One of the nicest surprises of my winter came from something very simple: parkrun.
On Christmas Day and New Year's Day, I ran a couple of parkruns just for fun, including one with my uncle, which made it even more special.
We’d usually do a harder effort later in the week, and when my coach suggested I could run parkrun instead, I wasn’t going to say no. It’s not something I get to do very often, and it’s always nice to head down and be part of it.
The run that turned out to be the British parkrun record happened at parkrun Exmouth, along the promenade. I ran 15:27 for 5km, which came as a complete surprise. It’s a fast course, but also a busy one, which makes it interesting.
You’re weaving through people, but at the same time the support is amazing. When you turn back and everyone’s cheering, especially when they realise you’re the first woman, it really lifts you.
I wasn’t going there chasing anything. We’d talked about running together at a steady pace, but as soon as the run started, that idea disappeared. I got competitive, saw someone ahead of me, and thought, “I’m not letting them beat me.”
Before I knew it, it had turned into a race. I didn’t even realise I’d broken the record until a couple of days later.
That’s what makes it such a nice one to have. So many people run parkrun every weekend, so they can relate to it. The response showed how much parkrun means to people, and that was really special. It’s a very different feeling to running a fast time at a low-key local race — parkrun connects with people in a way that’s quite unique.
Vegan Christmas
Outside of running, Christmas itself was a chance to slow down a bit. We had a fully vegan Christmas dinner this year, and it was probably the best one yet.
My sister made a Mushroom Wellington, which was amazing, along with some great stuffing. I like to think I’m quite good at cooking, but at Christmas I usually let my sister and my dad take control. I’m more of a kitchen assistant — happy to help when told, but definitely not in charge.
That mental downtime was important, especially because university exams were waiting just around the corner. I study at the University of Exeter, and I always stress beforehand, but once the exams are done it’s a huge relief.
Now it’s back into lectures and new content, and also starting to think about dissertation options for next year, which feels like a big decision. There’s a lot of reading and figuring out what direction I want to go in, but it’s exciting too.
Treadmills and VO2Max testing
Training through the winter has been a bit of a juggling act, mainly because of the weather. Ice has made things difficult at times, but you have to be adaptable in England. When the track has been closed, the university has been brilliant and let me use their slat treadmill.
It’s very different from a standard gym treadmill — much more solid and smooth — and it’s been a really good way to keep training consistent when conditions outside aren’t great.
Alongside that, I’ve also been doing some physiological testing at the university, including VO₂max tests. I’m always slightly reluctant going into it, especially in winter when I know I’m not in peak shape, and I have to remind myself not to overthink the numbers.
I definitely dread the test itself because I know I’ll have to push really hard, but once it’s done, it’s never as bad as I imagine. It was nice to do it with Rebecca back at the university after her maternity leave, and the results were shared with Professor Andy Jones as well so we could get some extra input.
Everything’s looking positive, and it’s something we’ll probably repeat next autumn or winter to track progress over time.
Opening season in Cardiff
As for racing, I’m planning a light indoor season. I’m 99% sure I’ll start with a 3000m at the British Milers’ Club Indoor Cardiff on Sunday 25 January. That will be a good way to ease into indoor racing and get used to the track again.
After that, I’m hoping to race over 1500m in Ostrava, followed by another 3000m in Karlsruhe and the British Indoor Championships in Birmingham.
The idea is not to overload the indoor season, but to use a few races to sharpen things up before turning full focus back to outdoor preparation. Staying flexible is really important.
Winter doesn’t have to be complicated — sometimes it’s about enjoying the small things, keeping training consistent, and letting everything else build naturally from there.
Innes FitzGerald is the European U20 champion in cross country, 5000m and 3000m. The British runner is a monthly columnist for European Athletics.
