This week’s parkrun Progress Report comes from Jess Bray and her performance at Dunedin parkrun #596 on 23 May 2026, where she ran a very impressive 21:17 on a course where the terrain completely changes how the run should be interpreted.
At first glance, the splits almost look chaotic:
- 1st Km – 4:01
- 2nd Km – 3:55
- 3rd Km – 4:59
- 4th Km – 4:42
- 5th Km – 4:05
And if you ignored the elevation profile, you could easily think:
pacing fell apart.
But once the hills are factored in, the story changes completely.
Dunedin parkrun is not flat
This matters.
A lot.
Because the middle part of the course includes substantial climbing, including:
➡️ approximately 48 metres of elevation gain in the third kilometre alone.
That’s huge in the context of a 5K.
Trying to analyse this run using pace alone would massively misread the performance.
The opening was aggressive — but controlled
Opening splits:
- 4:01
- 3:55
That’s quick running.
But importantly:
- power remained relatively stable
- cadence remained remarkably stable
- heart rate rose appropriately rather than explosively
That tells us:
this wasn’t reckless overpacing.
This was:
confident, committed running.
There’s a big difference between:
- attacking a course intelligently
and: - simply going out too hard.
Jess was still managing effort well.
The cadence data is exceptional
Honestly, the cadence stability might be the most impressive metric in the entire run.
Cadence:
- 183
- 182
- 176
- 178
- 178
That’s incredibly consistent considering the amount of climbing involved.
Why does that matter?
Because a lot of runners:
- overstride uphill
- grind their cadence down
- lose rhythm when the course gets difficult
Jess largely didn’t.
That suggests:
- excellent running rhythm
- efficient mechanics
- strong neuromuscular control
- and very good uphill composure.
The third kilometre was actually very strong
The third kilometre:
➡️ 4:59 with 48m climbing
On paper, that looks like a major slowdown.
But the context changes everything.
Average power only dropped to:
➡️ 266 watts
That tells us Jess was still:
- working strongly
- adjusting output intelligently
- and responding appropriately to the terrain.
This wasn’t:
blowing up.
This was:
smart adaptation to a difficult section.
The fourth kilometre is underrated
Then came:
➡️ 4:42
Still with substantial climbing.
But this is where things become really interesting.
Power rises again:
➡️ 274 watts
Cadence stabilises:
➡️ 178 SPM
And heart rate actually drops slightly:
➡️ 165 bpm
That suggests:
Jess regained control really well after the steepest section.
That’s often where mentally strong runners separate themselves from runners who simply survive the course.
The final kilometre was excellent
After:
- two climbing-heavy kilometres
- accumulated fatigue
- and significant elevation stress
Jess still closed with:
➡️ 4:05
That’s a huge positive.
Because she:
- lifted pace
- maintained rhythm
- and finished strongly late in the run.
That says a lot about:
- aerobic durability
- composure
- and race management.
Heart rate tells an intelligent story
Heart rate:
- 155
- 170
- 171
- 165
- 157
The drop late in the run is fascinating.
It strongly suggests the terrain-assisted finish reduced cardiovascular strain while still allowing good speed.
So the final kilometre wasn’t simply:
“sprinting harder.”
It was:
using the terrain efficiently.
That’s smart racing.
Power profile confirms mature pacing
Power:
- 293W
- 277W
- 266W
- 274W
- 215W
This tells us Jess:
- adjusted effort sensibly
- avoided catastrophic spikes
- distributed energy intelligently
- and raced the course rather than blindly chasing pace.
That’s mature pacing on a hilly route.
What this run really showed
This wasn’t:
a flat-course pacing exercise.
This was:
a terrain-influenced performance requiring constant adjustment.
And Jess handled that exceptionally well.
The biggest positive
Honestly?
The biggest positive may actually be:
how stable she stayed mechanically under climbing stress.
That’s a huge indicator of:
- running economy
- efficiency
- composure
- and underlying fitness.
The key lesson
A lot of runners think strong hill running means:
holding pace.
But that’s not always true.
Strong runners don’t just hold pace on hills.
They hold rhythm.
And Jess did that exceptionally well.
Want help improving your own parkrun pacing?
If you want to become stronger on hills, improve your pacing, and build more confidence over 5K, parkrun Kickstart is designed specifically for recreational runners wanting to improve their parkrun performance.
👉 Join parkrun Kickstart here:
https://www.coachraytraining.co.nz/signup/parkrun-kickstart
And if you’d like your own run analysed 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.