A return to Beacon Park for the last Parkrun opportunity of the year and jetting off for a week of skiing. With the Christmas Day Parkrun at Concord and a Boxing Day Two Turtle Doves fell race in my legs I wasn’t holding much hope in finishing this year with a sub-20. I had to at least try.
I nestled behind about 30 runners on the narrow path and in true parkrun tradition set off a bit quick. This helped give me some space from the mass of bodies and I fell into a good rhythm. Lap one went smoothly and felt much shorter than 2.5km, but I think the psychology behind a two-lapper course is much more palatable than a three-lapper like Hillsborough.
On the second lap I spent most of it on the heels of a man, using him as pacemaker and Snowpiercer to cut through the thick mist. I thanked each marshal, as always, and the tail walkers too as we sped past. The course is forgiving, a total of 20m elevation over 5k which is barely noticeable on a mix of hard paths, good quality trails, and a sprint finish over grass.
Rolling into the final kilometre I stuck to my unofficial pacer, being mean and not offering any assistance leading. In my defence I was huffing and puffing like Nessa with a vape (and cigarette). As the finish got closer I glanced at my watch and realised the GPS wasn’t registering correctly, showing I had done a shorter distance than in reality. Sub-20 was still on the cards. I pushed, speeding up and with it my breath becoming louder. Mr pacer heard and retaliated with his own surge. We were on the grass, him one stride ahead, but failing, and I pass!
I thanked him after for a good fight at the end, a proper thrill of the race moment (even though the winner had finished about three and a half minutes before us). I secured a 19:55 (as did he, albeit just behind me) to finish the year.
Stats
Moving time: 19:55
Distance: 5km
Elevation: 21m
Average Pace: 3:59/km
Average HR: 171bpm