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+--- Thread: Parkrun Improve (/Thread-Parkrun-Improve)
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 17-02-2026
Thanks Gavin, I will certainly give that hill session a go tomorrow.
I ran the slow tempo run yesterday over 12k in 1:21'48. I deliberately slowed this down as i believe that I may have been running this session too hard in the past few weeks.This was run at an average pace of 6'43K at an average HR of 134BPM. It felt quite easy and relaxed.
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 17-02-2026
That really looks good Neil .. getting back into the training routine and taking it a little easier
look forward to reading how the new hill session goes
onwards and forwards TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 19-02-2026
I Ran the hill session this morning and really enjoyed the change up from the weekly 1k intervals which I have felt are getting incrementally better, bit very slowly. Although my times aren’t necessarily improving the way I feel in between and after running them seems a lot more relaxed and not quite as tiring.
The Hill session brought back many distant memories of doing hill sprints up High level road as a kid and then later the dreaded sessions up Rhodes Memorial as I attempted to improve my marathon times many years ago.
I actually found the session lot of fun and went into with lots of energy to explore this new session, herewith the data:
1. 157M @ 45.7 HR 139 BPM
2. 150M @ 43.6 HR 145 BPM
3. 150M @ 44.2 HR 134 BPM
4. 154M @ 48.1 HR 148 BPM
5. 153M @ 43.7 HR 150 BPM
What I found most interesting was the drop in heart rate through the middle segment back down to 134 BPM. All in all I enjoyed the session and felt that I could have possibly gone a little quicker or possibly included a sixth segment.
The hill I ran on has around a 9% gradient and felt that it was just about right to create the hill strain effect without me losing form. I am now looking forward to the 1K intervals next week knowing that I have this session on the horizon in two weeks time again.
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 19-02-2026
Hi Neil, this is such brilliant news, we won't look to change this routine for now as it has given a much higher feel good scenario
hopefully this weekend's parkrun is just as enjoyable
TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 25-02-2026
Thanks Gavin, sorry for lack of posts, been really busy parkrun was terrible I just couldnt get going but these things happen.
On Monday I had a truncated longish tempo run due to a small wildlife emergency that I came across and couldnt ignore. There was a female Francolin with young, she had been knocked over by a car on the winefarm up the road and the driver didnt even bother stopping so I just felt that i needed to step in to help the young ones.. They are all safe and being taken care of by a local facility.
Ran my intervals this morning and tracked around 5 minutes per segment. It was quite challenging especially the middle interval.
1st K 4'53 @ 148 BPM the 1st run was okay but I didnt feel quite as easy as I did on previous 1st segments within these sessions.
2nd K 5'07 @ 150 BPM was incredibly sluggish and at one point actually wheezing for breath, legs felt like jelly.
3rd K 5'05 @ 152 BPM heartrate was noticeably higher as I just tried to push through this segment, felt like running in treacle.
This was and incredibly tough session and I’m not understanding why. I thought by now I should have seen some improvement perhaps it’s just around the corner. Let’s see what next week holds.
I am away for the week but should still be able to complete the program in Franschhoek.
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 25-02-2026
bloody brilliant Neil .. lotsa love your way
quite bizarre that the 1k session was so hard, you sure you don't have anything regarding a cold or virus lingering?
TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 09-03-2026
how are things going Neil
TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 10-03-2026
I have been away for 10 days hosting a cycling event that culminated in the Cape Town cycle tour on Sunday. Despite my well meaning intentions my running went for a ball of chalk. I did run the glue run last monday of 10 kays on Franschoek pass but missed both the hill work and even my regular Parkrun for the 1st time in over a year. We were just too busy for me to get out there, working 18 hour days, schmoozing overseas clients and making sure the riders were taken care of.
I did run yesterday the programmed 12 K in 1:20 and felt really sluggish after a pretty exhausting week of work, but feel that I can get back on track fairly quickly. I will do the hillwork session tomorrow and pickup where I left off.
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 12-03-2026
Run the hill repeat session yesterday 5 x 150M.
1. 161M @ 45.8 @ 124 BPM
2. 157M @ 46.2 @ 124 BPM
3. 161M @ 41.1 @ 125 BPM
4. 152M @ 42.0 @ 129 BPM
5. 159M @ 44.2 @ 128 BPM
I am really enjoying this session but dont know if I am stressing myself enough as can be seen by the HR. I do feel that I could go a bit faster or throw in a sixth interval some advice on this would be good. Interestingly the middle segment was the fastest but I managed to keep my HR around the same as those runs before and after. Next week I will be back to the flat 1K intervals. Thanks coach.
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 18-03-2026
Just a quick catch-up on the forum, Please forgive the silence.
Saturdays Parkrun went reasonably well running at a fairly comfortable 25'40.07. I felt that I ran mostly within myself except for the finish which I did push quite hard in my anticipation to get ahead of a mate that was running just in front of me.
Mondays slow Tempo was an absolute disaster and I felt like I was running in treacle. Although it was only around 28 degrees it felt like 40 and I was completely dehydrated. I turned just after the 5K mark short of my goal 12K and ended up only running 10K. I was completely empty and without explanation as I didn’t feel sick, didn’t have a heavy night and certainly didn’t feel unwell prior to the run. These things sometimes just remain a mystery.
This morning I did the the 3 x 1K speed session and actually felt pretty good with initial apprehension after Mondays run. The runs weren’t special from a time perspective but I did feel like I carried good form across all three segments. My recovery back to around 100 BPM were all within a two minute rest period, not something that always occurs.
1st K 5’07 @ 147 BPM. Although slightly off of goal pace I absolutely focused on form and wanted to hold something in reserve for the other two runs to come.
2nd K 4’47 @ 151 BPM. Felt great through this run held good form and ran consistently all the way through. I was a little surprised at the time especially as this 2nd segment previously had me battling. Although my Hr was up I actually went through the finish quite strong.
3rd K 5’06 @ 154 BPM. I think that my HR tells a story here and that is that I did need to pull things back over the middle 400M as I was struggling to get a decent rhythm going. Despite this I think I held good posture and focused heavily on my form.
All in all a good session, the one bi weekly run I do struggle to sometimes get really motivated for. I must say that I think that given how I felt after Mondays run I was quite surprised at how easy this session felt. Even after completing the 3 x 1K's on my jog home I felt fairly fresh and quite satisfied.