Why is Nulkaba the ‘hangover’ parkrun?

Parkrun 6: Nulkaba Parkrun

Location: Nulkaba, NSW

Time: 31:56

Position: 63

In the last week, I have drunk alcohol on two nights. Unfortunately, one of them was last night which made the trudge out of bed for this week’s Parkrun just that little bit more testing than it would otherwise be.

Nulkaba seems to have become the ‘hangover’ parkrun, however. Probably because it’s a lazy 20-minute drive away, but the relative ease of the run doesn’t hurt either – although I’m still getting used to this ‘lap’ thing. In saying that, 2 laps is infinitely better than more than 2 laps, which I have seen on some parkruns of late.

This one, as I wait for the official time email to hit the inbox, appears to be a course PR for me, which is a nice feeling in some regards, although I do feel this one got away.

I haven’t run sub-30 since September and it’s starting to eat away at me. Last night I was thinking today might be the day for it – and for the first time at a parkrun since I moved back to the Hunter from Queensland, they had pacers making 30 minutes an actual visible target rather than just a mental one.

As it was, I ended up nearly 2 minutes behind that target, and even behind my 2025 PR, which I was surprised about.

I felt ok at the start, but this was a slightly larger field than last time at Nulkaba leading to some congestion at the start. I have no idea why those who are walking decide to put themselves in the middle of the pack, it just makes it awkward at the start for everyone.

Things took about a minute or two to sort out, but once the ducking and weaving was out of the way, I settled into a rhythm and did my usual of sitting behind someone I felt was right on my pace, and the first kilometre raced by.

I felt that I was going a little faster than the 6:30/km pace my watch was telling me was my average and sure enough by the end of kilometre 2, it was down to less than 6:20/km. Things were feeling pretty good and the 30-minute pacer was still within sight (a white cap made it easier to pick her out from the small crowd running with her) as I came in to commence the second lap.

Once I got into the lap, however, I noticed my legs starting to feel heavy and my pace starting to drop. The fourth kilometre in a five-kilometre run is seldom the easiest – I’ve long since worked out that my running psychology changes hugely depending on the distance. I can feel great and strong 5 kilometres into a half marathon, and yet feel wrecked 4 kilometres into a 5k.

Looking back at my pacing on Strava tells me that that fourth kilometre was easily my slowest, some 13 seconds slower than any of the other four splits. Which was exactly where my chances of a 2025 PR disappeared.

It’s not hard to pinpoint why that was the case – my midweek training has not started at all this year as being motivated to get up early is something I’m struggling with, meaning my general running fitness is being solely influenced by Parkrun each week. Then add into that the white and red wines from last night, and it’s an easy picture to paint.

I did pick things back up in the final kilometre, but strangely for me this was not the fastest of the 5k (that was kilometre three, for those playing at home). Normally, my final km is where I push and almost all of my PRs over the years have been set with a final kilometre split considerably faster than those prior. Going back to psychology, knowing that my stretch target of 30 minutes was simply not going to happen probably had a lot to do with it.

I cross the line, collect my token and head over to get scanned. I’m spent, absolutely wrecked, despite feeling this was a letdown. I barely even glance at my watch as I stop it. I’m only 12 seconds off my 2025 PR. So in all seriousness, I probably should be a little happier. But I’m not thinking of that.

I get to the car, change my t-shirt, drink some water and just sit in the back seat contemplating the run, where I’ve been with my running over the years, and just how much work I need to do to get back there. But it’s not the motivating, head-hardening, self-pep talk that you might be thinking. In many ways, I feel demoralised.

But then again, maybe even in the cold shadow of feeling I’ve let myself go, is the spark I need to get this thing back and moving once again.