Parkrun 6 (Whitley Bay): 35.12. Age-graded: 43.70%

As Christian and I were up north this week for a diving trip, I thought I'd start my parkrun tourism career because James was going anyway.

I missed 17 September, as I was rehearsing with Bucks Wind in Thame, and so I really wasn't expecting much for this run. It was also on unfamiliar territory, so I just wanted to keep moving and build back up to where I had been.

The course was narrow in places, and overtaking difficult, and it was quite repetitive as the promenade was closed for repairs, so not terribly inspiring. And it had hills. Quite a few. Urgh. And wind. Every time we turned south, it hit us. Horrible.

Anyway, as you would imagine, I struggled, felt nauseous, and didn't go very fast. But I didn't walk. Christian was merrily videoing, which was a bit offputting.

Somehow, I didn't manage to get too bad a time, considering most of the locals lost about a minute on their PBs due to the course and the wind. So not too disappointed. My legs didn't like it much. Having a week off is a bad idea.

Parkrun 5: 34.01. Age-graded 45.22%

This was *supposed* to be a consolidation run. I wasn't trying to beat my time, or work particularly hard.

It was raining, so nice and cool, though I struggled with my glasses fogging up and had to keep taking them off and blowing on them to clear them.

I took off not particularly fast, slowed a little on the uphill behind the weir, but had enough to push (walking) up the stairs. A little walk uphill, and picked up the running before the end of the that hill. Then coasted back down behind the weir, kept it up around the Rye, and pushed a little on the final corner, and a little sprint to the finish.

I was very surprised to have beaten my time, given I didn't really push myself. I had no nausea, and wasn't too broken at the finish, or for the rest of the day.

Parkrun 4: 34:36. Age-graded 44.46%

Today was the day that I was going to push myself a bit more to get a faster time. I'd had a stressful week and so wasn't terribly well hydrated, but yet again I didn't eat anything. It seems the right solution for me.

It was supposed to be a cold grey day, but the sun was out for the start. I put my layer on for a few minutes only and then left it behind. It was a massive field of 437 runners.

I deliberately took off a bit faster at the start, but on the long straight of the Rye, I started to feel it, so I slowed down. I took it easy up the hills behind the weir, but reminded myself to push again when I could.

Just before the steps, I started to feel a bit of nausea, so I slowed, and took the steps carefully. I walked for a little way uphill, but ran again as soon as the course turned back downhill. I pushed myself as hard as I could for the rest of the course, and felt a lot less comfortable than I'd felt the week before. I had no more nausea, though.

I worked harder in the last kilometre again, but didn't have anything left in the tank to sprint to the finish.

My efforts to push myself were rewarded with a time of 34.36. Yay! I was really happy to have achieved this - almost exactly the increment I was looking to reduce my time by.

Again, I felt like I had life left in me to get up the hill and carry on my day. This fitness thing is coming slowly, but it is coming.