My first parkrun in nearly six months, a last hard training session before Hyde Park.

Result: 18:08 (5th/317)
Date: Saturday 7 September 2013
Format: 5km run (2.5 laps of tarmac, grass, trail)
Event website: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/basingstoke/home
Full results: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/basingstoke/results/weeklyresults?runSeqNumber=280

I had good results at Eastleigh and Reading last week but finished both with an unsatisfactory run. I planned to do an intervals session to tune up my run speed, but have spent most of this week nursing a sore lower back/sacrum. So, instead, when it felt a bit better this morning I decided I’d come to parkrun. The Basingstoke one has grown since my last parkrun back in March, with a crowd of 317 runners this morning!

I set off from the second row, ran comfortably and hit the 1 km marker in 3:23, a few seconds ahead of what I’ve managed previously. The second and third felt relaxed too, a 3:40 and another 3:40. I was in close company with two other runners and we worked well together. Fourth km was 3:44. With just one to go, the others pulled ahead slightly, but I didn’t try to push it, I’ll save that for Wednesday! 🙂 A final 3:41 saw me to the finish chute in 18:08, a decent 39 seconds quicker than I’ve run here previously and only 2 seconds off my 5km PB, set on flat tarmac at Dorney back in April.

I’m now feeling ready to go!