Fastest Park Loop of 2007

Park Loop in 19:27.

I stood at the Start Line not in the mental mood to run another fast one like yesterday, but something in the back of my mind was saying, "go on, give it a go."

So, I gave into this niggling thought and began the Park Loop at a good pace:


Times compared with yesterday:

00:52 (-1) at 250 metres;
01:57 (-3) at 500 metres;
04:00 (-4) at 1 km;
06:36 (-4) at 1 mile;
08:11 (-4) at 2 kms;
09:11 (-4) at the halfway mark;
11:49 (-5) at the Pewterspear Garden Path (2,800 metres);
15:21 (-3) exiting the Pewterspear Garden Path;
19:27 (-3) at the finish.


I'll be honest, had I gone even one second behind at any checkpoint, I would have very likely dropped off the pace completely. This never happened, so I continued through the mental pain barrier as indicated by my HRavg of 170 and HRmax of 180.


Start: 1:14 pm
Time: 19:27 Park Loop
Distance: 4.45km (2.77m)

Average speed: 13.728kmh (8.530mph)
Average pace: 4:22 per km (7:02 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 170, HRmax 180, and 329kcals

No pain, no gain...

Park Loop in 19:30...

Whilst sitting at my desk just prior to heading off to the gym, I thought... "To be honest, I have not run hard or fast enough for sometime where it hurts you to keep going."

On the way to the gym, I maintained that thought and began to mentally prepare myself for that tougher run than usual (of late).

At the start line of the Park Loop, my mind was still unchanged, so I set off at a reasonable pace, completing the first 250 metres in 53 seconds rather than the typical minute. Now it was all about keeping going. I reached the kilometre at 4:03, where recently those times have been more like 4:20 to 4:30 (even a few lazy 4:40s).

I stepped up the pace, and reached the mile mark at 6:40 (including stopping and starting at three separate kissing gates). My times at this point have been 7:00 at best and usually anything up to 7:20. My 2km time was 8:15 instead of the typical 8:40 to 8:50.

At the halfway mark, my time was 9:15 rather than anything up to 10:00.

I reached the top of the Pewterspear Garden Path at 11:54 (the 2,800 metre mark), instead of 12:30+. I again kept the pace going and yes for me (at this moment in time) it was hurting more than normal. I exited the Pewterspear Garden Path at 15:24, instead of 16:30+.

With a sub-20 in my sights, I continued to maintain the same pace and completed the 4.45km in 19:30 exactly, which equals my best Park Loop run of 2007 obtained on the 13th March.

No pain, no gain! Although, I felt that if I really wanted to, I could have taken on more pain, but that was enough for today.


Start: 2:47 pm
Time: 19:30 Park Loop
Distance: 4.45km (2.77m)

Average speed: 13.692kmh (8.508mph)
Average pace: 4:23 per km (7:03 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 167, HRmax 176, and 319kcals

4.78km Park Loop Extension in 22:16

I ran into a head wind for the first 2km on what was again a typically warm sunny day.


Start: 1:45 pm
Time: 22:16
Distance: 4.78km (2.97m)

Average speed: 12.880kmh (8.003m)
Average pace: 4:39 per km (7:30 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 164, HRmax 174, and 347kcals

8km's today

Following 2.5 hours of weeding, turning over soil, and raking, which burned off a few kcals itself, I rewarded myself with an unusual Saturday run...

This 8km run was in fact three separate runs back-to-back. The main run was just over 5.3km, with two warm down loops of 1.4km each. They were as follows:


Run 1: Sandymoor Loop incorporating Bogg Wood

Gmap of route

Start: 4:54 pm
Time: 25.16
Distance: 5.34km (3.32m)

Average speed: 12.681kmh (7.879m)
Average pace: 4:44 per km (7:37 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 163, HRmax 172, and 389kcals


Run 2: Sandymoor Community Centre Loop (Warm down)

Gmap Warmdown

Start: 5:23 pm
Time: 6.24
Distance: 1.38km (0.86m)

Average speed: 12.938kmh (8.039m)
Average pace: 4:38 per km (7:28 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 160, HRmax 172, and 96kcals


Run 3: Sandymoor Community Centre Loop (Warm down)

Gmap Warmdown

Start: 5:33 pm
Time: 6.25
Distance: 1.38km (0.86m)

Average speed: 12.904kmh (8.018m)
Average pace: 4:39 per km (7:29 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 160, HRmax 174, and 96kcals

Park Loop in the sunshine

Another run around the old favourite and regular Park Loop on yet another warm sunny day.


Time: 20:36 Park Loop
Distance: 4.45km (2.77m)

Average speed: 12.961kmh (8.054m)
Average pace: 4:38 per km (7:27 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 162, HRmax 173, and 313kcals

Run with John

A 5.08km run around the Thorn Loop with John on a sunny, warm, and humid day at an easy chatting pace with an overall time of 24:45.

It is always good to have a running (or sometimes trotting) partner rather than running alone all the time.

It is however good to see that even now we both do not get too much chance to run together we are both still motivated to continue running on our own. Blogging helps of course!


Time: 24:45 Thorn Loop
Distance: 5.08km (3.16m)

Average speed: 12.315kmh (7.652m)
Average pace: 4:52 per km (7:50 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 161, HRmax 173, and 371kcals

Another short walk

My wife and I, took our 25 week old daughter: Jessica Mae, to see her doctor as she was feeling a little unwell. This meant that I did not have time for a run, so I put in a short walk instead.


Time: 32:02 Mini-Park Loop

Heart rate: HRavg 91, HRmax 101, and 168kcals

A walk in the park

My knee was niggling me today, so I played safe and decided to go for a walk around the Park + Dingle + Random Loop.


Time: 55:57 Park Loop + More

Heart rate: HRavg 95, HRmax 118, and 329kcals

Later than planned...

Due to my workload, I did not run at lunchtime, but instead began my run at 16:50 immediately after work. The Park Loop Extension, considering I had time...


Time: 21:34 Park Loop
Distance: 4.78km (2.97m)

Average speed: 13.298 (8.263m)
Average pace: 4:31 per km (7:16 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 160, HRmax 168, and 321kcals

Turned out quite nice in the end...

Considering the weather yesterday and this morning, by lunchtime it was very sunny and warm indeed.

I decided run the Park Loop again, but this time, upped the pace a little.


Time: 20:44 Park Loop
Distance: 4.45km (2.77m)

Average speed: 12.878 (8.002m)
Average pace: 4:40 per km (7:30 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 162, HRmax 173, and 316kcals

Got a bit wet...

It rained for the duration of my run around the Park Loop. I had decided to take it steady today considering the weather conditions.


Time: 22:05 Park Loop
Distance: 4.45km (2.77m)

Average speed: 12.091 (7.513m)
Average pace: 4:58 per km (7:59 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 154, HRmax 168, and 309kcals

Grappenhall Vets 4 - 1 Stepping Hill Vets

This was an end of season veterans' friendly match that I was asked to referee as a favour for Grappenhall Vets. The match fee was £20, which is not too bad. As, you can see from my HRmax and HRavg this was an easy game in terms of my fitness level.

Grappenhall scored first after 25 minutes and Stepping Hill scored in the last 5 seconds of the added minute of stoppage time in the first half.

Grappenhall stole the show in the second half, scoring in the 82nd, 84th, and 86th minutes to win 4 - 1.

The only downside was that I had to caution a Stepping Hill player for his over-the-top aggressive beahaviour towards a Grappenhall player in the 72nd minute.


The Stats

First Half: 46:00, HRavg 115, HRmax 141 and 402kcals
Second Half: 47:26, HRavg 113, HRmax 142 and 396kcals
Total: 798kcals

Week's Totals

For some strange reason, over the last six days, I have managed to run a total distance of 42.11km (26.17 miles), which is 84.988 metres shy of a marathon. Shame that I did not manage to run that extra distance. Never mind!

Still, I have a friendly Sunday League match tomorrow, so I suppose I'll definitely run that small distance plus some more too, although I will be unable to officially record such distance. However, each game tends to be about 10km.

Post-edit: My week's total kcals including the friendly match (indicated above) is 3,751kcals, which is the most in any one week for me.

14.61km Six Wigg Island Loops in 1:12:47

Abbie, her Mum, and Jessica were going on a walk with other Mum's and their young children as part of an organised Midwifery Week 2007 event around Wigg Island starting at 11:00am.

Considering that my refereeing football season is over (apart from a friendly tomorrow), I did not have a game today, so used this chance to go for a long run instead. My thoughts were, if they were walking aroung Wigg Island, then I would run a few times around it.

From the car park I ran outbound for 260 metres, which would be where my six circuits of approimately 2.348km per circuit would start, before running back the 260 metres back to the car pack finish.

My 10km time over a very difficult hilly circuit on a very warm day was 48:50. My completion time over the 14.61km (9.08 miles) was 1:12:47.


Today's Stats

Time: 1:12:47 Wigg Island x 6 circuits
Distance: 14.61km (9.08m)

Average speed: 12.044 (7.484m)
Average pace: 4:59 per km (8:01 per mile)
Heart rate: HRavg 158, HRmax 174, and 1,064kcals

7.50km Appleton New Lane and Pewterspear Loop in 34:44

I had already decided to run a completely different circuit today and for it to be that little bit longer than my usual lunchtime run. The best part was that is was a lot cooler and there was also very little wind - good running conditions.

So, I headed eastbound along Stretton Road, running past the Thorn Pub and some 500 metres or so beyond it, turning at the next left-hand turn into New Lane. I then continued along New Lane until reaching its end. I then followed the Dingle and Longwood Road course, then down the Pewterspear Garden path. Then instead of running down the Old Roman Road which would be the norm, I instead ran along the London Road towards the Cat & Lion lights, before turning left into Stretton Road towards the "bus stop" finish at St. Matthews School.

To be honest, I felt both mentally and physically strong from start to finish.


Today's Stats

Time: 34:44 Appleton New Lane and Pewterspear Combination Loop
Distance: 7.50km (4.66m)

Average speed: 12.956 (8.050m)
Average pace: 4:38 per km (7:27 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 156, HRmax 165, and 494kcals

5.24km Pewterspear, Longwood, Dingle, Cann, Park Loop Combination

5.24km Combination run in 24:43 on an even warmer day than yesterday.

Starting at the "bus stop" on Stretton Road, Stretton, Warrington, Cheshire, England, adjacent to St. Mattews School, I ran westbound along Stretton Road, until reaching the Cat & Lion lights.

At these traffic lights, I turned right, running down London Road with the Cricket ground to my right-hand side.

At the roadabout about 1/2 mile along London Road, I then continued to run up the Pewterspear Garden path, taking a left-hand turn near to the very top of this path.

I then continued along this left-hand path until exiting at Longwood Road. At its exit, I turned left and continued down Longwood Road for about 1/4 mile, turning right towards The Dingle at Cann Lane.

I ran up Cann Lane, until reaching a path to my left-hand side that leads to Green Lane.

I ran along Green Lane, until reaching the Park "Pillars", where I continued to run along this path for the next 1.8km until reaching Stretton Road once again.

At Stretton Road, I turned right, running towards St. Matthews School for the last 200 metres where my run was completed.


Today's Stats

Time: 24:43 Pewterspear, Longwood, Dingle, Cann, Park Loop Combination
Distance: 5.24km (3.26m)

Average speed: 12.720 (7.904m)
Average pace: 4:43 per km (7:35 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 157, HRmax 166, and 358kcals

4.98km Walnut Green and Park Loop

I ran virtually 5km on a considerably very warm day indeed. It took me quite some time to cool down afterwards. I can still feel me knee a little too!

Basically, the course consists of running eastbound along Stretton, turning left down Walnut Green Road, continuing onto Cann Lane, before turning left down the twisting path to Green Lane. From there the run is identical to the remaining 2.45km of the Park Loop.


Today's Stats

Time: 23:32 Walnut Green and Park Loop Combination
Distance: 4.98km (3.09m)

Average speed: 12.700 (7.890m)
Average pace: 4:44 per km (7:36 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 160, HRmax 174, and 351kcals

3.72km Park Loop Medium in 16:53

My knee has stopped clicking which has to be good news. However, I am aware that it is still not 100%. It did not however stop me running. I decided to run a shorter distance today but pick up the pace a little instead.

It was again very warm and also very windy considering.


Today's Stats

Time: 16:53 Park Loop Medium
Distance: 3.72km (2.31m)

Average speed: 13.220 (8.214m)
Average pace: 4:32 per km (7:18 per mile)

Heart rate: HRavg 162, HRmax 175, and 258kcals