Today, I ran at Rickmansworth Parkrun on 8th March 2025, and it was an amazing experience. Right from the start, I felt strong and set off at a great pace. The weather was good, and the course was fast, which helped me feel confident. I had my eyes on a big goal – I wanted to finish in under 19 minutes. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I was determined to give it my best shot.
For the first and second laps, I was right on track. My pace was steady, and I felt in control. I was aiming for an 18:45 finish, which would have been a huge achievement. Everything was going well, and I was feeling strong. But as I got further into the run, I realised I had been pushing myself very hard. My legs started to feel heavy, and my breathing got harder. I knew I had to keep going, but my energy was running low.
By the final stretch, I was struggling to maintain my pace. I had given everything I had, and it was starting to show. Even though I slowed down slightly, I refused to give up. I pushed as hard as I could, knowing the finish line was close. In the end, I crossed the line in 18 minutes and 58 seconds, with an average pace of 3:47 per kilometre. I felt exhausted but incredibly happy.
Breaking the 19-minute barrier was a huge moment for me. I had beaten my previous personal best by 13 seconds, which felt amazing. My sprint finish made all the difference, and I was so proud of myself for keeping going even when it got tough. On top of that, I earned an age grading of 86.20%, which made the achievement even more special.
Looking back, I feel really proud of what I achieved. It wasn’t easy, but all the hard work and training paid off. I know that beating this new PB will be a big challenge, but I’m excited to try again. Rickmansworth Parkrun is a fantastic course, and I can’t wait to go back. Even if I don’t get a faster time next time, I’ll still enjoy the race and keep pushing myself to improve.
