Three weeks in a row - does that count as a hat trick?
As you can see, I'm looking very smug in the photo, largely because I completed it in about 1 1/2 minutes less than last week, and managed to keep running all the way.
Have improved the time each week. I did C25K two years ago, and did a single Parkrun then promptly put my back out, then put on lots of weight. So made the effort and redid it this week. I noticed that my distances in the C25K were less than before, so on the first parkrun decided not to overdo it and aim for 40-45 minutes. Was delighted to scrape just under 40. Then last week down to 39:30 ish, then this week 37:51. PB remains from that single parkrun from 2 years back which was 37:36, so just 15 seconds short, and a vast improvement on last week's effort!
In truth I think I could have smashed the PB, but on the first lap I got stuck behind a group of slow runners on the river towpath just after Abingdon Lock, where there was very little opportunity to overtake safely (or maybe I was just too windy!). I noticed that it seemed an easy pace, and then glanced at my watch and saw it was 8:40 per km so heading for over 40 mins. I'm pretty sure that slow patch must have cost me 15 seconds. Managed to overtake quite a few people once clear of the towpath, including a couple of people with 100 Parkruns T-shirts on! (Proud moment!). Then got overtaken by a couple of 7 year olds (not such a proud moment!)
Then in the last km, my watch indicated a WhatsApp message, which I guessed would be from my son, who was doing the Highbury Parkrun, and I thought "cr*p! he's already finished!" But the previous two weeks he's been staying with us, and did the Abingdon with me, and I didn't attempt to keep up.
I'm wondering what fuelled the improvement this week? All in all it was far more relaxed - I think I decided to focus on enjoying it, rather than worry about the time. Also on the advice of a friend, I had some breakfast before - some porridge with a teaspoon of honey about an hour before to give me some fuel.
The first week I ran all the way, but on the second week I was obliged to walk in places - I think I went off at too fast a pace, and even though I was faster the second week than the first, it was disappointing to have to walk, having run all the way the first week. So this week it was particularly pleasing to be able to keep running to the end. My Strava graph shows that I gradually increased speed throughout the run, which is the right way to do it, I think - save the hard effort till last.
All in all, definitely in a good place right now!
Cracking parkrun on Saturday
