I got to experience my first
Park Run in Cardiff, Wales. All over the UK, every Saturday, there are park runs. They are free. You register online, get a bar code to print out, and go to your local park to run a 5k. At the end your bar code is scanned, and you get an official time. You are ranked online. It is brilliant! All ages, any weather condition - people show up and run.
My first park run dawned very windy, and rainy (do you see the trend here?!) If I had been home in California I can guarantee you maybe only a handful of people would have showed up - even if they had paid for the race. This race was free. I asked if many people would show up, I mean, the weather was just awful. "Oh yes, tons of people will come!" I was told. And they were right.
Having run only about 5x in the past six weeks, I figured Elliot might kill me if I raced two 5k's two days apart. So I decided to hold my effort at 80%. This in itself is a huge thing to ask of a competitive person, but I figured it was a good challenge. Two girls passed me in the first 100m, and I let them go. It wasn't even hard to do this - I was actually enjoying my 80% effort. I could look around at the scenery. I could breathe. My legs were not screaming at me.
In the final 800m I was passed by seven men, all who encouraged me to give a final kick. I smiled and let them go. 80% effort. It's actually a fun way to enjoy a 5k. Try it sometime.
4 comments:
There is a way to run a 5K. Hardest effort is at the last part. I told you this before. I am thinking your best 5K has yet to be hit.
The fastest part of the 5K should be the last 1.1...incrementally too.
okay the barcode system and run in the rain makes you stronger mentally, even at 80% :) Greetings From Barcelona (Spain)
What a cool concept! We need park runs here in CA!
Park Runs...genius. What a cool concept; I wish we could get Americans to show up to free and consistent athletic events.
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