Park Life

'Do Parkrun each week for speed training', he said, and so it was that I found myself in Lister Park this morning, awaiting Magneto and son, clutching a barcode and feeling somewhat apprehensive. I was nervous, this was my first timed 5K in 9 years, what if I couldn't get round without walking? What sort of time could I run? Could I dare hope to break the golden 30 minute barrier? 

Mass start

Navigating through pushchairs, dogs and people, half way round the first lap, I was rather surprised to find myself just behind the 29' pacer. There must have been some kind of mistake! But I didn't feel like I was running too fast, particularly downhill, so I decided that this might be a very good place to stay, sub 30' would be awesome. I kind of hoped, that by maintaining a distance of about 5 to 10m behind pace lady, wearing a fake beard and a variety of hats (OK, I made that bit up), she wouldn't notice me, but I think she did... On the last lap, she yelled, "If you want to do 29', you need to be in front of me..." I was too scared to argue and lengthened my stride accordingly, all the time thinking, "But I don't really want to be inside 29'! I just seem to have got here by mistake!". The Teeny Tiny Hill for the 3rd time was hard and the pacer overtook me again on the home straight. "Ah well," I thought, "sub 30' was my target" and retook my place about 10m behind her. But there was no escape, slogging up the final lung busting rise, round the bandstand to the finish, she yelled again, "28'30"! Come on!". And for that last 20m or so, I ran as hard as I bloody could.

Having taken my precious barcode to the bandstand, I looked for Magneto and son, who were braving the rain as they ran up the finishing straight (more of a hill than you realise), retrieved the jumpers and met them in the queue. My first Parkrun was complete.

Happy, if a little damp and windswept, Parkrun finishers.

A few hours later and the results were in: my official time of 28'43" blew my vague (and I thought, overly optimistic) 30' target out the water and my placings, overall, against other females and in my age group, were a very pleasant surprise.  Today, having convinced myself I knew my own limits, I vastly exceeded my own expectations and that made me really, really, really happy. Next week, with a huge chunk of renewed self belief thrown in, perhaps I can do even better? 

A sweaty, tired and damp Clamberer, absolutely pleased as punch.