Race Report - Cannon Hill parkrun Event 39 - It's The Shoes Wot Done It!

Maybe the trick is to not use the watch.
After losing the satellites before the start at Brueton parkrun and taking 12 seconds out of my PB, this morning my Garmin was still looking for satellites when the race started, so I didn't even manage to start the stopwatch. Guess what? Another TWENTY seconds faster!

I turned to shake the hand of the guy who pushed me over the line and as he was wearing a stopwatch I asked what time he'd clocked. 19:11? I figured he must have started it late or stopped it early... or both... surely?

I had no expectations of a fast run this morning, but as we got going I found that I felt pretty good, and was lying in around 14th or 15th place as we took the left turn at the Red Carriage Bridge. I found one runner coming backwards on the riverside path heading south-bound, so passed him fairly easily. Rounding the triangle I started to watch for friends coming the other way, particularly Derek, who I knew would be trying to stay with me. I didn't see him, so figured that he must have been close behind me going round the turn. I caught and passed another runner at about the same point but heading north now. I now had a big gap between me and the guy in front, and though I closed it somewhat there was no way I could catch him. Fergal did his usual great job of spurring me on (not just me, of course!), and on the second lap I really put some extra effort in on the uphill stretch from the fish pond toward Fergal, as I didn't want to disappoint him!

With no idea how fast I was going I just powered up past the Tearooms and the station and was cheered home by Mary, Helen and the others.

Derek got the hot beverages and snacks afterwards, and we sat and chatted in the Tearooms for a while, along with several others. I joked with him and Gill that the PB was entirely down to my new 'go-faster' shoes. Derek told me he was looking for something similar, and fancied the Fastwitch - Saucony stablemates of my Kinvaras. I told him I'd seen some in Up And Running in the city centre, above Evans which was where he was going for some clip-less pedals to suit his new cleats. So Derek set off on a run into town and back and I set off on my run home.

I'd decided that I would run home in the Kinvaras after all, partly because I didn't want to carry shoes while running, and I had no problem at all. I chose the 5½ mile route, one I'm getting used to of late, and aside from some people beeping their horn and waving out of the car windows it was entirely uneventful. I smiled and waved back, in case I knew them - quite possibly fellow parkrunners.

I tried to concentrate on posture and good running form, though my mind does tend to drift while running! In the process I clocked my fastest run on this route. So much for the easy/recovery run! I think I the adrenaline must still have been still coursing through my veins after the race.

When the results came through (quick turn-around again folks - well done!) they confirmed 19:11. Wow. Wasn't expecting that! Derek managed sub-20 for the first time at Cannon Hill, and was only six seconds off his Brueton Park PB, so well done him. I received an email from him saying he's bought a pair of Fastwitch and hopes they'll help him to catch me! Dream on, Derek! Heh, heh.