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.
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
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Good morning everyone. Happy parkrun day. Sorry I am late posting this, I had a little sleep in. I ran my 113th parkrun this morning at my local parkrun with my doggie 🐶 Ruby. She loves parkrun. I am so unfit but slowly working at getting my fitness back. This morning my goal was to run a sub 35 minute 5K. I ran for the first 2.5 kilometres and then took a short walking break followed by some running and another short walking break. Following this I ran the last 1.5K to the finish line. Goal achieved, my finish time was 34:17.
I’ll work at it again during the week and I’ll try to improve upon that next weekend. Happy parkrunning everyone.
Wow, 113th park run! 👏🏻 Well done to you and Ruby on your park run this morning and you were under your goal time too! ☺️
I tried a different park run this morning in Widnes - it was a 3.5 lap round the lovely Victoria Park and my 10th park run. It was a bit boring for me as just a path and quite flat but it was nice to run in different scenery with the gorgeous autumnal colours and fountain on the lake. I felt I ran too fast today - it wasn’t comfortable and ran it in 32:03. I still need to learn to start slow and keep it steady - park runs really get me carried away 🙈😂
My local parkrun is a 3.5 lap course too. You’ll learn to pace yourself better as you get more experience. I’m a long long way off my PB times, but even then when running hard at the time I used to love just doing a nice easy slow pace run. It’s nice to try out different courses as well. I’ve ran at about 40 different parkrun courses now. One thing that is always the same is how friendly and brilliant parkrun people and volunteering parkrun people are no matter where you go.
of course my favorite has to be my home parkrun. I know so many lovely people there. I plan to do some parkrun tourism this weekend. I have just 1 parkrun in Dublin left to do. So I might run at Malahide parkrun on Saturday morning with my Son.
We’re on our travels today so we picked Storey’s Field, a relatively new parkrun in Cambridge. It was their 63rd event and it’s quite busy with 350-400 runners.
It’s a 3 lapper around a park in a newly built up area and it’s not bad, very flat so gets speedy times.
The three of us ran, including youngest kitten on his first run since GSR. He claims to still be traumatised 🤣 but he thrashed Katnap and I. My lungs are still not 100% after my cold but I did sub 30 and my fastest in a while so that will do.
Morning Damien and everyone. Number 98 for me, and true to form it was at Severn Bridge (although Jenny and I made a pact to do Eastville next weekend - as long as it’s not the B course!)
Lovely conditions on the bridge today. A cooling, side (sometimes head) wind on the way out. It was very mild. My only goal was to get a better time than 2 weeks ago, and I managed that by 1:22. I’m certainly not back to full fitness and I still don’t have any oomph in my legs, but I felt less weak and weedy than at the GSR last weekend. So that’s a win in my book. 🏆
Jenny was pleased with her time of 28:50, and her goal now is to get sub 28 on that course. She’ll do it soon, I know she will!
Next time running at SB will be 2 weeks today for the Big 100. 😀
A physio prescribed “ no more than 3k “bimble this morning in my new Brooks Adrenaline. It ended up at 2.5k. Negative splits though 🙄. My calf is feeling much better, so hopefully it will heal quickly. I have another appointment on Tuesday. Lots of exercises to do in the meantime including gouging with a spiky massage ball. We suffer for our art!🙂
I have been working hard. Calf raises, calf stretches and eccentric heel dips two or three times per day…. and then there is the spiky massage ball! I think that this is a quick fix 🤞🤞🤞
it’s not bad really TC. I must use it more regularly then I might avoid misbehaving calves. My first injury in six months and it had to happen at GSR….didn’t stop me though 🙂
Spot on JP. I think that I have allowed a friend’s wish to make every run at least 8k to take my weekly average mileage too high in the build up to GSR. I was run ready about 4 weeks ago. I will have to re-negotiate.🙂
Thanks Damian. Yesterday’s session was easier than last week’s, so that is a good sign. Physio doesn’t think that I will need another appointment. I plan to go for another short run tomorrow to see how things are. I “felt” the calf momentarily whilst swimming crawl today. I can never tell whether that is a sign of further trouble or just a release of knotted tissue! All going in the right direction, no doubt in its own time as usual. 👍🙂
Good afternoon Damien, this morning I ran my 32nd parkrun at Dunfermline parkrun, my 62nd altogether, the weather was dry but a bit misty, in fact not after the run it got quite foggy, a good time for me at Dunfermline despite the hills and a little quick walking,32.16, which is the quickestI have ran at Dunfermlinefor a while, I think that was due to keeping up with the sub 30 minute 5k runners for the first kilometer, after that there is a hill which I walk up for about 30 seconds, all in all I was happy with my run this morning. 😊 🏃🏾
I'd had my COVID bivalent booster on Tuesday lunchtime, and my left arm had been a little sore all week. I got one short run in on Wednesday, but otherwise hadn't run since parkrun last week. Not the fault of the jab but more a problem with the weather and personal time conflicts.
I'm back in NW Wales this morning. If things had gone to plan I might have been at the local church hall in Manchester helping build the set for a play I'm in. However, a guy playing one of the lead roles had a mild heart attack on Tuesday and is now scheduled for a bypass op. The play has been postponed until after Easter next year.
So, glutton for punishment that I am, I find myself at 9am lining up to do the difficult beach run again.
There's a reasonable turnout (48) because it's half term and I recognise a few faces from a fortnight ago. Most of the people are "tourists", though.
The tide had been medium-high about 8am and was going out. There was a slight swell, more noticeable towards the turnaround point, where the waves occasionally washed up the beach and over the runnable surface.
I deliberately set off slower, then picked up pace. Possibly I did that too early. The first part of the course had medium firm sand, then as I went further round the bay the waves got more boisterous and I had to dash out of the path of a wave on several occasions.
The turnaround cone was up the beach on the shingle. I paused at that point for a few seconds and took a photo looking back (see below). The finish point is in front of the white building just visible at the top left of the photo.
The return leg got more and more difficult to sustain, and my HR was climbing. I passed a couple of other runners who were also flagging. One stopped to take off his top, then tried running for a bit, but had to drop to a walk again.
I kept plodding on with my HR rising. Eventually, there was just 500m left. Stuff it! I'm going to run the whole of this today.
And I do. HR has gone to 186 by the end, but I haven't keeled over. It recovers quickly.
Time to get scanned in. I then chat with various folks a bit until it starts to feel chilly. I go to the cafe and chat with a guy from Y Felinheli who does a lot of parkruns.
And whilst I'm having my coffee my time comes in: 28'16". It's slower than a fortnight ago when I did walk/run for the second half.
Hafan Pwllheli parkrun as seen from the turnaround point.
Have just completed my week 1 of Bridge to 10k. My 3rd Parkrun today and chuffed to bits that I smashed my PB by 2 mins 22 without intending to do so !! Felt strong and these legs just took me 🙌🏻 Coffee and cake at the local Hospice afterwards with fellow runners. Feeling super chuffed !
Parkrun #30 for me today. Was interesting for a couple of reasons. Autumn is really here and the paths were covered with leaves and rather slippery. We all had to watch our step. My watch (Forerunner 245) had something of a mad moment and had me running on water which I guess must have slowed me down! This hasn't happened before at this location. Anyone else have GPS issues today?
My first run since the GSR today - mainly because of the large blister on my big toe that I only discovered after the race when I had a shower! All cleared up by this morning, so it was my 107th parkrun and my 100th at Portsmouth Lakeside.
Couldn't resist wearing my GSR shirt - lots of others had the same idea. A few puddles around the lake after yesterday's rain, but small enough to dodge around rather than splashing through. Took it steady so I didn't aggravate the toe✔️ and came in at 31.46.
Lots of swapping GSR stories afterwards with friends and acquaintances - then off for flu jab!
Hi Damienair, Park volunteer this week but I woke up super early with a lot of things to think about and lying in bed wasn't the answer. So off for my first dawn run. A quicky as I'd already promised to volunteer at the Parkrun this week.
A fabulous dawn sunrise, a waning moon , was the vista as I turned round from facing the dark to facing the daylight. A solitary blackbird had given a warning call from the hedgerow on my run out, and a likewise solitary bat was still out braving the rapidly forming sunrise. (Photo)
Now what had been keeping me awake, gone.... So after a quick shower and a bite to eat off to Parkrun. Today I was giving out finish tokens for the first time. Do you know what, I had the biggest smile, this has to be one of the best jobs. I normally trundle in at the back so have all the helpers to myself, I've never seen the 170 runners finish in front of me!!!
I was gobsmacked at how much effort more than half of the runners were giving it. Gasping, blowing and staggering over the line. But what an absolute perspiration of achievement, there must be a better collective description!!! I hope some PB's were deservedly achieved .
What a fab start to the day. Which I know is just going to get better.
parkrun just keeps giving. You certainly see the effort those speedsters put in. I enjoy scanning too because they’ve caught their breath and can acknowledge a ‘well done’ . You can also see their names.
Brilliant dawn photo. Wow, well done to you. A (not)parkrun before volunteering at the real parkrun. Thank you for volunteering. I love that job too.
We took a 30min drive to Newcastle city centre for a change to join the Leazes Parkrun. Its so hidden away behind St.James, I never knew it was there. Embarrassing, I did take a slight wrong turn towards the end but retraced my steps and came in at around 37 mins. I came 3rd in my age group which meant lots of yp at this one. Lots of tourists as well. Nice to have a change of scenery but much better views running the Northumberland coast!
Late again in replying due to going to my best friend’s wedding yesterday!
I ran my 37th PR yesterday and 32nd at Lowestoft. It was a mild but windy morning. Numbers were down a bit with 286 runners/walkers. I suspect this was down to Run Norwich (10k race) taking place today so I think lots of legs were being rested. We had so many hi viz heroes too as one of the local running clubs volunteered on mass! This was lovely and meant lots more marshalls dotted about than usual. It was a fairly uneventful run for me. I didn’t feel quite as good as my last PR two weeks ago so I knew a PB wasn’t on the cards but still happy with 36:25. It’s a couple of minutes faster than I was managing in the summer.
Don’t worry about being late replying. I’m only getting around to reading the posts now. Hope you had a great time at the wedding and very well done on your parkrun. You’ll soon be on a countdown to your milestone 50th parkrun.
wow, 113th Parkrun, thats amazing!. Our Parkrun yesterday was absolutely brilliant, for the first time we had pacers, so I fixed my gaze on the guy running with the finish time of 25 mins. You may recall from previous posts our conversations around recovering from the effects of covid and how long it seems to take. Since having it in June, Ive been disappointed at not being able to get near my regular time. My PB is 25:09 but since covid, my time has been around 26 and over.
Well yesterday I was determined to keep the pacer in my view, and the first km was run very very fast, much faster than I have ever ran before and I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to keep up that pace. I was relieved when he altered the pace and it did slow down a bit. Anyway, long story cut short, I couldn't quite keep up with him, but finished with 25:15, which I was both delighted with, but also slightly disappointed with it only being 6 seconds off my PB. However, it does show you what you can actually do when you really are determined!!
It was a great atmosphere, someone had baked loads of flapjacks and chocolate fudge and there was a burger van, so everyone was getting breakfast afterwards, everyone had big grins on their faces, infact think I still have mine!! .
Having said that, this morning I went out for a 10 mile run and it was absolutely pouring down the whole way, but I love it!!🌧️😀
Wow, amazing running and very well done you. That’s incredible. You’ll smash that PB some day. My PB used to be 26:13 and I really wanted to get below 26 mins. Same as you I ran at a parkrun where there were pacers and I stuck to the 26 min pacer like a rash. It nearly killed me but I got a PB of 25:36 that day. Still my PB. I’m a long way away from it now but I plan to get back there next year.
I am excited to have discovered that I did a (not)parkrun yesterday because I was so bummed that I messed up my participation at a parkrun! Friday night, I was so proud to get ready for bed in time to make it to the parkrun - had it all planned out. Because I had some allergy sniffles I decided to take an antihistamine - and (you guessed it!) woke up totally out of it. I turned around and slept another hour, too late to make the parkrun.
And then! At about 11:30 I went on a run through a nearby park - a (not)parkrun! It was gorgeous! The leaves are all different colors now, sometimes slowly falling down on the path. And despite the gray sky, it all looked very inviting. (I took the photo Wednesday when I was walking part of the route...)
So, I guess this was my third (not)parkrun. Although I measured the route using Google maps and it is about 6.7km total including the walking parts (I am guessing that my actual 5km time is about 35 minutes... I stop running after 30 minutes...)
This morning I saw photos from the real parkrun and swore myself that I'll try again on Saturday! It'll be a bit of a challenge for me, too, as I've been doing my post-graduation runs on relative flat routes and the parkrun has a few hills... The incentive? No matter how slow I'll be, it'll be a personal best 🤣 We'll see on Saturday if that'll be enough to get me out of bed and the door...
Autumn colored trees along an artificial stream with two paths on each side.
The beauty of parkrun is that there is always next weekend. Just stay at the back, soak up the atmosphere and relax, enjoy the run and keep your run nice and easy. That way you can come back the following weekend and get another PB.
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week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
week 2 begins! 
