Words you don’t want to hear at parkrun and a note to tailwalkers!!

[Sybilw]

Well I ‘ran’ the course last week and it was muddy (for that read atrocious!). Not unusual for our course. So the official verdict (by the race marshal who walked it before anyone had been round) was WORSE THAN LAST WEEK! 😱 So glad I was doing my first stint as tail walker. We had a group doing their C25K graduation run and they were amazing even on the muddy hill and I kept up until I passed the last marshal when I chatted and sauntered back even picking up route markers. It was only when we neared the finish and heard them shouting my name that I remembered I WAS ON THE CLOCK!!. 😆 Spurt to the finish in . . . . 57:11!! Well, it was my first run in my new age group so I still came first 😂 and have a realistic chance of breaking that next time (whatever the conditions). Might have to buy football boots for running this in winter though. Happy parkrun day.

Anyone fancy a challenging run? Someone ran it under 19 minutes.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

😂 great way to set yourself up for a PB next time congratulations

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

My thoughts exactly!!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Just super!! Go you!

PS

Friend of mine ran PR today in just over 16 minutes!

[Couchpotato2 in reply to Oldfloss]

WOW! I am still dreaming of 30 minutes... Oh well give it another year...

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Couchpotato2]

You'll get there...I got my best 5K last month..26 minutes 48 seconds..took mec4 years mind!!🤪🤣🏃‍♀️

[Couchpotato2 in reply to Oldfloss]

wow that is good. I need to build back to 5km and maybe try some flat ones... or entirely downhill. I might do it in 30 minutes then...

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Couchpotato2]

If you want flat or fast ours isn’t for you! 🤣 You can search which ones give you a fast time though. the5krunner.com suggests Southsea or Hackney Marshes but a 2019 list I found suggests Victoria Dock or Hackney Marshes. Ours is 521st on that list.

[Couchpotato2 in reply to Sybilw]

Haha yes, the one I do is 14th - 17th from the bottom (depending on which lists you look at), starts with 1km of ascent...

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Couchpotato2]

Not for me I fear (too long in East Anglia!!)

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Couchpotato2]

I was pretty chuffed..but flat makes me slow...I run faster on hills! Yes...weird..I know...🤪

[Couchpotato2 in reply to Oldfloss]

Mountain 🏔 🐐 that’s you!

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Respect!

[damienair Administrator in reply to Oldfloss]

Congratulations. Great time Oldfloss.

[FatterPenguin Graduate10 in reply to Couchpotato2]

I want to break the 40 minute barrier! 🤣

[Anasta Graduate10 in reply to FatterPenguin]

Me to. 😂😂🐢🐢

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

😳

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Well done Sybilw. Oldgirlruns and I Tailwalked today too and for the first time we had to do a little jogette every now and then to keep up with last man . We definitely expect a better time for your first real run in your age group.

Well done to everyone who does a volunteer stint at parkrun. It’s a great way of getting to know others.

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

I hadn’t planned to break sweat as I’ve a terrible cold and wasn’t dressed to run however I’d had to jog early on to keep up with the C25K graduates but then was told half way round we’d a late starter. Waited for her and was catching the group up again before I took my eye off the ball!

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Sybilw]

😂😂 hope you feel better soon.

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Thank you

[Couchpotato2]

well at least you did it in under an hour haha and you will enjoy a massive PB next time

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Couchpotato2]

I’d have been amazed last year in April if you’d have said I’d do ANY running at all so it’s all good. My parkrun pb though is just over 34 min so a bit off that. 😆

[Couchpotato2 in reply to Sybilw]

Just a tad... You were probably much less sweaty (apologies if you don't sweat but glow) at the end...

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Congratulations to you Sybilw on your first stint as tail walker, the parkrun that I go to has a 150 metres first and last straight part before the 3 lap circuit begins, I am usually lapped as I was this morning on the second lap of the course, however, I usually see the tail walker on the third lap of the course, he or she is usually walking or running slowly, this morning at the parkrun I was at the tailwalker'time was sub 50 minutes, to be precise, 47.57, so for everyone it was quite a fast parkrun.

[Sybilw Graduate10]

I was lapped at about 15 minutes. Don’t know what those guys at the front wear to keep them upright on our muddy hill. I’d post pictures but they never seem to show the horror of it!!

[damienair Administrator]

Well done. That’s one volunteer role I have yet to do. Tail walker is a great role.

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

It feels bit of a cheat to earn a ‘run’ credit for that time though. 😆

[damienair Administrator in reply to Sybilw]

I know. I’ve done pacer a few times. I feel like I’m cheating too. But tail walker is a very important role.

[Sybilw Graduate10]

We had pacers today and I said to someone I was the 50 min pacer. I could have done that too!! Really missed a trick. 😂

[Couchpotato2 in reply to Sybilw]

oh yes double credit!

[JaoJao Graduate10]

Well done on your tail walker duties and a great time to get under the hour. Muddy Parkruns can be so challenging as my local is just like that and has been for weeks. At least it will set you up for tough mudder if ever you signed up fo that!

I bet you had a great morning regardless of the weather! There is a story in every parkrun, it’s great 👍

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to JaoJao]

I’m saying NEVER to tough muddet! Tbf I said that about running 60 min and 10k!! 🤣 This time I’m sure. 🤞🏻

[JaoJao Graduate10 in reply to Sybilw]

Never say never! Running has certainly taught me this wise lesson 😄

[Hidden]

I was bar scanning at Parkrun today. There were big showers of hail and I had to take my thick gloves off to scan the crumpled park run tattered papers. They were being pulled out of all kinds of places - sleeves, shoes, places where I had to avert my eyes. It made it all worth it when a group of C25K graduates ran their first 5km together.

The volunteers were singing "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow"

[Sybilw Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

We had a group graduation too. They were amazing in challenging conditions. Because I forgot I had a time to achieve the poor lad scanning had to wait for me. I felt bad - he was freezing as it had started to rain. Luckily no hail though. 🥶

[Rogie55 Graduate10]

I loved being the tail. Well done. No, not running in mud for me. tarmac path all the way. Well done for coming 1st. Lol

[Sybilw Graduate10]

I did my one and only tourist run on tarmac and hated it. Just need to find a happy medium! 😆