Tag: parkrun

It was actually my 150th parkrun today, but I totally forgot about that until I was about half a mile into the run! I am way too disorganised with parkrun at the moment to mark these things in any way (I didn’t even know which parkrun I was going to until last night as Geth had changed his mind since we last discussed it), but it’s nice to tick off another complete 50. Onwards to 200 and 250 eventually I hope.

The run itself was a bit disappointing today (no energy) but I found my cheap trail shoes did better with the gravel than other pairs I’ve tried on the Moor recently, so I’ll stick with them for now.

No picture today as I only remembered to take a picture of my token, which isn’t very interesting! Will wait for the official ones.

Pre-GNR marshalling at Jesmond Dene this morning (at our favourite marshal points).

Bit mizzly this morning but that’s fine. Ideally it’ll stay cool-ish for the race tomorrow.

No parkrun next weekend as will be travelling.

Back to Pendle today to take on the hills again – and I got a course PB of 35:10, which was great! I feel like my fitness has improved a bit recently.

Next target for Pendle is sub-35 – a formality on most courses I frequent but I find this one really does add five minutes!

Some pre-GNR volunteering next week.

Took it easy on the Moor this morning rather than chasing a fast time. Saving the energy for tomorrow’s longer run. No photo today as I forgot to take one, though I’m sure I’ll find some online soon!

I still haven’t found a pair of running shoes that can cope well with the Moor’s gravel. My magic Sauconys don’t get on with it, and for today’s easy run I tested my On shoes (a fairly new pair that are becoming a good everyday option). They felt okay until a ton of gravel started getting stuck in the big gaps in the soles! Back to the drawing board. I’ve always just put up with it in the past but it feels like it’s getting worse recently.

A bit further afield next week.

Monthly volunteering slot this morning. Ran home after 🙂

We were at our favourite marshal point either side of the bridge – it’s early in the course so it’s a good point for getting away earlier! A few tourists commenting on how tough the course was as they passed me – didn’t have the heart to tell them about the huge hill coming up…

Running again next week, but won’t be chasing a fast time until after the GNR.

Back on the Moor today! No photo as I forgot to take one and I’m blogging too early to wait for the official ones.

I tried for sub-30 with Geth pacing again. Unfortunately it just wasn’t happening this morning – the magic shoes struggle a bit on the gravel of the moor paths – but I did manage 31:39, staying consistent with recent improvements. I’m going to keep trying, and if I’ve not managed it by the time of the GNR then I’ll give it a bit more focus in the autumn.

Ticking off the last of the three parkruns currently available for the southwest corner of Scotland. Crichton is a lovely setting as it’s a big park with lots of old medical buildings dotted around. However, I didn’t really notice any of that as I was going round today, as I was killing myself trying to get sub-30 (paced by Geth)!

Crichton, I would say, has ‘medium undulation’. It’s not insanely hilly but it’s certainly not flat. As such, it felt much harder than doing the pancake-flat Agnew a fortnight ago. I didn’t quite get my sub-30 – I finished in 30:25 – but I’m going to keep trying, as I can feel it’s close now.

The plan is to be back on Town Moor next week, so maybe then…

I was in two minds this morning about whether to push the speed a bit in my magic shoes at Jesmond Dene. It was a real struggle even to get out of bed as it’s been a slightly tiring week, so I was tempted to wear ploddy shoes instead and take it really easy. However, I did want to see what the shoes could do on a slower and hillier course, and it was great once I got going. I was only 16 seconds slower than my Jesmond Dene PB in the end, and that was set nearly three years ago. I feel like there’s a lot of room for improvement if I go about it the right way this autumn.

Further afield again next week.