Check out the pacing opportunities at your local parkrun. Larger parkruns sometimes have pacers who run the course at set speeds (with varying degrees of success).
For example Bushy Parkrun (recently 1200 runners…wow) has even numbered pacing this Saturday: ie 20, 22, 24, 26 , 28, 30 (and so on ) minute pacers. Next month they do odd numbers starting at 21.
*ALL* you have to do is just stay a couple of steps in front of your chosen pacer. Simples.
If your local parkrun doesn’t currently do this then offer to do it at a slower time than what you currently do. Soon enough there will be others. Soon enough there will be someone pacing at the pace you want to do. & you’ll feel better at having volunteered whilst sneakily getting in a TEMPO run at your chosen pace.
We’ve had great success doing this at Southampton too. It’s a great way to volunteer while also getting to run, and it’s really rewarding when someone says “thanks” for helping them to meet their goal 🙂
Yep!