Happy New Year everyone! I can understand why a lot of people are happy to see the end of 2020, but it makes me sad the number of people saying they want to forget it completely.
In terms of running headlines, I had a bit of a shocker of the year. My main goal for the year was sub-25 5k. Right now, unless I’m feeling great and really pushing myself, I’d struggle to get sub-30. But that doesn’t mean I should write it off completely, because…
I ran 5k every Saturday in 2020
At the point parkrun stopped at the end of March (and this whole post focuses on that point onwards), I hadn’t missed an event in the year. Which was pretty good going given the weather issues we’d had. And I decided to keep that anchor in my week.
My route changed a few weeks in when the paths got too busy, and as a loop around roads it isn’t the most exciting, but it works. There’s something nice about it not being a decision. On Saturdays I get up, hydrate, have a small bit to eat, and then go run my loop. Nothing to think about. And yes, present tense, because 2020 ending doesn’t mean my streak has stopped.
Some weeks, particularly early on, I sped round the loop. Others were more gentle. Which brings me onto…
I got better at listening to my body
Like a lot of people, I experienced quite high stress levels last year. This was pretty draining, and meant that sometimes running hard would have been counter-productive. So I gave myself a little more slack in not pushing myself too far.
I also started taking my hormones into account more. I started tracking my cycle in 2019 (on an app called Clue if you’re interested), but while I knew certain days were better for running than others I never did anything about it. In 2020 I started looking at when my next cycle was due, and planning to take runs super gently if they coincided with the start.
And for some Saturdays, that meant run/walking. Because feeling good at the start of the weekend is more important than getting round a few seconds faster. And, also, being prepared to run/walk meant…
I still ran with my family
Although we didn’t manage it as often as we’d have liked, Lani and I managed to go for a few runs together after school. Sometimes we planned a route in advance, sometimes we just made a decision at every turn. Sometimes we walked about as much as we ran, sometimes we practised our ‘super strong running’, and sometimes we had truly playful fartleks.
One Saturday in December I woke up feeling particularly shocking, and knew I was going to need a very gentle run/walk. I asked Lani if she’d like to head out with me. Suddenly a very demoralising slog turned into an adventure. I’d run that route around 30 times in the year, but to her it was exciting and new. We chatted, we laughed, and had a great start to our weekend.
I also managed a few buggy runs, whether after morning drop-off on my day off, or when doing nursery pick up in the evening. Buggy running is something that makes me feel strong and confident, so I’d like to do it more.
And one of my last runs in the year was one of my favourites. In wisdom and understanding beyond her years, Lani had declared back in July that “if things are still like this at Christmas then we can still go for a family run in the morning”. So, on the first Christmas Day of her life that didn’t revolve around Longrun Meadow parkrun, we did just that. The 4 of us ran to Longrun Meadow, did one short lap through the icy puddles, and then ran home.
So somehow we are now halfway through 2020. I’m not entirely sure how, as (like lots of other people) I’m convinced it’s still March. Which is somewhat demonstrated by my lack of blog posts in the meantime. Still, mid-year is a good time to reflect and reset.
The start of my year is pretty well documented, with me running more miles in January than in any month since 2015. February slipped a bit, but I still edged over the 50 mile marker I was hoping to hit.
And then March happened.
One week I was celebrating the latest batch of beginners graduating, with life pretty much as normal, the next week parkrun and club runs were being cancelled, and I was working from home. Soon followed by the kids being home as well.
The change in routine was drastic. Where before the walk to and from school and work meant I clocked up 3 miles of walking a day without trying, now I was walking a couple of metres to my desk, and had no decompression barrier between work life and home life.
The lack of parkrun hit me hardest. Towards the end of last year, when things were a bit all over the place, I promised myself that I would do parkrun every week. That whatever else happened, however I was feeling, it would be my anchor. And then it stopped. But, like lots of other people, I carried on. That first Saturday I headed off at exactly 9 o’clock, because I needed to process the adjustment properly.
By the third Saturday, I’d built up a rhythm and ran my fastest 5k of the year so far. The confidence boost was amazing. I might not be able to run parkrun, but I could make sure that I got fitter and stronger. Get my running back to where I want.
Over the three weeks that followed I got into the rhythm of running. My Saturday Morning 5k had to move to an earlier start time, and then to a different route, because of too many people. But it remained a positive driver in my week. I even managed to get some online workout classes in as well.
And then I crashed.
My body reacts really badly to stress. Up to a certain level I do ok, but sustained high levels of stress just break me. One Monday morning, I sat at my desk and realised I was too drained and exhausted to be sitting up. After spending the rest of the day curled up in bed, I was able to get through the rest of the week, albeit feeling pretty weak.
But when Saturday came round, I knew I had to run. Knew that my stress levels would not be improved by skipping out on my anchor. So I went out, putting no pressure pace, just doing what I felt my body could do. Acknowledging that the main purpose of the run was mental not physical.
After a few weeks of only running once a week, Ben pushed me out for an extra run. Just 2 miles down the road and back, but it was something. Since then my running has been really hit and miss. A few times I’ve run really well and felt like I was on the way back, and then some weeks I’ve been really tired and had to rest.
In January I ran 60 miles, in May I ran just 17. It was still 17 miles though, when it could very easily have been zero.
I’ve been really lucky during lockdown in lots of ways. My job transfers really well to working from home (in fact, I’m now a permanent home worker), and the company I work for have been amazingly understanding about those of us with kids at home. Ben got furloughed a couple of weeks in, which took off a lot of pressure with the kids. And my friends and family have so far managed to stay well.
My goals from the start of the year now seem a lifetime a way. Running a parkrun in sub-25 would obviously depend on parkrun being back, but also I’m currently taking a fair bit over 30 minutes to run 5k. With the right balance of training, and managing my energy levels, that should just be temporary. And as for running a half marathon I’m proud of, I imagine any races at the end of the year are going to be pretty busy, and I don’t think now is the best time to put my body through half marathon training.
So maybe I need some new goals, some new direction. I don’t know. What I do know, though, is that I’ll keep running 5k on a Saturday morning. Because it’s what I do.
Tired, slower, lacking in colour, but still running
So, perhaps inevitably, my training diary progress sort of lapsed. The longer I left it, the more there was to write, the less inclined I was to write about it. So here’s a sort of recap for all of February (shockingly, a week after I meant to write it).
parkruns – 5
I maintained my streak of making it to parkrun each week. The 1st and 8th were at Longrun Meadow, both with a mile each side to get there and back. Then the weather took a turn for the worse, so I went to Burnham and Highbridge on the 15th. This was a particularly tough run for me, with memories of such a good run there at the start of last year while feeling so out of shape. The 22nd saw a family outing to Eastville, where I ran with Lani and the buggy. And, finally, Lani and I celebrated the first ever Leap Day parkrun back at Burnham and Highbridge, this time for a reverse course.
Sometimes it’s more important to run happy than to run fast
Beginners group sessions – 4
Weeks 4 to 7 of the beginners group obviously progress immensely in terms of the amount of running, so the mileage from this added up quite nicely. I also ran to club and back home after each week – one week taking an extended 1 mile route in each direction.
Other runs – 4
So this isn’t quite the direction I was hoping this would go in, but there are still some positives to be found. The first week of February I was thick with cold, so skipped my now-regular Tuesday run. I had, however, run with Lani at Longrun Meadow juniors on the Sunday, which is something at least. The next week, Ben was able to sort the kids, giving me a little longer than usual, so I made a full 6 miles. This was a massive boost psychologically, given my recent lack of running, and actually felt pretty good. Then came half term, and my usual scheduled slot disappeared, but I forced myself out anyway. I was aiming for somewhere between 5 and 6 miles. There was freezing rain for half my run: I did exactly 5 miles. And for my final Tuesday slot, I had to juggle extra children-related responsibilities, as Ben got stuck at work late. Through sheer insane determination I still got a 3.3 mile run in. And was rewarded with hail for the last few minutes.
Exercise classes – 4
February’s big news is that I joined a gym. Well technically that was the end of January’s big news, but I was thick with cold then so I couldn’t do anything about it. Based on my personal strength goals, I opted to try a Kettlebells class. This has definitely been a challenge, but it’s one I’m really enjoying. I’ll definitely be on the lighter weights for a while, although I’m nearly able to actually move the next day now.
Gym sessions – 2
I did my starter gym session the week after I started Kettlebells. In my past gym life (pre-children) I mostly did cardio with a bit of dumbbells/medicine balls etc. I did learn about all the weights machines but never really used them. This time I made sure to take notes on different machines and settings, focusing on upper body strength. My favourite is definitely the cable machine, which I want to learn more exercises for. And in a complete reversal of my very first gym outings, I can no longer cope with treadmills. Forcing myself to stay on for 5 minutes to warm up was incredibly tedious, and I have no desire to repeat to confirm the hypothesis.
After visiting 5 new events in January, February started with a combination of illness, bad weather, and a need to be nearby. So my first 3 weeks involved Longrun Meadow, Longrun Meadow, and Burnham & Highbridge – only really venturing as far as Burnham because Longrun was cancelled. All this meant I was absolutely determined to get some tourism in this weekend. Then Ben injured himself.
Granted, that’s worse for Ben than it is for me, but I was going stir crazy. So I had a search for events Ben and I had done but Lani hadn’t, that aren’t too far away, and were unlikely to be cancelled for ground conditions and a bit of wind. Eastville parkrun ticked all of these, with the added bonus that we never got round to writing it up last time. Oh and the extra added bonus that they needed volunteers, and so signing Ben up to barcode scan meant we actually had to go.
Eastville parkrun takes place in Eastville Park in Bristol, right next to junction 2 of the M32. Parking is available at the nearby Tesco, and then there’s a short walk under the motorway (KK was very excited by the tunnels) to get to the park. The path enters near the bottom of the park, so you need to walk up the hill to the gathering area. Ben went on ahead to check in, and I eventually got the kids up the hill.
As it was a new event for Lani, we went to the First Timers’ Briefing. This was really well done, with someone pointing the route out on a map while the course was described. The route is essentially short lap, lake/big lap, short lap. Oh and the entire park is on a slope. We headed over to the start area for the main briefing, with runners standing either side of the path to keep it clear until the actual start. Ben joined us for a photo, and then headed off to watch.
All looking a bit tired, except the one who was about to have a nice rest in the buggy…
Having clearly heard all of both briefings, I somehow failed to hear the actual start, and suddenly noticed people were moving. The start was unsurprisingly slow, what with being at the back of over 500 people. Lani decided the best way to handle this was to skip along – showing somewhat that she was out of practice at the whole endurance thing.
After a short flat stretch across the path, the route turns right down a long hill. The kids had been looking forward to this, but with so many people in front we struggled to get any speed up. The path flattens out at the corner at the end of the path, but another corner had us heading back up the hill towards the start. Looking over to the left we could see the lake down below, which was a nice distraction.
To complete the small lap, you turn back onto the path you started on to cut across the path again. We got lots of cheering because a) Ben was there, b) we were wearing cow cowls, and c) Lani looks super cute while running. Heading back down the hill a second time we were able to stretch our legs and enjoy the hill more. The downside to this was Lani then needed to stop to take her jumper off, which took us quite a while.
There are so many captions here, I just can’t pick one!
Once going again, we took the path at the bottom of the park down towards the lake area. This section had more marshals due to potential for going wrong and ending up by the road. It also had some bollards dressed up in hi-viz jackets, which is a really effective way of helping people to avoid them. The path follows the river for a short while, before reaching the ornamental lake.
The loop round the lake was a big hit with the kids, as there were swans and ducks to spot. Just as well really, as Lani was starting to get tired and realise we weren’t catching anyone up. That said, on the sharp climb up from the lake to the main park I struggled to keep up with her, as my buggy control round the bends wasn’t great.
The path rejoins the loop ready to climb up the hill. By this point the bulk of runners were heading round this section on their final lap, so we kept tucked in to the side as everyone passed. For the longer lap, instead of turning right towards the start/finish in the middle of the park, you continue on to the top of the park.
This is the only place where the otherwise excellent signage and marshalling had a gap. Shortly after the path goes off to the right, another path disappears off slightly to the left. By the time we got there, most runners in the area had finished and were heading off – and mostly down the path to the left. Happily another runner on our lap overtook us and confirmed that we did indeed need to stick to the more straight-on path.
Because I appreciate that my directions will mean nothing to most people
The marshals throughout were really supportive, but the section round the top of the park was where I noticed it most, as there were very few runners around us. Before too long, though, we had turned the corner to head back down the other side of the park. As we went past the start/finish area we could see big queues for scanning, which struck me as a big benefit for going a bit slower.
What wasn’t a benefit though was the large number of people walking through the park having finished their run. As we rejoined the small loop to head down to the bottom of the park things were a bit of a squeeze. For most people it would have been fine to weave through, it’s just a little trickier when you have a both an under 11 to keep in arms reach and a buggy.
The final climb up the hill was arguably the easiest of the 3, despite not being the fastest, as we knew we were nearly finished. And shortly after we turned onto the path across the park, Lani asked if she could speed up for the end. Which of course she did, thus ensuring yet another massive cheer. We then wound our way through a well organised funnel, before Lani got her biggest wish of having Ben be the one to scan her head (seriously, barcode hairbands are amazing).
The support we received from other runners was amazing throughout. Many people commented on Lani’s 10 top, which led her to happily explain she’s done more than 20 now (and put me on the spot for not knowing the exact number). I finished 570th out of 573 runners, so it could have been a very different experience without the positive comments from those lapping us or who’d already finished. The big advantage of finishing so far down the pack, though, was that we didn’t have to wait long at all for Ben’s barcode scanning duties to come to an end.
With everything finished up, we walked back down the park to head back to the car. We packed the buggy away and headed into Tesco, where we had one of the best cooked breakfasts we’d had in a long time. Then it was time to pop next door to Ikea, before heading home from a very successful family parkrun.
KK sensibly ignores the camera and sticks to eating
I sort of planned this week. By which I mean I wrote down a couple of days it would be nice to run.
Monday – rest day
Tuesday – 5.6 miles @ 11:02
I’m really trying to make Tuesday evening runs a habit. This week I had slightly longer than usual, so figured I could probably get 6 miles in. I was coming down with a cold, so it took me at least 3 miles to get into it. After that it became quite enjoyable, until the point I realised my route wasn’t long enough. Must plan more.
Wednesday – RFRC beginners week 3
Didn’t get any extra mileage in, but was pleased to still enjoy the group while very definitely full of cold.
Thursday – rest day
Friday – rest day
Total miles in January: 60.4
Saturday – 1 mile, Longrun Meadow parkrun, 1 mile
With the whole family struggling, touring wasn’t going to happen this week. I wasn’t feeling too bad first thing, and after running the mile to Longrun Meadow decided to go for it and see how I felt. I ended up running it in 28:46, which I’m pretty happy with given I definitely struggled with my cold. Great to see running friends, and with the mile home as well it took the pressure off running the next day.
Sunday – Longrun Meadow junior parkrun
I didn’t make it out for a ‘proper’ run, but I did go for another loop round Longrun Meadow with Lani. The puddles were significantly worse, and somehow despite constantly trying to splash me Lani finished only a second off her overall PB. More time to chat with running friends rounded off the week nicely.
Miles in week: 14 Miles in February so far: 6.2 Miles in 2020 so far: 66.8
I ran more miles in January than I’ve run in any month since July 2015. My previous highest January was 2018, when I ran 40.8 miles. The best part is though that I’m not doing anything crazy, I’m just getting runs in where I can. Which is an exciting platform to build on for the rest of the year.
My best intentions of keeping a training diary are already falling behind track, so here’s two weeks’ worth in one.
Monday – 4 x 2 min effort, 1 min recovery, plus warm up and cool down
I needed to do some sort of intervals, as I hadn’t tried out a programmed workout on my new watch and didn’t want my first go to be at beginners. Despite feeling a bit meh about the idea of going out I really loved this, and reminded myself quite how much I like going fast.
Tuesday – rest day
I’d hoped to do a strength or stretch workout, but it didn’t happen.
Wednesday – RFRC beginners week 1
My hope had been to add a couple of miles around this session, but for various reasons it didn’t work out.
Thursday – planned rest day
Friday – rest day
Again with the lack of stretching or strengthening
This was a nice level of challenge for me, and given the shape I’m in I was happy with finishing in 34:24. I’d love to go back there when I’m feeling stronger to attack the hills, and just to enjoy the scenery again.
Sunday – 5.1 miles @ 10:36
My route was mostly constructed for simplicity reasons, as Ben was out racing and my knowledge of the area near Ben’s parents’ house isn’t great. So I ran down the hill, did the Penrose parkrun course, and then ran back up the hill. Emphasis on the up. Running all the way back up through town left me feeling really good about running. Aren’t endorphins great?
Miles in the week: 12.6 Miles in January so far: 39.4 Miles in 2020 so far: 39.4
Partly because of being away for the weekend and partly because I was annoyed with feeling I was failing, I didn’t plan anything for w/c 20th January.
Monday – rest day
Tuesday – 3.5 miles with buggy @ 12:09
This was one of those runs that just never seemed to click. I had to emergency stop when someone stepped out in front of me. I hadn’t tightened the front wheel enough so had to stop that. KK insisted on handing me his hat. And running felt bad the whole time. But I can’t lose sight of the fact I managed to get out after work and fit a run in around the kids.
Wednesday – RFRC beginners week 2, plus 1.3 miles
I managed to find a route to club that was almost exactly 1 mile, which was nice. On the way home I only ran as far as the supermarket, as I didn’t think running the rest of the way back with a bottle of wine was a good idea.
Thursday – rest day
Friday – 3.1 miles @ 10:53
Ben was able to do the school run in the morning, so I took advantage and snuck out. I wasn’t feeling amazing when I headed out, but felt much better once I’d run.
Yeah, so this was tough. Circumstances meant that it was a test of brute strength, mental toughness, and then a lung-buster to finish. All in all, finishing in 36:31 was nothing short of a miracle.
Crazy-pace-charts-r-us
Sunday – rest day
Miles in the week: 13.4 Miles in January so far: 52.8 Miles in 2020 so far: 52.8
I really need to look at putting a proper plan together, so that I can get some more structured runs in.
Running at 4 new-to-us events in the month just wasn’t enough, so we rounded off January with another early start. The 6:20 alarm was not greeted enthusiastically, and if it wasn’t for the 2 very good reasons we’d chosen to go to Chippenham parkrun then I suspect we’d have stayed in bed. But a) we’d arranged to meet friends nearby after the run and b) Lani wanted to run a C dressed as a pirate.
In the course of planning (yes, actual plans occasionally happen), one of our parkrun friends said that Chippenham would be pretty tough with a buggy at this time of year due to a muddy field. But plans were already in motion so we decided to go for it anyway. This fact may or may not kick me later in the post.
Chippenham’s Facebook page said that the normal parking, right next to the park, is closed for redevelopment, and suggested using the old college car park instead. We located this fairly easily, and having layered/pirated up headed to the park, with a quick stop at the Olympiad sports centre to use the toilets. The first timers’ briefing confirmed the course layout we expected – 2 laps of the park, down the river, 2 laps of the field, back. We also learned that there’s a separate start for buggies and dogs!
I seem to be confused about the camera location
And so we headed to the start – Ben and Lani on the path and me on the grass. This left me in an interesting position, as I tend to start off quite slowly and use the congestion to pace myself. But actually, being able to run alongside the path and slot into the group in the right place was pretty handy.
The lap round the park is on tarmac, and is pretty much a rectangle so lots of opportunity to practise sharp corners. The four sides are flat, up, up and down. This gave a nice opportunity to stretch out, and downhill tarmac sections are always popular with KK. I hadn’t really thought about the fact that I’d get lapped on this section, and so did take a moment to process the “keep left” calls.
After 2 loops, the course follows the first side of the rectangle again, but then continues down the river path. The setting morphed completely from town park to riverside trail. After a short section of proper path we reached the muddy field. As expected, the mud was sticky and energy-sapping. But then it started to get harder and harder.
See, pushing a buggy over that surface was fine. What wasn’t fine was that the mud stuck to the tyres. And then mud stuck to that mud. And the front wheel of the buggy is covered over at the top. So essentially I’d got myself one big sticky brake. I somehow kept running (albeit slowly) for that first lap. It was only when the surface changed to trail path that I realised the extent of the problem, as I still couldn’t get it to move properly.
How the buggy looked at the end – both whole and once the front wheel was removed (there are brakes in there somewhere!)
A short section of tarmac gave me a quick enough run to clear things a little, but as soon as I reached the mud again I ground to a halt. So I did the only thing I could think to do – tipped the buggy so it was just on the back wheels, and walked the entire mud section. Two passing runners commented that they didn’t know how I was managing it, to which my reply was “stubborn-ness”.
Reaching the trail path again, I realised being stubborn was the way forward. So I pushed as hard as I could, and slowly the wheel managed to turn more freely. One of the runners who’d lapped me on the mud section ran back down the path to join me on the home stretch. He did also offer to help with the buggy, but see earlier reference to stubborn-ness. As we reached the tarmac, my wheel had cleared itself enough space to run freely.
The route finishes by heading back alongside the river and along the side of the park. I definitely appreciated having someone to run with, and he was a great influence in getting me to get over the mud and actually finish with pace.
I let KK out the buggy and he said he’d liked the run, but his shoes were muddy. Which was a fair comment. Barcode scanning was on the hard courts, which were right next to the play area. And that’s where we were when Lani and Ben finished a short while later.
One thing about Chippenham parkrun that I cannot express enough is how friendly everyone was. Several times I found myself in conversation with other runners, and Ben reported back friendly comments as well. The marshals were amazing – bringing an incredibly supportive and positive vibe all along the course.
A sure-fire way to get more cheers on the way round
We didn’t stay for the café, much to the kids’ annoyance, as we were heading straight off to see our friends. As for our other reason for attending, Lani is now the proud owner of a virtual pirate badge for having run 7 different events starting with a C and one starting with an R (say 7 Cs and an R – it’ll make sense).
All in all, I would thoroughly recommend Chippenham parkrun. A great varied course and a fantastic community feel. Just maybe wait til the summer if you’re going with a buggy…
When we ran at Tamar Trails at the start of November, it meant we’d run every UK parkrun south-west of Taunton. But by the time we ran it we already knew that the following week another event was due to start in a location that’s about as south-west as you can get in mainland UK – Land’s End.
Like many of our Cornish parkrun trips, the first step of planning involved arranging to visit Ben’s parents for the weekend. Handily this put us just under 45 minutes away in the morning, which is very respectable considering the scale of Cornwall. We’d initially planned to leave KK with his grandparents, but realised a few days before that running as a family is part of who we are. And it seemed wrong to go to such an iconic location without him.
On the very small chance you weren’t aware, Land’s End parkrun is situated around Land’s End, which is the most westerly point in mainland England. It’s pretty easy to find by road, as you just get on the A30 westbound and keep going until the road stops and becomes a car park, which is generously free for parkrunners.
Having parked up plenty early, I was the first to venture out into the cold wind. Even from the car park the views were amazing, particularly with the winter sun still low in the sky. Once I managed to stop looking at the sea, I quickly located the toilets which had been opened early especially for parkrun. That just left the small task of persuading the others to get out of the warm car – one extra other than usual as Ben’s brother Callum was joining us.
The meeting point is right next to all the attractions, but I got a good look round the surrounding area as KK decided to explore (which is fair enough given he was about to go in a buggy). He then joined Lani and Callum for a warm up, before we moved in for the run briefing. As is fairly typical for newer events, the first timers’ information was included in the main briefing. Surprisingly for our preparation track record, the course was described exactly as we expected – a mile out along a path, a mile back, and then 3 laps of path around the grass.
Ben and Callum did a fantastic impression of being twins (they’re really not)
The start was just around the corner, and I only just remembered to take my hoody off before the perfectly audible start. I took the start very gently, knowing that there would soon be gaps I could easily weave through. After a short run by the (closed) road, the main section is on compacted trail path, which made me very happy with my choice of hybrid shoes. Very quickly I became as focused on looking off to the left as looking forward. Perhaps slightly dangerous when pushing a buggy, but kind of irresistible in the face of coastal views.
The path undulated throughout, but about half a mile in there was a sudden short drop down with a fairly loose surface covering. Which made me think that a) I should make sure not to lose control of the buggy and b) I’d have to get back up it later. After this the path wound slightly further inland, and there were significantly more ups than downs. The front runners started coming the other way (keep left!), and Ben and I exchanged half-hearted waves. Struggling with the climbs, I finally gave in and walked one of the up sections, only to turn a corner and see the turnaround point.
For an out-and-back, the return felt pretty different, helped of course by the varying undulations. The downhill sections helped me feel good again, and I even managed to high-five Lani as we passed. Reaching the end of the trail path, instead of turning onto the (now open) road, we turned further onto a narrow path. By narrow I mean in places there were plants rubbing against both sides of the buggy (side-by-side doubles will not fit on this course).
One clothes-covered marshal later and I was on the lapped section of the course, which is mostly tarmac path. The lap is pretty much a triangle, and the first side involves going downhill. Downhill + tarmac + buggy = amazing respite for tired arms and legs. Oh and you’re running straight towards the sea, so pretty awesome views as well. The turn at the bottom is on looser gravel, and then the climb back up begins.
All but one person here looks good!
Most of the climb is fairly gradual, although I was certainly struggling a bit with it as KK helpfully shouted “Run, Mummy!” on one of the laps. I did not vocalise my initial response, but did explain that I was actually about to walk. This is because that side of the triangle finishes with a very sharp climb to the top. Rounding the corner was a relatively flat final side of the triangle, ready to turn the corner back down. It’s worth noting that the gradient doesn’t match up on Strava, so don’t base your decision to go on incorrect elevation figures!
The differing gradient made the multiple laps quite interesting for me, as going downhill I was the same pace as those a lap ahead of me, and uphill the same as those a lap behind. As I finished lap 2 I saw Lani and Callum heading over to start their first lap, accompanied by Ben who’d finished long before. On lap 3 you peel off most of the way along the final side of the triangle, and slightly round the corner to the finish. Kudos to the mini marshal who was literally wearing the “To the finish” arrow.
The finish funnel required some careful steering, but I was soon through and scanned. Then onto the next important matter. In the middle of the space we were lapping was a playpark, and so KK was determined to get there as soon as possible. I did pause just outside the playpark to give Lani another high-five as she passed. KK does deserve some credit, as later when he saw Lani was about to finish he stopped (at the top of a climbing frame) and clapped her over the line.
Last push to the finish
After stopping to thank the RD for such an amazing event, we headed off for a mini explore. We’d planned to go to a café, but being out of season only the hotel restaurant was open (which is a little out of our price range). So we took a few more photos outside and then headed back to the car to raid our cereal bar stash.
As we left, I described the experience as “just what my January needed”. There’s no denying we were lucky with the weather – after storms during the week we were greeted with clear skies. But this parkrun experience had the whole package: varied course, beautiful location, community atmosphere. And a fantastic core team who worked so hard to bring parkrun to this iconic location.
We might have been encouraged to go by a desire to re-complete Cornwall, but this was so much more than a box ticking exercise. To say I’d recommend it is an understatement – it wouldn’t surprise me if we’re back again this year.
After losing my way a bit (a lot) with running last year, I’ve decided I need to set myself some achievable but challenging goals for 2020. Because, much as I hate to admit it, I’m way more likely to finally go on long runs again if I have something to aim at.
With that in mind, my goals are:
Run a sub-25 parkrun
Run a half marathon I’m proud of
To help honestly keep track of my progress, I’m also resurrecting my training diary. Which will look a bit weird for the next few weeks, while my principle is just “do something”, before I settle into a proper plan.
I have an actual diary and everything
Monday – rest day
I’d planned to do some strength work, but was just wiped so it wasn’t worth it.
Tuesday – 4.7 miles @ 11:03
Yay! A run! Managed to fit something in between various child-related commitments. Took it nice and steady for the most part, but still found it hard at the start as I really struggle running after work. Had to push a bit towards the end as I forgot I’m slower than I used to be, and so cut it fine to get back in time.
Wednesday – planned rest day
Thursday – rest day
Again with exhaustion
Friday – planned rest day
Saturday – Lydiard parkrun with Lani
Running a 5k parkrun with Lani isn’t the most strenuous of workouts, but it’s fun (other than fighting congestion) and definitely better than nothing. In future I’d like to try to tag some extra miles on when I run with her.
Sunday – Collett Park junior parkrun with Lani and buggy
This was more of a workout than it should have been as a) Lani is getting faster b) short sharp hills are tough with a buggy and c) I’m really not fit. It was a really nice place to run though. I’d intended to go out for a ‘proper’ run later in the day, but for various reasons it just didn’t happen.
Miles in the week: 9 Miles in January so far: 26.8 Miles in 2020 so far: 26.8
New Year’s Day is the only day of the year you can register results at two different parkrun events on the same day, so different events set their start time to make ‘doubles’ possible. We’ve previously done an Ashton Court and Pomphrey Hill double (in 2016) and a Penrose and Heartlands double (in 2019). This year we really wanted to run two new-to-us events, oh and also had to sort out the logistics of Lani wanting to run one but not being strong enough to run two yet. A babysitting offer from my parents sorted the second part, and a look at a map and the new year double finder led us to the town of Cheltenham for our double.
King George V Playing Field parkrun (commonly known as KGVPF for fairly obvious reasons) only started in November, and so is a relatively new addition to the South West. Cheltenham parkrun, on the other hand, started way back in February 2013, but this was the first time they’d run on New Year’s Day. At an hour and a half from home, this is right at the edge of what we’d normally do in the day, so with two runs together we travelled up on New Year’s Eve and stayed in a hotel overnight.
The main page for KGVPF actually includes the parking postcode in their location, which is awesome. The satnav found it easily, although it was still a relief to see a mass of parkrunners and know it was the right place. Ben had run straight to the playing field from the hotel, so, after changing to my trail shoes, Lani, KK and I followed the group round the corner to the meeting point.
Start line selfie #1
Having left children and layers with my parents, Ben and I headed over to the first timers’ briefing. Unfortunately the large crowd of excited runners meant we couldn’t hear it, but a quick check of the course page on a phone confirmed our recollection that it’s a 3 lap course round the playing field. The run briefing was slightly more audible, and the run director explained that they average less than 80 runners a week – so the lack of audio equipment was perfectly reasonable.
A small shuffle got us into starting position, and to my surprise I actually heard the starting countdown. The route starts by heading down to the main lap. Almost the entire course is on grass – the heavy, energy sapping kind as opposed to the kind that easily becomes a bog. Ben was thick with cold so opted to run with me, although he did temporarily abandon me just after the start to say hi to someone he knew.
The lap layout is really similar to Street, as you go straight down one side of the field and then do some turning on the other side to make it longer. The far end of the field had a slightly slippy muddy patch, but on the whole it was definitely sticky instead. In the middle of the lap is a short tarmac section, which I found to be a welcome break, even if it did cause a lot of mud to flick up at my legs from my shoes.
The latter section of the lap also included two short-sharp climbs to get between layers of playing field. Unsurprisingly, Ben found these significantly easier than I did, what with having a) fitness and b) height. The last bit of the lap went right past the play area, and so that’s where we saw our supporters.
One of us found this a little easier going than the other
My initial hope had been to get a sub-30 at both parkruns, but after the first lap I just knew it wasn’t going to happen. The second lap went slightly faster, but my legs started to feel heavier and heavier with each step. By the end of the third lap we were right on the edge for time. Just the matter of the peel off to the finish, which I could see was slightly too long for what I needed. Ben encouraged me to go for it anyway, and overtaking a few people just before the line I finished in… 30:02. Ah well.
The finish funnel process went pretty smoothly for me. I was scanned by someone who’d finished their run and then hopped on the app to help out. The turnout was more than triple their previous highest, so the event team coped fantastically.
All too quickly we were heading back to the car to move on to the next event. Ben had initially intended to run between the two, but his cold had made running too hard for that to be a good idea. The satnav and course instructions made it straight forward to find where we were going. We parked in the leisure centre car park, given the leisure centre itself was closed for the day, and a short walk further along the road took us to the meeting point.
Knowing that the winter course at Cheltenham is 4 laps on tarmac (see, we do occasionally do research), we’d swapped to our road shoes. During the first timer’s briefing it was explained that, due to numbers, the 2 lap summer course would be used instead. At which point Ben left the briefing to get our trail shoes out the car, arriving back just in time for us to change shoes and head down to the start. (It turns out this was announced on Facebook the night before, we just weren’t organised enough to see)
Start line selfie #2
The main run brief was through a sound system, as you’d expect from a larger long-running event. We all assembled in position ready to charge up the grassy hill. My highlight from the start was running past two volunteers shouting “I’m a rock, don’t run into me”, as they stood on top of rocks that would certainly have tripped a lot of people up otherwise.
Less of a highlight was realising, as I rounded the corner at the top of the hill, that I had nothing left. My legs were shot and I had very little energy to spare. And I was once again running on sapping ground. The combination of low fitness levels, lack of sleep, not eating or drinking enough, and pushing on the first event had taken its toll. The prospect of trudging round the course by myself felt distinctly unappealing, and so I slowed right down, and then headed back through the field slightly to find Ben and Lani. Because if I was going to have a slower run I may as well have company and enjoy it.
So for the first time ever, the 3 of us ran together. As we headed down the grass, Ben paused to grab my hoodie from my dad (so that I didn’t freeze). After continuing along the grass a little, we joined the path next to the lake. The character of the course changed completely here, from a field to pretty park. At the end of the lake was a bridge with bollards to dodge. A sign or marshal instruction would have been useful here, as the path split three ways and only runners ahead showed us the correct option.
Look! Ben actually remembered to photograph the scenery!
The view from the other side of the lake was just as lovely, particularly seeing the stream of runners all around the park. The course then cuts onto a field for a loop round (more energy-sapping terrain!), which was pretty much what you’d expect it to be. By this point we were being lapped thick and fast, a fact we became more conscious of as we returned to the path and lost the extra width.
After a short bridge (with no sides) over the water, we rejoined the main path and then merged onto the grass. We assumed we would carry on up the hill to go past the finish, but a marshal directed us on a trail across the field instead. This is a fantastic way of avoiding crossing over near the finish, but could have done with better direction as we overtook at least one person who’d gone the whole way round.
The second lap was much the same, just slightly slower. Lani could have done with more food and sleep as well. It was noticeable how many regular park users were out and about on the paths, but unsurprising given it was later in the morning on a bank holiday. The support from other runners who’d already finished was absolutely fantastic – Lani loved pointing out that it was all aimed at her and not at us.
Limited edition sighting at parkrun
Once back on the grass where we’d peeled off at the end of lap 1, it was just a short stretch further up the hill to the end. Actually shorter than I’d realised, as the finish was right on the corner. A zig-zag funnel was taped off, although a section had been taken down by the time we finished so that we could cut straight through to get our tokens. Finishing 516th and 518th gave Lani and Ben their biggest ever token numbers (I was 534th when we went to Poole).
I really enjoyed the route at Cheltenham, and would love to go back and actually run it properly some time. Clearly I’ve mentioned that more directions would have been nice, but I do also need to say that the volunteers were friendly as you’d expect.
The normal post-run cafe is the leisure centre, which was closed, so we headed towards town to find a Wetherspoons to refuel at instead. That just left the drive home, and plenty of time to discuss our parkrun tourism plans for the rest of the year.
