Week 3 - 5k Parkrun

It is the start of week 3 and I decided to get back on to the Glasgow Parkrun. This is a truly great initiative that lets you register and run for free on an organised timed run.  The really good thing about it is that there are literally hundreds of participants so it is an excellent pre-cursor to the Great Scottish Run and what is more - you can do it almost every week.  There are many Parkruns throughout the country - well worth checking out.

Firstly though, I wanted to share a little bit of research that I did on running techniques.  The biggest issue I seem to face is that I get out of breath very quickly and tend to get crippling side stitches.

 

This is a video that I found on You Tube which was posted posted by Jeffery Brooks of the FatBurnCafe website. 

 

What I like about this particular video is that he doesn't just stand there talking about it, he is actually demonstrating the technique and showing you first hand where the benefits lie.

 

 

This next video is from an article on the Runners World website by Budd Coates and Claire Kowalchick called Running on Air. I like this because it takes a more scientific approach to the concept to actually help you understand the importance of breathing properly..

 

 

 

With my new found research, I was looking forward to my Parkrun. Normally I would struggle round it and have to stop numerous times to catch my breath.  The run that I participate in at Pollock Park is widely considered a tough one as it is quite hilly. When I used to do it every week, my best time was around about a 32, but I would be happy to complete the course in a 35 today.

 

 Usual drill, warm up, Map My Run, Tunes on and off. Except the off starts as a walk as I know that I am in the slowest category, so always start from the very back. This causes a holdup while everyone gets started and the runners leave the car park, down the road and onto the footpath to get into the woods.

Up a short steep hill which levels to a slight gradient to the top, I am breathing with my belly and taking my time in terms of pace and I have say, that I'm feeling good. Normally at this point, I am struggling to get to the top, but not today so I keep going and once at the top make my way down the hill. Normally on the downhills, I maintain my pace and use this as an opportunity to recover.

 

Some people prefer to push but this will come at a later date for me - what I want is to achieve longevity. 

Bottom of the hill and its a sharp turn left and up the area of course that is affectionately known as "The Glade" a long gradient that level off and onto an S bend hill that is really steep.  This is always a killer for me so I set myself the challenge of getting to the foot of it as slowing to a walk to get to the top of it.

 

Up the glade then, head down and focusing on my breathing. I start passing people who have slowed to a walk and getting some satisfaction. Most probably these are the folks who should really be starting at the back but placed themselves in the middle to get a slightly better time OR have pushed to hard and fast and are now paying the price (I learnt that lesson last week!!).

 

 

Getting passed by the front runners now, I get to the foot of the hill, first scheduled slowdown but feel that I have enough energy to tackle it so decide to go for it and slow whenever I falter. But I don't falter and to my surprise make it up over the beast to the top, knowing that it levels to a down hill, I can keep the pace going and catch my breath.

 

 

On down the hill and I am now witnessing the front runners take the final straight but for me, its the connecting path to start the second lap. I get to the foot of the hill and its a medium gradient to get to the next lap. Head down again, breathing with my belly and pushing on I make it to the top of the hill and down the other side.  I am nearly overcome with emotion when I realise that I have actually run the furthest distance non stop of my entire life. The training is definitely paying off!!  The leveller though, is a runner passing me while she is pushing a pram! - only at the parkrun!!

 

 

Bottom of the hill then and it a sharp left to get up the glade. By this point, I have done over 4km non stop over a hilly course and I really want to push on but I am tired and getting irritated by a girl pacing herself against me but blasting past me then needing to slow to a walk.  If I can keep going up the glade, I'll have her and if not, then maybe my sprint at the end will get her.

 

Up the glade then, but I am really tired and have simply run out of stream, so I slow to a brisk walk for what must have been about 10 meters then get running again.  The runner using me as a pacemaker blasted past me as predicted but I didn't want to let her get too far in front. 

 

Sure enough she slowed to a walk before the top but I had recovered enough to keep going. I wanted to slow to a walk at the bottom of the S bend hill but battered right into it. Half way up I had to slow again but then once at the top, caught my breath and headed on the downward straight.

Taking the right fork for the finish line, I started my sprint and passed a good few of the runners ahead of me but I had started it too early and nearly 15 metres from the end, ran out of steam but I could hear someone chasing me down so got a final wind and pushed passed the line. Placed 400 (of 436) and an official time of 34:03.  

This is not my fastest time, or my best placement but is a huge achievement for me in terms on longevity. But as always after the parkrun, the final sprint as completely done me in but I wouldn't change it for anything!!

 

Week 1 - Third 4k Run - Fatigue setting in

Week 1 - Wednesday.  I had intented to jump onto the Wii Fit for some light exercise but when I got home, had some new techy toys to play with that got delivered so the training was a write-off.

 

Thursday. I am really feeling tired in the afternoon.  Not sure if this is the week's activities catching up with me or that I have slashed the amount of calories that I eat in a day (will summarise this on the week's summary report) or that I have been quite active at home (had to do some visting this week), but I am really struggling to focus on my work.  Normally I would consider myself highly motivated but I'm definately struggling today.

 

Get the workday done and start driving home. I really do not want to do the run but I figure that I need to dig deep, remember what it is I want to achieve, and think to the people that have inspired me to do this, so I get home and get changed right away, get the good lady and off to the park again for Run 3.  4 kms again and I want to try my first goal of completing the first km without stopping.  The 1k mark is right at the top of the first incline, then it flattens off till we take the sharp right for the big hill.

 

Got properly prepared this time. No stupid jacket, earphones wired down the back, playlist is in order, so its the usual quick warm up, Tunes on and Map My Run onto record. Off we go...

 

Tip:

On my run on Tuesday, I got a terrible stitch. Almost crippling actually that really hampered my progress.  Got some great advice on this from some colleagues.  I thought that a stitch happens when you eat or drink something too soon before exercise but this is actually a myth. The truth is that it is actually to do with your breathing - not getting enough air to the muscles. There is a good article on the RunnersWorld.Com website here.

 

Almost as soon as I set off, my head clears and I am in the game for the run and thinking to myself - well done for motivating yourself to do this!  Setting off at a good pace again and breathing deeply as I go, I manage keep running till I hear the 1km marker in my ear - Just where I expected. What I should have done was keep going as I was 6 strides away from the flat but no, my overwhelming sense of achievement made me decide to take a breather and get walking. So walk it was, but only for a short distance before I had a good word with myself and set off to the first hill.

 

Still struggling on the big hill (running / walking) but keeping going the whole time.  I get to the top and get going again. It's all down hill so I decide to try and keep a slower pace, and breathe in deeply so catch my breath without slowing to walk.  This seemed to work and I made it all the way down, past the 2k marker and well into 3.  Johnny Cash started about this time and had the desired effect, although I did slow to a walk a few times, I was definately running more of the track than I had before and although feeling tired, was actually feeling quite pleased with and for the first time, starting to enjoy the run.

 

The rest of the course for fairly typical, analysis from Map My Run is below...

 

 

Points worth mentioning:

• Another good start, again possibly too quick on the off but once going, the pace was fairly consistent for the first km. No stops - acheivement earned!
• Still a lot of work to do on the hills, it is quite evident to see how the pace slows right down.
• Once on the downward slopes though, the pace picking up again with the walking breaks evident - need to work on this for next time - no walking on the downhills!!
• Second run at the initial slope war far worse that the first - need to focus on making that slope every time.
• Happy again with the sprint at the end - always a great way to finish!
• Time 27:41

 

 

I was really happy with this run today and it felt great at the end of it.  Definately up for pushing it on the next run up to the 5k or preferably the 6 (3 laps) and definately want to run right up to the start of the big hill next time.

 

 

 

First Weekend Preparations - 4K Run in the park

Saturday AM:  4K run around Alexandra Park in Glasgow. 2 x 2K Circuits.

I prepared for this on the Friday evening by downloading MapMyRun to my Android Smartphone and setting up a 30 minute playlist of songs to play around the park.

Playlist (if you are interested)...

1. Survivor - Eye of the Tiger (sorry but I couldn't start on anything else!)
2. Eric Clapton - After Midnight
3. Outkast - Hey Ya!
4. Oasis - All Around the World
5. Kenny Rogers - Ruby
6. Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger
7. U2 - One
8. Bill Conti - Gonna Fly Now (Cheesy but as I started, so I should finish!).

Waking up on the Saturday morning, it was a half pint of water and straight to the park.

Did a quick warm up of a few stretches, set the playlist running and switched the Map My Run app on to Record.

Off we go, Eye of the Tiger actually isn't a bad number to get you moving but by the end of the track, I wasn't ready for fighting anybody. Half way through the first km and I am already starting to breath heavy. Round the second pond in the park and on to the first incline. Eric Clapton Blazing in my ears but I am struggling with the small gradient. Time for my first walk. Up the hill to the flat and stating my run again just as we get to the top. 

A nice word in my ear telling me that I have completed 1.01 km in 7 1/2 minutes. I think to the commentary I hear on marathons - 7 minute miles seem to feature a lot but then reality strikes when I realise 1.6km in a mile and I am way off the pace!

Hey Ya! and I'm still running along the flat to the start of the big hill at the golf course. Start running again but shaking it like a Polaroid picture ain't getting me up to the top. Time for my second walk (it is a steep hill but I know that if I get near the top it plains off and then its downwards all the way to the start again!).

Perfect timing, as Oasis start their intro just at the point I was wanting to start at so its a wee bit o' hill and running the plain to one of my favourite all time tracks - great motivation and got me in a good rhythm.  All the way down the hill and turn the corner to start it all again just as my wee pal in my ear tells me 2.01km at a time of just over 8 mins (slowing down but I did walk up the hill!).

Oasis end as I go by the first pond again and Kenny Rogers starts. What a depressingly pish entry into my list. Thought the country and western beat would get me shifting but no, made me want to curl up and die - legs are feeling heavy and listening to song about a guy that got his shot off in the war wasn't making me feel any better. Note to self - Kenny has to go - sorry!

So, with Ruby taking her love to town, I was back on the first Incline and well in need of my next walk. I want to press on so run a bit more of the incline to another walk. Reach the flat, I am feeling spent but Oasis picks me up again with another favourite and with another word in my ear (3.01km) I am running to the start of the next hill. Temptation sets in - I could just cut the hill out, down the path and back to the start but I am no mood to quit so its a short run up the start of the hill as U2's One starts - what a brilliant choice at the time - great inspiration to get me moving again. 

Walking up most of the hill, I started running again just near the top and then its all down hill to the end. Perfect timing again, Bill Conti getting me going and taking me back to my childhood, when I really did want to be Rocky, and here I am 30 odd years later picking up a sprint to the end, got to keep it going till the message comes but I did manage the sprint and at the second the "4.0..." words hit my ears, I stopped running, stopped the map my run and assumed the starfish position on the cool wet grass.

The camera doesn't lie...

A good drink of water and a wait while my spinning head brings be back down to earth. I am completely bushed but equally very pleased with the achievement.

Time to check the Map My Run app for some info and to my absolute horror found that although I had pushed the "Record" button, I did not have the "Tracking" option turned on. What a twassock!!!

But from what I can gather 4k in approx 30 mins.

According to Runners World, their calculator worked this out at:

Nice work! You burned 435 calories.. Check out the table below for your calorie burn rates at this pace too.

Distance: 4 kilometers

Duration: 30:00

Pace: 0:08 / kilometer

Calories Burned: 435

Calorie Burn Rates: 108.78 / kilometer 870.2 / hour 14.50/ minute

Map My Run has this functionality too, for those who have the good sense to set it up properly before their run. Hopefully next time I will be able to show you the route properly!

PS - A big thank-you to my good lady, Olga, for sticking with me and encouraging me round!!!