parkrun years
2018-2019
2020
2021
2022
2023

My #parkrun 2018-2019 Journey

Here are my 2018-2019 parkrun times.

My original target was to run 5k below 30 minutes by 23rd March 2020, when I was 55.

I also wanted my weight down to 10st 7lbs, from just over 12st.

I'm doing this because I want to maintain a habit of fitness as I get older.

That fitness habit idea came from a friend after he recommended that I read this book in 2012:

Younger Next Year For Men

By the way, there's also a version of the book for women:

Younger Next Year For Women

Running Background

I did some running when my kids were small, but these were the days before parkrun, so I gave it up in 2003.

I ran the Cumbrian Run in 2002, at an unusual distance of 4.5 miles or 7.25 km.

My converted 5k time from that clock time is 00:25:55.

Paul Teague Cumbrian Run 2002

I also completed the Christmas Pudding 10k in Ulverston that year.

My time was 00:51:41.

Cumbrian Run 2002

 

parkrun Timings

2018

1 – 6th October 2018: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=294

2 – 3rd November 2018: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=298

3 – 8th December 2018: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=303

4 – 15th December 2018: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=304

2019

5- 26th January 2019: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=311

My 5th parkrun

6 – 2nd February 2019: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=312

7 – 9th February 2019: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=313

8 – 16th February 2019: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=314

9 – 16th March 2019: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=318

My 10th parkrun
My 10th #parkrun this morning, beautiful weather and a personal best of 00:35:18 to celebrate my 54th birthday – aiming for sub 30 mins by the time I'm 55 🙂

10 – 23rd March 2019 [Birthday run!]: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=319

Birthday weight
Birthday weight recording – 23rd March 2019, aiming to be 10:6 by 23rd March 2020.

11 – 30th March 2019 [Market Rasen race course]: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/marketrasenracecourse/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=22

12 – 6th April 2019: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=321

13 – 13th April 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=322

14 – 20th April 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=323

15 – 27th April 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=324

16 – 4th May 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=325

Carlisle volunteering

17 – 11th May 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=326

Weight check

18 – 18th May 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=327

19 – 25th May 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=328

Morecambe Promenade parkrun June 2019

Morecambe parkrun 1

Morecambe parkrun 2

20 – 1st June 2019 [Morecambe Promenade]: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/morecambeprom/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=8

Note: Beat sub 30 mins target time for first time 🙂

Tip: I stayed at Westleigh, 9 Marine Road West, Morecambe, LA3 1BS for my parkrun there, booking via Booking.com [Note: This is my referral link]

It's directly opposite the start of the race and the perfect location if you're visiting as a parkrun tourist.

8th June 2019 [No run this week, I volunteered as a marshal!]

As I didn't complete a parkrun this week, I attended a local weekly running group on Thursday to run 5k there – I liked it so much I will also do this every week that I am available over summer.

Carlisle parkrun marshalling

21 – 15th June 2019 [Crichton parkrun in Dumfries]: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/crichton/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=74

A second sub-30 minute time of 29:49

Crichton, Dumfries parkrun June 2019

22 – 22nd June 2019 [Ayr parkrun]: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/ayr/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=216

Ayr parkrun

Tip: While we were in Alloway – where the parkrun in based – we stayed in an AirBnB apartment which is perfectly located. [Note: This is my referral link]

It's just a 5 minute walk from the parkrun location, if you're doing some parkrun tourism.

Just do an AirBnB search for Brig O Doon apartment, South Ayrshire.

22 – 29th June 2019: I volunteered [3rd time] and ran [23rd time] in Carlisle this week: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=333

As well as getting a Carlisle PB time of 30:55, I've hit my first big weight goal … I'm now below 11 stone in weight, that's a really crucial psychological threshold for me 🙂

Weight check
The first time below 11 stones – hurrah!

23 – 6th July 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=334

Run brief volunteering
Volunteering for the run brief at Carlisle on 6th July 2019

24 – 13th July 2019: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/penrith/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=273

I ran at Penrith for the first time today and achieved a new personal best of 28 mins and 36 seconds.

My target by age 55 is a sub-30 running time, but I have to get that time at my local Carlisle run, there's no cheating with the faster times I can get at flat courses like this one 🙂

Penrith parkrun

25 – 20th July 2019 – no parkrun this week!

I had a 9am hospital appointment, but did manage to squeeze in my 5th volunteering session.

Also, a local running group were running a 24-hour 5k relay, so I ran the first lap on Saturday 20th and the last lap on Sunday 21st.

Here's some photo evidence:

Fundraiser
Eden Valley Hospice sponsored 5k relay

26 – 27th July 2019 – Portobello parkrun in Edinburgh: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/portobello/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=219

The wettest parkrun ever, but a brilliant run.

Another sub-30 time at 29:09

Portobello parkrun
Portobello parkrun

Target reached!

27 – 3rd August 2019 – https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=338

Got a new PB at Carlisle and smashed my sub-30 mins by March 2020 target 🙂

New target is 25 mins by March 2020.

Weight check

28 – 10th August 2019 – Ran at Market Rasen today and got a new PB of 27 mins 17 seconds – I also managed to get my wife out on a run for the first time and my mum joined in for part of the route:

Market Rasen parkrun

29 – 17th August 2019 – A 2nd sub-30 time 🙂 We ran the 5-lap course this week – which means 5 x the hill at the end of the loop – so a bit slower this time around: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=340

30 – 24th August 2019 – a 3rd sub-30 time: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=341

31 – 31st August 2019 – a new PB, by 1 second 🙂 https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=342

PB result

32 – 7th September 2019 – a new PB: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=343

Also my 10th volunteering day – in wellies:

parkrun volunteering

Also, getting very close to that weight goal:

Weight update

Tuesday 10th September – my first time trial with a local running club – which includes a VERY big hill! https://www.dhrunners.org/events-1/dh-runners-5k-time-trial/Sep-2019-Results

33 – 14th September 2019 – Blackpool parkrun: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/blackpool/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=133

Stanley Park is a superb location for a parkrun, lovely place 🙂

Blackpool parkrun

34 – 21st September 2019 – New PB of 27:18: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=344

Weight check parkrun PB

35 – 28th September 2019 – Keswick parkrun: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/keswick/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=278

Keswick parkrun

Keswick parkrun

Target reached!

Six months ahead of schedule, I hit my weight goal 🙂

Weight goal reached

36 – 5th October 2019 – Victoria Park, Glasgow.

New PB of 26:19!

Glasgow parkrun Glasgow parkrun

Anniversary! 1st year of parkrun on 6th October 🙂

parkrun anniversary

37 – 12th October – back at Carlisle in the 5-lap winter course … that means 5 hills 🙂 https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=347

38 – 19th October – very cold in Carlisle this morning, I wish I'd brought gloves! https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=348 A new PB on the 5-lap course, which is harder than the 3-lap course which we run throughout the drier months.

39 – 26th October – I remembered gloves this week and seeing as I'm now doing so much running, I've ordered some winter running gear from https://www.sportsshoes.com . Nothing to report with my timings this week: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=349

I've now switched to daytime runs now the clocks have changed as I'm not a fan of running in the dark.

I tried out my first run at the Watchtree Nature Reserve this weekend – I'll be back!

Watchtree Nature Reserve

40 – 2nd November – just enjoyed a gentle run around and a chat this morning 🙂 https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=350

I finally invested in some winter running gear this week – I just became ‘middle-aged Lycra man 🙁

A mid-week run in Chances Park

parkrun 40 completed!

Volunteering stint 15 completed!

41 – 9th November – new PB at Carlisle 🙂 https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=351

42 – 16th November – forgot to eat breakfast before the run today! Sneaked off to the shop before 9am to buy a Snickers bar 🙂 https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=352

43 – 23rd November in Chester – a VERY muddy run! https://www.parkrun.org.uk/chester/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=174

Chester parkrun

30th November in Carlisle, on the coldest day of the year so far! I was intending to run at Tyne Park, Hexham, but the event was cancelled because of the course being too icy: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=354

Icy Carlisle

45 – 7th December in Carlisle – https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=355

14th December – no parkrun this week as I've been holidaying in Spain and running along the beach every day out of six days:

Benidorm Levante Beach run

46 – 21st December – Lincoln: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/lincoln/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=305

Lincoln parkrun

47 – Christmas Day in Carlisle: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=358

Christmas parkrun

48 – Saturday 28th December in Carlisle: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/carlisle/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=359

More about parkrun

Want to find out more about parkrun? Check out Jessica's parkrun heroes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoeMsRMBXw6tSLMOaz-V6Vk8bOl_gI3rb

Average 5k run times: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/news/a27814981/average-5k-10k-time-uk/

Five ways to improve your 5k run time: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jun/23/five-ways-to-improve-your-5km-run-time

Running extras

1) Sunday 5th January 2020 – ran 5k with coaching and achieved 26m 37s … my fastest time to date was 26m 19s:

Paul Teague & Andrew Carter

parkrun years
2018-2019
2020
2021
2022
2023