project20202020 - 2023 edition

At the end of 2019 I had the idea for #project20202020 - twenty different parkrun courses run in under 20 minutes. A nice bit of parkrun tourism and something to keep my training and over-eating on the right track throughout the year.

It started well, then COVID-19 hit and no more parkruns. I did 20 sub-20 5ks though - see https://finnr.blogspot.com/2020/12/project-20202020-covid-version.html

Now it's 2023 and the project has been rebooted. Same goal, but I'm 3 years older. That bumps the age grading requirement from 70.95% (45) + 71.50% (46), to 72.63% (48) + 73.22% (49)

The rules for a qualifying performance are simple:

* Finish with an official time under 20:00 (fun fact: I ran 20:00 at Lakeside this year, 3:57/km but 5.07km course)

* At a a course where I haven't yet run sub-20 in 2023

(1) 2023-02-04 Lee-on-the-Solent 19:30 10th 74.44% age grading Strava Results

Fast course with 2 dead turns, started with an "easy" one

(2) 2023-02-11 Newbury 19:49 9th 73.25% age grading Strava Results

Nice course on Greenham Common. Work but always ahead of the pace goal.

(3) 2023-02-18 Netley Abbey 19:56 6th 72.83% age grading Strava Results

Sub-20 was touch and go. By half way I was thinking I should just be happy with a top 10 finish and a course PB. But with 4k lapping at 16:14 and with a mostly downhill final km it was still on. Maximum effort, want to stop, don't stop, want to stop, sprint finish, gasping. Job done, just.

(4) 2023-02-25 Ganger Farm 19:48 4th 73.81% age grading Strava Results

First time visiting this event. No hills but a few turns to negotiate.

(5) 2023-03-11 Southampton 19:04 23rd 76.14% age grading Strava Results

Quicker than expected, happy with that. Sub-19 would be nice though wouldn't it?

(6) 2023-04-15 Keswick 19:22 12th 74.96% age grading Strava Results

Happy with this because I'd pulled my back doing a deadlift 12 days before, then over-indulged in the Lake District so I wasn't confident I'd even be sub-20

Upon return from the Lake District I discovered I had caught COVID-19 for the first time. That put a major dent in my running speed which took a while to recover from, hence the gap between (6) and (7)

(7) 2023-06-03 Basingstoke 19:40 11th 73.38% age grading Strava Results

Nice park for a parkrun. Pleasant outing with Bracken and Rich

(8) 2023-06-10 Warwick Racecourse 19:43 11th 73.78% age grading  Strava Results

Tried my AlphaFlys that served me well at the Eastleigh 10k. No silver bullet, maybe a little heavy for 5k?

(9) 2023-06-24 Andover 19:40 4th 73.81% age grading Strava Results

With Harry. He finished first in 17:52. If I hadn't have taken him this would have been a record-equalling 3rd finisher spot for me. Doh!

(10) 2023-07-08 Winchester 19:16 9th 75.35% age grading Strava Results 

Heavy showers before and after, but dry for the run. Much quicker than expected. Chatted with Harry and Abdullah before the start

(11) 2023-07-15 Whiteley 19:34 8th 74.19% age grading Strava Results

Strong winds caused some event cancellations locally, but not this one. Windy, with a heavy shower in the middle. Chatted with Laura and Andy before the start.

(12) 2023-07-22 Bartley Park 19:39 12th 74.47% age grading Strava Results

With Bracken. Nice chat with Phil afterwards. Completed the Stayin' Alive challenge of 3 B's and 3 G's.

(13) 2023-07-29 Stratford Upon Avon 19:47 30th 73.97% age grading Strava Results

Nice park. Flat with only one sharpish turn. Drooping willow branches to avoid along the canal and plenty of overtaking traffic on the 3 lap course.
Main problem was right calf tightness from 2-4km which got worse at 800m to go. Eased off to 4:06/km for a while and ran through the pain. Ended up with 2 months of calf problems

(14) 2023-09-23 Long Eaton 19:55 14th 73.47% age grading Strava Results

Calf still a bit touch-and-go so very happy to have gone sub-20 on the fastest course I've run, ranked 13th fastest in the UK.

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List of parkruns ranked by speed - https://www.thepowerof10.info/content/itemdisplay.aspx?itemid=1704

Log of Running Races

10k

2023-03-19 Eastleigh 10k - 39:24

2023-01-08 Stubbington 10k - 41:40

2022-09-25 Winchester 10k. 18th place 41:33

2022-03-20 40:00 Eastleigh 10k

2022-01-16 Stubbington 10k - 41:20

2021-08-01 Eastleigh 10k, 39:51

2019-03-24 Eastleigh 10k, lifetime PB 38:41 PB

10 mile

2019-10-20 GSR 2019. 66:40 for 391st

2018-10-21 My 1st Great South Run - 64:47 PB

2016-02-13 Moreton Morrell Mad Dash 10k. 40:21 and 4th

2014-11-23 Sandown Park 10k: 24th of 181 in the rain

2014-11-02 Lordshill 10 mile race 1:09:08

Half marathon

2022-11-20 Gosport half marathon. 1:29:51.9 official time

2019-02-03 Portsmouth Coastal Half ❄️❄️ 1:30:19

2018-04-29 Fleet half marathon, 1:27:12 PB

2017-09-10 Great North Run 2017. 792nd of 43127 w. 1:29:14

2016-03-13 Surrey half marathon, 1:28:24 official

2015-03-22 PB at Warwick Half Marathon. 1:33:34

2014-03-23 Warwick half marathon 2014 1:36:24

Marathon

2023-06-18 Hampshire Hoppit 4:01:33

2022-04-24 Southampton marathon. Hot, windy and over-long. 3:27:30 official

2021-10-03 London Marathon 2021 - 3:19:37

2020-10-04 Super muddy Clarendon marathon 3:56:38

2019-09-01 6th at Andover Trail Marathon 3:24:48

2019-07-21 Solway Coastal marathon. 3:06:34 PB

2019-06-09 Hampshire Hoppit. 27th of 359 3:40:58

2019-05-05 Southampton marathon with Mat, 3:18:05

2018-12-23 Last minute entry to Portsmouth Coastal 71st of 906 3:30:23

2018-06-16 Maverick Exmoor, bootiful 5:10:55

2018-04-22 London marathon: survived. Ouch. Toughest run ever 3:20:38 

2016-09-18 Bath Two Tunnels marathon - 3rd overall 3:27:28

2016-06-19 Hampshire Hoppit marathon: 3:41:05 and 19th 3:39:26 

2016-04-17 Brighton marathon, 3:09:57 official

2015-10-04 Clarendon Marathon 2015 in 3:55:28

2015-09-13 New Forest Marathon 2015: 3:27:11

2013-04-28 Shakespeare marathon 3:38:11

Ultra

2019-12-22 Portsmouth Coastal 50k. 4:35:54

2018-05-26 63.36 km  I "won", sister's 300th marathon, my longest run ever, 5:58:35

2017-06-10 60km Runstock festival 7:17:16

2015-05-10 53km Marlborough Downs Challenge Ultra 2015 5:28:06

CC6

2023-02-12 CC6 Badger Farm

2023-01-29 38th at my first CC6

RR10

2023-05-03 Itchen Valley 

2023-05-17 Hamble

2023-05-31 Cadland Estate

2023-06-07 Ampfield Woods

Other

2018-09-16 Running Grand Prix: 20 miles. 5th place. 1st V40

2018-05-12 23.5 km Maverick Original Dorset 1:57:52

2018-03-24 14 miles Coniston 14. 72nd of 1050 1:35:54

2018-03-10 21.8km Great fun. Maverick Original Hampshire. 14th of 180 1:37:43

2017-04-03 23.8km Maverick Innov-8 Original Hampshire 1:57:52

2014-04-09 20 mile Compton Downland Challenge 2014 3:17:41

London marathon 2018 - the hot one

 

A belated write up on my 2018 London marathon adventure...

 

 

First though a huge thanks to all those who supported me - via donations to charity, keeping me company on tough training runs, putting me up for the weekend, coming to support on the day, and to Emma for making the awesome Adventure Time T-shirt with my name on

I got to the start with plenty of time to spare. I chatted to whoever was next to me in the various queues - I think everyone was nervous and talking is a good distraction. I was in the Green start -the smallest one with 4000 people, lots of Good-for-Age folks. Wave 2 of 8 put me within 50 metres of the start line and I crossed it within 1 minute of the race starting.

 

 

I was hoping the heat wouldn't affect me too much and set off intending to do about 7:00/mile pace and seeing how that felt. First 3 miles felt fine, although my heart rate was higher than it should have been. By 6 miles my legs felt heavy which is not good. By 8 miles I knew my target time was definitely not going to happen and stopped caring about maintaining goal pace and eased off a little to keep my heart rate sensible. I got to half way in 1:34 which is a respectable time, but despite still working quite hard I was just slowing bit by bit all the time.

I enjoyed running round the Cutty Sark and over Tower Bridge. And all the way around there were people encouraging us on. Having my name on my shirt in big letters meant people were shouting "Come on Russell" a lot, with one kid adding "Ooo! Adventure Time!" when he recognised the pictures which really made me smile.

I saw the race leaders and Mo Farah when I had reached 22.4km and they had reached 34.7km - man, do they make it look easy.

There were water or Lucozade stations every mile. It felt like a reward to make it to each one. I drank a bit, squirted water on wrists, over my head, down my back, drank some more. It was so hot. Managed not to squirt Lucozade over myself - winning. I had 9 energy gels in total (and a Biscuit Boost). No problems eating, always hoping they'd give me more energy. They must have, but no magic cure for tiredness.

The underpasses were great - quite windy and out of the sun. Oddly quiet too, as the supporters stayed up top in the sunshine.

It was good to finally reach mile 21 where all that remained was a westerly run in to a headwind which I normally hate but today it was having a small cooling effect. Still working hard but now barely managing 8:00/mile pace.

But then I got a cramp develop in my abdominal muscles. I tried just pushing on to start with but it got so bad I had to walk while prodding and poking to help relieve it. Then I resumed a slower run which worked for a bit but it came back. 3 or 4 times I went through this before, at nearly 25 miles, I realised it had gone and I could pick up the effort and pace again.

I saw my family at the end of Embankment just before the right turn at Westminster which was really great - in Brighton I hadn't seen my family at the end despite their screams so I was really pleased to do so today.

For the last part I could run a bit quicker, with a knackered 'sprint' finish at the end, the final mile taking me 7:30. Compared to lots of my peers I had a fast finish so I'm pleased with that. Crossing the line was a relief, it was a long time coming given I'd over-cooked it from so early on.

There were people holding a few dozen medals apiece, which in the wind were making a lovely jangling sound. A nice little suprise. I picked up my finishers goody bag (drinks, lentils crips, cereal bar, technical T-shirt) and drop-bag and headed to Trafalgar Sq to meet family.

 

 

Having been initially somewhat disappointed with the time - 15-20 mins slower than I was targeting and was most likely capable of - I've now seen lots of similar ability runners who fared worse than I did. Plus this is still my 2nd fastest ever. In Sept 2015 I dipped under 3:30 for the first time (3:27) and would have been absolutely delighted with 3:21, so 2.5 years older and in 20-24C heat I think I did OK. I finished 3104 of 40255 (7.7%) I definitely learned a hard lesson about running fast marathons in the heat too https://www.strava.com/activities/1524609454

The fund-raising smashed my expectations. I'd lowered the suggested target from £750 to £500 because I wasn't confident. We've ended up at £1416.08 (inc. £215 gift aid). 48 separate donations, covering: family, friends of family, A-level friends, running friends, ex-IBM friends, current local colleagues, current US colleagues, neighbours, 2*Anonymous. I'm really quite moved. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/russell-finn

No running yet this week - battered legs and maximising recovery because I have the deferred pre-London Fleet half marathon this Sunday. Not 24C please.

In summary, a super-tough but massively enjoyable day running in arguably the best marathon in the world.