How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go? - Bridge to 10K

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How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go?

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator
85 Replies

Hello Everyone and happy weekend. Today is parkrun day, a free 5K event 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 do it religiously every Saturday morning.

parkrun is back thankfully in most Countries around the World. I am hoping for any Countries still struggling with COVID-19 that it returns to you soon.

Some of us may not be able to do a parkrun at the moment 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 called a (not)parkrun. Or if you are away on Holidays, prefer to run on your own, or do not have a parkrun close by you a (not)parkrun is perfect, please feel free to join in.

Please post a little run report after your parkrun or (not)parkrun and let everyone know how you got on. The little run report can be done over a post 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 a 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.

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 profile image
damienair
Administrator
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85 Replies
TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10

Good morning from sunny Eastleigh in Hampshire. We’re sitting in a lovely park enjoying a post run cup of tea and a bacon roll.

Amazed we got here on time. We literally got to the start line as everyone headed off. It’s all trail with one fairly reasonable hill about 0.5k in. Unfortunately as it’s 3 laps you have to do the hill 3 times. Still, good training.

I had my time at 29:41 but I guess we were a bit late so officially it was 29:54. I’m just happy we got here. Next stop the Great South Run tomorrow morning 👍

Happy running everyone 👍👏👍👏👍👏👍

Katnap profile image
KatnapGraduate10 in reply to TailChaser

And the local Blackbird Café does nice bacon & egg bapd 👍

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10 in reply to TailChaser

Glad you both got there in time. It sounded like a close run thing.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10 in reply to Coddfish

It was Coddfish, neither of us could believe it when it started the moment we got there! Thankfully Siri got the directions right this morning.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply to TailChaser

By the skin of your teeth Kats. Well done

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10 in reply to Dexy5

Thanks Dexy 👍 sure was!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to TailChaser

Very well done TC, great running and very best of luck for tomorrow. 😊 Enjoy

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10 in reply to damienair

Thanks Damien, getting a bit worried/excited/race nervous now 😳

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to TailChaser

You’ll be brilliant as always.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10 in reply to damienair

😳thanks Damien x

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply to TailChaser

Well done, cutting it fine!I am often passed at about 1.5km by a former Marple run director who seems to be running late each week and misses the start. He lives nearby so I imagine him leaping out of bed in his running gear and heading out to the parkrun.

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10 in reply to RunaroundSue

That reminds of taking the kids to primary school and the kids who lived nearest were always the latest! 🤣

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply to TailChaser

I once went from Manchester to Bracknell (red-eye) for a meeting, which started late because we had to wait for some people coming from the other end of the corridor!

beth_f profile image
beth_fGraduate10

Hello damienair & fellow runners,

Sadly I’ve been sidelined to the IC which started mid September when hurting my lower back. After seeing the physio it was starting to get better but now have pulled a tendon in my ankle & have plantar fasciitis in same foot so equally painful. None of the injuries have been through running either! Just my own stupidity 😬

Feeling pretty miserable as barely able to walk let alone run 😩.

Physio has been great though and I will be all the more stronger when I make my comeback!

Happy running all x

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10 in reply to beth_f

Get well soon

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to beth_f

Hope your injuries and niggles heal up soon. If you want you could Volunteer at parkrun until your ready to run again. But then again the bed is hard to get out of when it is getting colder. 😀

RunBrianRun profile image
RunBrianRunGraduate10 in reply to beth_f

I hope you get better soon Beth.

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10

Good morning Damien, I ran my 26th parkrun today at The University of Stirling Parkrun, an improved time of 30.57 compared to the first time I ran at Stirling 3 weeks ago when my time was 32.26, it was their 2nd birthday, not counting last year, 2019 was when that parkrun began, at the end of the run we were all treated to some cupcakes, very nice, it reminded me of my very first parkrun at Dunfermline 2 years ago when we also got a piece of cake.

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate10 in reply to AlMorr

Nice running for you today Al!

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply to Oldgirlruns

Thanks Oldgirlruns, you will be looking forward to cheering on all the runners at tomorrow's Great South Run, have a special cheer from me to all the "Southsea Crew" from this forum who are taking part, especially Dexy 5.

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate10 in reply to AlMorr

I will Al, I will!

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr

Thanks Al. Sorry you can’t see it on tv this year.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to AlMorr

Nice, well done Al. A cupcake 🧁 at the finish line I’m sure was lovely. Great way to celebrate your 26th parkrun.

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply to damienair

PS, I have just noticed that my time this morning has been revised from 30.57 to 30.43, same with age grading as well.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to AlMorr

Well done Alan, great time.

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply to damienair

To cap it all, this afternoon I got my annual flu jab AND the 3rd booster Covid 19 vaccination, flu jab on right upper arm, the Covid one on left upper arm, that was at quarter past four, now at nine o'clock I feel fine with no after effects whatsoever.

Doris8 profile image
Doris8Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr

Well done Al great time again, glad your vaccines were 👍

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply to AlMorr

Well done AlMorr

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply to RunaroundSue

👍 🏃🏾 Thanks Sue 😀 🏃🏾

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10

Absolute break through today. I am now 5 and a half weeks on from hip replacement surgery, and my last parkrun (as entrant rather than volunteer) was the week before parkrun stopped in March 2020. When it reopened in July this year, my hip had deteriorated too far for me to walk it, and I then had the surgery to recover from. After a good spell of volunteering, I managed to walk 3k of Southsea parkrun last week. With Southsea not on today because of the GSR weekend, we made our way to Portsmouth Lakeside, where I knew Dexy5 , UpTheStanley , Oldgirlruns and JonathanP were also going to be. The course is a sort of dog legged out and back so I thought, like Southsea, it would enable me to do part of the route and bail out. My plan was to attempt around 4K, using one crutch.

I introduced myself to the tail walkers to tell them I would be slow but would likely bail out. I started at the back and found a lovely young woman called Alex, also walking it fairly slowly. It transpired she had had both her knees replaced in August and was attempting to get back to parkrun for the first time. She had been worried about being a long way at the back and felt it was serendipity when she saw me with my crutch in the car park.

So of course we egged each other on to do the whole thing, obviously at a steady walking pace, whilst comparing notes on our respective surgeries. I hadn’t intended to go this far quite yet - my aim had been to complete it for the first time on the 30th October. It remains my hope I can walk it without a crutch on that day, walking with my friend Oldgirlruns.

I am tired, but no other obvious after effect.

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate10 in reply to Coddfish

And you and Alex were walking at a good pace, Coddfish!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Coddfish

Oh fantastic, huge congratulations to you on completing your 5K parkrun. Amazing effort and great bounce back after your surgery.

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply to Coddfish

Well done, what a boost for you

Hi Damien, it was finish tokens for me today then went home to do a gentle 5k afterwards.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to

Very well done Alan and thanks for volunteering

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate10

Parkrun number 9 this morning at Chadderton Hall Park. Last week I was in rural Wales and did a (not) parkrun on the local back roads (but forgot to add it to the parkrun records).

A bit chilly there this morning with the thermometer at about 7°C. I decided not to wear gloves as the air didn't feel that cold when I was just standing round waiting, but as soon as I started moving properly my hands definitely felt cold. Plenty of wiggling of fingers and rubbing them was needed to keep the blood flow going.

The Garmin watch under recorded it by 400m, and Strava on the phone by 90m.

I held back the effort at the beginning again, making sure I got properly warmed up. My mistake after that was to speed up too early in the run, which meant that I inevitably slowed down as the run progressed.

I also couldn't resist the temptation to overtake people on the S-shaped steep climb up to the rose garden, something I did on three of the four laps. On the final lap there was nobody there to overtake.

I finished 32 out of 80, and took 22 seconds off my PB for that venue, with a time of 28'59".

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to nowster

Very well done, great running and congratulations on your course PB. Great getting a sub 29 minute 5K.

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10

Hi Damien and PR runners. Flossie (🐕) and I marshalled at Eastville this morning. No running planned due to the GSR tomorrow. Looking forward to that very much! ❤️

I picked a great marshalling spot, down by our pretty lake. I needed to stand a bit to the side as there were lots of birds sitting in the tree above … and they were dropping frequent bombs! 😂😳 It was fun encouraging everyone up the short steep hill back up into the main park, and understanding exactly what their expressions meant as they saw what was ahead! On the flip side - the front runners made mincemeat of it. 💥

Anyway, heading to Portsmouth shortly. I love running weekends. 🥰

Eastville PR lake
damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to cheekychipmunks

Thanks for volunteering Cheeky. The pics of the lake look lovely, unfortunately we missed seeing it when we visited . Imagine, that was 2 years ago. Best of luck tomorrow and enjoy the day.

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply to damienair

I love to volunteer Damien. I’ve broken away from my usual barcode scanning role too. 😀

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks

Hope to get to Eastville before too long. We haven't been down to see my brother since New Year 2020.Thought we were going to manage this half-term but it turned out impossible to find a window in the schedules of 2 teenage nephews and a brother going on some Territorial Army training.

Maybe before Christmas?

Ginter profile image
GinterGraduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks

I hope GSR went well for you. I met dexy5 for the first time on Saturday. You should come and do the curly wurly in Keynsham. It is a flat course unlike Eastville and Ashton court. I have just entered the Bath half in March, Dexy5 said you will be doing it too. Hope to see you there.

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply to Ginter

Hi Ginter, I’ve never done the Curly Wurly but have heard lots about it! I’m guessing it gets soggy in the winter? Maybe I should give it a go before then. 😀

Yes, the GSR was great wasn’t it? Nice that you got to meet Dexy5 too. There are several of us entered in the Bath Half next spring, and we should definitely arrange a meetup!

Jogger22 profile image
Jogger22Graduate10

Hi @damienair. I did my local parkrun today and felt really sluggish. I found it a huge effort and was breathing really hard. There were a couple of moments when I almost stopped but didn't. It has been my hardest parkrun to date effort wise. Don't know why I was pushing so hard but managed to shave off almost a minute off my PB! I thought I was being really slow. As a newbie runner have managed to shave off 2 1/2 minutes in 3 months. I think running longer distances whilst training for a 10k has really helped my 5k time. I'm enjoying it whilst it lasts 😀

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Jogger22

Fantastic effort and very well done. Congratulations on your PB. No wonder it felt harder. Great running 👍

Jogger22 profile image
Jogger22Graduate10 in reply to damienair

thanks so much @damienair hope you've had a good weekend 🤗

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10 in reply to Jogger22

Well done on your PB J22!

Jogger22 profile image
Jogger22Graduate10 in reply to JonathanP

Thank you @JonathanP did you do a parkrun this weekend?

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10 in reply to Jogger22

I was volunteering as I was in the Great South Run yesterday

Oldgirlruns profile image
OldgirlrunsGraduate10

Hi Damien! No running today for me but I went up to Portsmouth Lakeside parkrun where Dexy5, UpTheStanley and I volunteered along with JohnathanP. It’s a lovely friendly PR with lots of thank yous from runners to the marshals. We’re looking forward to welcoming lots of ARBs to the Great South Run tomorrow-As cheerleader in chief, I have bells all ready to go! Happy running!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Oldgirlruns

Thanks for volunteering and enjoy your day tomorrow. I’d love to be there myself. The atmosphere I’m sure will be electric.

Beachcomber66 profile image
Beachcomber66Graduate10

Hi Damien. Another (not) run today. Slightly quicker than last week at 32.31. Negative splits for the first 4K but then slowed off by 3 seconds on the last lap. Long sleeved shirt on top of my usual running T today; 9 degrees. 🥶 feels as though winter is coming.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Beachcomber66

Very well done on your (not)parkrun 👏

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10

Hi all, marshalling at Portsmouth Lakeside this morning due to the GSR tomorrow (first race 3+ years after c25k!) - had kept the joints moving with 2 easy 5ks earlier in the week. Several other volunteers, including my mates from Southsea, had the same idea.

Lots of 'thanks marshals' and a wide variety of runners, including 2 young women who seemed intent on skipping their way round! Great to catch up afterwards and swap plans for tomorrow - can't wait!

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to JonathanP

Well done Jonathan and thanks for Volunteering 👏👏👏

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10 in reply to damienair

Thanks Damien

Lablove profile image
Lablove60minGraduate

Couldn’t do parkrun today as we are up in the Highlands of Scotland for a holiday, however I did do a not-parkrun this evening. Running a different route through country lanes was great. 5K time 45mins.

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply to Lablove

Welcome to Scotland Lablove

Lablove profile image
Lablove60minGraduate in reply to AlMorr

Thank you, this is a lovely village. Really enjoyed the run too (not often I use the ‘e’ word linked to running😂

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Lablove

Well done 👍 on your (not)parkrun, great running and enjoy Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Lablove profile image
Lablove60minGraduate in reply to damienair

Thanks Damienair, I really think that running later in the day suits me better. I seemed to have much more energy.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator

I ran my 78th parkrun today at The Grand Canal Way parkrun in Tullamore for its second running. I was with my Wife Nicola, 2 boys, my 2 Sisters and one of my Sisters Husband and their 2 kids so it was very much a family affair. Oisin matched his parkrun PB to the second at 25:48. I finished in a time of 31:18 and felt comfortable all through my run. I was very happy even though my finish time was 10 seconds slower than last week. We went home to my parents house afterwards and had a lovely post parkrun breakfast. Busy day so only getting time to update now.

The Grand Canal Way parkrun
JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10 in reply to damienair

Lovely to have the family with you at parkrun Damien

Lablove profile image
Lablove60minGraduate

Lovely family event.

Freecloud profile image
FreecloudGraduate10

Hi all, I volunteered for the first time today, it was good and I enjoyed it and the other volunteers were very welcoming. I was responsible for giving out the tokens so it was good to see how the runners tackled the end of the race. Most were like me completely out of breath and could do no more, but some put on a good sprint to get over the line.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Freecloud

Well done and thank you for volunteering. It is a great way to get to know the core team and make parkrun friends. I’m going to Volunteer as timer in 2 weeks, it will be my 20th volunteer day. I like to volunteer usually for 1 in every 5-7 runs.

RunBrianRun profile image
RunBrianRunGraduate10

Hello Damien, I did a lovely slow tourist not parkrun around London today. It was far too busy to run quickly so I just ran when I could and took a few photos on the way. 8k in total.

Tower Bridge from the Tower of London
damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to RunBrianRun

Nice photo and well done on your tourist (not)parkrun.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10

Whoops, I thought I had posted. The others have said it all. A great time shaking tambourines with UpTheStanley at the marshal point just before and after the path under the motorway. When I run this it is quite a challenge when used to a dead flat course. Everyone seemed to like our musical accompaniment, and there were far more thank yous than we get at our own parkrun.

I also met a new VRB who is down for the GSR . @Ginter .

Appalling photo but got to be done
AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply to Dexy5

That photograph is not appalling, well done on volunteering and shaking tambourines under the motorway with UpTheStanley, not only the runners must have heard them as they passed you but the motorists on the motorway above.must have wondered what was going on below, enjoy your Great South Run today, good luck.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Dexy5

Very well done Dexy on Volunteering. Enjoy today and good luck.

Ginter profile image
GinterGraduate10 in reply to Dexy5

It was great to meet you and UpTheStanley after all our virtual chat. I completed Lakeside in 29.43 which I thought might be a bit risky the day before the GSR. It turned out alright though as I clocked 1:28:53 which I am delighted with. I was 33rd man 66-69. Onwards and upwards to the BathHalf in March.

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10 in reply to Ginter

Very nearly snap ....... 1:28:19 and 16th in (presumably) 70-74 😀

Thanks for doing the extra mile to talk to us after Saturday's run.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply to Ginter

Very well done Ginter, on both runs. You are a great c25k success story too. Thanks for running back to our marshal spot at parkrun to say hello. I’m sure you and your wife enjoyed coming back to southsea on such a nice weekend.

Tabbles profile image
TabblesGraduate10

Completed my second park run yesterday at Ashton court. I can only make these once a month and couldn't make it last month, so was keen to see how I have improved after 2 months.

Time improved from just under 30 minutes to 27.04

May look at Eastville PR next time , haven't been around the lower part of the park for years. Thanks to CheekyChipMonks for the pictures

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Tabbles

Wow, fantastic running and great improvement on your finish time. Very well done 👏.

Doris8 profile image
Doris8Graduate10

Did a 10 km this morning, first 5km walk run, second 5km run time of 39:40. Enjoy your day😊

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Doris8

Very well done on your 10K

RunaroundSue profile image
RunaroundSueGraduate10

Sorry, late reporting!We went to Kew Woods in Southport yesterday. Highly recommended.

I have done a separate report with more detail.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to RunaroundSue

Well done 👏 , I’ll look out for the other report.

Rayros21 profile image
Rayros21

Took part in my 11th parkrun yesterday and achieved my third fastest time so far, coming in at 28:35. This week felt a bit more special on a personal level for me, as it marked two years to the day since having CABG x3 following my heart attack. I'm now running on a regular basis with my next target being to complete Ju-Ju's Magic Plan! 😀

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Rayros21

Very well done and nice finish time. Great to see you doing so well after 2 years post open heart surgery, Brilliant running.

Rayros21 profile image
Rayros21 in reply to damienair

Thank you so much. Really appreciate your kind and supportive words.

Magellan profile image
MagellanGraduate10

Did the Uckfield one, my fifth there. I took three minutes off my PB. I was only one minute ahead of schedule at the top of the hill after the third km, but I have finally shaken off the knee trouble that meant I couldn’t run fast down hills, and yesterday for the first time I really let myself go on the final stretch.

damienair profile image
damienairAdministrator in reply to Magellan

Wow fantastic running and congratulations on your new PB. Very well done 👏

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