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On Saturday, 11th May just 3 days after conquering the Met 10k, I found myself back in action ready to take on the Parkrun. With a newfound confidence and a spring in my step, I decided to run rather than to volunteer this time. Having crossed the half way mark in under 33 minutes during the Met 10K, I set my target on finishing the 5k Parkrun in under 33 minutes – a feat I hadn’t achieved since I twisted my knee on the snow in December 2022.
My sister Fidelia who did the Parkrun with me was aiming at sub 30 minutes. I told her since I aimed at a slower time, I would go to the back of the pack to start as I didn’t want to get in the way of fast runners. My sister opted for a front row start, using the pressure of not blocking faster runners as her motivation to keep a swift pace.
It was a nice and sunny day but not too hot. It was a perfect weather a comfortable run. I bumped into our Comets RRC fellow member Jayne Jones and her lovely and adorable Whippet dog, Blue. Jayne told me Blue loves the sun and warmth so she brought her along for the run. Having volunteered as a timekeeper in the Parkrun for many times, I know Jayne and Blue usually finish in 26 minutes.
When I shared my goal of finishing in sub 33 minutes and my plan to start from the back, Jayne graciously offered to be my pacer, along with Blue. I was thrilled and honoured to have such a dynamic duo by my side. We then made our way to the back of the pack, which was quite a long queue due to the record number of over 400 participants.
As we set off, Jayne turned on her app which shows the distance, average pace, current pace. Blue, with her four tiny legs, effortlessly glided along the course, seemingly surprised when Jayne reined her in for running too fast. She literally turned her head and looked at Jayne. She must be thinking: “Why is mummy stopping me from running fast? I thought mummy wants to win the race !!!” Blue led the way throughout the run, never showing any signs of fatigue.
As we approached the finish line, my sister Fidelia was already there capturing our last dash to the finish line on video., My GPS watched showed 32 minutes 27 seconds, while Jayne’s app showed 32 minutes 47 seconds. The difference was due to the fact that I started my watch when I crossed the start line while Jayne started her app when the marshal’s shout. Regardless of the discrepancy, I was overjoyed to have achieved my sub-33-minute goal. I couldn’t have done it without the incredible support of Jayne and Blue, who were the best pacers I could ask for. As I caught my breath, huffing and puffing after the run, Blue looked so chilled and unfazed and she didn’t look like she had just done 5k run. Such a fit and fabulous furry friend!
Looking ahead, the local 10k race on my radar will be the Trent Park Triffic Trail at the end of June. It is a notoriously hilly course. I am not entirely sure whether my temperamental knee is ready to tackle the challenge of constant ascents and descents. I still have more than a month to decide. Let’s see!!
