Run in the park for Jenny

As I had raced on Friday, I decided to do the parkrun as a training session. I had promised one of my running buddies, Jenny Healy, that I would pace her one Saturday in an attempt to help her earn a new PB. Her fastest time at Pollok Park was 24:25 but she had taken 25:31 last week. I was confident that she could run faster, even though the conditions were far from perfect, with a couple of large puddles and some muddy parts to negotiate, they were slightly better than last week’s.


We set off near the middle of the 263 strong field and I had to reign in her enthusiasm in the initial downhill part of the course. This was made more difficult as loads of runners started too fast, many of them overtaking us. There are no distance markers on the course and the reception for my Garmin isn’t great in the woods of the park, so I couldn’t rely solely on my GPS for distance markers. However I’ve ran the course enough to know where the various kilometre and mile markers should be.

Jenny and her pace maker - Pic by Gill Williamson

After one mile, I informed Jenny that we were on target, although she expressed doubts that she could maintain the pace for the rest of the route, I was confident that she would be OK. That said, she did slow a bit on the uphill section after 2k, however I was confident that we would make up time in the downhill section. She was working hard and was coughing and spluttering at one point as I encouraged her to increase the pace down hill. We turned left off of the glade and I knew there was 1k to go, our time had slipped and I told her that she would need to work hard for the last bit but she would get her rewards. She slipped back and there were a couple of runners between us, who looked a bit bemused as I cried out words of encouragement. She overtook them, headed up the last hill and kept working as we approached the supporters and volunteers at the turn off point. Over a brae and then it was downhill for what seemed a very long 200m to the finish. I pulled over to the side to let her pass me just before the line. She had earned a spanking, shiny, brand new PB of 24:17! She had placed 110th overall and 11th woman. She was shattered and ecstatic at the same time. She said that she couldn’t have done it without me but the reality is that it was her that had ran, she worked hard and deserved her PB. I told her that she would be able to get faster and more consistent if she were to join the local Bellahouston Harriers. I introduced her to Bernie O’Neil who advised her that the Harriers now have some 50 women members and that she would be made very welcome.

Results

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