This week’s parkrun Progress Report is a little bit different.
Instead of reviewing another runner, I’m going back to my first ever parkrun — run at the Sage Foundation parkrun during the Invictus Games in Toronto.
I wasn’t there to race.
I was there as part of the coaching staff for the New Zealand Invictus Games team, and I simply wanted to get out, experience parkrun, and run the best 5K I could.
But somewhere around the 2km mark… things changed.
The run at a glance
This was a simple out-and-back course:
- 2.5km out
- 2.5km back
My splits were:
- 1st Km – 3:42
- 2nd Km – 3:44
- 3rd Km – 3:37
- 4th Km – 3:59
- Final stretch (~800m) – ~3:55 pace
The course measured slightly short on my watch (4.79km), but the pattern of the run is what matters here.
The first half: controlled and patient
I didn’t know who was in the field.
I didn’t know what level people would be at.
So I did what I’d recommend any runner do in that situation — I ran my own race.
The first two kilometres were controlled:
- steady power (~400W)
- stable cadence (~175–176)
- heart rate building gradually
No panic. No surge. No chasing.
Just settling into rhythm.
The moment everything changed
Around the 2km mark, I realised I was sitting in second place.
And more importantly…
The gap to the runner in front — Ian — didn’t look impossible.
That’s when the mindset shifted.
This was no longer just:
“Run the best 5K I can.”
It became:
“I think I can catch him.”
The surge
At the turnaround, I committed.
The 3rd Km dropped to 3:37, and that’s where the race really began.
This wasn’t a reckless sprint. It was a deliberate move:
- close the gap
- apply pressure
- see what happens
And it worked.
I caught him.
The cost of the move
But here’s the thing about surges…
You always pay for them.
The 4th Km dropped to 3:59:
- power fell away slightly
- heart rate climbed
- the effort caught up
This is where a lot of runners either:
- blow up completely
- or panic when the pace drops
But this is also where race awareness matters.
The final stretch: holding on
Once I’d made the move, the goal changed again.
Now it was about:
holding position, not gaining more time
The final stretch settled around 3:55 pace.
Not my fastest running of the day, but controlled enough to:
- stabilise the effort
- maintain form
- and keep the lead
That’s the difference between attacking and defending in a race.
What this run really shows
Looking back, this wasn’t a perfectly paced 5K.
If I had run it purely as a time trial:
- the pacing would have been smoother
- the overall time might have been slightly faster
But that wasn’t the situation.
This was a run that evolved mid-race.
The key lesson
There’s a difference between racing the clock and racing a person.
When you’re racing the clock:
- even pacing is king
- minimise variation
- stay controlled
When you’re racing a person:
- decisions matter
- timing matters
- and sometimes you have to take a risk
That’s exactly what happened here.
The bigger takeaway for parkrunners
Most runners go into parkrun thinking:
“I’ll just run my own race.”
And that’s a great plan…
Until you find yourself:
- chasing someone
- being chased
- or sitting in a position you didn’t expect
That’s when parkrun becomes more than just a run.
It becomes a race.
And how you respond in that moment can define your performance.
Want help with your own parkrun strategy?
If you want to improve your pacing, make smarter decisions during your run, and finish stronger every Saturday, parkrun Kickstart is designed to help you do exactly that.
👉 Join parkrun Kickstart here:
https://www.coachraytraining.co.nz/signup/parkrun-kickstart
And if you’d like your own run reviewed in a future parkrun Progress Report:
👉 Apply here:
https://qwik-kiwi.kit.com/parkrun_progress_report
Ka kite anō — and all the best for your next parkrun.