This weekend wasn’t supposed to include a parkrun. My training plan called for it, but with a trip to Melbourne on the cards, I thought it would be a challenge to squeeze it in. The plan was to drive my daughter, Kayla, to the city so she could see the musical Beetlejuice. As a country kid, the thought of navigating Melbourne traffic was enough to make her want to avoid it at all costs, so I happily took the wheel.
A late night followed. I’m usually in bed by 9 p.m., but after picking Kayla up from the train station, I didn’t get to sleep until close to midnight. I was cutting it fine the next morning when I awoke with a jolt and saw the clock: 7:20 a.m. Parkrun starts at 8 a.m. sharp, and I still needed to get dressed, grab a snack, and drive to the start line—not to mention a proper warm-up.
A Crisp Morning, a New Course, and a Goal to Chase
I made it just in time to President Park for the Wyndham Vale parkrun event 429. The air was crisp, and I immediately regretted not packing a long-sleeve top or gloves. But there was no time to dwell on it; it was time to run.
As I toed the start line, I noticed there were parkrun pacers. While I knew a sub-25-minute finish was ambitious, I decided to settle in behind the pacer for that time, hoping to ride their energy for as long as I could. I fell into a comfortable rhythm, and soon my hands started to defrost. The pacer eventually pulled away, but that was okay. I was running my race.
My new focus became the woman running just ahead of me. We were moving at a similar pace, and I used her as my marker. On the final turn, I knew it was time to dig deep and push for the finish. I kicked into another gear, picking up the pace for the final stretch.
Crossing the line, I checked my watch: 25:37. It was my fastest 5k of the year! What a fantastic feeling to end this training phase on such a high note. Now, it’s time to level up and build those kilometres for the next goal.
What is parkrun?
If you’ve never heard of it, parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5k event held in locations all over the world. It’s a fantastic way to meet new people, get some exercise, and challenge yourself, no matter your fitness level. You can walk, jog, or run, and everyone is welcome.
So, have you ever run a parkrun? If so, which one is your favourite?