parkrun: crash and burn

[Colinsmith]

Well, it’s no good only using these forums to gloat about triumphs is it? So despite saying to Roseabi that I’d be sulking and not posting this week if I didn’t beat my parkrun PB yesterday, I thought I’d front up.

Hackney Marshes is one of the flattest, fastest parkrun courses in the country; and therefore a Mecca for deluded old runners in London like me to test their best time. It’s actually not the nicest route though, and out and back with a little extra ‘spur’ out and back near the end; so 2 very tight turns to negotiate. My previous best there was 20:00 last year, so I was looking for that all important second off that time.

I was feeling confident, even cocky yesterday. And so I went out too fast. 3m50s for the first km. Come 4km I was flagging badly at 4m22s, really feeling the earlier pace and feeling dehydrated. If I’d still been in good form I could have made the time back, but frankly I gave up. 20m51s and lessons learned. Don’t get cocky, don’t assume you’re getting faster over one distance just because you’re getting faster over a different distance. Some days it’s just not your day. And one PB has to be your last one I guess! 😁

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

Pride goeth before a fall.... or so they say. At least you stayed upright and finished to fight again. 👍😉😎

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

It does indeed!

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Makes the next PB easier to attain if that's any consolation? Bummer for you though. Hope you're not taking it out on those nearest and dearest to you As you say, we live and learn - better luck next time.

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Ah no, I got home and my better half asked how it had gone. ‘I failed’ I said. Then she said ‘What, you finished didn’t you? So no you didn’t fail’ and just shook her head at how daft I am. We had a nice day after that.

Fully aware of how trivial it is to run marginally faster than the last time, but we all have to push ourselves one way or another I guess.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to Colinsmith]

Trivial? Errr. I don't think so! That's about as heinous as the f word!

[roseabi Ultramarathon]

Good work, sir, excellent post! And I'm sure your last PB will happen many years hence 😊😊😊

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to roseabi]

Hmmmm. 🤔 We’ll see. Maybe a little trip to Edinburgh - that’s meant to be a fast one. Not that I’m obsessed. Honest. 😄

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

...I guess it helps when missing a new PB is still super speedy!! Well done on your run anyway - and here's hoping you bring that time down a little another day!🙂

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

Our home Parkrun is the equivalent 2nd easiest at Southsea, and assumed that our VRB from Portsmouth Lakeside (which has slopes and different running surfaces) would PB with us on Saturday. But it wasn’t to be. Maybe PBs are best achieved at a familiar Parkrun?

Having not got to sub 30 yet, I’m hoping my PBs will continue to follow and I think you are incredibly fast.

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy. These things are all relative I guess. I was pretty quick as an athlete at school but stopped due to dodgy knees, beer and music. I’m in my late 40’s now having done C25k a couple of years back, and although it’s fun to see how fast I can go, you can tell the people with real natural talent.

I did a hilly 10k race last week where I snuck into the top 20% at around 46mins. The winner was also in the over 40’s age group, in the frankly insane time of 33m13s! So it’s not about competing with the likes of him, just oneself.

Good luck getting to sub-30; got to keep chipping away! Does your parkrun have paced weeks? I find them really helpful in getting to new goals. I really enjoy the challenge of running as a pacer too.

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Colinsmith]

No we don’t have pacers. I think they find it hard enough to find volunteers for the essential tasks for the run. Very sad when you think of how many people run it each week.

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

It’s always the 1st run of the month at ours. People are happy to do it, I think as you still run but get a volunteer credit as well. And a run at a slightly more comfortable pace! 🙂 Less volunteers at the quicker end though...

[C3PO Marathon]

I think we’ve all got our predictions wrong at some point or other. I agree with roseabi , your last PB is probably a ways off.

[Decker Ultramarathon]

Great post Colin! This just means that PB will be that much more memorable when you snag it!

[Lordi Marathon]

Being humbled does us good, although no one enjoys it while it's actually happening! I was cruisings to a sub 2hr HM recently with 10k, 15k and 10 mile PBs before the wheels came off! I only had to just jog the last 4k to smash my PB but I got bad cramp and had to walk/slow jog on and off to yhe line. Still posted a PB by 20s by some miracle, but lesson learned - I'll be targetting nibbling away at my PB only in future and not trying to knock great chunks out if it...

[Colinsmith Half Marathon in reply to Lordi]

Next time for you, definitely Lordi. So close! For me, it’s only 1 second, on one run. I think it’s the pressure that’s getting to me! 😆