Another week and another ParkRun. Last week was a great return to Stanley Park following a couple of weeks away due to my calf niggles. Gait analysis and new running shoes and it was a good run giving me another Personal Best and knocking nearly 3 minutes off my previous PB. So what could I achieve this week, the last ParkRun before Christmas?

Dry, mild and not quite as windy as was forecast – ParkRunners head towards the Stanley Park Clock Tower. With both calves still supported by compression sleeves, just to be on the safe side, at 9.05am I set off along with 228 other ParkRunners.

My Garmin was primed to indicate my pace per km and per mile, so I knew my times were pretty good and I was on track to beat last weeks PB by the targetted 2 minutes.

A couple of hundred metres from the finish line I realised that my final 1km pace was well up and I was going to smash my personal best.

4 minutes 15 seconds knocked off my previous PB!

13 minutes 4 seconds quicker than my first ParkRun in October.

Last week was the confidence builder, this was something else. This is real progress! I can see the improvement week on week, not just in the mirror but in the gym and now on the running track.

Chalk Guy was able to mark the occasion in his usual style.