(That is to absolutely prevent myself with the excuse of 'oversleeping' - the first time it happened ever last week from making my now sometimes only exercise of the week!)
This time I have been 'promoted' to be able to select from a range of times , sub-40, sub-35, sub-30 and sub-27:30. Glad I wasn't forced to pace at 35, and was almost tempted to do sub 27:30. But logic overruled and I chose what I am most recently comfortable with - sub-30.
Thinking I was unique, I headed to the starting line, only to see another (older) guy with the same bib on, he was chaperoning a boy half his height.
"We are going to stay close to each other" I said.
"I did 29:50 last week that's why I'm pacing sub-30 today" he replied.
I started next to him, quite close to all of the starters, and as usual, I let every one (even Miss sub-35 pacer!) get their adrenalin out of the way and take my pace slowly up the muddy patch, towards the not-yet-set-up finishing point, and a left down the middle of Richmond Park.
A clear saturday morning, and I am so glad to be out there. No deers that I saw this morning, but quite a few people on tripods. as usual, some prams (with a 2 year old girl with a dummy), the owner with the Jack Russell, and a group of teenagers were amongst us, weaving in and out..
This clearly wasn't a session to target my PB, but I took the relative tranquility and the mindset of maintaining the pace, and not chasing it, as I reflected in the first kilometre of the run, the Runner's World article on pacing your best 5K - which states that to race a good 5km (or 3.1 miles), your first mile has to be 6% faster than your average pace...(so not even pace, and definitely not negative split!)
I could occasionally hear Runkeeper blaring away in the distance, after 1 km, it was saying 5:something per kilometre - my mind said 'you are going too fast' and I slowed....typical before rounding the first corner...and just like my first time as a pacer, someone started talking to me:
Mr Orange Jacket : Are you on target?
Me: Yes ...pretty much
....basically Mr Orange Jacket is a regular 30 minute Parkrunner - he identified Mr Grey-Hair-in white top (aged 70) is his 'peer'...last week (grey hair) beat him (orange) and when usually the overtaking takes place..
I Thanked him for the insight, and Congratulated him for being able to identify friends within the group.
The second and third quarters of the race....I had my sub-30 colleague within 3 footlengths, and kept to that. Enjoyed my workout and the slow climb....the times I have replayed this scene in the last 5kms of a marathon (if I can do it in Richmond Parkrun in 30 mins...I am therefore 30 minutes to home)..never have I been at such peace with my pace - even breathing, not rushing to stop...
As Runkeeper made the 4km announcement...I saw Mr Grey-hair-70-year-old stop. (Oh no! I thought, like Mr Orange said, maybe today isnt his day?) I didn't hesitate to encourage him...."go on, you are almost there!!" It turns out he was just taking a break (by the lake- near the starting point), he picked up speed, and got me to go on....so he was more qualified as a pacer than I am! We both picked up speed...my stopwatch was starting to say 27 minutes something,... I let him go ahead of me, also waved the pram ahead of me (no jogging on the spot for 2 minutes like last time though!), and ran up to the funnel...
I stopped my stopwatch. 29:45
I stopped Runkeeper. 30:00 (spot on!)
My official results from Parkrun 29:59
This is the perfect pace. For the first time ever I have landed a perfect sub-30! I nailed the pace!
Very glad to have also spoken to another lady who was trying to chase me but fell short - after scanning her barcode I passed her 'the tricks of the trade' - what I have written above.
One of the joys of being a pacer is the opportunity to encourage and motivate. I may not be the fastest runner but it absolutely warms my heart to be able to share experiences, and encourage people to do better each week, and that is what Parkrun is all about.
Route today on runkeeper
A brief rest now, and for another backstage job on the course tomorrow...
This year I am taking a break from competitive running and working more behind the scenes, in preparation for greater challenges ahead.
This year I am taking a break from competitive running and working more behind the scenes, in preparation for greater challenges ahead.
