190+ BPM! Hampstead Heath ParkRun Hills

We are back at Hampstead Heath for my second attempt at this course this year! Last time, I finished 2nd under "dubious" circumstances, but today the goal is simple: break the 20-minute barrier. The Course: Two laps involving a notoriously "spicy" start/finish hill that can make or break your race. The Challenge: I’ve admitted I’m not a fan of hills, and my fitness isn't quite where it used to be. To make matters worse, I may have made a critical error with my shoe choice; opting for road shoes on a course that felt like a cross-country mud bath by the end. Join me as I battle a spiking heart rate (hitting the 190s!), a fading time cushion, and a sprint finish against a runner right on my tail. Did I go out too fast with a 3:35 first kilometre? And can I hold on up that final, grueling hill? In this video: Road shoes vs. Trail shoes vs. Super shoes. The mystery of the "3, 2, 1, Parkrun!" countdown. A heart rate monitor that can't decide if I'm alive or sprinting. A frantic dash to the line. Follow me on socials: 🏃🏻 Strava:   / strava   📸 Instagram:   / racetosubthree   📹 Tiktok:   / racetosubthree   #Parkrun #HampsteadHeath #Running #Sub205k #RunningFails #LondonRunning #TrailRunning #Garmin #RunVlog #BerlinHarriers 0:00 Intro 1:11 The Start 3:01 Kilometre 1 4:32 Kilometre 2 6:10 Kilometre 3 7:45 Kilometre 4 9:59 The Finish