Walked the Depot Parkrun 5K This Morning

Before going off to bed Friday nights, when I plan on doing the Depot Parkrun 5K the next morning I first check the local forecast for Gainesville...this time I knew it would be especially hot and humid.  And I was right: 79 degrees, 95% humidity...ugh!  So once again I easily decided to speed-walk the 3.1 miles instead of running it.  And like two weeks ago, I think I did well enough, with an identical finishing time of 38:19...click HERE to view the race results.  Yet I still feel that I can make some meaningful improvement in my walking form while pushing myself a bit harder.  My goal is to speed-walk a 5K at a better-than 12 mph pace: this would represent a 37:12 finishing time, so I don't have that much further to go.  This was my 50th finish at a Parkrun event, so I'm now qualified to get a "50" tee-shirt.  That's good, because I seem to have misplaced the "25" shirt I had been wearing.  The Depot Parkrun is a part of a wide network of Parkruns, having originated in England just a few years ago, spreading to several countries across the world.  Participation is free, although since it's completely volunteer-driven, they do encourage you to step forward in that regard.  To have your finishing time recorded and posted on their website, you first register online and then bring the barcode they give you to the race to scan along with the finishing token they hand you at the finishing line.  After scanning, the results are usually posted around 9-9:30.  On this particular morning, unlike the way it usually is at this pretty, partially nature park just south of downtown, I didn't hear any bird songs...maybe the muggy conditions had something to do with it...