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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Today I did Northala Fields and ticked off N from the Alphabet and North from the Compass challenges. I arrived just as they set off so I “cheated” and started a few metres from the start line.
I had to take a couple of walking breaks as my legs just weren’t having it, but still ended up with a reasonable time. Following Nike Run Club’s 5K plan, and its speed runs, seems to be paying off.
It was a lovely out and back course that went around (but thankfully not up) 4 large mounds. I went up one at the end so I could get a selfie with a view 😁
Hi damienair , this was my 19th Parkrun and my first since the end of November. I've been away a lot and not running and had promised myself that I was going to do Parkrun today. I checked the temperature outside, 23C, a bit warm, but had a bit of a think and decided to go for it anyway.
Lots of runners today, lots of older ladies too which was heartening. Sometimes it's nice not to be the eldest. They were all way faster than me!
The first lap was warm but as I reached the halfway point it started to get to me. I was on the point of going home but then thought 'no, I've come this far, even if I walk it I may as well finish it'. So that's what I did, mostly. There was very little shade but a lot of the course is flat so I did occasionally try and run but gave up as it was too much for me. The only decent bit of running was on a long downhill slope which is the best bit. I was going so fast the passing air even cooled me down a bit.
I walked most of the rest of the way until the second downhill slope, near the end. The marshall said to me 'you can always find something in the tank can't you, unless someone siphons it off!' This kind of tickled me, and I ran down the slope, walked a short way then decided I may as well finish in style so ran the final couple of hundred yards.
Probably my slowest ever 5K but I did it so who cares? How many women my age can do a 5K in the heat at all? (Obviously not talking to members of this group 😂🏃♀️💨💨)
Solo today as Jen had stuff on, so I planned on the quick trip to Clevedon. Luckily I checked FB, as I found out they were off. Simply didn’t fancy the hills of Ashton Court or Eastville so no surprise that I chose Severn Bridge (any excuse!)
Tied it in with my NRC HM Plan speed run which happened to be Triple 7s (3 x 7mins @ 5k pace with 2.5 min recoveries in between). The whole run was 33 mins, including the 5 minute warmup, so I knew I’d have plenty of time to do this. I haven’t worried my 33 minute PB for years, plus I’m still in holiday mode! 😅 Added bonus of some refreshing rain; and I was a happy bunny. 🙏
Worked a treat. Felt strong and came in at 37:04 Garmin (37:22 official) and I’m happy I went. I’d had gremlins today. 😈
Good afternoon Damien, for my 87th parkrun I took the train to Springburn for parkrun #13 there, the weather was warm /21C and sunny apart from a few spots of rain during the RD's briefing, I was runner #81 out of 115 taking part, my time was 31:52 with a +60% age grading of 61:72%, nice run for me but a little too warm.
Thank you very much CC, there was a photographer at the finishing line today so perhaps I will see myself only wearing my racing cap, a sleeveless dark Parkrun tank top which I bought recently for running in warm weather and shorts which my daughter gave me last Christmas. 😊
Update Damien, 15th July, I got home from Palacerigg parkrun by car at 10.15 after my friend Gary gave me a lift in his car, I'll give you a report of my time in this weeks parkrun forum later.
Thanks Sue but don't be too disappointed on your result today, you got out of the house in what was a very warm morning, don't blame your husband for being 46 and you being 45, there is always next week.
Tasha and I ran our home Parkrun at Albert Park. We were celebrating our 80 year old friend who was running his 100th Parkrun ⭐ It was hot and humid and we finished together running negative splits ✅😊
Congratulations to you Dean, Natasha and especially your 80 year old friend who was running his 100th Parkrun, it just shows that no matter what age you are, it is no barrier to running.
Hi everyone 👋🏻, I decided to Marshall today as I’ve got a 10k race tomorrow and didn’t want to overdo it. It was a very humid one today so well done all those who took part 👏🏻. Pic is me with my running club who all wore blue for celebrating 75 yrs of the NHS!
Hello all, I am just starting to dry out! Torrential rain while we were setting up the funnel, but luckily it was dry for first timers briefing, a thank you from the NHS by a rep at our local hospital and then the Run Director UpTheStanley . I was tailwalking as my 100th volunteer and Coddfish was timekeeping as her 50th. Volunteer. Oldgirlruns was doing finish tokens. We’d gone 2/3rds of the route when we heard thunder rumbling and fork lightening striking over the Isle of Wight . It wasn’t long before it arrived with us. Us tailwalkers were accompanying one of our regulars who pushes himself round in a wheelchair. This became even more difficult as his wet gloves kept slipping on the rim of the wheels. We came in at 1.15 looking like drowned rats. Great to see everyone wearing blue to support the NHS.
unfortunately I still can’t post a picture in this reply but it may be on the page somewhere.
O that is very unfortunate Dexy, being caught in a thunderstorm during parkrun, usually if thunder and lightning is close by they would cancel the run but if the heavy rain starts halfway through it there's not much you can do except carry on and get drenched
Congratulations to you and Coddfish Dexy! Volunteers should really get an extra credit when doing it in tough conditions. I bet thunder on the coast is extra noisy too 😬
Hello everyone! My experience today was very similar to Yesletsgo It was 24.5 degrees and blazing sunshine at 9.00am and 26.5 by the finish. I had only managed 3-4 hours sleep last night, so started out steadily, because I knew it was going to be hard. I managed to do the first 2k in a reasonable time, but my heart rate was rocketing, so I took a walking break while it came down a bit, but that was the pattern for the rest of the run and I finally staggered through the funnel in 35.38. My 81st parkrun and my slowest 5k since I was struggling with my lungs at the start of the year and I was glad it was over, but it’s another run closer to 💯
Back in the UK this week but not at home as I promised my mum a visit. We did one of our A14 runs and the penultimate ‘C’ in our Pirates 🏴☠️ Challenge, Chilton Fields.
This is a fairly flat mixed terrain course in Stowmarket that started the day parkrun returned after Covid. We had a good chat with the ED as her family have close connections with Stratford.
As it’s only a small parkrun there wasn’t much in the way of NHS 75 celebrations but they did take photo of anyone with NHS connections afterwards and we made sure we wore a bit of blue.
It was very hot and we had to set off very early, so lack of sleep, tired legs and sweltering temperatures really got to me by the third lap of the three lap course and I had to take two walking breaks.
Marathon training post jet lag isn’t helping methinks. This wasn’t supposed to be a run day according to the plan but it’s difficult to say no to a bit of tourism. I think I may have to jiggle the plan a bit.
Finished in just over 31 minutes which was ok but I think I’d have done better if I’d just taken it steady.
Ah well, one more run to get to 140 next week then a volunteering stint again. Feels odd to only get one email today!
it’s nice to go to a small parkrun and not feel responsible for anything. Even if you aren’t RD, it’s hard to switch off at your own parkrun. Have a lovely time with your mum - lots to talk about. 🍎
That is very true. They had a really big day at Stratford today though with the NHS celebrations, it seemed a shame not to be part of it but I’d promised to see mum when we got back. Unfortunately she can’t cope with us for long, especially in the heat so we’re back home now.
I’m a bit late posting today damienair but I’ve dried out now so am able to get typing! I was on finish tokens, or at least handing the tokens to the one who passes them to the runners - it gets quite hectic when you have nearly 500 of them but we’ve done it together several times before and are a crack team. Or were until today when a small number of the blighters shot out of her hand and hit the floor! But order was restored very quickly by dint of my dropping quickly to the floor in pursuit and handing them up to her in the right order to pass on until we got back on track. Hey ho, never a dull moment at parkrun! And boy did it rain at times!
Not posted for a while, though I have been notching up the parkruns. This week I was Parkwalker, I looked at the forecast temperature earlier in the week and thought any excuse not to run would be good! We had a shout out for the NHS and several costumes, one a nurse in trousers, way too hot for that I thought, a local GP surgery is also trying to encourage their staff and patients to join in too, with moderate success. Luckily, unlike some of you, we missed the rain. What was strange to me this week was the person who came first did not show their barcode, wether by accident or design I don’t know but our results are headed up by an unknown with no time.
No parkrun for me this weekend. At 9am on Saturday morning I was busy loading up the car for the long drive back from holiday. (We had to be out of the let by 10am at the very latest.)
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