I considered offering to be the '24' & taking it a bit easier, but at this stage in 'my comeback', I'm not sure I can hold a constant pace
I was offered 25 by the run director who knows my capabilities. But I like 29. It's a piece of cake to run at and there's something about dragging them round under 30 minutes that means 29 & 30 gets the biggest gaggle of chasers at ours. Going under 30 seems to be a huge psychological barrier for many fun runners, especially the female ones. I was a bit naughty as I finished in 28:22, deliberately running about 5 secs per km faster than needed, no one complained, especially those who passed me in the last km and got PB's under 28:00!
And I do cheat. I set the pace using the virtual partner on my Garmin and then have two minute repeat alarms on it to remind me to look at the watch and slow down accordingly.
We had one huge laugh though. The 27 minute pacer, started behind me, blasted past, and overtook the 25-er inside the first 2km and tore the legs of some of his chasers in the process before slowing down. One of these is a parkrun nodding acquaintance and when I caught her walking I said "Nnnnnnnn, get running. I want you 100 yards in front of me by the triffid*" and off she went, casting a dark as daggers look at me over her shoulder. She PB'd at 28:01 and with her thinking her goal of anything beginning with 28 was gone; I got a huge hug, and a lovely message on Facebook.
*ugly metal sculpture which has had three locations within the town but keeps moving...
It's the only way to go. I have an aversion to tarmac due to it being a bit too hard for my poor aging feet.
