Well buoyed up by all the lovely support I have had on here over the last couple of days I did my second park run today. It is a month since I did the first one, as a result of a sore knee followed by a sore throat. I was starting to feel that I couldn't do it again so I knew I would have to bite the bullet and lay that fear. I really didn't feel like it this morning but then, running when you don't necessarily feel like is perhaps what you have to do to get to the stage where you do feel like it, if you know what I mean!
So how it did it go? Well I can offer you two different ways of looking at it: I was 117th out of 119 runners and there were three people in front of me who were walking all the hills and running the flat bits who I could not catch for the life of me, so is one way, the negative one; but I ran it all, every step, and I knocked 1 minute and 23 seconds off my last run time, and was second in my age group (not many women over sixty!) so I have decided to regard it as a triumph! There is no point in thinking about parkrun as a race because if it is I will always be trailing along at the back. But if I think of it as a run then it is all good. I ran for 45 minutes which still amazes me and it is such a friendly, inclusive happy event to be part of. The marshals are so encouraging and it is just great to find that by 10 o' clock on a Saturday morning I have a significant run under my belt and it is time for a coffee and some scrambled eggs and a read of the weekend papers.
I am hoping that if I spend a few weeks having a go at the gentle introductions to intervals suggested in response to my last post I might even get a bit faster. I am not expecting to get much faster but it would really please me if I could catch up with the people who are walking and running!
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Gwenllian1
Graduate10
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Congratulations to you Gwenillian1 on completing your second parkrun in a better time than your first, you ran it all the way in 45 minutes which is a lot quicker than many people run a 5K.some run it on over a hour, I have seen a time of 1 hour 25 minutes for someone who ran a 5K. Onwards and upwards. 😊 🏃
Thank you! I am pretty sure I will be a regular park runner now. It is such a friendly and easy way of getting a good run in, all timed and recorded, and people are so nice it doesn't seem to matter how fast you go!
Yayayayay! Well done Gwenllian1! 👏👏👏 What a great morning you had - and you ran every step! That’s awesome. 👍🙌🎉👊
I have a similar issue at PR in that I never walk either. Ours is fairly hilly, so loads of people walk them. Sometimes their walk is quicker than my run (my walk is often quicker than my hill running pace too), so they always used to pull away. However I’m a bit faster than I used to be, but there’s still the odd one who out-walks me. But I know I’ve kept running, which is my personal goal. Not everyone’s I know, but I’m very stubborn with myself!
You’re doing brilliantly. Over time you’ll find it easier and you won’t be the newbie any more. Keep up parkrun, it’s the best! 👍🏃♀️🏃🏃♀️🏃🏃♀️👍
Thank you!! I ran all the last one too. It's my personal challenge I think, like you. I totally see that everyone finds their own way of doing it but for me it would not seem like a run if I walked the hills although I wonder if it might be faster! It is very encouraging that you have got faster! You give me hope!!
Hahaha, yes ‘speed’ increases with time, plus by mixing the runs up a bit. I do hills, intervals (with the app JogRunSprint) and longer slower runs. I’ve knocked a consistent 6-7 minutes off my original 5k time and my 10k time is getting better slowly too!
You’re obviously like me - I need to stay running! 😅
You’re perfectly normal don’t worry! 😅 There are people that take over an hour at ours: 🏃♀️🏃🏃🏃♀️
Call me sad but I do love the marshals shouting things like “good running”, “well done”, “you’re doing well” - I always give them a big grin and say “thanks” - I say the same things to encourage my grand-children 😁
No, I don't think that is sad at all! I am just the same. When I am slogging around it gives me a real lift when a friendly marshal shouts "you are doing really well"!
Yippee A parkrun PB for you. Well done you have got the right attitude there. We were both 2nd in our 60-64 age group today . Let’s do it to prove that we are not old codgers yet. 🏃♀️🏃♀️
It's interesting to think about why we do it isn't it? For me it is really wanting to increase energy so that I can do all the things that I want to do for as long as I can. And I really like the feeling of getting better at something physically. Let's face it, that doesn't happen all that often as you get older but it is pretty amazing that it still can. This works for me with yoga (although will never have long hamstrings) and even though the progress with running is so slow, it is still definitely progress!
I’m with you on short hamstrings too. Yes I’m sure we’ll plateau at some stage but I love the feeling that something is easier than it was last time I did it!
If you’d run 45 mins at Southsea today (and you’d probably have done better ‘cos it’s dead flat) you’d have come in 430th out of 443. And a few weeks ago there would have been 20 behind you. You’ve obviously got a high quality Parkrun there, and you’re doing great 🏃🏽♀️😀🏃🏽♀️. Stick at it! 😀
Oh that's a great idea! I just need to run in Southsea!! I really intend to stick at it but I admit it not easy for me to accept that improvement is very slow, although I am happy with the sense that my natural pace is on the slow side. But really, why shouldn't it be slow? It has taken me a long time to decline so improving should be a commitment for the long haul too I suppose!
Fabulous. It’s not a race, it’s an experience, one that is good for the heart, soul and the body. Don’t fret about times or others - just do it for you.
Well done! As a 64++ woman I quickly learned that it’s being there that counts. I now Marshall at my local Parkrun. Rain, hail or shine whilst I was getting over an ankle injury. I can thoroughly recommend it. These days I tend to run three times during the week and Marshall at Parkrun. You’re right it’s not a race. It’s only a timed run. And if you don’t improve then it doesn’t matter. You beat all those others that bypassed Parkrun for the breakfast and papers! Keep going. x
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PARKRUN! 😄🌲🌳🏃♂️🏃♀️🏃♂️🌳🌲
“Hi ho...hi ho....it’s off to Parkrun we go”! 🤩🤩😍❤️
Why wasn't PE at school structured like this?!? 
My first parkrun walk 
