Sorry for late delay in blogging, but I have been very busy, with cycling and more cycling!
But this is Park Run, a mob match between my running club Pettswood runners and Beckenham Running club! Now we do always have a great affection for mob matches, and we normally do try and turn out as many runners as we can. Last we beat them on the whole who has the most runners out in the fieled! It was usually us!
Was yesterday any different! No! We definitely won on the numbers game, I'm just not sure if we won anything else, I am sure there are some Pettswood runners who are reading this that can add some comments to let you all know!
This is my first park run in quite a while, the add 'fun' of the mob match only added to my......excitement! (read as nervousness) as I really wanted to do well. All the hard work I have been doing in the running and cycling, I just wanted it to show in this timed official event! Even by just a few seconds, I wanted to beat my time for the last time I ran this!
I cycled to Norman Park and met Nagging sister at the entrance, she rode her jalopy of a bike that I had dropped off to her the day before. After saying hello to the other PWR's we made our way to the start. I always like to start from behind. I have decided that I would rather try to pass people than to have them fly past me.
As the count down started I could feel the tension, then it was GO. We all set off, I kept at the back as planned, even though there were a few others behind me. Then I noticed the 30 min pace, with her bright yellow jacket on, I thought I would be able to keep up with her. She was running along chatting to her friend. I was very naive, thinking that as her and her friend looked ......erm.....a bit older than me, I thought I could keep up! Silly mare. I should realise by now, all sorts of ages, all sorts of size from all walks of life can still beat the hell out of me on a 5k course. Whether they are 12 to 120 years old! Its just what you put into doing what you love that you can get the best out of yourself. So, I paced myself again. I kept looking at my watch, the first half mile running at 9. something minute miling. Do I slow down, or do just carry on until I feel I cant run anymore and need a quick walking break. Arggghhh decisions! I decided to just run my own 5k, with a view of beating my last park run time.
The first lap went fine. As usual, seeing all the front runners, racing past as I am still nearly finishing the first lap is quite demoralising. But I said to my self, "Being here has helped boost the PWR's numbers game!" which was consolation enough. The second lap I felt a bit more relaxed. The pressure off myself, for now, as I kept on running, with the occasional stop, just as we do on a Tuesday night club run, but its a fast walking stop, and not a regrouping stop!
It felt good to be running down the last long straight, being encouraged not only but my own fellow PWR's but by the Beckehham runners, and just all the other park runners!! Runners/cyclists really are the nicest people!
Just the last tiny bit, up towards the tunnel, to get my token and to register my time. The sprinting starts now, I put on a bit of speed, puffing and panting, pushing hard, PWR's urging me on, other park runners saying "Go on Pettswood, nearly there" totally focused on the tunnel. "Please let it be a PB, please let it be a PB!"
Through the tunnel, turn of my garmin! Done! I turn off my Garmin!
My geeky stats for my Mob Match. Check out my Cycling blog for the second half of my exercise today.
P.s, by the way, it's official, I did reach a PB on this course! I beat my record by 58 seconds! Official Park run time was 33.53
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