Playing away... the more you do it, the more you want to do it again!

It started with a suggestion made on Facebook.  I'd been listening to the parkrun show and the host, Danny, waxed lyrical about a small parkrun in North London.  I'd noticed Pymmes parkrun as I'd perused the parkrun site and always thought it would be interesting to run - with around 10 - 15 runners every week it would be very different to Basingstoke.

So, in a moment of rashness, I asked some Basingstoke regulars if they fancied a road trip.  They did.  At just gone 7am this morning, having driven over to Basingstoke, I did point out that it was their job to stop me when I came up with daft ideas that involved getting up early at the weekend! 

On arrival at Pymmes Park we got out of the car and looked around, unsure as to where the actual start was.  Luckily one of the volunteers parked just behind us and pointed us in the right direction - about 20' from where we had parked.  Despite a brisk wind the weather was much more pleasant than the last two parkrundays!  There was blue sky and a bit of sunshine too.  

Lining up at the start, all 14 of us, was very strange.  I stood next to the guys I'd travelled up with.  Big mistake, HUGE!   They are all much faster than me, I think I managed to keep up with the 'slowest' of the three until the first corner, when I said 'I'm too bloody old for this' (I was trying to keep up with a 17 year old!) and fell back.  I have to say that, had someone told me about the pond with the geese I may have reconsidered going to Pymmes Park.  I am not a huge fan of birds, especially geese!  By the second corner I was convinced I was last.  With such a small field, despite the fact that it was three laps, it felt a bit lonely out there!  I did eventually lap a few people, but I wasn't entirely sure if they were parkrunning until I saw them go through the finish funnel.  About a quarter of the way through the second lap I overlook the bloke in the photo above.  It was good to be able to hear someone else behind me - I just hoped that I could stay ahead.  While he spurred me on  a bit in the final lap his younger legs were too much for me - about 300 metres before the finish he pulled ahead and I couldn't catch him.  Maybe if he'd left it a bit later if I'd have stood a chance.

As it was I finished 8th, as second lady.  Our little touring group ended up being first, third and fourth (first lady) to finish, so I rather let the side down!  We had great fun though, and cooked breakfasts were enjoyed at Mario's Café (I think it was) after the race, where we chatted with Pymmes Park regulars and volunteers.  I have to say that Pymmes parkrun was the most welcoming parkrun I have visited - if you get a chance to go along do take it.  Great fun, fast, flat course and friendly people.



This blog post, along other general wittering about running, teaching, life and food, is also posted on:http://mrsbridgewater.blogspot.co.uk

parkrun stats of the week...23rd March 2013

The parkrun statistics of note for this week are:

196 parkrun events run (down 19 on last week, due to the weather in the UK)
16,094 runners, down 8,588 on last week. This is the lowest since the 26th January.

The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 82.1 (down 32.7 on last week). This is the lowest average attendance for quite some time.

Just 3 events (the lowest I have ever seen) recorded new record attendances this week, as follows:

Event		Record Attendance
Claisebrook Cove		156
Llyn Llech Owain		64
North Beach		90

The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
Amager Faelled  146 28/08/2010

And in the UK it's:

Waterworks

215

23/04/2011

The highest attendance this week was 463 at Bushy Park, far lower than their usual turnout these days.

The lowest attendance this week was just 6 at Newent parkrun and Concord parkrun.

5 new male course records set this week:

Event	Athlete	Time
Claisebrook Cove	Dean MENZIES	15:25
Delta	Ishmael MOLELE	16:43
Llyn Llech Owain	John COLLIER	17:40
Mulbarton	Sam MACGIBBON	18:47
Thetford	Martin GEAR	18:06

5 new female course records set this week:

Event		Athlete	Time
Delta		Mekdas BEYENE	17:20
Llyn Llech Owain		Caryl DAVIES	22:34
Sunrise-on-Sea		Stephanie ACKERMANN	24:00
Roodepoort		Ann BONIWELL	20:06
Havant		Jessica CHEN	19:02

31 runners ran times under 17 minutes this week. 4 of these runners ran under 16 minutes.
The fastest parkrunner in the World this Week was Dean Menzies, running 15:25 at Claisebrook Cove parkrun.

The fastest 5 were as follows:

Event		Athlete	Time
Claisebrook Cove		Dean MENZIES	15:25
Brighton & Hove		C J SMITH	15:39
Braunstone		Unknown ATHLETE	15:59
Edinburgh		Andrew DOUGLAS	15:59
Cardiff		Pete WOODWARD	16:05

132 new category records were set across all parkrun events this weekend.

The top age grade performance this week was:

Event		Athlete	Time	Age Group	Age Grade
Cambridge		Mary HOLMES	27:30	VW75-79	89.76%

The fastest freedom run on the "most recent 100" list at the moment is:

Runner	Date	Location	Run Time
Paul GRANGE	25/03/2013	Barking	16:35

2 of 4

At the start of the year I set myself 4 PB challenges for this spring/summer.

5km at parkrun, 5 miles, 10km and half marathon.

A few weeks ago I completely unexpectedly got myself a new parkrun PB. That was number 1 of 4.

Last weekend it was the turn of the half marathon. Seeing as I am only entering the one half marathon this spring, it was an all or nothing attempt to stick to the plan for 4 PBs.

My history with the half marathon is chequered to say the least. I have always thought that the half marathon was just a bit too far for me and I had only done 2 before last Sunday.

My first was the ill fated (for me) Great North Run in 2004 where I ran too fast and ended up being carried over the line and straight into the medical tent with severe dehydration, then suffering memory loss before being transferred to hospital. Not a great debut.

My second was the Coventry half marathon in 2009 where it was purely about laying demons to rest. I set my PB of 1:33:47 that day.

This time round I felt sure of a PB, was confident I could go under 1 hour 30 minutes and to be honest I was aiming for 1 hour 25 minutes and felt confident I could do it.

There was a little panic after the car parking fiasco and I had to run from the car to the start line via toilets and the baggage area. I then had to dodge between a couple of thousand runners to work my way near to the front in the third row. This was the furthest forward I have ever placed myself at the start of a big run but common sense told me this was where I now belong.

I started comfortably, holding back really, but it was still only just over 6 minute mile pace by 2 miles. I was running with my brother and a friend and we then forced ourselves to slow to closer to 6:30 minute miles for the next 3 miles to ensure we didn't run out of steam.

By mile 6 I was like a coiled spring and was desperate to pick up the pace. The other two clearly weren't up for that and after them telling me to go for it a few times and a 10 metre gap opening up after a water stop, I decided that was the time to make my break.

I was probably in around 30th place at the time and my sudden step change in pace back down to 6 minute miles saw me quickly start catching and passing other runners.

From 6 miles on I basically ran the half marathon alone apart from catching and passing runners. At least I knew the cheers and clapping from the spectators was all for me as I went passed on my own.

I used a technique I haven't used before where all I thought about was aiming to be as close to 6 minutes for each mile. Other than being sure I was ahead of 1:25:00 pace I didn't think too much beyond a mile at a time.

I also decided fairly early on that I was going to maintain the same pace to the finish. I was really enjoying my run, I was ahead of schedule and I didn't fancy a fast finish over a number of miles purely to gain another minute when I was already on for a huge PB. The upshot was that I loved every minute of it and ran at a comfortable pace the whole way.

At around 12.5 miles I caught and passed the lead woman. I always seem to do this near to the end of runs!

As I approached the finish line I saw my wife and kids, which was a lovely way to finish the run.

My finish (chip) time was 1:21:50 for a new PB by 11 minutes 57 seconds and i had smashed even my most optimistic of targets (1:25) by over 3 minutes!

Job well and truly done! PB target 2 of 4 for the spring/summer achieved.

Next up its my first attempt (of the year) at a 10km PB in just 2 weeks time. The 10km will be the toughest of all my PB attempts. I'll let you know how I get on.