Hello Everyone and happy weekend. For any of you new graduates whom have started running during the COVID-19 world you may or may not 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. 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.
parkrun is back thankfully in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and this morning Wales 🏴 has started again. Fantastic that this morning is the full return of parkrun in the UK.
The Republic of Ireland unfortunately is still awaiting a parkrun return. So until parkrun returns fully for everyone some of us will continue to take part on our own in a Virtual parkrun every Saturday morning.
Please post a little run report after your run and let everyone know how yo got on. The little run report can be done over a post actual parkrun coffee and treat/cake. (parkrun is all about the after run coffee and cake, and meeting friends old and new).
If you are a new graduate and would like to start, all you have to do is run, walk or jog at an actual parkrun or a 5K run/jog/walk (not)parkrun anytime today or tomorrow 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.
For anyone whom has not done a real parkrun yet and if it is available to you, give it a try. It is the most wonderful community event. Saturday mornings will never be the same again.
Looking forward to hearing from all of you who ran in real proper parkruns and (not)parkruns. Happy running and have a lovely weekend.
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damienair
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No running at PR for me this week Damien, but my daughter did while Flossie and I barcode scanned. 🥰 She knocked over 2 minutes off last week’s time. She’ll be back down to sub-30 before long. 👊🏃♀️
Flossie of course got such an enthusiastic welcome - way more than mine! She is reigning Bark Code Scanner of the year 2019 (we’ll ignore 2020!)
Oh, the app is fantastic too. So much easier than the scanners used to be, even in the rain!
I love that CC, Flossie being the first BARK Code scanner in the history of parkruns, congratulations to your daughter for her PB, I ran my first official parkrun in 17 months in a time of 32.14 which is my second best time at Dunfermline Parkrun.
Flossie says thanks Al! 🐕 Actually my daughter’s PB is just over 28 minutes. Today she ran 32. She hadn’t run at all over the last year and she’s gradually working her way back! She’ll get there soon. 🏃♀️ 💥
Thanks Deals, Flossie is legendary at Eastville! 🐕 I’m looking forward to tomorrow and hoping for some cooling rain - but it doesn’t look like it’s going to!
Well I still unfortunately can’t take part in a parkrun yet as we still have some strict restrictions in place. Although they are lifting slowly and Junior parkrun started back in the Republic of Ireland last weekend which is a good sign.I was busy all week and didn’t get a chance to run. Yesterday I was in the car most of the day driving and decided to do my (not) parkrun straight away after getting to my mum and dads house. So at 4:30 I set off and ran my 5K at a nice slow and steady pace and finished my run in a time of 35:45. I’m just delighted to be at a stage where I can run a full 5K without any walking breaks. From next weekend I’m going to start extending one run per week and I’ll do some intervals for another run. Hopefully by the time parkrun returns I’ll be a bit fitter.
Similar experience for me this week - have been on holiday and despite best intentions my running gear didn’t see the light of day. Spent all day in the car coming home yesterday and am just back from a 5K now - 35:53, very red in the face but feel good! Will try to get three runs in this week.
With the threat of heavy rain this morning, I set off for my local parkrun. Got chatting with one of the volunteers before and after. My finishing tag was 34, but of how many I have no idea. I paced myself better this time but I don't think I improved on last week's time much.
In the event, the rain came about an hour later, after I'd got back home. Still waiting for the results to appear.
Currently driving home from our holiday. We weren’t due to leave until Monday but weather, injury and a grotty campsite made the decision for us. After a lovely time in the Yorkshire Dales, walking some of the Pennine Way, we were due to do some Wainwrights in the Lakes but I twisted my leg falling into a hole on Thursday so that stuffed that up.
Thankfully it has cleared up enough to walk a very determined Fell Foot parkrun today and record my slowest ever parkrun time 🤣 Ably helped by youngest kitten, as a wonderful assistant, I officially came in at 51:30, but I’m arguing that as so did he and he ran off for the last 100m so should have been at least 30 seconds faster. And I recorded it at 46:31 so I’m going with that. Doesn’t really matter at the end of the day, but I have my pride!
Anyway off to the physio on Tuesday and they can have a look at my pesky Achilles whilst they’re at it. Looks like I’ll be volunteering next week…
Have fun and stay safe everyone 🏃🏼♀️ 🏃🏾♂️ 🏃 🏃🏼♀️ 😍
I know! It’s because I’ve never really had a problem before so it’s saved it all up for me in one go! Isn’t that nice?! I have done an awful lot of running this year though so I think it’s just caught up with me. Time for as much rest as I’ll allow myself…or whatever the physio says…
Oh no TC, I’m so sorry to hear you’re injured! What a rotten end to your holiday . You’re parkrun time is pretty close to my normal one when I’m running but hey, it’s not a race! Well done to the youngest kitten for assisting you along the way - I hope the physio can get you sorted out next week!
Thanks OG. I’m seeing it as a blessing in disguise as it’s forcing me to do something about my Achilles. I was getting a lot of miles in. Annoying it happens as parkrun comes back but I can volunteer. Youngest kitten was an absolute star today 🤩
Well done TC. I’m hoping to volunteer as tail Walker for my return to parkrun so as I can have a volunteer credit and parkrun credit at the same time. That will be my slowest parkrun time. Best of luck with the Physio. Hope your back to full fitness ASAP.
Thanks Damien, so do I. I’ve got two races coming up in Sept and Oct 😩. Good idea about the tail walking, it’s always a mega popular slot at our parkrun, so best get your request in early!
You will love it, I ran it in 17 and 19 but said never again in 19. We will have to see if I feel differently after I have recovered from my hip replacement. Great course so long as it’s not one of those days when we suffer from the Great Southwesterly, a scenario that makes the final 3k truly gruelling.
From my experience the final 3k is always gruelling, whatever the distance (sometimes even a parkrun). I’m just hoping I can get the training in. Let’s see what the physio says.All the best for your hip replacement 👍
Good afternoon Damien, in my case it was two for the price of one, this week on Wednesday I ran my 62nd (not) parkrun in a time of 36.02 with an age grading of 52.57%, this morning I ran my 18th official Parkrun at Dunfermline parkrun in a time of 32.14 which is the second best time for me at Dunfermline with an age grading of 58. 79%, it was very nice seeing my friends at Dunfermline for the first time in 17 months, I just hope it won't be long before The Republic of Ireland are back to official Parkruns.
I got a update on my time today, it meant that time of 31.56 was wrong, my correct time was 32.14 meaning it was not a PB for Dunfermline parkrun, I thought the other app which did say that 32.14 time was wrong, however, the official time is now also 32.14, I don't usually bother about 20 seconds but my PB at Dunfermline is 32.01, that was achieved sometime in 2019, so today was not a PB at that parkrun, however, it is my second best time there. 😊 🏃🏾
Thanks Doris8 👍 🏃🏾, I have a new running belt and watch although it's not a Garmin watch, I thought I had a reasonable time, the run started at 9.31 and I looked at my digital watch both at the start and finish, at the finish it was 10.03, so I knew that my official Parkrun time would be around 32 minutes, give or take about 15 seconds + or - that time.
You can still do not Parkruns Doris but they won’t show up on the official event page. If you go into your account you can see them all shown separately.
Thank you very much Oldgirlruns and Dexy5, it was lovely to be back running at an official Parkrun with around 200 other people, 206 to be precise, a lot of people recognised me, how can they not with that beard, lol,
Next week I am going to ask my friend from my Thursday morning walking group who I helped to graduate from C25K to come with me to the other parkrun I go to which is nearer to where both of us live, he has a car, it only takes 15/20 minutes by car to get there along a motorway .
Thanks BC66, my all time PB 5K parkrun time is 30.55 at the other parkrun I go to, I am thinking of going there next Saturday and perhaps I could better that time.
Looking back at my 5K sub 35 minute times, like the athletes you see on TV my best times are in the late summer and autumn, during the winter months I did not have any sub 35 minute runs at all from December to March, most were around 36/38 minutes, during that time I did not think I would ever get back to sub 35 minute 5K times, most if not all of my recent (not) parkrun times have been sub 35 minutes although there have been a few times like my Wednesday run this week when my SPLIT 5k time was 36.02 BUT that run was part of a 8K, not 5K only run. 🏃🏾 👍
I will get back to Park Run when my HM is out of the way. I don’t think that I will be going for a PB any time soon though. I like late summer and spring runs.
Spring and Autumn are the main seasons for those big televised event runs, think London Marathon in April, Manchester 10K in May and the Great North and Scottish Runs in September and October, although recently months and times have been altered due to Covid-19.
I have to be honest with everyone saying that my run was a PB, on that other app which said my time was 32.14, I thought it was wrong, it was the correct time, now on the official Dunfermline parkrun site my time has been changed from 31.56 to that 32.14, usually I would not be to bothered about 20 seconds but 32.14 is not my PB time for Dunfermline parkrun, 32.01 is and that was ran sometime in 2019. Ouch😂
Sorry Damien it wasn't a PB, on the Dunfermline Parkrun Facebook page there is an apology regarding the first e mail sent out this morning to all runners stating that there was "a wee glitch" regarding the results, only a difference of 20 seconds, but it meant no PB, nevertheless it was my second quickest time at that particular parkrun, my correct time was 32.14.
It could have been worse, imagine a runner who for the first time ran a sub 30 minute 5k in say 29.50 to be told 3 hours later that time was incorrect and the correct time was 30.10, only 20 seconds but the runner would be very disappointed and have to wait for another run.
Park run done - quicker than last week in Bishops Stortford but slower than my first Parkrun in Tooting. A bit warm today - over 400 runners!I am entering a 10K Fun Run in 4 weeks time, so next week I will volunteer for the first time and practise by doing a 10K some time after.
At a parkrun unlike my 4K walk on a Thursday with my Thursday morning walking group I talk to the finishers at the end but don't go for a cake and coffee, there were about half the numbers at my parkrun this morning, just over 200 compared to your just over 400, I wish you luck for your 10K fun run in 4 weeks time.
Very well done. It is wonderful to be reading about you doing a real parkrun. Fantastic and best of luck training for your 10K and enjoy volunteering next week.
As an occasional barcode giver-outer , I do sometimes wonder if I’m safe from the retchers RW, though fortunately I’ve never been vomited on! I’m glad your volunteers were safe today as well! Great times for both of you - it sounds like everyone’s goals were achieved!
Did my second parkrun today... The times aren't up yet but probably vaguely similar to last week... Minus a few seconds at a place where you have to go single file... A kid sped up before it to get in front and then went dead slow and wouldn't let anyone pass, even if they could have!!! Anyway, it wouldn't have made so very much difference, and better for her to be at parkrun than glued to a screen. It felt nice to go back and recognise a few friendly faces among the volunteers
My confession- I haven’t been out trotting for nearly 2 weeks so this morning’s parkrun would either be great because I was well rested or a disaster because I was out of practice. And of course it was the latter! No breath, no pacing, no energy and definitely no oomph😄. I started off by slotting in behind a chap who looked to be moving at my speed, although what running he did was faster than mine. I soon caught him up with my walking pace and we had a nice chat, he was a visitor from a nearby parkrun. By the halfway point I’d moved ahead - and he said he couldn’t catch me after that! The second half was still mostly walking but at a good speed- I even caught up and overtook 2 of our other run-walkers! My Garmin time was 45:33 and my official parkrun time was 46:46 with a placing of 387 out of 399. A much better pace than some of my recent runs - not bad for a walk!! But next week, I need to get back to the running, C25K here I come again!
Hi Oldgirlruns, that was a good run /walk for you today at your parkrun, I was denied a PB today, the original email stated a red PB time of 31.56, however, later in the day that was changed to 32.14, only a difference of 20 seconds but it meant no PB at that parkrun, my PB there is 32.01, that was sometime in 2019.The parkrun facebook page stated that there was "a wee glitch" in the computer regarding runners times, nevertheless it was my second quickest time at Dunfermline parkrun.
That’s a shame Al but it’s still a pretty good time isn’t it and your second fastest at Dunfermline - and, of course, it gives you something to aim for next time out!
Well done Flossie the Bark Code Scanner! She’ll look lovely in her purple tee shirt ! Using the phone to scan is great isn’t it - once you’ve worked out how far to hold it away from the barcode!
It sounds as though you’re well on the way to being able to do a very respectable parkrun when it restarts Damien ! Good luck with the plan to extend your runs!
I ran my 1st Parkrun today. Started near the back and ended near the back but was pleased with 41mins 20 seconds as I thought I might be a lot slower than that. It amazes me how fast other people run! My aim was to run slowly and keep going steadily although I did give myself permission to walk if I really needed to but was very pleased as I did manage to run the whole thing. While I was running I did think to myself 'why am I putting myself through this, this is so hard, I feel pretty awful, I'm so slow, I don't think I'll ever do this again', but once I finished I felt enthusiastic and thought I'd love to do it again and maybe just try and maintain this pace for a while then aim to get under 40 minutes eventually. Every time I go for a run I think it might be my last as I really find it challenging generally but then I'm pleased I've been out when I've finished the run.
Well done on you first parkrun Iamnow. I am sure you will be back. Once you start recognising a few people it gets even better. Now you’ve got a time against your name, you also have a target for next time.
Hello damienair and everyone else, I was also parkrun scanner today. I love that you can say well done to all the runners. ♥️ The volunteer app; so much easier.
Gosh the app is brilliant isn’t it Dexy5 ? Even in the rain I only had one which wouldn’t scan (it was very faint). Was today no 25, or next time? I’m now on 20. 😀
Thank you JP, I probably will because Coddfish git hers within the week, but I will wear my tourist shirt at yours next week. Oldgirlruns will be joining us. I think I read somewhere that we have use the loos at Starbucks- is that still the case?
Thanks Damienair- I hope to get it this week. 💜 . I volunteered at junior parkrun before 5k came back so that helped give us the parkrun vibes as well as boosting my count.
Hi everyone. Happy weekendI did my local parkrun this morning .. Only 2nd time ran since covid.. (apart from volunteering) was warm and wet. Due to the rain I decided not to wear my glasses (long distance) but luckily did spot a pal just before the briefing..I hadn't told her I was going as my plan was just to see how I felt when the alarm went off! Anyway we got to run together, first time since covid, so that was great!! Had a good chat. Saturday mornings are beginning to feel a little 'normal' again. Hopefully in a few more weeks we might brave a post parkrun coffee stop 😊 Hope Ireland parkruns return soon
My Parkrun today was on Hove prom. 462 runners 😯 It was my first run back here since lockdown. My previous best was 24.42 in 2019. Today I got round in exactly 22.00 which is a new Parkrun PB for me. I came 88/462 and 3/28 in my age category. I’m very happy with that. ☺️
Thank you Damien. I wanted to push it today so that I could gauge how my training is going for the 10k race on the 12th. I’m reasonably happy that things seem to be on track. It’s a very fine balance between training load and avoiding injury.
Thank you Dexy5 ☺️ It’s all part of my training plan and a bit of a reality check if I’m honest as I’m hoping to go under 45 minutes on race day and today was SO hard. I’m going to continue with the plan anyway and just do my best on the day, 👍
Good evening everybody! As the temperatures here in the Dordogne have rocketed back up to 30 after a cool and cloudy week, Shake-and-run and I reverted to a 8.00am start. Lovely cool 16 degrees. I am still taking it a bit steady because of my hip, but a non stop 33.23 and the leg feels fine. Very excited to have discovered there is an Eymet Social Running Group, which has a weekly Sunday morning run, so have joined the Facebook group and am just waiting to see if they are happy to have older people or whether they are youthful gazelles 😂 A bit late as we are home in 3 weeks, but perhaps one for next year 🤞🤞
2 weeks ago I mentioned that I was hoping to get back to a sub-30 parkrun soon at Portsmouth Lakeside. Well today the conditions were perfect - just a few spots of rain, the puddles around the lake had all dried up and not too busy (231 runners). Set off at a steady pace, not too fast, and maintain.ed that throughout the run. I couldn't believe the result - 30.00! (Garmin time 29.56) Obviously slightly too steady - still there's always next week!
Although I missed it because of being away, I thought you might be interested in these pictures from our local paper, which covers parkrun regularly.
Whoop whoop Jonathan. Getting quicker gradually is much more rewarding as even if you don’t get a PB , it says it’s the best time this year in your email. 🙂
I did my 5th successive week of timekeeping as I can’t run until the hip has been replaced and I have recovered. It will be the last volunteering for a while as I now have a date for surgery. Family wedding next weekend and then the following Saturday is pre-surgery isolation. See you on the other side.
Wales 🏴 restarted today, and I joined 150 other runners for my very first REAL Park Run!
There was a local severe weather warning for rain and thunderstorms, but fortunately the rain remained light and drizzly.
So…I finished 136/151 (53/66 female), with an official time of 43:45. My Strava time was 41:28…2nd best time over the Park Run course, and equal 3rd fastest overall! My age grade was 47.77%, which put me at 92/151!🙌🏼
Everyone was really friendly, with lots of encouragement from the volunteers and the other runners…can’t wait until next week!
Parkrun tourism for me today at Valentine's Parkrun, only a 10-15 minute drive away. A lovely almost flat 2 lap run in a gorgeous park. A pb for me of 42.47...I think the final stretch might actually be slightly downhill, which is a lovely feeling. I will be going back.My regular place, Pymmes Parkrun is 300m long at the moment and starts and finishes in a different place and I'm not enjoying it as much so I'm exploring other bits of London.
We're going to Ely for a couple of days next weekend so will aim to do the nearest one to there, which is Littleport.
Morning non park runner here. Did a 5 km walk 49.17. Actually walked 8.25 km in 1 hour 22 mins with every 10 mins of walk did 30 seconds slow jogging. Happy running 😊
Mine didn't go at all as I was recovering from Hiking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks on Friday, so decided I'd earned a day off. Did, somehow, find a very slow 10-miler in me today though, so not going to complain.
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week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
week 2 begins! 
