If going for a fast parkrun then your timings are very important. Personally I like to start my warm up at 8:20am so I can get some drills in before my strides and then still have some time left.
Poor time management can really ruin your preparation and the benefit of strides before a fast 5k is they will make your early pace feel more comfortable.
Be prepared to work very hard to run your best time. When it gets tough, see that as your “opportunity” to get fitter.
5Ks are always really tough and there will always be those moments that our brain questions are ability to keep going. Normally sounded something like “STOP NOW SLOW COACH, YOU CAN’T DO THIS”.
Well trust me, you can, and you’re not slow. Those at home still in bed are the slow ones. So push through that mental block, which for me is always the 4km and keep going.
It’s also important that you do have a clear pacing strategy before taking on a quick parkrun. Every course is different so do you research and check out where the elevation changes are and what the conditions will be.
You will find your parkrun times can vary massively from one course to the next and you don’t want to ruin your run by going off way too fast or having unrealistic targets.
Use those around you at parkrun to help with your pacing. If you can find someone running at a similar pace to you, then tuck in with them. Running is always easier when you have someone to pace you.
At Hastings, my local parkrun it can get very windy, so other runners can be useful to tuck in behind and block the wind. Something I normally find other runners doing to me, as I’m tall 😡
But give it your best shot. If you do that, whatever the time says when that email lands in your inbox, you have to be pleased with your efforts.
Don’t forget to cool down properly either. Something I know a lot of parkrunners don’t do. It’s important and will also help boost your weekly mileage, which in turn will make you a strong runner.
parkrun does rely on volunteers to survive, so please give up your time on occasions to help. It’s said if every parkrunner marshalled just once for every 10 runs, then they would never be short.
