Two weeks after returning to parkrun with James, I was back this morning for another 5K. Having enjoyed my first parkrun in several years last time, I was keen to have another go and see whether I could improve on my previous Garmin time of 37:02. As it turned out, I did, although only by 15 seconds. My Garmin recorded 36:47 for 5.01 km, which I’m quite pleased with. It wasn’t a dramatic improvement, but it’s another step in the right direction.
A Steady Start
My average pace was 7:21/km, compared with 7:23/km two weeks ago. Looking at my kilometre splits, I started reasonably well, covering the first kilometre in 7:19. My pace then settled to 7:32 and 7:35 for the next two kilometres before picking up slightly to 7:24 in the fourth. What particularly pleased me was the final kilometre. I managed to increase my pace to 6:55/km, making it my fastest kilometre of the run. That’s encouraging because it suggests I had enough left to push a little harder towards the finish. My next goal is to get my parkrun time under 35 minutes, which means averaging just under 7:00/km. Given that I managed 6:55/km for my final kilometre today, it feels like a realistic target to work towards.
What the Garmin Tells Me
My average heart rate was 129 bpm, with a maximum of 143 bpm. That’s very similar to the 128 bpm average recorded at my previous parkrun, despite running a little faster this time. Garmin classified the run as a tempo session, with an aerobic training effect of 3.7. It was a worthwhile workout that should help improve my aerobic fitness.
My average cadence was 162 steps per minute, the same as last time, while my average stride length increased slightly from 0.84 m to 0.86 m. My average running power was 248 watts.
I also finished with 62% of my Garmin stamina remaining, the same figure as two weeks ago. These figures suggest that I managed a slightly quicker run without a substantial increase in overall effort.
Comparing the Two parkruns
The Garmin numbers are a good point of comparison. On 17th October I did 5.01km in 37:02 (7:23/km). Today I did the same distance in 36:47 (7:21/km), i.e. 15 seconds faster, with my average HR just one bpm higher.
The official parkrun results also show an improvement (my age-graded score went from 45.74% to 46.06%). The official timing system gives 37:43 and 37:27 respectively, but I’m using my Garmin times to track my running. Although the improvement in my age-graded score is very slight, it’s good to see it going in the right direction..
Finishing Faster
The most encouraging part of today’s run was being able to increase my pace towards the end. My first four kilometres were reasonably consistent, and I still had enough energy to make the fifth my fastest. I’ve been concentrating on running regularly and gradually improving my endurance, rather than worrying too much about speed. Today’s result suggests that approach is working. Fifteen seconds might not sound like much, but I ran a little faster, recorded almost the same average heart rate and felt the effort was slightly easier than last time. That’s progress as far as I’m concerned.
Looking Ahead
I enjoyed today’s parkrun and am glad I did it. With two recent results, I have something to compare, but I don’t want every Saturday to feel like a race. I’ll keep running and see how it goes. Some weeks will be faster, and I know I won’t improve every time. Right now, I’m happy with 36:47, especially with that quicker last kilometre, and I’m pleased I’ve made a bit of progress.
Not a bad way to spend a Saturday morning.