Ha, AG: 81.95% today. Some advantages to giving you 15 years…
I can’t seem to start fast enough to get in a group these days. I end up picking off the fast starters as they get shelled, but still end up with a 50-100m gap to the front group. Maybe if I actually did some running faster than 5K pace…
No catching the kid out front today, recon he would have given you a run for your money on flat tarmac, he complained about lapped traffic preventing him getting sub-17, he was still a minute clear of everyone else. If I could get a sub-18 again I’d be happy, need to keep searching out the fast courses!
Did the Colby ParkRun 10 miles out of Tenby this morning.
Great setting, but as it was a 3 lapper on narrowish paths with a short out & back it struggled to cope with the influx of IM wankers & supporters…also another frustratingly short course, I clocked it at 4.7km.
Briefly chatted with @Toyota_Crown who had a full gas run ahead of tomorrow’s shenanigans.
International parkrun for me this week, as in New York with the family having been out here working in earlier in the week. The family didn’t join me as it was a 7:14 train followed by a taxi go get to the closest one.
As I stepped off the train I spotted another obvious parkrunner, who was wearing a vest for one of the other Swindon clubs. Shared a taxi with him, with a driver called Lebanon, who I’d read about in one of their recent race reports. He’s a bit of a legend who one week decided to run parkrun having driven so many people to it, wearing his driving gear.
Having checked recent results I knew P1 might be possible, depending on who showed up, people quicker than me were generally tourists (who make up a significant portion of the runners each week). Seeing a guy doing a serious warmup in a pair of Vaporfly and then spotting someone else in VF, I had some doubts (I had my Streakfly as I find them very comfortable for walking). Also my diet this week has been far from ideal, fully taking on the US culinary delights and portions.
Quite a few tourists there, a younger lad from the UK took the early lead, I tucked in behind him and and then VF wearer (not the one doing the warmups) stormed past, and gave up thoughts of “winning”. I suspected the younger lad might fade (more than me) and at 2k I overtook him. At this point I realised VF guy had stopped pulling away and in fact was coming back to us.
At the half way turn around (it was an out and back) he’d really slowed and was holding his side, and shortly after this found myself rather unexpectedly taking the lead.
It was starting to feel rather warm at this point, and I was wondering if I’d blow up. Slowed a little but not too badly. Looking at stats my max HR was 191, up from its normal 184! In fact my average was 182, which is often my max!
Very easy one for us today. We all started with the 28 pacer because I did not want to stress my leg. Then LO and I broke away a bit after a couple kms and she sprinted away with with about 800mtr to go for a 25.51 and very relaxed 26.45 for me.
yup cycled there, didnt have a clue where it was, so was a few mins late. luckily it hadn’t started, phew. yup tapering for Double Brutal Extreme IM on Sat.
NOW you tell me Colby PR was a Short course! It was magical down there tho
Enjoyed my full gas run, only 20m25 for 15th tho. Fair play @Doonhamer on 7th and sub 20 on that course.
Felt like we had a breakthrough at junior parkrun this morning, my eldest (just under 6) always hares off, then slows to a walk (usually having a drink passes to him by his domestique) before haring off again repeatedly.
This week I reminded him of the tortoise and the hare, before suggesting that perhaps he should try going at a slightly slower pace, like I’ve done many times before. But it seems today he actually listened, and there was no all out efforts, until the very end.
He still stopped about 5 times but this much fewer than normal, they also seemed a bit shorter in duration.
It turns out this wasn’t actually quicker overall, he was 10s off a PB, but i guess this a case of having to break something to make it better.
I’m only running once a week at the moment (parkrun) whilst I get to the bottom of a knee issue I’ve had for a few months (well, I did run two very easy miles with MrsF last week but it’s pretty much a parkrun a week for me right now).
We visited friends at the weekend in Devon and they took us to Parke parkrun. It’s almost entirely trail (but a nice surface) with some nasty climbs. Living where we do I don’t do hills at all - never. I felt good on Saturday and pushed hard and ran a 23:15 or something close to that. That got me 5th overall - there must have been a proper race nearby this weekend as the first finisher was over 20 mins and other than the temperature being on the warm side the conditions were excellent.
I’m now broken! My quads yesterday (Sunday) were really sore and today isn’t much better. I’m like an old old man hobbling around the house. I really enjoyed it though and am looking forward to being back on the flat at Bognor Regis parkrun this coming weekend.
I’ve seen that one on tv, looks tough! Talking of tv, Mrs FP and LO went to our local one whilst I was doing my ultra. Harry Morgan and his orange shirt army were there apparently, so could be on YT soon.
Back to the tourism today and a new event, this was the third running at Thorp Perrow Arbortetum, a great big park in Yorkshire. All on trail, grass, track etc. with sheep poo and sheep running across the route in places!
Didn’t push myself to stay with a group in front then at 2K there was a crossroad, the leaders all went the wrong and the rest of us followed until someone who knew the route shouted us all back! Cost me about 400M and about 2 minutes!
Got back on route and started going past people but lost heart a bit. But nice run and still managed 31st in 24:30, winner was 22:30’ish due to the cockup.
Felt pretty sluggish though, maybe a combination of not actually doing anything this week and the fact it is only 5 days of recovery. Also managed to turn my left ankle not too bad and usually settles quite quickly.
Hamstring is the same as recently, feels tight now but not painful as such.
.
for tomorrow
not too bad and usually settles quite quickly.