Today I went back to Pitshanger Junior Parkrun, and I was really excited. I hadn’t run there for a few weeks because I had been trying other parkruns instead. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been running at King George Parkrun and Bushey. Bushey has a really steep hill, so it was a bit tougher. But today I returned to Pitshanger Park, which I’ve always liked because it feels more familiar and a bit easier.
My best time ever at Pitshanger is 7 minutes and 48 seconds. This time, my goal was to try and finish under 7 minutes and 55 seconds. I know it usually takes me a couple of runs to get close to my best again, especially after some time off. Still, I was ready to give it my best shot and see how well I could do today.
I started the run feeling okay. I think I was in about sixth or seventh place when we got going. My aim was to complete the first lap in 3 minutes and 50 seconds, but when I checked my time, it was four minutes. So I was already 10 seconds slower than I wanted to be. Even though I was behind, I didn’t give up. I kept pushing myself and tried to run as fast as I could for the rest of the race.
In the end, I finished the run in just over eight minutes. I felt a bit disappointed because I know I can do better than that. I didn’t reach my goal this time, and I was quite far off my personal best. Still, I know that running isn’t always perfect, and some days are just harder than others. What matters is that I tried my best and kept going.
Even though I didn’t get the time I wanted, I’m still proud that I ran the whole thing and finished strong. It wasn’t my best time, but it was a good effort. I know that if I keep practising and try again soon, I can get closer to my personal best—or maybe even beat it!
I hope I get the chance to run at Pitshanger again soon. It’s a nice place to run, and I really want to break my PB of 7 minutes and 48 seconds. I believe I can do it if I stay focused and keep training. I’ll keep trying, and I’m sure I’ll get there one day.
