Tortoise and the Hares

[lehcar70]

I often give myself a hard time for being snail like so imagine my joy has I jogged around a corner to find the two young lads who had just flown past me on their run bent over double, clutching their sides, as I gently jogged past.

Perhaps not very sporting of me but a moment of sheer joy

[LottieMW Ambassador]

🤣🤣🤣

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

You enjoyed your run today, however, those lads who passed you didn't enjoy their run as they were shattered at the end of their run, I remember at the first parkrun I attended as a spectator the week before I actually ran, the first two runners who ran a sub 20 minutes 5K collapsed at the end of their run the way you saw those runners today.

[lehcar70 60minGraduate in reply to AlMorr]

I haven't done a park run yet and worried everyone will be packed up and on their way home by the time I finish but that makes me feel a bit more confident!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to lehcar70]

I just looked back at that particular parkrun, there were 4 sub 5K 20 minute runners, two of them collapsed on the ground like you sometimes see athletes on the TV after the 400 or 800 metres race, the other two were bent double the way you saw those lads today, there were about 6 runners who finished that parkrun in a time of around 45/55 minutes, so don't worry about being last, at a parkrun there are what they call "tail walkers" at the end, so you won't be last.

[Runawaytrainer in reply to lehcar70]

Oh, yes. On my last lap I have, sorry, had to dodge those walking home and chatting on the path but my age related score is most encouraging and the tail walkers are always behind me.

[GoogleMe Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

The collapsers at the end of a completed run may well have enjoyed it a lot.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to GoogleMe]

I am sure they did, they wouldn't run that fast if they did not enjoy running

[Juliet202 Graduate10]

Schadenfreude ! I still haven’t ever overtaken anyone and I’ve done two 10ks by now so I reckon I’ll just stay slow and not bother about it !!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to Juliet202]

Excluding parkruns, I have only overtaken 4 runners when I have been out running, not too many runners overtake me, perhaps that is because I run fairly early in the morning, quite a few runners who have overtaken me have wished me well.

[Magellan Graduate10]

Never give yourself a hard time! If running at a snail's pace makes you a happy bunny, then you do you. I am slow too. You know what? We're the ones who won't get injured so much, and that's more important than shaving a few seconds of a PB every other week.

I can take vicarious pleasure in your joy at the lads' expense though

[BaddieThePirate Graduate10]

Tee hee hee. Love it. Go you.

[CherryCore Graduate10]

I'd say that is the trick 😊🐌

Slow, and steady, with extra grace 😁

[Lifluf Graduate10]

Lovely! Well done 😂😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Ha ha ha, yeah that sort of thing has happened to us before and does give a good feeling