January Parkruns

Lincoln 18.01.14  21.56

I had a good week of running behind me having completed 8 miles on Tuesday including club intervals and then 10 miles on Thursday - so I decided today that the 22 minute glass ceiling was going to be broken on my 21st attempt !

First lap was the usual smashfest and my first mile of 6.53 reflected that - although it felt like last week where I felt strong going into the second lap. 2nd lap only slightly slower at 6.58 but I was really blowing by the end of it, however I knew that sub 22 was on !!

Last mile in 7.07 to bring me in at 21.56, an all time 5k PB but more importantly the glass ceiling was broken !

Lincoln 04.01.14  22.19
Here we go ! The first parkrun of 2014 and a quiet one as the weather was lousy with heavy rain predicted.
For my part I wanted to try out the even pacing strategy that served me better at Peterborough last week.

How did it go ?

well, first lap flew by in 7.07 which is 14 seconds slower than I have previously run a first lap but the difference here was that I felt stronger as I entered the second lap. The rain was coming down and I could feel myself getting wetter and wetter at this point. The 2nd lap finished with 7.15 and I thought I might have blown it but again didn't feel shot like normal and ran a 7.05 (where did that come from?) third mile to finish in 22.19 (7.08 m/m pacing) for an all time PB in my first outing of the year - I'm chuffed !

Lincoln Wheelers New Years Day TT

After completing 61 events in 2013, it was time to re-set the clock and start with the first event of 2014 - the Lincoln Wheelers New Years Day TT - the 2nd event in the Winter Double where Boxing Day saw me finish 5th and post a time of 19.37 - today I planned to try and go a bit quicker.

We had a strong (southerly?) wind to start us off along with rain and I couldn't wait to get away at no.10 - I even got my legs out as I figured at 5 degrees it was tropical enough to do so !

My time eventually came and I started to hammer it down the first straight, and with a backwind, managed to keep the speed at 28mph for a speedy first section. As we turned left at Torksey junction, I caught my first minute man who is a decent rider so I knew it was going well. It was a bi-atch of a headwind at this point and I had a grimace on from start to finish. I fantasised about turning left at Newton junction into another backwind but no it was another headwind and it was raining horribly too.

I could see my two minute man up the road and this focused me to try that little bit harder - and I managed it eventually although not until nearly the finish.

18.55 then in tricky conditions and 3rd place on scratch on the day.

A much much better turn out for me and a great start to the 2014 season !