New Year’s Day Fitness Test 2024 - Brueton parkrun - Sub 21 mins?

[@tworunningbrooms]

Well done, Rachel. A course pb is a good start to the year. You may have run faster without a jacket. Look forward to more videos in 2024! 🙂🏃‍♀️

[@racheld1844]

Thank you! I always run cold and felt better running in my jacket. Most of my winter races are done in leggings, base layer, jacket, hat, gloves, everything 🤣 I’ve no idea how people start with just shorts and a vest on the frostiest of mornings 🥶

[@runningwithmarc]

Nice one Rachel, look forward to hearing more about the marathon training.

[@racheld1844]

Hi Marc, thanks! I have a feeling this training block will fly by… I better get filming 😁

[@raleyadventures]

We love brueton parkrun 🎉 great work on a NYD parkrun, we didn’t make it out of bed till 1pm hungover so you did better than us 😂 what a great way to start the year

[@racheld1844]

Least you must have had a good night 😁 Hope the hangover has passed and your back out running again. Happy New Year to you both

[@grahamsample4679]

You made a massive improvement, take that and run Rachel, inspirational final message too. I smiled when you mentioned your 20.01 x 2 pb, we all know you'll crack 20 one day! All the best with all your running adventures in 2024 👍🏃‍♂️😀

[@racheld1844]

Hi Graham, thank you. When I look back to running brueton in 2022 I was so pleased just to be back under 22 mins, and now I’m hitting those times consistent, so I’m pretty happy with Mondays run. I ran at Walsall Arboretum 2 weeks ago and got 20:21 so I know the fitness is in a good spot. I think I just get greedy sometimes 😊

[@JPLITTrainingLimited]

Well done Rachel great run and video

[@racheld1844]

Thank you 😊

[@paulk7663]

Well done Rachel and best of luck in the coming year’s events. Excellent editing & perfect length as too many running videos are way too long at 20-30 mins.

[@racheld1844]

Thanks for your comment Paul. I’ve had a little break on videos recently but I’ve enjoyed getting the camera out again and looking forward to getting back into it 🙂

[@samsonslaphead1]

Great informative video Rachel, well done on your course Pb. I've just hit that subscribe button so hope to follow your journey 💥👏

[@racheld1844]

Hi, thank you for watching, and subscribing too! 😊

[@markg99]

You wouldn't want to be near the back of that start line queue 😂

[@racheld1844]

Every year I’ve seen the layout different. I think it was just for NYD that they rearranged it differently. Keeping us on our toes 😁

[@BoardsDarkglasses]

I'm sure it's a lovely event but probably the worst start layout imaginable

[@RichardHarper83]

@@racheld1844 I don't think I've ever run the same route at Brueton in the handful of times that I've done it - they're always changing it!

[@racheld1844]

@RichardHarper83 It’s been the same for me. I thought the course had changed as we were facing the wrong way. I was wishfully thinking that the first part wasn’t up to the hill 😁

[@racheld1844]

@BroadsDarkglasses - The runners nearer the back must have taken a while to filter through. I think the RD said it was a one off to keep the path clear for other park users as they wouldn’t be expecting parkrunners on a Monday 🙂

[@conradburdekin722]

That queue was quite something! Never seen a park run like that

[@racheld1844]

Up until Monday, I’d never seen one either 😁 That’s one thing I like about parkrun, it’s fun turning up to new ones but even going back to old courses, you never know what you’re going to get.

[@MrCol104]

Happy New Year Rachel. Hope you’re keeping well. Interesting to compare ParkRun on previous years but your time on NYD should never determine how your running year will pan out. Got to say, that start to the ParkRun was a bit strange - sharp u-turn is something I’ve not seen before. Congratulations on the course PB and improvement on 2023. Lots of positives so there's no need to be even vaguely disappointed. Very best of luck, hitting your goals. Sure 2024 will be the year you finally nail you know what. 🙂 😉

[@racheld1844]

Hi Colin, Happy New Year to you too. Hope your training is going well? It was nice to get my pb at Brueton on Monday but I also look at my 5k times for the month of December and the overall average for 2022 vs 2023 shows I’m starting this winter quicker. A couple of weeks ago I got a 20:21 and nothing from Oct/Nov/Dec 2022 was under 21 mins so a definite improvement. Just need to get rid of this cold I’ve picked up and then I’m ready to get back to the longer stuff for marathon training 🙂

[@eddiegaul1903]

Nice way to start the New Year Rachel. I like to get in an early 5k as well to see where I am at. Although I am a little nervous since I feel like I've lost a bit of fitness since the US Thanksgiving holidays. Also, we don't have many races here in the northern hemisphere in December and January. Wish we had ParkRuns here as well. The start looked pretty congested as well. Congrats on being the first woman and I suspect 2024 is going to be awesome for you. Happy New Year to you and looking forward to the next installment

[@racheld1844]

Thanks so much Eddie. Well done on your 5k too! I think Christmas is always a hard time to be at our bests but I like to think that it’s just the starting block to whatever we go on to do in the rest of the year. We’re very lucky here in the uk. Lots of companies put on events of all shapes and sizes all year and just as many in the winter months. There’s always a market for them and it gives us lots of choice. I’ve been trying a few new parkruns recently and love all of them. There are probably 20 all with a 30 min drive from home. We are definitely spoilt 😊 Good luck with your goals this year Eddie. Do you have a main race you are training for?

[@eddiegaul1903]

@@racheld1844 So I don't have a specific event I am training for right now. I have a half marathon next weekend but I don't feel particularly ready for it from a race perspective. I know I can cover the distance but I don't feel like it'll be a record breaking day. I think a key race for me is the Las Vegas half marathon which is at the end of February. I am hoping to come out strong for that. After that, I have a bunch of 5K / 10K stuff that I'd like to have a strong showing for. I usually don't peak for any particular race per say, but I definitely have races I'd like to have a strong showing for.

[@racheld1844]

@eddiegaul1903 - I think you’ll get a good boost of fitness from the first half marathon you do and that’ll really help with the Las Vagas one. A bit like doing my 10k race over Xmas, I knew I wasn’t 10k trained but coming out the other side I know it will all help get my speed fitness back a bit. I used to race a lot more to help with an ‘A’ goal race but as I’m getting older, it takes too long to recover so I don’t do as many in a training block any more. Hope your races go well Eddie. Keep me updated with how you do 🙂

[@Dmasson14]

I'm sure that your number 1 goal for 2024 will be to run 20:01 again for the 5k. Things have to be done in 3's 😈 Have a great year.

[@racheld1844]

There’s only one time worse than 20:01 and that’s 1 second quicker 🤣 I ran 6 times under my old pb of 20:19 in 2023 and not 1 of them started with a 19. I need to get a move on because I’m not going to keep improving forever 😁

[@AMostlyFunctionalJess]

Great spot to be in for fitness going into a new year! Looking forward to seeing where it takes you

[@racheld1844]

Thanks Jess. Hope everything is still going well with your training? Good luck with all your 2024 goals 😊

[@AMostlyFunctionalJess]

Going very smoothly! A lack of YT shorts is more to do with having been away over Christmas and New Year, not due to any mysterious injuries or anything 😆

[@racheld1844]

⁠@@AMostlyFunctionalJess- that’s good to hear. Hope you have a great 2024 😊

[@Mack.Tracks]

Speedy stuff, Rachel. Off to a flying start! It’s exciting to start a new year with new goals. Best of luck!

[@racheld1844]

Thanks Mack! Isn’t today your extra long run?

[@Mack.Tracks]

@@racheld1844 It was actually yesterday! We completed it, despite many diversions away from the towpath due to "landslides." It was very muddy and lots of puddles in places, so a bit of a slog. Wet feet from 15K onwards, but a good test for the shoes, I suppose! Over 7 hours in total... 😬 Regardless, a fantastic feeling to get the route done and I can't wait to hit it again when it's drier!

[@racheld1844]

@mackashworth - wow! Well done. That’s brilliant in those conditions. I did a 10 mile section on the Stratford canal yesterday so know of the mud and wet feet 😁 Glad you enjoyed the experience yesterday. If only the canal builders knew back then that they were building an ultras runners dream. Hope the legs aren’t too bad today and you’ve managed to dry out your trainers 👟

[@Mack.Tracks]

@@racheld1844 Thanks, Rachel! The route sure made me appreciate the last 8K or so leading into Worcester. That's my usual out and back for summer training, where it's a nice surface. Shame it doesn't last, haha!

[@racheld1844]

@@Mack.Tracks - I just watched Andy’s video, I didn’t realise you’d run with him. Great watch! It definitely wasn’t anything like that when I’ve run that route. Hopefully next time you’ll get to breeze down with some sunshine and no scrambling up any slippy banks 😁 Well done on your first ultra Mack 👏

[@msmary126]

Great job! Your winter looks like my spring here. I love your headband. Where is it from? Love from Maine ❤

[@racheld1844]

Hi Mary, it was very wet and windy over Christmas, but winter has well and truly struck and maybe some snow next week too. My headband is from a brand called Inov8. They had a big sale before Christmas and got a new waterproof jacket, windproof jacket and a couple of thermal tops… and 3 headbands. I love their trail trainers too 😁 Hope you’re getting out to run 🏃🏼‍♀️

[@derekrunsagain]

Very similar goals to me, current PB 21:30 and been trying to get that sub 21 for a while, so far without success. Will be giving it another go at Whiteley parkrun tomorrow.

[@racheld1844]

Hope you had a good run today at Whiteley? For years and years I couldn’t break 22 mins. I thought it was just a pace that was too fast for me. I then added 2 1 hour strength sessions and within a few months my times shot down. It was by far the biggest thing that saw me run faster. I’ve been a bit slack on them over the last few months but now I’m back on to marathon training I will 100% be back on it.

[@derekrunsagain]

@@racheld1844 Thanks! Had a good run today. Just posted the vid of it on my channel. Did a 22:16 but didn't realise the course was going to be so congested! Will be back at Whiteley to give it another go.

[@racheld1844]

@@derekrunsagain I will take a look 😁

[@derekrunsagain]

@@racheld1844Hope you enjoy!

[@SimonWilliamsTutor]

I'm running Brueton tomorrow... fingers crossed those puddles have shrunk by then! I'm hoping to go sub 20 this year - current PB is 20:44 at Stratford upon Avon parkrun

[@racheld1844]

Hi Simon, hope your Brueton parkrun went well? Hopefully it wasn’t too wet. Good luck with your sub 20 goal! I’ve ran Stratford twice I think. A good fast course but better in the dry with the grassy section not so soggy. My favourite fast courses have been Edgbaston Reservoir, Walsall Arboretum and Worcester Pitchcroft although I have a feeling that one may be underwater at the moment 😬

[@SimonWilliamsTutor]

@@racheld1844 It was OK - not a fan of their starting funnel as I made the mistake of starting too far back so it took me about 50s just to get to the start line! Then I spent most of the first half overtaking people. Amazingly I got round in under 23 mins! I've only done Pitchcroft of the ones you mentioned - lovely flat course.

[@racheld1844]

@SimonWilliamsTutor - my local at Arrow Valley is also a pretty quick and the start is much wider since they widened the paths.

[@ianbarnett5051]

So...

[@racheld1844]

Too many so’s? 😁

[@ChairmanAntelope]

A needle pulling thread.

[@racheld1844]

@@ChairmanAntelope - 😁