Sale Sizzler's they live up to their name. This is the fifth Sizzler I've done and at twenty-three degrees this was the coolest conditions yet.
I'm feeling relatively good running wise at the moment but never run that well in warm conditions. I was covered in sweat after a warm up so had a nice chill out on the grass by the track for the last fifteen minutes before the start.
The Sizzlers are fast; the winner normally finishes in about fourteen minutes and my 5k PB was set here last summer. Starting on a running track is never good as I always set off too fast and so it proved tonight. The course is pan flat which I'm still not sure if it makes it easier or harder as there is no let up over the entire 5k. I was feeling good over the first two miles but that final mile started to hurt as the lactic started to fill my legs. I dug in as much as I could and somehow I manged to put a burst on a pick off five or six people as I closed in on the finish line but my finish time of 19:05 was a little disappointing as I'd expected to dip under nineteen minutes. It's still my fastest 5k of the year and there are three more races to go at!
Showing posts with label 5k. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5k. Show all posts
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Sunday, June 21, 2015
parkrun: A Journey
Where do you normally spend 9am on a Saturday morning? Up until three years ago I'd have said slouched on the couch not doing much. But then came parkrun.
For those unfamiliar with the parkrun concept it's a free 5k timed run (not a race) held every Saturday morning at locations around the world. All you need is your registration barcode and the will to run.
This weekend I celebrate my third year of parkrunning; I’ve completed one hundred and twenty-two runs at twenty-two different 5k events my quickest time being 18:43 at Heaton Park and my slowest 42:22 at Oldham, but this is just half my parkrun story.
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| A slightly larger me at one of my first runs. |
Going to parkrun week after week has help turn me from a fourteen and a half stone couch potato into a ten and a bit stone runner. It’s become the cornerstone of my running, I can tell you how many Saturday’s I’ve not been at a parkrun since I did my first (five if you were interested) fit or injured going to parkun is what I do on a Saturday morning.
parkrun has changed me in many ways and not just my weight. I now do things I'd never have thought I could do: stand up in front of two hundred people and give a run brief? Not three years ago but now I wouldn't bat an eyelid, just a normal Saturday morning now. But it's not just what I do that parkrun has changed its who I am and how I act. These days I'm a lot happier and lot more chilled out in my attitude to life.
How has parkrun done this? Well it hasn't. It's not the weekly 5k run that has helped change me it's the people I've met that have done that. Over the years I've had the privilege to meet some amazing people. parkrunners come from all walks of life and have many different backgrounds but where you come from or how you got into parkrun doesn't matter. I've met some crazy people, some very serious people but most of all people who are so supportive of what you are doing no matter how long it takes you to complete a 5k run. People are the cornerstone of parkrun. It might take me twenty minutes to complete a run but I'll normally be in the cafe a couple of hours later chatting away with people over a breakfast and a brew.
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| Pushing Abigail round Oldham parkrun while pacing with Royton Road Runners. |
I’ve also got more involved in the organisation of parkrun. When I was first approached by Bev the event director of Oldham parkrun to become a run director and be responsible for a week's run including doing a run brief in front of all those runners I was scared stiff. I didn’t have the confidence to stand up there and talk to all those people or coordinate a group of volunteers to make sure the event went smoothly. With the help and support of all those great parkrunners I got there. I even know how the stopwatches work now! Now, two years after my first run directing event I’m event director of Stamford Park parkun and have a team of run directors to be responsible for. Explaining how parkrun works to first timers chatting to visiting runners and doing run briefs are just something I do now. Big change from three years ago.
The concept of parkrun might not be been created to give people more confidence, boost their self esteem but it has.
If you’ve never tired parkrun you don’t know what you are missing. It’s a lot more than a weekly 5k run!
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Pacing Myself (and others)
Once a month at Oldham parkrun Royton Road Runners provide a team of pacers who aim to complete the 5k course in a fixed time at an even pace. Today was June's pacing event to tie in with the clubs twice a year "parkrun day" where we try and get as many club members to come down in their vests, hoodies & coats to celebrate being part of the club and the links we have with our local parkrun.
I was running the 30 min pacer slot while pushing Abigail round in her pram so my wife could also have a run.
I've never been great at pacing and today proved no different. Half way round lap one according to my watch I was on schedule to finish in 30 mins yet I could see the 35 min pacer ahead of me and not just a little he was a good hundred metres or so if not more away.
Three quarters of the way round the lap I finally caught up, "Something's not right here Simon." I said I as started to pass. "I've only just got satellite signal on my watch." was the reply.
I went on to finish the run in 29:18 which is well out for pacing 30 mins at 5k. According to my watch I was on schedule most of the way round with for me not bad kilometer spits (6:12, 6:04, 5:34, 5:57 & 6:01* *pace for split as only 0.9k) but I was still over forty seconds fast.
Why?
Well I was pacing myself from my TomTom watch and that clocked I'd only ran 4.9k not 5k.
This caused some discussion among the pacing team post run. We are all so dependent on the Garmin/TomTom/et al to keep up on pace this falls apart when the device measures short or long, or in Simon's case isn't ready to start when the Run Director says, "Go!" Perhaps the problem is we are all so brain washed to look at our GPS devices to know what pace we are running we can't do it on feel. I know I couldn't run 30 mins on feel: I'd be running what felt 'easy' and still be doing 5:20m/km's which would be far too fast.
What's the solution? For people like me who have only ever ran with a GPS device, be it a mobile phone or a dedicated running watch I'm not sure there is one. I'm not going to run without my watch as I like to see where I've ran and at what pace recorded, plus there are all those Strava segments to be recorded. Perhaps with time I could teach myself to run that pace on feel, but my first thought was that I'd need my GPS watch to tell me I was on that pace!
Maybe we'll just have to live with the pacing team not being 100% on target every time.
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| The RRR pace team (l to r: Simon Howard, John Lambe, Garry Bower, Neil Brock, me & Abigail & David Ellis.) |
I've never been great at pacing and today proved no different. Half way round lap one according to my watch I was on schedule to finish in 30 mins yet I could see the 35 min pacer ahead of me and not just a little he was a good hundred metres or so if not more away.
Three quarters of the way round the lap I finally caught up, "Something's not right here Simon." I said I as started to pass. "I've only just got satellite signal on my watch." was the reply.
I went on to finish the run in 29:18 which is well out for pacing 30 mins at 5k. According to my watch I was on schedule most of the way round with for me not bad kilometer spits (6:12, 6:04, 5:34, 5:57 & 6:01* *pace for split as only 0.9k) but I was still over forty seconds fast.
Why?
Well I was pacing myself from my TomTom watch and that clocked I'd only ran 4.9k not 5k.
This caused some discussion among the pacing team post run. We are all so dependent on the Garmin/TomTom/et al to keep up on pace this falls apart when the device measures short or long, or in Simon's case isn't ready to start when the Run Director says, "Go!" Perhaps the problem is we are all so brain washed to look at our GPS devices to know what pace we are running we can't do it on feel. I know I couldn't run 30 mins on feel: I'd be running what felt 'easy' and still be doing 5:20m/km's which would be far too fast.
What's the solution? For people like me who have only ever ran with a GPS device, be it a mobile phone or a dedicated running watch I'm not sure there is one. I'm not going to run without my watch as I like to see where I've ran and at what pace recorded, plus there are all those Strava segments to be recorded. Perhaps with time I could teach myself to run that pace on feel, but my first thought was that I'd need my GPS watch to tell me I was on that pace!
Maybe we'll just have to live with the pacing team not being 100% on target every time.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Race Report: Sale Sizzle 2014 Race 3
This was race three of the annual four race series. Having finished race one in a time of 19:01 and not started race two I was keen to attack my 5k PB of 18:43 set at Heaton Park parkrun back in May.
The weather for the Sizzlers is known to sizzle; race three in 2013 was ran in thirty-one degree temperatures. Fortunately it wasn't as hot this time round but was still humid.
After a short warm up I toed the line; Sizzler starts are always challenging as it involves a lap and a bit of the track and with four hundred runners all trying to get round, a few of which always start too far forward for their pace there is potential to be boxed in. I decided to start of the outside, so far outside I was actually on the grass. Once the gun went this proved to be a good strategy as by two-hundred meters in I was into my pace and in a bit of space.
As the race left the track to complete the two loops of Wythenshawe Park I started to feel this was going to be hard work. The first kilometer wasn't too bad, all things considered but passing the second I felt like my lungs were on fire. This was the point in the race where that voice in the back of mind started up. "Just pull out," it said, "you can always come up with a reason why. You must have a niggle you can blame." Well, yes, I could have pulled out and I did want the pain to stop but then I thought if I stop I'll never know how I would have done.
So I pressed on into the second lap, mentally clocking off the kilometers. For me at the Sizzlers getting to four kilometers is always a killer: I know there is only one k to go but it feels much longer than any of the others. That and there is usually a sprint finish to be had.
Heading back in to the track I couldn't see the gun time just yet and don't have it on my Garmin, just my pace, so I still didn't know quite how I was doing. I started to wind up the sprint, or as much of one as I could manage. The clock then came into view and I knew if I really put everything I had left into this there could be a PB on the cards. I gave it everything and I do mean everything, there was nothing in the tank when I finished. I could hardly speak and would have happily collapsed in a heap had I not had to walk through the funnel.
The only down side I have with the Sizzler series is the finish times are always about two seconds out from Garmin times. Race one of this year I clocked 18:59 on my watch but was give the official time of 19:01. It's not just me that finds this, a few fellow runners mention it.
With this in mind I knew not to take anything for granted. I had 18:38 and a bit on my watch so was confident I had the PB wanted. It wasn't until later in the evening that I got the official results
and it was confirmed I had 18:40, the Sizzler timekeeper strikes again. Even so it was a PB and I and more than happy with that!
I'll be back for race four in two weeks time to try and better it.
The weather for the Sizzlers is known to sizzle; race three in 2013 was ran in thirty-one degree temperatures. Fortunately it wasn't as hot this time round but was still humid.
After a short warm up I toed the line; Sizzler starts are always challenging as it involves a lap and a bit of the track and with four hundred runners all trying to get round, a few of which always start too far forward for their pace there is potential to be boxed in. I decided to start of the outside, so far outside I was actually on the grass. Once the gun went this proved to be a good strategy as by two-hundred meters in I was into my pace and in a bit of space.
As the race left the track to complete the two loops of Wythenshawe Park I started to feel this was going to be hard work. The first kilometer wasn't too bad, all things considered but passing the second I felt like my lungs were on fire. This was the point in the race where that voice in the back of mind started up. "Just pull out," it said, "you can always come up with a reason why. You must have a niggle you can blame." Well, yes, I could have pulled out and I did want the pain to stop but then I thought if I stop I'll never know how I would have done.
So I pressed on into the second lap, mentally clocking off the kilometers. For me at the Sizzlers getting to four kilometers is always a killer: I know there is only one k to go but it feels much longer than any of the others. That and there is usually a sprint finish to be had.
Heading back in to the track I couldn't see the gun time just yet and don't have it on my Garmin, just my pace, so I still didn't know quite how I was doing. I started to wind up the sprint, or as much of one as I could manage. The clock then came into view and I knew if I really put everything I had left into this there could be a PB on the cards. I gave it everything and I do mean everything, there was nothing in the tank when I finished. I could hardly speak and would have happily collapsed in a heap had I not had to walk through the funnel.
The only down side I have with the Sizzler series is the finish times are always about two seconds out from Garmin times. Race one of this year I clocked 18:59 on my watch but was give the official time of 19:01. It's not just me that finds this, a few fellow runners mention it.
With this in mind I knew not to take anything for granted. I had 18:38 and a bit on my watch so was confident I had the PB wanted. It wasn't until later in the evening that I got the official results
and it was confirmed I had 18:40, the Sizzler timekeeper strikes again. Even so it was a PB and I and more than happy with that!
I'll be back for race four in two weeks time to try and better it.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
parkrun Not Park Race.
For his column in Runners World this month Paul Tonkinson writes about free races. With the emphasis on parkrun.
He highlights many of the good and great points of parkrun; free, easy to join, everybody is welcome and a catalyst for a community. It's clear Paul has had the parkrun experience. However Paul constantly refers to parkrun as a "race".
Being passionate about parkrun and how it is perceived to non and new parkrunners I dropped Paul a quick Tweet and received the following reply.
What is the difference between a race and timed run? This is my reply to that question as there is no way I could answer that in one hundred and forty characters.
Firstly it's psychological: you are new to running and find out there is a free event down the road where you can run and meet like minded people every week. Then you see it's a race. People jostling at the start, elbows out into the first corner, people looking for every advantage they can get over each other. Not sounding that welcoming or friendly now is it? We know how competitive people can get.
In a race you win, normally something tangible like cash or a trophy, not at parkrun. The first finisher receives the same recognition from parkrun as the person finishing in one hundred and first, or even a thousand and first at Bushy Park. Monthly prizes are awarded not for finishing first the most or even for smashing your PB. Thanks to Sweatshop any runner can be the recipient of a new pair of running shoes for something as simple as giving it their best shot in every run. You don't find that at any race I've been to.
I will admit people do race at parkrun, my running club use it for a knockout competition. However that is two runners in a field of over one hundred. This comes down to parkrun being whatever the individual runner wants to get from their five kilometres on a Saturday morning. The event itself remains a timed run.
The bottom line is parkrun is what you want it to be but the organisers are keen that it isn't seen as a race. parkrun is about getting people of all abilities out and running on a Saturday morning. As Paul pointed out communities grow from parkruns but they grow in a way that every athlete receives the same recognition and rewards. Rewards coming in the form of t-shirts for completing a set number of runs, no matter where they finish. Everybody can reach that reward no matter what their five k PB is.
Bottom line the difference I guess is perception. But it can and in my opinion is a big difference. I honestly don't believe parkrun would be as popular as it is if it was billed as a free race. There may have been groups of club runners at the events but would there be the families or the people new to running who are self conscious about what they are doing? I'm not convinced.
He highlights many of the good and great points of parkrun; free, easy to join, everybody is welcome and a catalyst for a community. It's clear Paul has had the parkrun experience. However Paul constantly refers to parkrun as a "race".
Being passionate about parkrun and how it is perceived to non and new parkrunners I dropped Paul a quick Tweet and received the following reply.
What is the difference between a race and timed run? This is my reply to that question as there is no way I could answer that in one hundred and forty characters.
Firstly it's psychological: you are new to running and find out there is a free event down the road where you can run and meet like minded people every week. Then you see it's a race. People jostling at the start, elbows out into the first corner, people looking for every advantage they can get over each other. Not sounding that welcoming or friendly now is it? We know how competitive people can get.
In a race you win, normally something tangible like cash or a trophy, not at parkrun. The first finisher receives the same recognition from parkrun as the person finishing in one hundred and first, or even a thousand and first at Bushy Park. Monthly prizes are awarded not for finishing first the most or even for smashing your PB. Thanks to Sweatshop any runner can be the recipient of a new pair of running shoes for something as simple as giving it their best shot in every run. You don't find that at any race I've been to.
I will admit people do race at parkrun, my running club use it for a knockout competition. However that is two runners in a field of over one hundred. This comes down to parkrun being whatever the individual runner wants to get from their five kilometres on a Saturday morning. The event itself remains a timed run.
The bottom line is parkrun is what you want it to be but the organisers are keen that it isn't seen as a race. parkrun is about getting people of all abilities out and running on a Saturday morning. As Paul pointed out communities grow from parkruns but they grow in a way that every athlete receives the same recognition and rewards. Rewards coming in the form of t-shirts for completing a set number of runs, no matter where they finish. Everybody can reach that reward no matter what their five k PB is.
Bottom line the difference I guess is perception. But it can and in my opinion is a big difference. I honestly don't believe parkrun would be as popular as it is if it was billed as a free race. There may have been groups of club runners at the events but would there be the families or the people new to running who are self conscious about what they are doing? I'm not convinced.
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