Survived my first Parkrun

[Ethelbert]

Well, it's taken me a long while to be brave enough! However, when I realised we'd be on holiday near to a Parkrun ticking lots of boxes for me, I thought it was now or never!

flat ✔ anonymous (200 miles from home!) ✔ close to where we're staying (less than 10 mins drive) ✔ no laps (psychologically I very much prefer not having that feeling of having to go round again!) ✔

Hadn't bargained on the south coast heat though, I'm used to more northern temperatures! I know it's hot everywhere, but this was a tad warm for me. I also had to contend with some of it being on grass, which is not a surface I'd usually run on due to dodgy ankles which turn easily.

Still, I ran all the way without stopping - I've only done maybe half a dozen 5k runs before, so this wasn't a given. I managed to run very steadily at my own slow pace, and still wasn't last (as in really not last, there were a handful of non-tailwalkers after me) which I was rather pleased by.

I think the only really disconcerting thing was that with this particular course, you have to run past the finish point, to do a loop at the end - it's not easy seeing everyone else who has already finished ages ago when you still have another 7 or 800 metres to go!

Overall, I'm delighted that I did it, quietly rather proud of myself 😀 Thanks to everyone who reassured me beforehand!

[damienair Administrator]

Congratulations and very well done on your first parkrun. Now you know that there is nothing to fear, I love going to try out different parkrun courses. The one thing they all have in common is a warm welcome. Hope you will try one closer to home sometime. Well done again.

Damien

[Ethelbert Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

I will indeed, I just like a bit of anonymity when trying something for the first time!

[molly1973]

Well done! There’s never any judgement at a parkrun: try one nearer home! The ones I do are typically three laps: I’m always lapped before I’ve finished my first and it is tough seeing a lot of people finished and you still have another lap to go! I did a two-lap one recently which was good. I find it helps to deal with and banish those gremlins that pop up on any run: I’m getting practised!! Still, 5k is 5k whether it takes 20 minutes or (in my case) 45 👍

[Ethelbert Graduate10 in reply to molly1973]

45 is more like my kinda time too! I rather liked the fact that the lack of laps meant that I could just plod along, all by myself for a lot of the way, helped me keep to a pace I knew I could maintain. Works for now anyway.

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

Well done Ethelbert, for me it was the fear of running with other people and not being able to find my happy pace. But as you have discovered, everyone spreads out and its not a problem.

The support from fellow runners and Marshalls is amazing.😊xxx

[Ethelbert Graduate10 in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Yes, exactly that - my "game plan" was to start at the back and try to forget everyone else was there! I set the Nike Run Club app to notify me every quarter k, so I could check my pace hadn't been inadvertently affected too much by having other runners around. Seemed to work well, especially after the first few minutes when most of them were well into the distance

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

So you should be very delighted and you did it while on holiday. Well done you 😊😊

[Chris141 Graduate10]

Well done! Glad u took the plunge!

[JonathanP Graduate10]

Well done Ethelbert - hope you're planning your next!👍