The Parkrun Chronicles – From Windy Sprints to January Dreams
7:44am, 20th Oct 2024 | Stubbington 10Km | 6 Comments
Blog by 2triornot2tri
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Ah, Parkrun. The place where we chase personal bests, dodge puddles, and occasionally pretend to enjoy running in the rain. Over the last couple of months, my running story has transformed from, “Will I survive this?” to, “How fast can I push this?”
The Progress: From Jog to Blitz
Let’s rewind to August 24th – a solid 23:28 Parkrun time. Not too shabby, but it was more “casual jogger with dreams of brunch” than “elite triathlete in training.” But then something happened. Training clicked, the legs got stronger, and the pounds started shedding like my will to watch TV instead of running. Cue October 5th: BAM – 19:46. That’s a nearly four-minute jump in just over a month. Somewhere, my August self is still gasping.
Now, flash forward to October 19th. Windy. Wet. And I made the brave (read: foolish) decision to hammer out a 10-mile run the day before. So, naturally, my pacing was all over the place – like a toddler chasing a butterfly. But, even with the conditions and my questionable life choices, I clocked a 19:36. Wind resistance = beaten. Just imagine what I could do if I actually rested for a race!
The Secret Sauce: 10+ Hour Weeks & Shrinking Waistlines
For the last six weeks, I’ve been in training beast mode. Consistently hitting over 10 hours per week, the sweat equity is paying off. Oh, and there’s the minor detail of dropping over 5kg. Every pound shed is another little burst of speed when I hit the pavement.
The January 10K Prediction: Will the Wind Gods Play Nice?
So, what’s on the horizon? I’m eyeing up that January 12th 10K with a gleam in my eye and a whole lot of confidence in my legs. With the recent gains and some strategic pacing (yes, I’ve learned my lesson from the butterfly chase), I’m setting my sights on a sub-40 minute 10K. Heck, if the stars align and it’s neither hurricane season nor “pre-race 10-mile jog” season, I’d even aim for 38-39 minutes.
Here’s the thing: I’m already faster in bad conditions, and the weight is dropping. With continued training, who knows? I could be hunting that podium or, at the very least, impressing myself by January.
One thing’s for sure: The journey is going to be amusing, sweaty, and maybe involve fewer windy, wet disasters. Watch this space!
(Are you disappointed that was by ChatGPT 😂)
The Progress: From Jog to Blitz
Let’s rewind to August 24th – a solid 23:28 Parkrun time. Not too shabby, but it was more “casual jogger with dreams of brunch” than “elite triathlete in training.” But then something happened. Training clicked, the legs got stronger, and the pounds started shedding like my will to watch TV instead of running. Cue October 5th: BAM – 19:46. That’s a nearly four-minute jump in just over a month. Somewhere, my August self is still gasping.
Now, flash forward to October 19th. Windy. Wet. And I made the brave (read: foolish) decision to hammer out a 10-mile run the day before. So, naturally, my pacing was all over the place – like a toddler chasing a butterfly. But, even with the conditions and my questionable life choices, I clocked a 19:36. Wind resistance = beaten. Just imagine what I could do if I actually rested for a race!
The Secret Sauce: 10+ Hour Weeks & Shrinking Waistlines
For the last six weeks, I’ve been in training beast mode. Consistently hitting over 10 hours per week, the sweat equity is paying off. Oh, and there’s the minor detail of dropping over 5kg. Every pound shed is another little burst of speed when I hit the pavement.
The January 10K Prediction: Will the Wind Gods Play Nice?
So, what’s on the horizon? I’m eyeing up that January 12th 10K with a gleam in my eye and a whole lot of confidence in my legs. With the recent gains and some strategic pacing (yes, I’ve learned my lesson from the butterfly chase), I’m setting my sights on a sub-40 minute 10K. Heck, if the stars align and it’s neither hurricane season nor “pre-race 10-mile jog” season, I’d even aim for 38-39 minutes.
Here’s the thing: I’m already faster in bad conditions, and the weight is dropping. With continued training, who knows? I could be hunting that podium or, at the very least, impressing myself by January.
One thing’s for sure: The journey is going to be amusing, sweaty, and maybe involve fewer windy, wet disasters. Watch this space!
(Are you disappointed that was by ChatGPT 😂)
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