The parkrun BIG '50' - who's up for it? - Bridge to 10K

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The parkrun BIG '50' - who's up for it?

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10
β€’99 Replies

On Saturday 27th February it will have been 50 weeks since we were last able to run an official parkrun in the UK (apart from the Cape Pembroke Lighthouse parkrun in the Falkland Islands - anyone from the Falkland Islands here to make us feel very jealous?).

So RunaroundSue came up with a brilliant idea last Saturday - why don't we wear our 50 shirts on runs on that date to commemorate those 50 missing weeks? Now I know that will be very frustrating for those who's parkruns were cut off in their prime and for those who haven't even been able to make it to a parkrun yet. So for those who haven't yet had the chance, have you got a red running top or something with 50 on it? Perhaps you could use that date to break that sub 30 minute 5k or run for 50 minutes as part of your 10k journey? Or has anyone got any other ideas?

Katnap , Dexy5 , UpTheStanley , cheekychipmunks , damienair , AlMorr and all the other 50 shirt holders on here (I must be missing hundreds?!), what do you think? Let's make an event of it?!

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TailChaser profile image
TailChaser
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99 Replies
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RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10

I'm in, obviously

πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

But of course πŸ˜€πŸ‘

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

Great idea RunaroundSue. How many runs did you get up to?

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

We have been running three times a week all the time, except for 2 icy days. I have logged 96, because I forgot sometimes. My best time is always on a Monday, so I want that time logged :)

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

Wow! 96?! You could wear a black shirt by the 27th Sue!

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

Oh yes, I hadn't thought of that. I will wear the 50 though, for the weeks.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10

That’s a brilliant idea. I’m in , and I will mention it to Mr & Mrs Coddfish too. And what about JonathanP ?

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

Fantastic! πŸ˜ƒπŸ‘πŸ‘

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

No sooner said than in!πŸ‘

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toJonathanP

Whoop πŸ™Œ whoop πŸ™Œ

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10

I'm in TailChaser, I don't have a 50 T-Shirt but I'll wear my Parkrun T-shirt, I could run it in 50 minutes, I will set my metronome app at a low cadence, say for me 150 beats/cadence/steps a minute, of course, I will get a low age grading but never mind, 50 is 50. I will start the run at 50 seconds past 9.50am on Saturday 27th February.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toAlMorr

Great idea Al πŸ‘

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10β€’ in reply toAlMorr

You could always do a 2nd (not) Parkrun earlier in the week Al. It’s the fastest one that shows on the race results.

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

Good idea Dexy5 πŸ‘

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10

I’m in, great idea πŸ˜€

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toUpTheStanley

πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ€—

roseabi profile image
roseabi

Sounds like fun! Pinned and pushed 😊😊😊

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toroseabi

Thank you roseabi! I forgot all about that πŸ™xx

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10

Hi TailChaser. I have got a 50 shirt and think this will be a great thing to commemorate. I will just need to work out how to find somewhere quiet to run on the Saturday. If it’s a nice day and we are still in lockdown, our seafront and linked running routes are more or less a running no go area due to over crowding.

In general it will not help the reputation of parkrun or the timely return of parkrun if the public perception is that parkrun has restarted prematurely (through people seeing lots of individual runners out on a Saturday in parkrun shirts). I haven’t been joining damienair’s great virtual parkrunning initiative for this reason, although I run a (not) parkrun during the week most weeks.

Please take care folks in where and when you do this so as not to damage parkrun’s reputation, we all care so much about it coming back.

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

Good points Coddfish - I suggest that people don't have to run at 9 and/or use their 'official' course?

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

Good thinking. Our regular Saturday route should be ok. Not usually too busy although I do see a few parkrunners from time to time.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

I never go near our course on a Saturday morning, it’s far too busy.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

We have done Marple a couple of times and Bramhall once but on Mondays with a friend who did C25K during the first lockdown. We wanted to introduce him to parkrun so that was the best we could manage. We also did Delamere Forest on a Friday when we were camping nearby.

Certainly wouldn't go near one on a Saturday, especially after we heard that there were a group of people effectively doing their own unofficial one on a course we sometimes run (with timers!). They were quite open about it on their own Facebook group, the Run Director was not amused when she found out.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

I bet. I think you could get away with ours in the early hours but it’s mostly flooded at the moment so it wouldn’t be going anyway. I bet Marple is pretty muddy/flooded too? I do miss our nice flat park though, our (not) parkrun route has a big hill in the middle that I’d rather not have to do every week.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

We have walked along the canal to Marple a few times - last time we were able to buy fish and chips for our lunch in the park!

We haven't been for a few weeks but it was already nice and muddy then.

My Saturday run has a steep downhill for 1km. Geoff resets his watch at the bottom and runs 5k but I just keep running for the 5 or 6km. We both walk back up though.

A couple of years I marshalled for the Marple Runners 10K trail race and plenty of the really good runners walked that part, so I don't feel wimpy about it.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

Good point Coddfish. It’s more the idea of commemorating the 50 in your run, whatever time/distance you choose and wherever you decide to do it. You could even just do a workout with your 50 shirt on. But I totally agree with your sentiments and we do need to be very careful πŸ‘

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

Thanks for supporting my request to be careful. It’s a significant problem here and that’s probably true for anyone else who lives in a popular resort or tourist hotspot.

In normal times a lot of families spend their Saturday in Gunwharf Quays, which is a huge brand outlet centre with lots of restaurants, multiplex cinema and bowling alley. With that closed, the promenade is a magnet for families who have nothing else to do, as well as the usual dog walkers, runners etc. Some of the cafes have stayed open for takeaways and are attracting long queues and groups of people standing around chatting. The local council sends out a weekly email and a couple of times recently has suggested people mask up on the prom if it’s busy. The Daily Mail has been known to include Southsea in its social distancing gallery of shame (admittedly using wide angle shots to make it look worse than it is).

It’s the best running area around here and also dominated by our out and back parkrun route. We had a long period during the spring and summer when the council closed sections of the road to make more space. Other than then, I think I have only run on the seafront twice at weekends during lockdown, both times being a weaving family and dog avoiding nightmare. We’ve also got a hard core set of people who complain to the council about Southsea parkrun, so I can just imagine what would happen if they saw β€œpark runners” on a Saturday morning during lockdown. At one point last year the Event Director said we had been put on β€œfinal warning” by the council due to the frequent complaints.

I can run round the somewhat deserted university area on the 28th, it’s mostly what I have been doing during the last year if I have felt it necessary to run on a Saturday or Sunday.

Hope we are through this soon. I would love parkrun to be back, I was closing in on 200 runs when we stopped, I would be within sight of 250 if we had been able to continue.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

We’re normally teeming with visitors. We don’t have a big shopping centre but we do have Shakespeare. The only people around now are locals but they all seem to have lockdown puppies to walk! It is a very odd and sad place at the moment. Never thought I’d miss the tourists but I am starting to.

I think most Parkruns have those who will complain at the drop of a hat, I know we do which is why I totally understand what you mean. Ironically our current mayor is a keen runner and parkrunner so I’m sure he’d stick up for us but, of course, he’ll be out of office by the time parkrun returns. When it returns πŸ™

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

The parkrun I mentioned before has at least one regular moaner. She was leading her children or possibly grandchildren in the way of the runners, even though there was plenty of space and complaining loudly about the parkrun. The marshals wisely did not engage with her.

Most people thankfully are happy to cheer us on, the only problem is if you are not a fast runner and they try to ask you about parkrun! I was stopped once when I was tailwalking and picking up cones. The Run Director thought I had got lost! That person came back to run the next week though, so I must have sold it well.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

I always wonder what these seafront parkruns are like in summer. I have done one or two which were fine but probably a smaller catchment area.

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

We were getting over 500 people on an out and back course, and I think if you are out in the area just after it starts and the horde of people are running at you, it’s fairly intimidating.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

That is a lot!

I always think it would be nice to have a parkrun at Weston super Mare, where my brother lives but I can see that it would be impractical.

We usually go to Clevedon or Burnham & Highbridge but they are fairly small and not too near any shops so very pleasant.

Edinburgh was also OK as there was plenty of room for all.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

I’ve done the Pwllheli Hafan beach parkrun. That only had about 80 people and hardly anyone other than the parkrunners. It was hard work on sand though, most people went for a dip in the sea afterwards.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator

Great Idea. I’ll run my usual 5K route which is not in a park or on a parkrun course and I will proudly wear my Red 50 parkrun milestone T-Shirt. Looking forward to it.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply todamienair

Fab Damien! πŸ‘

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10

Yes! I’m definitely in! I’ve only worn my 50 teeshirt once or twice, it’ll be great to unearth it again πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply tocheekychipmunks

Brilliant! πŸ‘ I’ve worn mine too much, I’ve had to hide it in my drawer as I’m worried the numbering is going to come off 😳

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

I’d be worried if I ran as fast as you that it would come off with the g-force! 🀣

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply tocheekychipmunks

🀣🀣🀣 hardly! Katnap is looking to break 22 minutes this week, he has much more g-force than me 🀣

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

Yes my number is beginning to crack. I’ve worn it lots. I should have had a 100 one by now of course. But that and the volunteer shirt will be a target once parkrun returns. πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ½πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ½πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

You will get there Dexy.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

I will. Saturday will be for parkrun again one day.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

It will πŸ‘

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

I was due to get the 100 in October (we were fairly in sync until you got injured I seem to remember) 😒 Looking forward to being able to claim that one πŸ‘ Have you got the Coronavirus apricot?

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

No, I already had an apricot so didn’t order the new one.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

Me too but I got it so it would be special for the (not)parkruns. The other one is waiting patiently for when it can be a tourist again.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

I’m on 72, which is fairly close to Damienair

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

I’m on 73 so, yep, we’re still pretty close.

David_G profile image
David_G

That sounds like a great idea TailChaser πŸ‘ I got my 50 Parkrun t-shirt just before lockdown so I’ll be proud to join in on 27 February! πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toDavid_G

Wonderful David! πŸ‘πŸ‘

51mc profile image
51mcGraduate10

Great idea, I'll do it too. Don't have a parkurn T shirt of any colour as we don't have Parkrun here in Spain, but I'm sure that I have done 50 (not)parkruns during the year!

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply to51mc

I bet you have 51! I know a lot of us are creeping up to or have passed that number. What a lovely place to be able to run πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10

You can get an "official " time with VRunClub

vrunclub.com/pages/ff2run5k...

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

Ooh, good idea Sue πŸ‘

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate10

I’m in too please! Hopefully I’ll be off the IC by then! It’ll be some time before I qualify for that famous red T-shirt but if weather permits I can wear my purple one!

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10β€’ in reply toOldgirlruns

The purple one is way more important

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

I think so!

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toCoddfish

Definitely 🀞

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toOldgirlruns

I was thinking of you in your purple one OG, that sounds a very good idea. 🀞you’re ok in time 🀞

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

Thanks TC! Yes, I’m sure I’ll be fine- I’m sure the grumbly hip is just age related; I have lots of those sorts of aches!

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toOldgirlruns

I can empathise to a degree. This running lark seems to partly be about how many aches and pains you are prepared to put up with. πŸ˜³πŸ€—

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10

I’m in! Sadly I don’t have a red t-shirt as I only got to 36 real parkruns. Since then I have done 40 runs that I have tagged as (not) parkruns. I’ll dig out a red running top (think the only one I’ve got is my Virtual Boxing Day Turkey Trot one πŸ˜‚) and will tootle around my country lanes. Maybe this should be my sub 30 return!?

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10β€’ in reply toSandie1961

Speedy Sandie! πŸƒβ€β™€οΈβš‘οΈ

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toSandie1961

I didn’t think you were quite there yet Sandie but yes!! A target to go for! There’s a sub 30 5k training plan in the March Runners World and I thought of you but it takes 8 weeks which I thought was far too long for you.

Katnap profile image
KatnapGraduate10

But of course! Be rude not to! πŸ˜ƒ

Jericho2332 profile image
Jericho2332Graduate10

I've never done a park run as I've only been running a few months and there hasn't been any but I always run in a red t shirt and would be happy to remove the running jacket and run the parkrun course in my local park on that day πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toJericho2332

Fab! Hopefully it will have warmed up a bit by then too (just be careful not to run it at 9am just in case) πŸ‘

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate10

Where do you get those shorts with a tail? 🀣

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply tonowster

Who said the tail was connected to the shorts? It could be natural 🀣

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

Thereby hangs a tail. πŸ˜‰

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply tonowster

😁

BaddieThePirate profile image
BaddieThePirateGraduate10

Whose bottom is that?

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10β€’ in reply toBaddieThePirate

It’s TailChaser, she wore it for her 50th run. πŸˆβ€β¬›

BaddieThePirate profile image
BaddieThePirateGraduate10β€’ in reply toDexy5

Fantastic.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toBaddieThePirate

🀣🀣🀣

BaddieThePirate profile image
BaddieThePirateGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

Nice tail!

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toBaddieThePirate

I would say I grew it myself but...

Deals1 profile image
Deals1Graduate10

fab idea!! yep, I'm in. thanks

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toDeals1

Brilliant Deals! πŸ‘πŸ‘

Hedgehogs123 profile image
Hedgehogs123Graduate10

I'm in! I started running last May because I wanted to be able to do Parkruns when they started again(hmmmmm, didn't think I've have to wait this long!) and from then on, I'm totally and utterly addicted to running. never would have thought I'd get excited about getting a new pair of running socks or a head torch or arm sleeves! πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ€£πŸ€£

I still haven't managed to crack a sub 30mins 5km as I seem to do better on the 10km, but it gives me something to aim for!!

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toHedgehogs123

Fab! πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ Oh yes! There’s always something new to go for Hedgehogs, you never seem to run out of challenges and learning curves doing this running stuff. Arm sleeves? Now there’s something I’ve never thought about! I’m with you on the socks though. Leggings are my thing or just anything by Ron Hill!

Good luck with the 30 mins, I bet it will come, especially once you can run with groups of people again, it makes a big difference.

Hedgehogs123 profile image
Hedgehogs123Graduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

I love my arm sleeves, make a big difference, so I wear less layers but my arms stay warm, whereas before my body was warm but my arms were freezing! πŸ˜πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toHedgehogs123

Makes complete sense Hedge! πŸ‘

RunBrianRun profile image
RunBrianRunGraduate10

Count me in. I’m no where near 50 parkruns, but I have my Liverpool FC top, which I’ll wear instead πŸ‘

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunBrianRun

Fab Brian πŸ˜€ but...Is that a good idea after yesterday’s result πŸ€”

RunBrianRun profile image
RunBrianRunGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

True that. 🀣

RunWillie profile image
RunWillieGraduate10

Our ParkRun was cancelled today so ran a not ParkRun in honour of my UK VRB’s running to commemorate 50 missing weeks. No red running gear to wear and I’m now along way off sub 30. However, I did manage 33.30 with a red tomato face for effort β€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

RunWillie profile image
RunWillieGraduate10

Sorry! Just realised I was 4 weeks early πŸ™ˆ

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunWillie

Loving your enthusiasm RW! Call it a practice run 😁

PandaCory profile image
PandaCoryGraduate10

I haven't been able to do any Parkruns yet, but can I wear my red shirt & join you?

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toPandaCory

Of course you can PC, we’d love you to join us πŸ˜ƒπŸ€—

PandaCory profile image
PandaCoryGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

Yay! It's my C25K graduate shirt so hopefully it'll do πŸ˜ƒπŸ˜ƒπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈ

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toPandaCory

Most definitely PC, you’ll do it proud πŸ‘πŸ˜€

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10

And as an added complication, Geoff wants to wear his Lanza Road Runners shirt because we should be there that week!

But never fear, I am sticking with the red 50, I can wear the Lanza one the following week, because we will be missing two runs by the sea.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

Maybe the sun will come out for us Sue? We’re overdue a nice weekend 🀞🀞

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10β€’ in reply toTailChaser

It has been nice here for a couple of days. No jacket or hat!

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply toRunaroundSue

About time too!

sparky66 profile image
sparky66Graduate10

I've ran 41 K so far this Month..so if I do a 4k on Thursday then 5K on February 27th can I make that my BIG 50?

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10β€’ in reply tosparky66

Excellent idea sparky! Go for it πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

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