Discussion
PB attempt this morning at Cardiff, hoping for 18:40 - 18:45 or so. Perfect conditions for racing with bone dry ground and no gusts of wind on the course. A slow 4th km let me down for 18:57, so more 5k pace work needed.
Got chatting to a visiting runner like myself on his 248th run from Southampton, with most of his runs completed on that course!
Got chatting to a visiting runner like myself on his 248th run from Southampton, with most of his runs completed on that course!
I had my first go at trying to run fast (sub-20) this year. The run felt horrible and I got a really bad stitch under my left shoulder blade about 3.5k in that slowed me down a fair chunk. Thankfully 250m out i looked at my watch and realised that somehow sub-20 was still on. Managed to scrape in at 19:59 after a sprint finish. However i ran horribly and my legs felt awful the next day. Think it's time for al ittle technique coaching again.
m444ttb said:
I had my first go at trying to run fast (sub-20) this year. The run felt horrible and I got a really bad stitch under my left shoulder blade about 3.5k in that slowed me down a fair chunk. Thankfully 250m out i looked at my watch and realised that somehow sub-20 was still on. Managed to scrape in at 19:59 after a sprint finish. However i ran horribly and my legs felt awful the next day. Think it's time for al ittle technique coaching again.
Good lad. Only one second between 19:59 and 20:00 but it's so satisfying to sneak under.Edited by Cybertronian on Tuesday 26th May 13:46
Reading some of these posts is giving me some good perspective. Started doing 5K runs with the OH who wants to get into it. We're both swimmers, we both hate running, her especially so. But I have been running at her pace, or just ahead, so that she doesn't get disheartened by me disappearing off and rounding a corner to find me doing pressups whilst waiting for her.
We've been hitting low 30 minute times for 5k on routes that are probably about 40% cross country (not a lot of flat tarmac to run on here). This is great for her and its really working her. For me, I don't think my HR gets up to much. Certainly not out of breath. Its the knees that give in first. I am wondering what I could do for 5K if left to my own devices and thought maybe 20 minute mark would be where I am at.... Not sure now having read peoples posts! I think I'd be blowing out my arse if I tried to aim for that (if the knees didn't explode first, the curse of swimming)!
What is more, I have also just watched a friend do a Tri at Holme Pierre Pont and she went 20 minutes for the 5K at the end! After a swim and a bike! And she's short! and she was still all smiles at the end! I am now thinking that run was even more impressive than it first seemed!
We've been hitting low 30 minute times for 5k on routes that are probably about 40% cross country (not a lot of flat tarmac to run on here). This is great for her and its really working her. For me, I don't think my HR gets up to much. Certainly not out of breath. Its the knees that give in first. I am wondering what I could do for 5K if left to my own devices and thought maybe 20 minute mark would be where I am at.... Not sure now having read peoples posts! I think I'd be blowing out my arse if I tried to aim for that (if the knees didn't explode first, the curse of swimming)!
What is more, I have also just watched a friend do a Tri at Holme Pierre Pont and she went 20 minutes for the 5K at the end! After a swim and a bike! And she's short! and she was still all smiles at the end! I am now thinking that run was even more impressive than it first seemed!
Cybertronian said:
Oh dear. Somebody's spray painted the following on to the main path where the start and finish of the Cardiff Parkrun course is.
Looks like a random park user has some beef with the event, though the local council think the Parkrun team have done it to warn other park users!
I wouldn't be sure it's not a parkrunner - we have a few obsessive types (running attracts them it seems!) who get irate with other walkers on the route despite the weekly reminder we share the paths. Looks like a random park user has some beef with the event, though the local council think the Parkrun team have done it to warn other park users!
Flay said:
My Wife and I did our first Park Run in Arrow Valley in Redditch last week, I was just glad to run the whole 5k with no walking in a time of just under 36 minutes. This is the first time we've run 5k in one go.
Will be looking to slowly improve over the next few months.
Good work!Will be looking to slowly improve over the next few months.
When I started running in January my first parkrun time was 35 minutes. My times are improving and I'm now down to 26 minutes on a good day.
Try not to be "put off" by they guys posting about their sub-20 minute times. They are pretty fast!!!
Flay said:
Cheers, I won't. Aiming for 25 ish by the end of the year.
That is a good target.There is a world of difference between people who have always been runners and those who come into it later in life and you are always doing better than the 95% of the population who cannot run 5k at all and are probably still in bed on a Saturday morning.
Agree with that. I started running aged 40 (as did quite a few of my old friends from school, clearly reaching a point where needed to attack the middle aged spread 
) and was about 35 mins on my first parkrun. I'm now regularly under 27 with a PB of 26:26, but achieved that by recreational running rather than following any proper training plan. I've no doubt I could go faster if I put the effort in to train properly but I'm lazy and happy with the slow improvement I'm seeing
) and was about 35 mins on my first parkrun. I'm now regularly under 27 with a PB of 26:26, but achieved that by recreational running rather than following any proper training plan. I've no doubt I could go faster if I put the effort in to train properly but I'm lazy and happy with the slow improvement I'm seeing RizzoTheRat said:
Agree with that. I started running aged 40 (as did quite a few of my old friends from school, clearly reaching a point where needed to attack the middle aged spread ) and was about 35 mins on my first parkrun. I'm now regularly under 27 with a PB of 26:26, but achieved that by recreational running rather than following any proper training plan. I've no doubt I could go faster if I put the effort in to train properly but I'm lazy and happy with the slow improvement I'm seeing
Running is such a dangerous sport in that it is so easy to compare yourself to others when often you don't have a clue what their background is.) and was about 35 mins on my first parkrun. I'm now regularly under 27 with a PB of 26:26, but achieved that by recreational running rather than following any proper training plan. I've no doubt I could go faster if I put the effort in to train properly but I'm lazy and happy with the slow improvement I'm seeing I also started at 40 and did my first parkrun in just over 25 minutes and about a year ago ran my PB of 21:28. That was probably the last time I actually ran parkrun with the intention of setting a time.
When I compare my times with a number of the guys of a similar age from our club I am at least 2 minutes off the slowest of them.
I did a race on Sunday where there weren't many of the principal club runners taking part - got the results and I was 4th in my age category missing 3rd by some 7 seconds (out of just under 38 minutes).
You can always compare yourself to others but it's best off just running against what you want to be able to do and as long as you are getting what you want out of running (in my case some mental space) then that's what matters.
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