There’s a moment early in most parkruns where a decision gets made.
You see someone just ahead of you.
They look like they’re running “your pace”.
And instinct kicks in.
You surge to catch them.
It feels like the right move.
But more often than not, it’s the moment the run starts to go wrong.
The Problem with Chasing
When you chase early, you stop running your race.
You start reacting instead of pacing.
That small surge might only be a few seconds per kilometre faster than you should be running… but over 5km, that adds up quickly.
And the issue isn’t the surge itself.
It’s what it does to your effort.
You move from controlled to forced.
From steady to strained.
From patient to reactive.
And that shift usually comes back to bite later in the run.
Why It Feels So Tempting
Chasing early feels natural.
You’re fresh.
You’ve got energy.
You don’t want to “lose ground”.
And psychologically, it feels like you’re doing something positive.
But parkrun isn’t decided in the first kilometre.
It’s decided much later.
What Happens Later
If you go out of your way to chase early, there’s a good chance you’ll see those same runners again.
Not because they’ve slowed down dramatically… but because you’ve used energy you needed later.
By the 3rd or 4th Km:
- The breathing gets harder
- The rhythm starts to break
- The pace becomes difficult to hold
And instead of moving forward, you’re trying not to go backwards.
A Better Way to Think About It
Flip the mindset.
Instead of chasing early… position yourself to chase later.
Let people go in the opening kilometre.
Settle into your rhythm.
Stay controlled.
Because if you get that part right, you’ll be the one doing the passing when it matters.
And passing people late in a run feels very different to chasing early.
It’s controlled.
It’s deliberate.
And it’s far more effective.
A Simple Cue to Use
Next time you’re at parkrun, try this:
When you feel the urge to surge early, pause and ask:
“Is this my pace — or theirs?”
If it’s not yours, let them go.
Trust that you’ll have your moment later in the run.
Bringing It Back to Saturday
parkrun rewards patience.
Not just fitness, not just effort — but decision-making.
And one of the best decisions you can make is this:
Don’t chase early.
Run your pace.
Hold your rhythm.
And give yourself the chance to finish strong.
Because the runners who stay controlled early are usually the ones moving forward when it counts.
If you want more practical ways to improve your parkrun performance, explore more tips at www.parkruntraining.co.nz.