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+--- Thread: Parkrun Improve (/Thread-Parkrun-Improve)
Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 12-11-2025
My name is Neil, age 61 born 29th august 1964 resident in Cape Town. Great to meet you all and thanks to the editor for the invite. I have been an inconsistant lifelong athlete competing at Provincial level as a youngster, predominately as a cross country runner with a bit of less successful track at 1500m and Steeplechase. Some bad life choices in my late teens and early 20S put and end to any professional athletic ambitions that I once entertained. I was once capable of cranking out sub 16 min 5 K's, 36 min 10K and in my early 30s on my return to semi competitive running had a marathon PB of 2:48. I then got into the annual regime of yearly marathons, Ultras and long trailruns over the next 20 years.
At 54 I was forced to have a minor knee op and was told by an extremely anti running Orthopod that I would never run again and if I did, I would end up having to undergo a knee replacement by him. This was truly devestating news that I took to heart. Then Covid hit and we all went into lockdown which provided a great time for reflection. As I live on a gated estate I was able to at least run around my immediate neighbourhood which I started doing, with no ill effect to my knee. Post Covid I got back to running my local Parkrun and commited to running three times a week with my longest run a slow 10K. I have used the Parkrun as a relative gage of where I have been at over the past 5 years and fluctuate around the 25 minute mark without any further improvement.
Even as an old fart with a fairly overused musculo skeletal system I believe that realistically I can get my 5K time down to under 23 minutes which is the goal. I do however require some advice and technical training on how to go about getting there. I look forward to the journey that we all undertake together as masters runners, in attempting to achieve our seperate and individual goals together.
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 12-11-2025
Hi Neil and great to have you aboard. Thanks so much for the through introduction.
You mention running 3 times a week, is this current?
When last did you run ParkRun and may I ask whether you use a heart rate monitor?
The aim would be for you to go for your light normal run and then to provide feedback, ideally it would include heart rates and pace, from there we can begin to find your 'zone'. We will make the first goal an ambition to break 25 minutes at the ParkRun, then we can look at the next level.
It is a process and once we find out more about you from the feedback as well as the changes in your data, we should be able to progress. For now, we will not be rigid, ideally we would get you to go towards our 10k program framework, as this is aimed at setting a natural training rhythm for the runner (individual)
Once we can establish what works for you and we create a foundation of performance we can then expand further in your pursuit of sub 23 for 5km
So over to you and welcome aboard
TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 12-11-2025
Thanks so much Gavin for the comprehensive and rapid response. In answer to your questions: Yes I am currently running 3 times a week comprising a slow 10K, fairly stiff hilly 6K through my local vinyard and then our local undulating 5K parkrun, which have become a non negotiable.
My last Parkrun was Saturday past, run at 25:28 I have done this one at a lungbusting 24:50 this year, but was completely broken at the finnish.
I have thrown in a few interval sessions a few months ago in an attempt to improve my time, but life got in the way of my goals and I moved on from there to revert back to the three runs a week mentioned above.
I do use a Suunto Heatrate monitor and am on Strava.
I did run this morning so will schedule a very easy flat 5K for tomorrow and report back on HR and Pace afterwards.
Kind regards
Neil.
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 12-11-2025
Hi Neil, are you able to send me a link to suunto data that I could view privately, please
for now we will look for us to become more familiar with your rhythm and hopefully after a few runs we will be able to determine a pattern
thanks kindly for the feedback
TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 15-11-2025
Good morning Gavin and all our fellow older running students.
So as requested I ran my local Parkrun this morning as a TT which I must say was a little disapointing as I had greater expectations than my results provided which were: A fairly undulating 5k, Ave HR 153bpm, Time 25'17. My personal intention for this one was to attempt to get in under 25 minutes which I have managed a few times this year but alas it wasnt to be, but not for lack of effort. I truly dont think I could have run any faster this morning and was pretty knackered when crossing the line. The middle segment 2k - 4K had me struggeling to find any stride/breath rhythm, something that used to come so naturally. Upside is that after a shower and cup of coffee, legs feel good and no lasting fatigue, pain nor lethargy whatsoever.
Wishing you all a great weekend.
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 16-11-2025
Hi Neil .. I shall go through the data and post tomorrow .. what have you got planned for this week?
for the first couple of weeks we are in discovery, so it is good to hear how the athlete views things as well
onwards TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 17-11-2025
Neil, your ParkRun was not a bad effort, your pulse range was not terrible and after a week or 2 we can introduce a session to see how that impacts on you
are you able to do light runs for this week .. 2 easy runs with pulse just under 140 bpm would be great .. un less you have something else planned
the runs don't have to be further than 5 to 8k for now
still assessing things
TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 18-11-2025
Thank you Gavin, I ran my Backyard Vineyard run yesterday morning, it’s my standard go to maintenance run: 6.5K @38 minutes. It felt okay, intention is to run a slow 8K on Wednesday and possibly jump on the road bike on Thursday for a bit of a medium length ride. I’m then back to Parkrun on Saturday. That’s the skeletal plan for now. It’s pretty much been what I’ve been doing for the past year or two.
RE: Parkrun Improve - TheEd - 18-11-2025
Hi Neil, how do you feel after the bike session .. We coach a few triathletes and I am always cautious about saddle fit and leg fatigue from the bike sessions
Whereas I am a fan of long aerobic rides, I am often concerned about the legs (and at times, particularly the knees)
so your runs are Saturday . Monday . Wednesday and biking on Thursday?
on we go TheEd
RE: Parkrun Improve - NeilJ - 20-11-2025
I have ditched the ride today, its really not that important. I generally do around 30 Kays at a fairly leasurly pace once a week when I do ride. These rides I have always seen as a bit of lite cross training, preserving my knee. I occasionally use this as a quasi social, almost coffee shop ride with a mate.
I as a result ran yesterdays run this morning, it was the standard 6.5K that I do on a regular basis up in the vinyards in my back yard. You should be able to access my Strava data by now, if not let me know and I will send you a link. Thanks for the followup.