
Project 20 - chasing the sub 20 5k parkrun
Welcome to "Project 20," a podcast where I document my journey on a 20-week training plan with a run coach to chase down the elusive sub-20-minute 5k parkrun. Join me, Adam, as I share weekly updates, training tips, challenges, and breakthroughs. Whether you're a seasoned runner or just starting, tune in to find motivation, expert insights, and a community of fellow runners striving to reach their personal bests. Let's break barriers together and see what dedication and perseverance can achieve!
Episodes
29 episodes
Project 20 - Season 1 Finale | The Shoe Came Off... Literally
Welcome back to Project 20! Season 1 of this journey has come to an end in the most unexpected way. Today’s final time trial started strong—358, 356 splits—and for the first time, I felt like sub-20 was within reach. And then... my shoe f...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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6:29

Project 20 - Week 27 Update | Doubts, Determination, and the Final Push
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 27 of what started as a 20-week journey is done, and I’m less than a week away from my next sub-20 time trial. Honestly, I don’t feel ready—mentally or physically. After three weeks of intense build traini...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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1:32

Project 20 - Weekly Update | Stiff, Sore, and Sorry (But New Shoes!)
Welcome back to Project 20! This week was tough—stiff, sore, and mentally drained. The speed session went well, but by the long run, everything felt slow and painful. Friday’s planned session didn’t happen, and I pushed it to Saturday, on...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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2:19

Project 20 - Week 25 Update | Mixed Results but Staying Determined
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 25 is done, and it feels a bit like Groundhog Day—another week of ups and downs in training. Tuesday’s speed session went okay with 1km repeats for a total of 20:25 for 5k, but Friday’s track session didn’...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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2:17

Project 20 - Week 24 Update | Time Trial Reflections and Next Steps
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 24 is done, and today’s time trial at Sandgate parkrun didn’t go as planned. I started strong with a 3:55 first kilometre, but by the second kilometre, the mental and physical challenge got the better of m...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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1:43

Project 20 - Week 23 Update | Best Track Session Yet and New Sub-20 Timeline
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 23, and we might finally be back on track. Friday’s track session was my best yet—absolutely smashed it! It was a huge confidence boost after a slow start earlier in the week.Coach Carl has pl...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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1:52

Project 20 - Week 22 Update | Over Time and Nearly Back on Track
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 22, and what was supposed to be a 20-week project is still going strong thanks to COVID recovery. I'm inching closer to feeling “normal” again, and this week might mark a turning point. My Tuesday speed se...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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1:33

Project 20 - Week 21 Update | Lingering COVID Fatigue and Pushing Through
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 21 is done, and the lingering fatigue from COVID is still affecting my training. Just five weeks ago, I was at peak fitness with a PB of 20:11, feeling stronger than ever. Now, the fatigue is holding me ba...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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1:40

Project 20 - Week 20 Update | Lingering Fatigue and Reassessing the Goal
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 20 was supposed to be the final week where I hit that sub-20 5k goal, but COVID threw a wrench in the plan. While I’ve recovered from the virus, the fatigue has lingered longer than expected, affecting my ...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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1:43

Project 20 - Week 19 Update | Rest, Recovery, and Ready to Resume Training
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 19 is done, and it’s been a quieter week as my coach wisely extended my rest period after COVID. While I was eager to get back into training, in hindsight, I realize that the extra rest was exactly what I ...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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1:16

Project 20 - Week 18 Update | Adjusting the Goal After COVID
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 18 is done, but it came with some unexpected changes. COVID hit me hard this week, throwing off the original plan to go for my sub-20-minute 5k in two weeks. After testing positive on Tuesday and ne...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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3:21

Project 20 - Week 17 Update | COVID Strikes Mid-Training
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 17 update is a bit different because, for the first time ever, I got COVID. I’ve never knowingly had it before, and it hit just as I was getting back into training after a few recovery days in Hobart...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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2:23

Project 20 - Week 16 Update | New PB and Final Push for Sub 20 Minute 5K!
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 16 is done, and I hit a new PB for my 5k parkrun! My watch recorded 20:11, while the official parkrun time was 20:14—both beating my previous PB of 20:19 from two and a half years ago. This has give...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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2:01

Project 20 - Week 15 Update | From Slow Start to Personal Bests!
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 15 is done, and it’s been a rollercoaster. It started off with a tough speed session where I couldn’t hit my target pace, but by Friday, things turned around completely. I hit my fastest times ever at mult...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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1:21

Project 20 - Week 14 Update | Feeling Faster and Pushing Through the Hard Sessions
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 14 is done, and it’s been another great week! I’m definitely getting faster, and I’ve really come to understand that the more effort I put into these sessions, the more I get out of them. Speed sess...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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1:45

Project 20 - Week 13 Update | Confidence Boost and Running with Zeke 🐾
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 13 is done, and it’s been a great week. After last week's time trial didn’t go as planned, this week was a turnaround. Coach Carl joined me for an 8x400m track session, and I smashed the target times! ...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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1:24

Project 20 - Week 12 Update | Time Trial Reflections on the Road to a Sub 20 Minute 5K Parkrun
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 12 is in the books, and it was a tough one. This week included a time trial, and things didn’t go as planned. Despite preparing well and feeling ready, sometimes optimal performance just doesn’t come on de...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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1:52

Project 20 - Week 11 Update | Managing Cumulative Fatigue in My Journey to a Sub 20 Minute 5K Parkrun
Welcome back to Project 20! Week 11 is complete, and I’m feeling some of that cumulative fatigue again. With strength, speed, and long runs close together, it's catching up to me, but I'm pushing through. This week, we’re entering ...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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1:16

Project 20 - Week 10 Update | Halfway Point of My Journey to a Sub 20 Minute 5K Parkrun
Welcome back to Project 20! We’ve hit the halfway point! Week 10 is done, and I’m feeling great. The initial shock to the body from the speed and strength sessions is behind me, and everything is coming together. This week, we adde...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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1:04

Project 20 - Week 9 Update | Journey to a Sub 20 Minute 5K Parkrun
Welcome back to Project 20! 🎉 Week 9 is complete, and I’m feeling good as I near the halfway point of my 20-week program. With 11 weeks to go, I’ve got 40 seconds left to shave off my time to reach that sub-20-minute 5k goal. 💪This week,...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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1:46

Project 20 - Week 8 Update | Journey to a Sub 20 Minute 5K Parkrun
Welcome back to Project 20! 🎉 Week 8 is complete, and it was a rest week with a time trial to cap it off. Coach Carl had me pace myself differently this time, aiming for a more controlled pace instead of my usual all-out approach. 🏃♂️Wi...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:29

Project 20 - Week 7 Update | Journey to a Sub 20 Minute 5K Parkrun
Welcome back to Project 20! 🎉 Week 7 is done, and I’m feeling fantastic! After the ups and downs of the past few weeks, it’s great to see the progress coming together. 💪This week’s highlights:Running and training have gone ex...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:04

Project 20 - Week 6 update
Project 20 - Week 6 Update | Journey to a Sub 20 Minute 5K ParkrunWelcome back to Project 20! 🎉 Week 6 is done, and it’s been a much better week! Despite starting the week feeling fatigued, a successful track session on Tuesday ga...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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1:43
