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