! (Shakes virtual hand) that’s amazing..... well done, seriously well done.

In the week, treat your self to. Fitbit Versa - the most gadge, you’ll get for under £200 (only a £1 under, but still....) if you start to get into the lofty heights of 10K, maybe a garmin later..... I’ve got a Versa and does everything you’ll need and more!

(Pat’s virtual back and hugs in a virtual manly way!)

Great stuff mate!

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

A bit higher my friend - that wasn't my hand

Might need a Garmin for the 10k Lounge, I'll probably get lost without one!

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

Well! I could tell it wasn’t cold! 😆

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Ha! Ha! Now quickly, back to the beer, football and killing small defenseless animals with a high powered rifle and other MANLY pursuits GRRRRRRRR!

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

Is this some Julian/Mitch bromance that we've wandered into?

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

Hey, we're just two guys enjoying each others company and shaking each others . . . . . . . . hand! xxx

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

Did I mention, that to his friends he's known as Loungesnake ;D

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

We're treading a very fine line here... :-))

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

[Saartjie Graduate]

Wow Julian! Sub 30!! Amaaaaazing 💪💪🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️👏👏👏 Congratulations 😊

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to Saartjie]

Thank you Saartjie. Really pleased, but the hard work is keeping like that.

[YoureDoingGreatPet]

Sometimes parkrun times can be a little bizarre, my wife and I crossed the line together on our first, the official result says i beat her by over 3 minutes 😆 not sure it that means I did her slower time or she did my faster one 🤔

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to YoureDoingGreatPet]

Bizarre indeed!

[Jennypenny2]

Well done 🎉🎉😁

[sallenson Graduate]

You Superstar!!

Now go and get a proper f*in watch.

You deserve one since you are an Afflete.

And also a happy and thoroughly delightful human being!!

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

D'you fink it would be a bit showy doing the parkrun in a Rolex, sorry not a Rolex, I mean a Timex?!

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

I think an Ebel would be a bit more classy...

Or some form of sun dial?

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

A sun dial with a second hand, now that would be posh!

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

And you could use it to smash into people who come up alongside and might want to sprint past. Like some macho-tech version of Zola Budd and Mary Decker

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

That Zola Budd trip was world class. Some would say it was bare faced cheek, but it was more bare footed cheek I think.

[Luken]

Well done. I absolutely love Park run, I've found times arnt completely accurate especially if you start toward the back. On the bright side you probably ran even faster than 29.57.

An app i use is STRAVA it records time distance and pace. It also maps out a the coarse you ran.

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to Luken]

True Luken, I think the start time is taken from the time the first starters set off. You can easily lose several seconds, if not more if you start near the back. At least I'm hoping so, so going to get nearer the front next time.

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Julian1970]

Think ELBOWS. Think SUNDIAL. Take a pair of matched Purdies or an AK-47 for the really troublesome...

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to sallenson]

I was thinking more along the lines of the James Bond film where the wheel hubs extended and cut all the tyres of the other car? Is it possible to fit those to your running shoes . . . . ?

[Ripcurlrana71]

Fantastic Julian!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to Ripcurlrana71]

Thank you very much Ripcurl

[over61andstilltrying Graduate]

A belated congratulations from me! A serious whizz! Well done you!

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Thank you 61

[Hidden]

I'd take that. Every second counts! Well done! 😁

[Julian1970 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Sutsha, looking forward to the next one tomorrow