Amazing! Great work! I’m 43. Went from a 20:10 in June to 19:08 in September. Lowered by average HR by 10 bpm too. Oddly, I was following a 10km training plan from McMilllan. I didn’t expect such a change. I actually think it was my long runs that made the difference.
Every second parkrun i am going to "go for it" i feel long runs and intervals repeats are helping me. Love the channel and mary has motivated me to get sub 20. Got a 22.14 pb today.
Re. “Looking slow” One thing I noticed when marshalling at park runs is how much slower it looks when you’re stationary...even the runners doing 5 min/mile pace look almost pedestrian sometimes. Also the other thing is that if it looks relaxed then that’s a really positive sign that your form isn’t breaking down/becoming ragged? In anycase, superb achievement I think, all the best with your next goal!👍
Yes I totally agree with that. When I’ve watched park runs and watch the 15 minute runners I always think... hang on, I can run that fast... when clearly I can’t 😂 even when I watched the winner of the Brighton 10k once, they ran a sub 30 and I still thought it looked too easy 😂 trick of the eye/mind
while not wishing to detract from all the positive reasons you've considered, or the incredible effort to achieve a sub-20 - well done Mary! - i suspect the emotional background behind your visit to Congo for the first 5K will have played a part too
Stuart, I think you’re bang on. That run in congo represented a mindset shift for Mary as well. Run with more joy and don’t sweat the small stuff. Well observed 😊
Your running technique is your own distinct, unique, wonderful way of getting it done. Remember what mr. Messy happy says,... comparison is the thief of joy Mary!👍🏻😁
I have been following your runs and training in Thailand for some time, your NYC marathon and such, so seeing you in England breaking a record was also nice. Myself I am going to Vietnam for a month in four days expanding my running World, and I will make my first competition run since 1978 next year, so seeing people like you is inspiring, and the tips and tricks are also good. Keep up your exquisite work.
Just so you know, Mary, I love the insights that you guys give me, but I love to watch you run! You are fierce and strong and I love it when the video shoots show you running. Your level of running is so much more than I’ll ever be able to get to at this point in my life, but I love watching you and living vicariously through you!
thanks for the focus on mindset - I took this onboard and just really wanted it this morning and dropped 30secs of PB to finally break below 23:00 barrier. It does work as long as everything else is lined up - no injuries, solid training consistency, good diet etc
Hi Ben and Mary. Great run Mary. This got me thinking though 😀 It’s an interesting one this...not taking anything away at all from Mary’s sub 20 because that is a great effort and time but in my opinion I think Mary’s 21min 5km run on that windy and cold dismal day was even more impressive. Running well on the back a good solid training base is one thing but the mental strength required to leave everything out there when all around you appears to be against you is a true measure of strength and desire. I hope this doesn’t come across negatively because I really admire what you and Mary have achieved, I just see the slower run as the real star session 😂
Thanks Steve, yes we’ve reflected on that too and agree that the 21 on the day after a close family members funeral and driving for 5 hours represented a huge achievement and potentially shifted her mentality for good. A little like the virtual NYC marathon in the worst conditions ever. She’s forging a super strong mentality 😊💪🏻
Awesome! Thanks John, that’s a really kind comment. We’ll get there I’m sure. The channel is growing nicely but as long as we’re helping 1 person then it’s all worth it 😊
@@eoincasey5461 I think the biggest factor was telling a runner friend that I was going to do a sub 20min 5k but they didn’t think I could 🤨. So I had to prove them wrong. In terms of training I did fartlek training at the track which I found hard so I knew it must be helping and also during that period I trained for a half marathon which would’ve helped with endurance and not slowing down in the last mile or so.
I only began running last year at the age of 54. My 5K PB is 22:58. My aim would be a sub 20 5K but I feel perhaps it may be beyond me but this video is inspiring. Well done guys.
@gary6514, how have you done? I am 57, started running 8 months ago and I am aiming for sub 20. Garmin thinks I can run it in 22:40, but I haven’t run a 5K yet. Cheers, John.
I liked this; analysis of the Sunday run. Your run looked graceful to me. Efficiently gliding across the ground and your running form is clearly working really well so I wouldn't change it:) Good to see Winnie. See you Sunday!
Discovered this channel recently. Great , relaxed presentation and informative. Covering extactly the topics I was looking for. Plus, agree with everyone else. You guys seem such a great couple. Keep it up :-)
Thanks for sharing your journey! I know it will be difficult for me to follow this (or any other!) routine. This helps me to energise! Best wishes to Mary and her dedicated coach💪
Good info! I have been working toward a sub-20 for the last 2-3 years, and still falling a few seconds short. Hopefully 2021 will be the year I squeeze a tiny bit more speed out of this 44-year-old body and get it done!
First off I really love this channel and I’m a subscriber. But the thing I don’t understand is why you always seem to feel the need to do part of the video where you try to talk while running. This is the worst part of each video. Always the least organized thoughts and out of breath talking is hard to hear and painful to listen to. The best, most helpful and organized info always comes when you are doing anything else but running. Please take this to heart. I’m also a RU-vidr though not nearly as good at it or as successful as you however I do hope you take this as helpful input because I’m hoping for your success. Thank you for doing this channel. It’s really quite good. Just doesn’t need the obligatory run/talk segments. Would literally lose nothing useful and shorter, more concise videos always gain subs and view duration.
Thanks Max. Very much appreciate your input and honest thoughts. And I appreciate your kind words on the channel too. I disagree with your thoughts on the running segments, I like them, but it’s each to their own 😊 good luck on your journey too 💪🏼👏🏼
Thanks for your feedback, Kayla. Believe it or not, you are genuinely the first person to say this. So I’m going to have to go with what works. But I appreciate the feedback anyway 😊
Well done Mary 👍 I’ve hit a total mental block trying to achieve this 😥 I actually think fear of failure is preventing me from achieving it.. how stupid does that sound 🙄
It’s very normal, Ken. I’d recommend a book I’m reading right now called ‘Think like a monk’ by Jay Shetty. Wise beyond his years. But something I’ve been impacted by early on is a saying from Buddha. “Fear does not prevent death. Fear prevents life” - we have to change the way we interact with it. It’s a great read 😊👍🏻
Well done Mary big achievement!! I did my 1st and so far only sub 20 a couple of years ago and I'm a way off now but this has inspired me to have another go and see if I can do it again.
Love watching the videos. Superb achievement, I'm just getting into running at 38. Ran 23.40 but looking to go sub 23 after my programme in the next couple of weeks. Aim to get it down to sub 20 by next year!
That’s a great goal! And you have plenty of time to smash all of your goals. Take your time, it will all happen with consistency 😊 and thanks for the kind words 🤟🏼
Your videos are helping inspire me to push for multiple goals this year, first marathon, under 50 for 10k etc. Just smashed a new pb for 5k tonight but struggling with cadence increases.
I am extra impressed that you achieved that on 4 days per week of running. Have you done a video on the 10 minute daily workout? Also, was this done while you are training for the ultra? I am very interested to hear how you are preparing for the ultra and what kind of a goal you have for the race (just finish or a target finish time?).
Thanks John! As good luck would have it, yes we have done a video about the 10 minute routine. It’s a few videos back on the channel called “it’s not about just running” and also, Mary’s ultra training schedule is the subject of the video this week 😊
I'm 28 and after getting into running last spetember, with a lot of training, i've gotten down from my initial 27:45 to 22:06 last saturday. Would love to hit sub-20 this year :D
Just stumbled across these videos and absolutely loving them 😍 you two are so positive and wonderful to watch. Always have great big smiles and not to mention fantastic runners!!
cheers Ben@@ThisMessyHappy, love the videos, keep em coming! I'm 65 now, been running/jogging 50 years but never stopped enjoying it wherever i am - now living in the hot tropics but love the early morning beach runs!
I ran a 5k in April my time was 30.00 min I was consistently running too improve ... on Saturday I ran another 5k and this time it was 32 min I don’t get it I feel like I’m becoming slower 😭
Lots of things could be the cause. Don’t be disheartened though. Progress is rarely linear. If you saw Mary’s first attempt at the 5k she was minutes slower than 6 weeks later. Stay consistent and positive and the improvements will come 😊
Well done indeed on the sub 20. I was half expecting Tony to mention the quality of coaching at some point in the film 😉. In all seriousness I'm sure it helped
Good memories of running around the park and Lake there beautiful place and your jackets remind me of how cold it can get. Do you go to Tonbridge Costa on the way home? Good coffee there, for chain coffee
Mary you're right, your a great runner. I think where I lack you've achieved and I think I need to get out of my comfort zone and do some time trials just to get use to being uncomfortable. Next training block I promise 🤞
Can I please ask a controversial question: what proportion of the improvement do you think was down to you wearing the Alphafly shoes alone? I'm nervous of asking because I don't want to appear to be in any way disparaging of you and the hard work you've done in training. And I appreciate how in this video you've worked hard to consider all the potential factors. I'd be fascinated to know if you could break 20 minutes wearing the same shoes as you wore when you set your previous pb. That would surely be a more accurate measure of the improvement that you have made in you, rather than the improvement that the shoes have added. For what it's worth, I reckon that you've probably got something closer to 19 minutes in you wearing Alphafly if you had someone pacing you. Running off someone's shoulder makes a big difference. By the way... really well done on the pb!
Hey, no it’s a legitimate question to ask. The answer is that there are probably quite a lot of contributing factors we didn’t touch on as well. Like the last attempt being the day after a funeral and travelling for 5 hours. But yes, unquestionably the Alphafly’s help. But that’s part of it all isn’t it. It’s not doping as they’re legal trainers but different trainers save or cost you differing amounts of time. That’s definitely not a question that comes across as disparaging. It’s all part of it.
@@ThisMessyHappy I'm glad that you've received my question in the friendly and positive tone that I intended. And thank you for your reply. How about I formalise it: can you please produce a video where, given your improvements in you (the training and non-shoe factors), you run the same distance in equivalent to your old shoes? There are loads of us amateurs who are fascinated by the potential impact on our pb times but can't afford the c£250 to test it.
@@twocrandon instagram.com/p/CNSbDcSH5Ag/?igshid=1r2j3zmwjlf23 These two superstars went 18 mins on Monday and had to wear, basic Nike Pegasus because there still only size one in feet 😂 be interesting what they run once they can get faster trainers Ben, great watching Mary’s progress, she definitely an go quicker
Only been running 1 month, got my 5k down from 32 and dying for that, to 29 pretty easy. Goal is to run sub 25 by summer! Videos like this keep me pushing on
This was so helpful - thank you! PS. I think I just fell in love with Mary a little. You're my new inspiration and Ill be coming back to this video as I work through my winter block and get prepped for spring sessions. Appreciate you 💛
Great video. So good to see how you train .Oh and you're running style is so focused and consistent. I don't like seeing photos or videos of me running or as I say "plodding " 🤣🏃♀️ xx
Hello, first of all cogratulation for archieving your goal! I'm looking for something similar and I would like to have access to their tempo and intervals sessions, so I can get inspired. Thanks in advance
It's 2 years late but congratulations on the sub 20 minute 5k! What strategy did you use when accomplishing this? Did you end up running each k at the same pace, or starting off slower then building up to a higher pace? I've heard of a strategy of starting off a little higher than average, then try to hold on for the rest of the race. That last one doesn't sound like the best strategy but was curious what your strategy was.
I knocked out a PB at Parkrun two weeks ago of 20:39 down from 21:03. I’m not sure if it’s possible to get it below 20:00. I’m 52 and have only been running consistently for about 3 years. I’m sure if I did some specific training and such like then maybe its possible. I’m sure I can improve on 20:39 but maybe not by 40 seconds, Ill keep plodding along and see what happens over the next year.
question, do you ever see other runners , and think either how they are running is good or not, or does it make you feel like you wanna say, Hey, I run too show off, its my recovery day today, lol =)
