The Week Was Going Perfectly Until This Parkrun… | 5K PB Speed Block Week 4

Week 4 of my 7-week 5K PB speed block delivered huge training gains… before unravelling at Parkrun.

This series follows my full journey to improving my 5K personal best through targeted speed work, threshold training and race-specific preparation before transitioning into half marathon training.

This week focused heavily on speed endurance – an area I know is holding back my ability to push beyond my current limits. The sessions included:
• Threshold progression intervals
• Hill sprint power sets
• Speed consistency drills
• Progressive long run pacing

Everything was lining up for a fast 5K PB attempt at Walsall Arboretum Parkrun... but brutal conditions changed everything. Driving rain, strong winds and freezing temperatures turned a race into pure survival mode, resulting in a 20:16 finish — over two minutes slower than my PB.

Instead of hiding the result, I recorded it honestly because real improvement isn’t linear.

The week ended on a strong note with a progressive 20km run in Aberystwyth:
5k – 4:58/km
10k – 4:44/km
15k – 4:29/km
20k – 4:14/km

📊 Week 4 Totals
Distance: 80.20km
Time: 6h 58m

This is not just a highlight reel — it’s the real story of what it takes to build a 5K personal best, good runs and bad.

If you're training for Parkrun, chasing a sub-20 5K or trying to improve your running speed, this series shows exactly what that journey looks like.

👇 Have you ever had a race ruined by weather? Let me know in the comments.

Music from #InAudio: https://inaudio.org/
Track Name*.Run For Your Life