For anyone running on their own this morning but like me within my head, pretending that I’m running in a crowd of 300 people at a parkrun. I’m not running a parkrun course, it’s just a 5K loop on a path which falls within a 2K radius of my home. And I’m running alone in the rain so social distancing is not going to be an issue.
Now that all the legalities are out of the way, I’m going to write up a post pretend parkrun run report afterwards. For anyone who wants to do the same please write your run reports as replies to this post and we can keep them all together.
PS. Nothing to do with parkrun, other than within my head.
Damien
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Same with me as well Damien, I am about to get ready for my 5th "virtual 5K parkrun" at 9.30, in Scotland it is the same time as Ireland, it will be run locally, not on a parkrun course.
Update Damien, just back from my 5th virtual 5K parkrun, once again I am happy to say I got a sub 35 minute 5K time of 33.45, only one runner passed me, I reckon that she was going at 28 minute 5K pace.
It’s a cool, slightly drizzly and overcast morning but I am wearing my VRWC t-shirt and capris. My parkruns are all a drive away, so set off at 9.00 from home to run my virtual parkrun on my normal 5k route, which goes through a small wood, past a pond, past the church, along the beck and out of the village onto a country road. Human encounters - 1 runner, 7 dog walkers, 1 cyclist and a dad and son waiting at the bus stop! Total time 29:37 with splits of 6.00, 5.55, 5.55, 5.55, 5.55 😳 How on earth did I manage that? Now I’m tucking into a bacon sarnie and a large mug of coffee before diving into the shower. Happy parkrun day VRBs 🏃🏻♂️🏃♀️🏃🏻🏃♀️🏃🏻♂️🏃♀️
Pain and swelling gone thanks. A long Molly walk without knee support this afternoon is the plan. Thinking middle of next week for a short jog if no set backs in the meantime.🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
I’ve done my usual 5K route well over 200 times in the past. But this morning it became the inaugural event of the Johnstown/Athlumney virtual parkrun. I passed by 4 fellow runners whom were running in the opposite direction. I can report that all 4 runners had a nice cheerful hello and a wave as we passed each other. There was a light drizzle so very few walkers out. As I ran I was listening to a new Irish parkrun podcast called the Nine Thirty Club.
I ran a nice steady pace Into a head wind picking up a little for the last kilometre. I was up early this morning and was looking forward to this run. It didn’t disappoint.
I finished first in a field of 1 parkrunners and unfortunately due to some IT issues my barcode wouldn’t scan so I don’t have an official finish time. But my Garmin Forerunner 35 gave me a finish time of 28:29 and I ran an average pace of 5:41 minutes per kilometre.
I’m going to enjoy my post parkrun homemade scone and coffee now before going for a lovely warm shower.
Well done Damien. I can’t imagine you on your solo parkrun as when I see you I see the lovely Oisin. I hope he hasn’t lost his running mojo during these strange times.
He has been out with me a few times. He has lost his mojo a little. But I’m going to buy him new running shoes which should reawaken his interest. He is missing parkrun. But otherwise he is great.
I looked out the window at 7:30 this morning and thought, yippee it’s raining! 💦 Only a runner would welcome a change in weather. Don’t get me wrong, I love running in the sunshine, but my favourite is warm rain. Today wasn’t that warm, but that’s ok. 😀
Set Garmin nice and early to grab those satellites. My car journey does that normally, but running straight from my door needs forethought. Done. ✅
Trotted along my familiar road. I now know each manhole, each dip, each Garmin 0.5k buzz point. It’s just short of 1.5k to the bottom of the hill where the common starts. First I have to cross the A38 - pre lockdown, there’s no way Jose I’d even attempt that, but I’ve only had to pause once for a car in the 2+ weeks I’ve been running from home. Bonus. 👍
There’s an easterly wind today, and it feels lovely with the rain. Even trotting up the hill to the 2k point (where you can ordinarily see planes taking off and landing at Bristol Airport) feels great today. I continue on up to the top and onto the plateau where Garmin buzzes 2.5k. I continue on a bit further “just in case”, then turn round to head home.
I encounter a few dog walkers - more than I expected for a rainy morning - and a couple bounce around my feet. I think it’s my high viz jacket! No worries, they were friendly. 🐾😀
Back down the hill and retraced my route home, remembering to have a little sprint in the final stretch!
Virtual PR (and a bit) done, and I loved it, especially walking in to the smell of bacon already being made by Mr Cheeky!
Absolutely Dexy. 😀 A nice alternative way to spend a Saturday morning. It’s harder for Mr Cheeky as he can’t row for the foreseeable future whereas I can still run.
Thanks BC. I think you’re right. The only way I could make my running better in the current circumstances is by being able to take Flossie with me. I’m sure I’d be less interesting to other dogs if she was by my side. 🐾🐾
You won’t want to risk the hassle but you have probably seen the police guidance worked up with cps, which suggests a short drive incidental to a long walk or run may be ok. Not tested in court though!
When I was coming back from my 5th virtual 5K parkrun this morning I noticed the small park where I sometimes run a 3K was blocked for cars to get into by 4 massive boulders at the entrance, at the busiest of times only about 6 or 7 cars can get into that small car park, but not now.
Yes, Council’s have done the same down here Al, and I absolutely get it. Normal levels of use in these areas would be fine, but bad when the hordes descend . Hard to legislate to allow one but not the other.
Thankfully all our regular dog walking acquaintances in the village have extending leads, so the dogs still go up to get a fuss made (and often a little treat or two!) and we can still stand around 5m apart. Just gets tricky when they decide to tangle leads 😂
Hadn’t thought of that. Molly is either on short lead or off lead. Molly was/is too boisterous for a long lead...joint dislocation (mine!) a significant risk. 😊
Bearing in mind Coddfish’s reservations, my run was mostly to the east of our regular prom-run, and where they did overlap I ran in the empty car parking lane. And I didn’t wear any of my parkrun vests ......
Steady north-easterly wind made out harder than back, resulting in splits of 4’59, 5’01, 4’56, 4’57, 4’38 for a 24’31 total - and I came first! 🏅👍😀
Accompanied by Dexy5 on her bike, and on completion she produced a properly hipster-ish poached egg 🍳 and avocado 🥑 on toast- what a star 🌟
So Saturday can continue after a proper start - perhaps I’ll manage to keep track of the week thanks to that 🙄
Wow. Fantastic running UTS, great pace and great finish time. Congratulations on your first place finish. I had a first place finish too, but the field was not as competitive 😂.
Well done to Dexy too for pacing you on the bike and for making a hipster breakfast.
Congratulations UTS on coming first in your first virtual 5K parkrun, another sub 25 minute run, wonderful, I ran my 5th virtual 5K parkrun this morning, a nice run as it was my second runiversary on starting C25K on April 18th 2018
I started at the Tenth Hole, so was at the right side of the gates for heading off towards Eastney. I may have mentioned seeing someone do a faceplant trying to negotiate the squeeze last week - tripped over one of the bike lane separators I think ….
I think most people were doing it anyway. I was just missing parkrun myself and missing reading everyone’s parkrun stories on Saturdays. It’s fun, free and anyone can join in. Just like parkrun. Thanks for your lovely comments.
Hello everybody, I was going to walk my parkrun today, as a Tailwalker, but I thought it might be pretty lonely while UTS forged ahead at his greyhound pace. Also I haven’t walked as far as 5k yet since my injury. So dressed up in running capris , long sleeve top and light padded jacket, we decided to turn left out of our gate Instead of right to the parkrun route and I cycled with UTS during his warm up and his virtual parkrun. It meant I could keep his bottle of water and fleece in my rucksack too for when he finished. It was cloudy, 9C and dry, but several puddles after yesterday’s rain. Our Seafront cycle lanes don’t allow cyclists to pass at 2 metres apart so as soon as I saw cyclists coming towards me I veered into the car parking area behind my man, or onto the road. There were dog walkers, cyclists, and runners about and they all acknowledged each other with a nod , a smile, or a good morning.
I am going to increase my walking distance this week so I hope to do a proper virtual parkrun soon.
Today we were meant to run at Southampton with TailChaser , Katnap , Sandie1961 , cheekychipmunks ,JonathanP , Oldgirlruns and Mr and Mrs Coddfish . Missed you guys, but We’ll meet again. 🎼🎵🎶 .....
Cappuccino and Poached egg And smashed avocado on toast followed. Keep Running, keep Safe.
I love imagining you and UTS together this morning as like a scene from Chariots of Fire, you cycling along and pacing UTS whilst shouting encouragement from a megaphone 📣. Well done and i hope your back running again yourself soon.
I was vaguely considering seeing if I could carry on for a bit further at 5'00" pace (I have a Mummycav quest target to do that) but instead responded to a hollered Coach Dexy5 demand to push the last 100m of the parkrun distance, which put an end to that idea. So your vision was actually quite accurate …. 😂
I know what you mean. I am just thinking about a 2k jog maybe the middle of next week. With your injury, the only way I could manage it would be to follow physio advice to the letter..and even then there would be a huge mental block! Exciting though 😊
I suppose the silver lining is that you haven’t missed as much as you would have done and when the Vitality 10000 is rescheduled (if it is) you will hopefully be fully fit again 🏃♀️🤞
That’s very true Sandie, although 5 weeks of volunteering would have qualified me for the purple shirt, which I’d challenged myself to achieve this year. There is no way that I could manage the vitality 1000 now so it has saved me watching all of you doing it when I couldn’t.
My next event is the New Forest 10k in September , so that will be a good target . Surely , that will be on???!!! 🏃♀️🏃♂️🏃♀️🏃♂️🐎🌳🌲🌳🌳🏃♀️🏃♂️🏃♀️🐎🏃♀️
I do hope so! Logic says we have to be back to some kind of normality in the next few weeks (look at China, Italy, Spain, Denmark) or we will never recover economically.
Missed you too. We went up to Farlington Marshes for a walk with the binoculars and the highlight was a beautiful white egret. The cycle lane across the top was a bit overloaded with leisure cyclists, but the marshes were empty except a couple of dog walkers and one mum and two teenage daughters running an out and back lap set that went past us 4 times. Younger daughter a seriously good runner. Came back into town via Highland Rd and I dropped Mr C off so he could buy a new bicycle bell and bring fish & chips home from the Cod Squad. He then used his parkrun skills to jog home before they got cold. Ridiculously large portions.
I hope mr Coddfish had more luck with his bicycle bell today. 🔔. Oh yes we have a haddock And regular chips between us and there’s still too many chips (For me) ! I Hope you enjoyed them. I thought we might go up to farlington marshes tomorrow so must remember to take the binoculars. Glad it’s brightening up a bit.
Mr C got his bicycle bell. 1 portion of haddock and chips would have been more than enough, but Mr C didn’t know that and bought 2. We left more chips than we ate and they were supposedly regular size. Think it’s better than our (sadly not open) chippy.
Hi Damien, Katnap and I did our usual non-park non-parkrun route. He is an excellent pace maker so we soon got in to a good 5k pace. I was worried my Achilles wouldn’t behave as I’m still recovering from Sunday’s HM but we judged it well and it was a speedy run despite the rain. Our usual parkrun is pancake flat but our non-parkrun route has a nice hill at about halfway. We waved to a couple of other non-parkrunners just as we went into the final 1k, easily recognising each other due to my apricot and his 50. It was good to feel part of that community spirit return. Despite the hill and the rain we both did sub 30 minute times and my new VO2 Max says it all: 42 really is the meaning of life.
Great running you 2. A sub 30 minute 5K any day is a good run. I have a hill too at the 3K mark on my course. Very unwelcome at that point, and a head wind too this morning. I’m going to wear my red 50 T-Shirt myself next weekend. Looking forward to it already. Great running. Loving the positivity of all these posts.
It’s so nice Damien, you’ve got me out of a real fug as I was starting to feel a bit down. Got my parkrun glow back again now which is fab! Same time next week? 😍
Well done you two - I’m really impressed with all the sub 30s, you need me to bring the average down. Although being on the bike, I matched UTS’s time today and my HR was only 118bpm. That won’t happen again.
I’ve just been queuing up for Saturday papers and one of our parkrun regulars was 2m behind me in his volunteer shirt. He says he wears it every Saturday morning even though he’s not running. We are all missing the Parkrun family so this has been lovely.
Looking forward to running ‘with’ you again Dexy. That’s a pretty good bpm 👍 You, me and Damien must still be stuck on a similar number of PRs. And I’m 2 short of 50 volunteers 🙄
This week I’ve felt a bit directionless without the HM to motivate me. This has got me focussed again. Bacon rolls next week as we have a butcher’s delivery on Wednesday 😋👍
I was at 73 parkruns and 18 volunteering days. I was hoping to reach 100 parkruns and 25 volunteering days for 2020. I’ll have to wait for 2021 now. But just looking forward to parkrun starting again when the time is right. The first weekend of parkruns return will be very special.
Yes - same sort of issue. I have been halted at 179 parkruns and 21 volunteers, so it nicely adds up to 200. I had a plan to coincide my 200th actual run with my 150th run at Southsea, and possibly trying to combine my 25th volunteer at the same event by sorting tokens or something. We will be able to restart eventually.
Wow Coddfish thats fantastic. Your well ahead of me by a long long way. Getting to 200 will be amazing and then you’ll have the countdown to the 250 t-shirt to look forward to.
That's exactly the same number of parkruns as me Damien, but you're right, just getting back is the important thing now. It's going to be as big a party as we're allowed!
Yes I’m on 72 parkruns In 10 locations, and 20 volunteers. I should make the 25 if I can do some token sorting as well as running, but the 100 runs by December is scuppered now. The main thing is just to be able to get out there again though.
In some ways Dexy your time on the IC has come at just the right time, although your volunteering would probably have gone through the roof! I was hoping for October, ah well. On the parkrun quiz this morning they said there are 1371 people stuck on 99, at least we're not in their boots!
Maybe you're feeling the boredom now as you know your return could be imminent? Just hang on, nearly there, and you know we'll all be shaking the virtual pom poms when you do come back x
Here is my report on the 5th Goyt Valley non-parkrun.
A dull morning, but no sign of the heavy rain that was forecast. We set off for a short warm up walk to the village centre and paused for a short while because my garmin still hadn't picked up the GPS.
First of all we ran for 1 km to the Start, in passing I saw a sign that I hadn't noticed before- the hill is 1 in 4. No wonder my knees don't like it.
Geoff was waiting at the Start of our 5km run but I didn't stop, just noted the distance was 1.06km. We ran down the country lane, crossed the main road without any need to stop at the pedestrian crossing and down past the Stockport Hydro (Community Owned Hydro Electric Scheme) and along the Goyt Valley until shortly after I high-fived Geoff who was on his return journey. I turned back when Garmin showed that I had run 3.6 km. Slightly downhill now so a little bit faster.
There were more people about this week, mostly dog walkers, some of whom are regulars on a Saturday morning, plus a couple of cyclists and a few runners.
Approaching the final straight, I met Geoff coming back towards me and we ran to the Finish together.
We then stopped to take a few photos, I will post them separately.
Then it was time to walk back up the hill through the village and home, pausing to buy a chicken when I noticed that there was no queue at the butcher's (last week they were queuing down the road).
Showers followed by bacon, egg and mushroom butties made by Geoff while I checked my results (ie deducted the 1st km from the total to calculate the 5k time)
I am pleased to report a significant pb this week. 35.53
which is very good considering that I was the Tailwalker
So I’m sitting in my garden, sitting down dancing after my fastest ever 5 k .... 31-25!!! I’ve run this route loads in the last four months , but it really helped to think of it as park run 🏃♀️, took half a minute off my fastest time ! Thanks for the idea Damien and hello to everyone too 🌼👍🏻💥🏃♀️
Yahoo. Well done. I know, I too was pulled along this morning in thoughts that I was in a parkrun. I even did a 200 meter sprint finish to the traffic lights which mark the 5K finish line. I was imagining the finish funnel.
We have a virtual local parkrun group, so our phones keep buzzing as their reports are coming in. The first time it happened this morning I almost thought it was my parkrun time text arriving
Me too. I’m in a little parkrun tourist WhatsApp group with 6 ladies from my local parkrun. Sometimes we travel together to do different parkruns. We were updating each other this morning too. Next weekend we are going to wear our parkrun t-shirts.
A later start than most here in sort of sunny sussex, we are soft in the south, we drove the short distance to our favourite running place and off we set, once round the track to warm up then pressed the button on my garmin and we were off, me at the very back imagining you all out front and Willow steaming ahead, at 2.5k Willow dropped to a walk and i ran gently passed him very pleased that i was hardly puffing, there were 2 magpies that hopped around and at one point a rabbit hopped across in front of me, i went round part of the lake calling hello to dog walkers that i gave a wide birth to nearly falling in at one steep point, gently back to the track past the car where Willow was sitting having a little rest, 1k to go so i called out come on let’s finish together, my most consistent and fastest 5k ever woo hoo, i was hoping for 45 minutes and did it in 46.07 with a big grin on my red face 😀 thank you for letting me join this it was great imagining you all running along
I don’t eat after a run but treated myself to a cup of tea and a piece of nicotine gum
Congratulations on your PB and great running. Very well done. Sounds lovely running alongside a lake. My sister lives beside a beautiful reservoir, her pics of her walks are always lovely.
Thanks for this post Damien, great motivation this morning to go out on a 5k route rather than a shorter run. So here is my run report from the Common Lane to Pharmacy Parkrun!
Things kicked off a little later than planned as the RD got comfy on the sofa with coffee and toast, and didn’t like the look of the rain. The pre course set up team were happy though, as due to the limited number of runners, no need to wrangle the miles of orange netting this morning. Once the (virtual) marshalls were in place, it was time to walk up the hill to the start at the railway bridge. The timer (Garmin) was behaving today so it was a prompt start once I arrived. Down to the main road, no stopping for cars before I crossed today. Round the tricky lane where multiple dog walkers often make social distancing a challenge. Ran the wrong way down the one way street past all the thatched cottages. Up the hill on the other side, encouraging another runner who had stopped to walk. Round the very tricky corner without ambushing any pedestrians this time. Up over the railway again, past the school and the pharmacy, and then the slog up the final incline, before the lovely downhill sprint to the finish. The first finisher came in at 31:26, amazingly the same time as the tail walker. The results processor (Strava) subsequently told me that this was a new PB for this Parkrun (probably due to not having to call in at the pharmacy today) 😊 The token sorter was amazed at how quick and easy their job was this week!
Excellent SueKen , I love your parkrun run report, especially the name of your local new parkrun course. I just found out you can now order an Apricot parkrun t-shirt and have the name of your virtual parkrun printed on it so as you can show it off when parkrun starts back again.
It was cold this morning! ❄️ And I'm doing this Virtual Parkrun but NOT the Parkrun Route for you this morning damienair 😊
I've only done a few Parkruns because, I'm a bit of a late riser at the weekend due to working long hours during the week (normally) But now, I have no excuse! I did something last night that I've only ever done when I've had a race the next day. And that is... Get my running kit out! 😁 I was quite excited! 😄 So up at 8am, quick coffee, on with the kit and out the door!
I ran from home to my studio (mainly downhill) 😊 and back home (you guessed it... UP HILL) 😂
It was 6.7k in total, but who's counting 🤔
Thank you for the motivation! Have a good week xxx
Well done. Me too, I had my kit laid out. And I followed my normal parkrun routine. I have to have a toilet visit before I run so get up at 7:30 am on Saturday mornings when doing parkrun. Otherwise running will bring on the urge. I get up, get into my gear and come downstairs. I have a coffee and a slice of toast with peanut butter and banana. I watch some TV and normally I am then ready for my little toilet visit at 8:30 am and then I’m happy knowing that I can run worry free.
I loved going through this little routine this morning. It felt normal.
Wow, what a fantastic thread Damien! My report is very brief - off the IC on Thursday following a diagnosis of arthritis in a toe joint, with advice from GP that it was ok to run. I was determined to get back to my regular Saturday morning run, which after the suspension of parkrun has been around local roads in the north of Portsmouth. I couldn't resist wearing my red t-shirt and had decided to take things easy, but set off too quick as usual! A few other runners and dog-walkers, but easily avoided. Scores on the doors - 29.07. Faster than it should have been - the foot was fine at the time, but I did get a bit of swelling later. So foot up and take better care next time !😀
I hope this is OK because I did my Virtual Park Run on Sunday morning , so I will report on this run. I also am using a 5K loop around my house at the moment, so I donned my Park Run apricot top for the first time this year, (it’s short sleeved) and walked to my normal start point. I set off at a quick pace managing to avoid the traffic that often dogs my first half mile on Park Runs and looped around to the traffic lighted crossroads, no traffic so straight across and I fly down the hill past the shopping centre across the road and into the village. A loop around the play area which helps the distance to my route through the village and my first half mile is very fast and back onto the main road, down past the business centre and then the long assent back up towards my home address! I don’t turn into the estate but keep on the main road before turning in to pass the senior school! Over a mile done now and I’m ahead of PB pace. Turn to run down the hill past the news agents with the queue social distancing outside and I turn to run up the approach road to the park. Two miles completed and I’ve slowed but a PB is still on, start my circle of the park down the well worn track and immediately see a problem as a dog walker is directly ahead of me coming in the opposite direction. I pull wide of the worn track into the long grass which will not help my pace and wish her a cheery good morning which is returned. Around the top and down the other side of the park and out of the corner of my eye I can see another potential problem a loose dog which is taking quite an unhealthy interest in me. The owner however also spots the potential problem and gets to her dog to clip the lead on . A wave to thank her and I continue 2.5 miles gone and I’m right on PB pace now it’s going to be very tight! I negotiate the grassy bank carefully but as quickly as I can and back up the approach road from the park to turn back into the road which is my home straight! A sprint finish to the 5K and quickly try and stop my Run Keeper. Damn missed my PB by 3 secs. 27.57 is my time this morning. So my 10 minute walk home now kicking myself for succumbing to consuming a bottle of red wine last night, and thinking without that I would prob have got my PB ! Still strange times we are in at the moment and the wine was too tempting. Consoled myself though that I got out here and have run my second fastest 5K, so no mean effort really and I have to be satisfied with that!
Excellent run report. You had me gripped. I was almost sweating whilst reading it. 3 seconds off a PB after a bottle of Red Wine the night before is massively impressive. Huge Kudos. Plus you ran the wine and any bit of a hangover out of you.
Your right, strange times indeed. I made a Spaghetti Bolognese on Saturday evening. I opened a bottle of red wine and made a Solo attempt at it, and won.
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