h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That is impressive Otto! You'll have to tell us all about this technique, see if we can match it

My Parkrun was slow this week, deliberately so. Last week a friend of mine joined us, after not having done any running for about six months, and he didn't do too well. A total wake up call to his system, and finished about 28:30. In general he started off too quick, and then did spurts of activity rather than pacing himself.

So this week I ran with him, pacing him for 5:30 kilometres and pep-talking him as we went around, especially up the hill. We had a good steady rhythm going, doing the kilometres in 4:55 (downhill), 5:28, 5:25, 5:57 (uphill) and whatever the last one was. He only walked a couple of paces up the hill, until I got him running gently again, a couple of times, and even had some left in the tank for a sprint finish, getting in 27:09, knocking over a minute of his time last week.

What I found amazing about this though, was that I was able to talk to him all the way around, I didn't need to concentrate purely on my breathing, and I felt good at the finish line, enough that I could have carried on for another 5km. And my time was 27:06. 27 minutes to do a steady 5km, with no worries at all, that's a pretty good improvement from last year for me

41st Parkrun (9th Volunteer)

As the weather this week has been dull and dry, the park has had a chance to drain a bit. The temperature was cold enough to make the ground actually solid, so for the first time this year we had a solid surface to run on. Even in the really muddy areas, where they were frozen solid, but instead of being stiff, uneven and difficult to run over, the traditional damp patches of the steep bit up the hill and the bottom corner were frozen spongy.

End result? This week I came 31st, but I managed a new PB of 23:01.
Still 7th in the Points Table.

The 50th Run is in sight – anyone fancy doing the Eastleigh parkrun course in nine or ten weeks? It'll help you get on the 20 different parkruns table. (14's impressive. I've done 5, but not the one second-closest to where I live or other nearby ones. I'm trying to finish in the top ten in the points table this year.)

<PB<

Well done both!

Pastey - I've never tried pace running and I've always thought it looks really difficult, especially if you're holding yourself back a bit and judge the pacing for someone else. I struggle to do that for myself! I ran the first three quarters of my first half marathon behind a pace runner, who helped tremendously. But I have found that when I run with others and talk on the way it's a nice distraction, and seems to help.

BB - congrats on the new PB! Think there was something in the water this week - looking at my parkrun results there were a lot of PBs, even towards the front of the field. We don't have quite the same mud problem, but conditions were pretty much perfect - fairly still, cold but not too cold, dry. The downhill stretches weren't slippy or leafified, which helped.

I'm pleased to say that the changes I've made to my running form now feel permanent and natural. Essentially it's a much shorter stride pattern which forces a front foot strike, a straight back, higher arms where the main movement is backwards, not forwards. The short stride forces a forefoot strike and a straight back, running very tall, because the alternative is falling over. Speed comes from cadence, not length of stride, because longer strides have a braking effect. Or something. The legs move in a circular, cycling motion, not as two pendulums (pendula??) swinging backwards and forwards.

It's the difference between how Roadrunner runs (upright, legs a blur of motion staking short strides) and how Wile E. Coyote runs - long, lolloping strides, almost galloping. That's my analogy, not an official running coach one....

Lol, I shall channel my inner Roadrunner!

I discovered another parkrun table, which lists the new age graded category records that have been set that week. I'd have appeared on this twice in the past, but didn't see it as I didn't know the table existed, darn it. Oh well, I'm still fastest in my age group at 2 different parkruns .

Off to Bangor this weekend, to combine it with sighted-guide training. Bangor's a busy one so I don't expect to top my age group there. I've run it before in 27:27, so that's one target I have to beat. However, that was with canine assist, and I will be dogless this Saturday. My fastest dogless time is 28:35.

I've just got back from trying out a new route and am knackered and freezing! https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/470255131

The first part of it follows my old long distance route, but instead of turning right along the main road and heading into Prestwich Village, I go straight over and follow the road along and down to then turn into Philips Park at the 3km mark and join the NR6 through the park on mostly flat until I then crossed the motorway at the 6km mark. The I walked up a very steep hill, before a long, gentle uphill slope to the 7km mark, where I got lost from my original route plan, and ran through a housing estate for a couple more kilometres before getting roughly back on route at the 9km mark. Not long after that I was back on my old long route, with 9.5km where the old 4km mark was. So then along the main road for a bit before turning off and heading into Heaton Park for few kilometres until I reached the 14km mark in 1:26:48.

There were a few stretches where I walked a bit, but in general I felt like it was a good run, and a route I think I'll tweak a bit to make it 15km and then do again.

PartkRun 42

As it was Valentine's Day, it was a 'Wear Red' themed run, so all the Centurions got all their old '50' Parkrun T-Shirts out again.

Saturday to Thursday, the weather was dry and perfect. Alas, it rained non-stop from early Friday morning to the early hours of Saturday morning, with some heavy downpours, meaning the course was once again very muddy. So my time was 24:38 (I'd hoped to get 24:42 which would be 24:42 backwards), and I came 30th out of 148.

<BB<

A cross country for me this weekend. It's an event my club organise as part of a regional league, and so had to provide most of the marshals. I was very happy to marshal and let our faster runners compete, but there didn't seem to be much appetite for running. I was told it was an infamously tough course.

So I wasn't exactly filled with confidence ahead of this one, especially as I only had trail shoes rather than spikes. But it wasn't that muddy, and probably because I approached the race relatively cautiously in terms of saving energy, I was pretty pleased with how I did. Had to walk a few steep sections because of weight of numbers on the first lap, and a few on the second because of tiredness, but I ran most of the toughest hill climb. I could have done better by starting further up the field and perhaps being held up a bit less on the first lap, but it's very hard to judge these things.

I've changed my regular 10k route for a bit of variety and to add in an extra hill. Need to get training... first half marathon of the year is in a month or so.

I had to pull out of this week's Parkrun. I did a bit too much walking in my cycling shoes (no soles, hardly any grip) on Friday and had a bit of an ache at the bottom of my shin. When I started running it started to make itself known more, rather than warming up as I hoped it would. By the bottom of the first hill I decided that running any further would be a bad idea, so I pulled up and out after 800m. Which was a shame as I'd got a great start, not hemmed in by anyone and was doing a nice flat, fast pace that I felt I could have kept up all the way around.

But, it was a good job I stopped, as even walking back up to the start/finish to pick up my fleece and wait for the others to finish ended up being a painful limp

Ouch – sorry to hear that.

Parkrun 43, and there was a brass band theme this week. Since the wet course last week it has done nothing but rain, meaning that though they tweaked the course again to try and avoid the boggiest bits, I simply couldn't find any solid ground to run on for much of the course, so I was a much slower 25:23 and finished 45th. Still, I'm back up to 6th in the points table (mainly because a lot of regulars were absent, I think the Winchester 10k was the following day).

That reminds me, I've got to start getting some distance running in. The Eastleigh 10k is next month and I'm still trying to decide whether or not to go for the first Southampton Half in April. I'd like to, but with the weather so cold and wet it’s difficult to get the training in.

<BB<

Yikes - hope you're fully recovered, Pastey. And well done on stopping... not easy to stop once you've started. There are other days and other great starts.

21:35 at Parkrun this week... 12 seconds off my PB, but still my second fastest time ever. I think I was running behind the same lad I was following when I got my PB, and decided to try to stay with him again as best I could. No way I could catch him - not even sure how much he was trying... he has one of those apparently-effortless running styles - but I thought I'd get a good time if I could keep him in sight. It's a bit depressing when you realise you're using a 14(ish) year old as your pace runner, but it's not about comparisons!

Sunday was my first long run of the year, long overdue given I've got a half marathon in a few weeks. I've only gone past 10k this year on club training nights, and that's typically 50% running slowly to/from the venue and then drills during, with a bit of resting or bodyweight exercises in between. So I took a bit of a risk and went for my the shortest version of my longest route, knowing I could always stop and walk. I made the half marathon distance, with only the last 2k or so being a bit slow, but by then I'm off the paths and have to worry about crossing roads etc. Feel fine today, but really glad I did it. The half I've entered apparently has three hills, two of them quite tough, but I'm reasonably confident about it, even if the hills make a PB unlikely.

Bit of Parkrun tourism this week.... Tralee Parkrun in County Kerry.

3 laps of a nice "largely flat" course along concrete paths, so plenty of PB potential. I took 10 seconds off my previous fastest time which was set over my usual much hillier course, so although it was a PB I didn't feel like it was a particularly good run. It was also my first top ten finish, and although that's just a function of who else is there on the day, it's nice to have done it.

One challenge of a 3 lap course is lapping slower runners/walkers, and it was interesting to see just how many people were either run-walking, or just walking. A much higher proportion of participants were walk-running or just walking the whole course than I've seen at any other parkrun, and it's great to see how inclusive the event was and how many people participated (129 in only their 6th week of operation). But it did mean a bit of weaving in and out because many people walked in groups across the whole path, which was a bit frustrating at times. I don't think it would take much to establish an etiquette to let faster runners through, but the last thing I'd want to do is to put anyone off - this was by far and away the most inclusive event I've seen.

About three weeks ago I did a run with the running club having not run for a while, and most of the usual people I run with weren't there, so I ran with a different lot as well as a couple of people I recognised. I just couldn't keep up and felt so exhausted and knackered by the end of it, I was very disappointed.

Last Thursday I went back to the running club and saw most of the old crowd there, and did the Eastleigh 10k route, which I finished quite comfortably. The other people I'd run with before were there and were now in a more advanced group. I now realise that before I was stuggling to run 10k at a 8min/mile pace, which I can do for 6-7k but I know I can't sustain for longer, but last week I was happily able to run 10k at a 9min/mile pace and left the run feeling so much happier.

Still, to my 44th Parkrun – after a further week of rain the route was boggy that the hill had stretches where you'd put your foot down and water would cover your shoes. Yet despite it being much, much wetter than last week, I ran well and knocked 10 seconds off from last time, coming in at 25:13 at 36th out of 145, still 6th in the Points Table.

Eastleigh 10k is in 3 weeks and I'm seriously considering signing up to the Southampton Half.

<BB<

I had an amazing Park Run this weekend! For reference, my previous PB was 24:39 and I was running a fair few days a week then.

Since my injury last week, I only did a short 3.43km run on Thursday, this was over the course I used to do when first trying to build up distance (yes, 3km was a distance I struggled to go past ) and even though my knee and ankle twinged a bit, it felt like a pretty decent run, with hills, and came in at 17:51.

This Saturday however, no pain in my ankle/shin at all, and I made sure I warmed up well. I did however still have a twinge in my knee, and over the first kilometre of the run it was playing up a bit. Not as much as my ankle/shin the previous week though, so I thought I'd keep going. By the second kilometre It'd warmed up properly and thankfully I didn't have any more problems with it.
I got a reasonably good start, quite near the front so I wasn't boxed in too much. The first kilometre was in 4:27, which while not the fastest I've done that downhill stretch was still pretty quick, and I didn't feel at all stretched, so I kept the pace up and the second kilometre, with a bit of hill and some undulating bits came in at 5:04. And still I wasn't struggling with breathing at all. It was a good rhythm for both pace and breathing, and felt pretty good still so I ploughed on and the third kilometre came in at 5:01! This was probably where I made my mistake, because having three quick (for me) kilometres with a good start meant that I was with a large group of pretty fit runners, and was pacing along with them for the big uphill. By the time I got to the top, my hat and gloves had come off and I was breathing rather heavily, but the fourth kilometre was still only 5:27, leaving only the undulating bit through the woods at the back of the hall, the small uphill corner, and the long finish straight to do. I'd just hit the twenty minute mark, and really wanted to get in sub-twenty-five, but I was pretty much struggling for air by now. However, I was also pretty much boxed in and couldn't get to the side easily without ruining someone else's run. Which meant I kept going. And boy did I go! I smashed my personal best, and finished in 24:04, which meant I must have done the last kilometre in 4:05!!

I finished in 105th place, the 96th male in a field of 476 runners! Just a little happy with that!

Otto, can you mention the course in the Parkrun thread? Just so it is easier for me to find later on.

<BB<

Will do, BB - congrats on the improved time. It is funny how - in spite of our best efforts - we judge ourselves by the people around us. It's always tough being among the weakest in any group. I've never felt so dispirited as after a bad day at the office during the county cross country championships - even though my common sense told me it was a much stronger field than average.

Well done on the PB, Pastey. Outstanding running! How much of it was due to being surrounded by faster runners, and how much to do with having an (enforced) break for much of the week before? Or a bit of both?

I think it was a little of both, but mostly I think it was being amongst the faster runners! There was one bloke in particular who was panting/grunting as much (more actually) as me, and I kept thinking, if he could keep going, then so could I!

I somehow don't think I'll be able to match it for a while though, I need to work towards a good 10km time, but it did feel good when I heard my time shouted out as I crossed the line!

At Eastleigh the policy is that if you are lapping others, those in front have right of way, but generally I only lap about 10-20 people and they're usually quite spaced out along the last lap, so it isn't a problem. Especially as running on a grass course, you have loads of grass (mud) either side of them to overtake them on. The only narrow bit is weaving through the trees at the top.

I've gone and done it and signed up for the Southampton Half - I've 8 weeks in which to get fit.

<BB<

I have to admit, getting boxed on (and I'm guessing from posts lapping) is starting to be a bit of a problem with Park Runs, and is likely to get more so as they keep getting more and more popular.

I seem to be saving 30 to 60 seconds when I manage to get away cleanly. I do wonder if they might need to look into organising the starts to have the faster runners at the front, based on previous PBs or estimated times

Today's run was another long training run. I want to make sure I can *finally* do the Manchester 10km in under an hour, so I'm aiming to do runs around the 12km mark as training for it. And this time I didn't get lost.

The run started out along my usual road route, then carried on further away, getting to a long downhill stretch before turning right into Philips Park on the National Cycle Route 6, up a steep slope, across the motorway, along a long uphill slope before flat off road running, then back onto roads, back over the motorway, uphill a bit more, then steadily gently downhill along the road before heading into Heaton Park for the last little bit.

Split times today of 5:27, 5:20 (including waiting for traffic), 5:09 (downhill), 5:18, 4:58, 5:24, 8:05 (steep uphill, walked a bit), 5:52, 6:08, 5:47 (10km 57:28), 7:44 (walking after the 10km, getting breath back) and 5:51.

All told, quite a nice run.

I had a rather enjoyable 10k run on Saturday.

I was in the beautiful surrounds of Castlewellan Forest, where I'd helped to plant the Peace Maze 15 years ago. This was the last in a series of 6 "Run Forest Run" events, and those who'd done 5 out of the 6 got a special T shirt, of which I was very jealous. But circumstances had meant I wasn't able to do that many.

I found it tricky going, lots of hills. I hit the 5 k mark at 33 mins, and doubling that and adding on a bit though I'd be home in about 1 hr 8mins. The second half was much hillier, and I walked up some of the steep ones, but flew down the other side, overtaking a few others en route. In the last km, I channelled my inner Roadrunner, and only one person overtook me. Finish time 1 hr 4 mins which I'm pretty pleased about.