Happy weekend. For any of you new graduates whom have started running during COVID-19 world you may have heard of a thing called parkrun. parkrun is a free 5K which takes place every Saturday morning all around the world. It is for everyone, slow, fast, able, disabled, big, small and everyone in between. Even dogs take part, just one per owner on a tight lead mind! Oh and don't forget about the super Mum's and Dad's who push their babies in buggies. You can walk, jog, run, run/walk, it's not a race, just a run in the park and loads of us here on Bridge to 10K did it religiously every Saturday morning.
Obviously we can not do it anymore. We were all hoping that parkrun would start back up in England towards the end of October. However that has been cancelled now. So until parkrun returns, we take part on our own, in a Virtual parkrun every Saturday morning. We post after our run and let everyone know how we got on during our run. The little run report can be done over a post virtual parkrun coffee and treat/cake. (parkrun is all about the after run coffee and cake, and meeting friends old and new). It can be run/walked on any route close to you which is 5K. Does not have to be done in a park, you can even do it on a treadmill.
If you are a new graduate and would like to start, all you have to do is a 5K run/jog/walk anytime today or Sunday and write a little run report under this post. It's like a little community and it is good fun, sets you up nicely for the weekend. If you want to you can register on the parkrun website and you can log your 5K (not)parkrun. In fact you can log any 5K done during the week as a (not)parkrun on the website. I only log Saturday runs, when I remember.
I checked my calendar downstairs. Back in February I had checked when I would have been running my 100th parkrun and had each week marked. This morning should have been my 97th parkrun. I think Dexy5 was close to that number too and Almorr should have been soon running his 50th parkrun. After today I would have been just 2 parkruns away from running my 100th milestone parkrun. Anyway, looking forward to my run this morning and also looking forward to hearing from all of you. Happy running and have a lovely weekend.
Damien
I've pinned the post. So please respond over the next day or two in the below thread. Happy running.
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Here in Bristol you couldn’t ask for a better morning for a run. Crystal clear blue skies, bright sunshine, no humidity (best part) and a cool breeze.
So lovely I knocked 20 seconds off last week’s (Not) PR and came in at 34:07. Seeing as how I’ll be running this “course” for the foreseeable future it’s lucky it’s lovely, albeit with the risk of squelchy runs in the winter. Exactly what trail shoes are for. Bring it on! 😀
I have to confess to being a lone runner, but I was working up to giving it a go when lockdown struck. Clevedon would be my nearest, although Long Ashton would work too (if it wasn't for that hill).
My home town of Portishead was about to start it's own when lockdown struck; I've promised myself to be on the start line of the first one.
Very well done Cheeky. Yes it was the same here. Beautiful blue sky, very light winds, touch of frost in the shade. I ran in my local park, great morning for a run.
Good morning Damien, I will shortly be going out to run my 28th Virtual 5K parkrun which will be my 15th (not) parkrun, I will report back here when I have completed the run.
As far as the number 50, if I don't miss any Saturday morning runs, Saturday the 31st October will be No. 50, that 50 consists of 17 Official Parkruns and 33 virtual parkruns, by then I will have ran 20 (not) parkruns, however, that 20 is NOT an addition to the overall total.
Well done Almorr. You have been so consistent all through this. It's amazing, your keeping count and like a countdown timer for when things do get better. We'll all come out of this one day and will be back at a real parkrun then.
Update=11.15am. Just back from my 15th (not) parkrun which since 21st March this year was my 28th virtual 5K parkrun, a beautiful but rather cold morning, about 4C at 9.30, now at 11.15 it's 7C but with nice blue skies a overall pleasant day.
My time today was 34.20 so reasonably happy with that, I saw several runners with the red 'Run For Life' T shirt, they saw me with my Vitality Parkrun Apricot T shirt and we all wished each other a good morning.
I keep a diary of all my virtual parkruns and (not) parkruns.
This morning I ran my 28th virtual run which I started the weekend after the official Parkruns ended on the 14th March, the following Saturday the 21st March, I ran my first virtual parkrun, the (not) parkruns began on 20th June, today I ran the 15th.
On the 31st October if I don't miss any Saturday morning runs I will have ran 50 parkruns, 17 official ones and 33 virtual parkruns.
That is fine, as I say I just use a diary for all my runs, I also have have the history of most of my runs, longer walks and bike rides on Mapmyrun/walk/ride going back about two years.
Hi Damienair and VRBs! It’s a beautiful day on the south coast in sunny Bognor Regis🌞😎🏖
I ran my (not) Parkrun along the seafront, incorporating Speed Intervals on the Nike Running Club app🏃♂️That only got me up to about 4K so I ran another one, in 5:32. Overall time and pace fairly meaningless as it was intervals, but for the record I finished in 30:09😊
Happy running everyone, have a great weekend!🏃♂️🏃♀️👍
I must take a leaf out of your book and get back to some intervals myself. I am really struggling at the moment. Still running, but struggling. Your doing great, well done.
I've done 63 and was hoping to get on toward the 100, but not to be at the moment, hopefully PR will return in due course.. In the meanwhile keep on running.. 😊
Good morning all, so missing parkrun, but was very pleased to get 9/15 in the parkrun quiz this morning!
It’s my long run tomorrow but I was really chuffed to do my not parkrun on Thursday and got a (not) parkrun PB of 33:36. I need to knock off at least another 2 mins to get to parkrun PB, but after all the injuries that’s great.
The run was in sun, cloud, rain, hail and gale so looked a bit of a wreck afterwards.
Yes our plan was to get the 100 run and 25 volunteer shirt this year but 2021 will hopefully be better. 72 runs and 20 volunteers by the last day
Yes Dexy, fingers crossed for 2021. Hopefully we will both be chasing after our Purple and Black T-Shirts then. Great running, your bouncing back really well. Well done on your recent (not)parkrun PB. I need to make a bigger effort to chase after mine again.
Morning all. Such lovely weather for running_a bit of a chilly start this morning a few miles north of Bristol but beautiful and bright. The squirrels were out in force darting across the paths _a bit of a trip hazzard but great to see!
Did my 50 minute run for the JuJu magic plan and in the process the lovely lady on the NRC app tells me I did my 5k in 32:55!
Morning damienair and VRBs! I completed my (not)parkrun yesterday as part of @MontyMooDog’s Weekly Virtual 5K. I’m now on Week 4 of @Ju-Ju’s Magic 10K plan so I decided to do intervals yesterday to spice things up a bit:
- 1K at 90 - 100% effort
- Walk until breathing returned to normal
- repeat 5x
My total moving time for the 5K came back as 25:22 with Ave Pace 5:04/km. 👍
After reading your post last week I did sign up to the parkrun website but I couldn’t figure out how to log my virtual runs 🤷♂️ I’ll take another look later today.
Today is my rest day before attempting my longest run tomorrow - an 8K 😱 Plenty of fluids today whilst I build a wish list of running attire for the colder months ahead 🥶
Run for your children for your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your loving behind you
Can't carry it with you if you want to survive
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
Can you hear the horses
'Cause here they come
I was running earlier in the park this morning and had my phone with me for a change. I decided to put on my spotify playlist and among the songs that played was Florence + The Machine - Dog Days Are Over. I love this belter, but this morning I thought about the lyrics, COVID-19, and the times we are in are The dog days. I'm looking forward to listening to this song at a real parkrun someday in the future when The dog days are over
.
I struggled again today. I am really struggling at the moment running on my own. At least I'm still running. I had to take 2 little walking breaks during my 5K (not)parkrun. Otherwise I was OK, and finished in a time of 31:43. As my teachers in School would say, must try harder. I'm going to beat that next week. That's a promise.
It's all to do with expectations, as you see from my profile I am 74 years old, I am quite happy to get a sub 35 minute 5K of around the 32.30 to 34.59 time and pace and a little disappointed if +35 minutes, if I was 30 years younger I would be disappointed if didn't get a time of around 5 minutes earlier.
If my old failing memory doesn't deceive me that time is headed in the right direction damienair. We would be prescribing a mix of slow runs and intervals if a newbie wanted to speed up; doesn't apply to we veterans of course!! 😉
None of these balmy southern mornings up here. We are having proper autumn weather! It has been bucketing down for most of the week. It is supposed to be 10 degrees today but we have a lusty Northerly wind which is providing a substantial chill factor. Definitely a two top day and no thought of removing a layer mid run. All of the walkers/dog walkers were well wrapped up(some of the dogs were too!) and they were fewer in number than is normal on a Saturday morning. More room for runners.
Like Damien I am trying to up the pace steadily, and no I am not running intervals!! I am feeling quite pleased with my 31:19 this morning; best post injury 5k. My efforts to keep stride length down to a metre or a shade under and manage pace by upping cadence seem to be working. 🤞
Well done. I am after loosing fitness. I can’t maintain what last year was an easy conversation run anymore. I need to mix interval runs with longer slower runs. Easier said than done at the minute. But I’ll aim for weekly small improvements.
Hello Damien and what a beautiful day for a 5k. 2 degrees here in Scotland at 7am this morning but by the time I went out it was about 7 degrees so a bit warmer and it was sunny.
My not parkrun time was 30.28 . Exact same time as last week.
Yesterday I went out for a slow run in the wind. I ended up doing 10.1k in 1:09:36. So my (not) parkrun time will be 35:18, slower than last week but I had planned to run slow. Short interval/fartlek run planned for tomorrow. Hopefully will be able to get some runs in over the next 2 weeks as I am off on annual leave and I am hoping to run on alternate days. Will be mixing things up this week.
Hi Damien and all (not) parkrunners - here I am, bringing up the rear as usual.😀
A little chilly this morning to start with, but much better than those hot runs earlier in the summer! An uneventful run this morning - 4 of the 5 kms were around the 6 min/km mark, but a 5.41 brought it in at 29.51. But my 'official ' npr time this week will once again be my intervals session from Wednesday at 28.17 - happy with that!
Just put in my first ever (not)Parkrun time for this morning’s 5k. So this is the start to my Parkrun experience. I was the slowest of all people who put data in, so I’m probably not ready yet anyway to go to the real, physical event. So virtual (not)Parkrun suits me fine at the moment.
But lovely morning, and it feels I can do the 5k quite easily. Only afterwards (after cool down walk, after 30 min stretching, after hot shower) do I feel it in calves and legs.
So another sign that my bones, muscles, and tendons have to catch up with my aerobic fitness, I presume.
So will keep the 5k as my one long run of the week for now, increasing that very slowly.
You are perfectly ready for the real parkrun. Don’t worry about that. At parkrun there are people who finish in just over 15 minutes to those who finish in just over an hour. And guess what, the people who finish in just over an hour get the biggest applause. There is also a volunteer role at parkrun called tail walker. It’s their job to come last. Well done on logging your first (not)parkrun time.
Thanks! I am actually looking forward to the real thing, as I have only run alone for now. I have a feeling that Parkrun is the best thing to get acquainted with running with others. Thanks for this!
Afternoon peeps and apologies for the late post. My 14 day post France quarantine finished on Friday and I had intended to celebrate with my (not) parkrun yesterday, but an urgent need to restock the fridge (couldn’t get a Tesco delivery in week 2!), then a drive to Newark to pick our son up from the station and I somehow didn’t get round to it. Anyway, son decided he’d come with me this morning. This is the first time we have ever run together and he will be 25 next week 😃It was rather chilly and a strong wind blowing and, after 2 weeks enforced idleness, I was really starting to feel it after 3.5k and he left me ☹️ Anyway, he came in at 31.40, as he had slowed down a bit and I did 32.56. More practice needed, but fantastic to be out again 😁 I did a rough count of my PRs - 36 actual and I think 24 virtual so I would have been well over my 50th 😢
Managed to fit in a sneaky 5k while my son was at tennis, with the bonus of a new place to explore! Looked on Strava, found the nearest green patch and planned myself a nice 5k+ route along the heatmaps.
It proved to be a lovely patch of woodland with enough intersecting paths to keep me busy for ages! Beautiful running terrain with just a few dogwalkers to share it with. For the second time this week I found that my Garmin thinks my Strava routes are too short - must remember to factor that in next time as I had to do a lap of the carpark to get the end of the 5k. A slow, relaxed pace today, several minutes off my best, but felt like just the run I needed today.
In other news I have found that a gliding chair and footstool are perfect for foam rolling in comfort while writing up a run!
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Oh and don't forget about the super Mum's and Dad's who push their babies in buggies. You can walk, jog, run, run/walk, it's not a race, just a run in the park and loads of us here on Bridge to 10K did it religiously every Saturday morning.
I've just made it past the 800 miles to go point on Lejog 5 and it is a great feeling! Funny how a virtual milestone means something real 
