Lancing Parkrun

[SueAppleRun]

I spent all week thinking about how much I'd enjoyed parkrun and how I couldn't wait to go again. Then last night I started wondering if this is what I wanted to do.I set my alarm anyway and started feeling a bit down about it all.

Got about 4hiurs sleep last night and about 2am I decided I definitely wasn't going to run today.

The phone started playing music at 7am and my watch started buzzing, took me a minute to turn both alarm off, then I lay there wondering if I'd fall back asleep, I didn't so went and made a cup of tea.

I don't have any change for parking, which means if I'm going to Worthing I have to get some. I had another look at Lancing, part of the course is narrow, what if I get run over by a bike? Or trip over a dog? I'm not usually this negative. While all this gloom and doom was going on in my head, my body went for a shower and got dressed.

So.... Let's be brave and go to Lancing, I can park for free in a side road and walk across the green.

And that's what I did, there was a young man taking photos of a couple by the sign and I asked if he'd take one of me, which he did, then I asked a couple of if questions and it turns out he and his wife had come from miles away and it was their first time too.

The talk and we are off.

I started walking and set off NRC 5k run, music, sand watch, messed up the watch because with everything else I'd started it and stopped it, but I walked briskly round the green an a lady started chatting to me so we chatted, I glanced at my watch and we were walking faster than my steady running pace. It was nice to chat.

Once we got to the path I said goodbye to my new chatty friend and took off running, way too fast of course but needing to get going and settle in.

First k was 9.21, the wind was behind us and I settled in behind a man who was running a steady 7.30kpm this was too fast for me but I found I can run longer distances at that pace, I took walk breaks and started to enjoy.

2nd k was faster at 8.07 and I was no longer puffing. I was enjoying myself and took a couple of photos in a walking break, coach B babbled in, the music played but I wasn't taking much notice, just looking at the sea and smiling when the sun broke through the clouds and the sea glittered.

We turned and 3k was 8.44.

Oh but the wind was suddenly in our faces, what is it with Lancing and wind? Last week in Worthing it was way stronger but not right in our faces. On we went, the end not so far away and at least the wind was cooling 4th k was 9.21 which isn't bad considering the wind.

Past the beach huts, running along the narrow path that doesn't feel half so narrow as I remember it.

Back to beach green and I'm trying to speed up but it's more open now and the wind is pushing me back but there's a grin in my face as I follow the man I've followed all the way and get to the funnel, then I stopped thinking that was where the timed bit was and a marshall said don't stop keep running. 5k was 10.10 and it's done.

Got my chip, had my hat code scanned, chatted to the man I'd now caught up.

I've found my new favourite running route.

Email came, time 45:22 I finished 118th our of 134. Yup I love Lancing Parkrun 😀

And a huge thank you to all the volunteers who cheered us on our way and clapped and smiled, I'm going to sign up to volunteer.

Run happy or rest well everyone.

The photo I took as the sun on the sea looked perfect, it's for PeggySusi as I promised one

[Runninggirl59 60minGraduate]

That sounds fantastic Sue, you beat your gremlins and really enjoyed yourself, well done that girl 👧 🏃‍♀️😀

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Runninggirl59]

Those gremlins came I a huge pack this week

[Runninggirl59 60minGraduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

Yeah but you beat em x

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Runninggirl59]

I did x

[59er Graduate10]

It's great that you overcame your negativity and got to that Park Run. I've had my wristband for years now and never been. I haven't run for ages. I should take a leaf out of your book and Just Do It - Hmmm, where have I heard that phrase before?🤔

Taking the plunge and going to Lancing has clearly 'made your day'. You deserve to take it easy for the rest of it. Whatever you do - enjoy! 😉

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to 59er]

Thanks, oh you should, I intend to do lancing again but I'm definitely going to travel further afield too and do others

[OldManRunning Graduate10]

Well done SueAppleRun, good perseverance shown there. I, unfortunately bottled it when I saw horizontal trees and rain. The balance between the achievement of completing it and the misery I get from being windswept, cold and wet is won by the latter these days. If I had invested money in entering I would have got on with it but...

Take care 😀

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to OldManRunning]

Aww thanks, the wind was strong but only a spot or two if rain

[Shake-and-run Graduate10]

well done Sue. Loved your report xx

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Shake-and-run]

Thanks, I find to my surprise I love parkrun

[59er Graduate10]

I'll need to start the C25K all over again but I think I will. I really like the idea of running en masse with runners of all different levels.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to 59er]

You can walk it, most the people behind me were walking and I took walk breaks.

[Gthants 60minGraduate]

Brilliant! Really well done for overcoming all that negative gumf to get out there ... and enjoy it too. I dunno, the barriers we put up to try and stop ourselves!

I'm waiting for my email, then I'll post too . . .

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Gthants]

I've read your post and so pleased you got out and did it

[PeggySusi]

Thank you for the beautiful photo Sue! And I’m so glad you made it past the anxiety and enjoyed the run so much in the end. The free parking would have clinched the choice for me too - I avoid paying for parking whenever possible 😂

It’s funny how the things you worry about most at two or four in the morning often just disappear when you get moving outside in the fresh air, isn’t it? But no matter how many times we are taught the lesson, there we are again at 4am..🤷🏻‍♀️

Enjoy the rest of your day.. it’s cold, wet and windy here - hope it stays fine for you 😊

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to PeggySusi]

Thanks Sue, it's cold and wet and windy here too so after shopping I'm just keeping snug and dry indoors, 😃

[PeggySusi in reply to SueAppleRun]

Same here - I’ve got a good book to read. Yesterday I did a little bit of painting in my bathroom - up a ladder - which turned out not to be a great idea for my foot, as it swelled up rather. Today I’m resting it, in the hope that I can manage to hang just four short pieces of wallpaper tomorrow.. by the time I get the bathroom finished maybe the weather will be good for gardening🤞😊

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to PeggySusi]

Oh painting, you have to rest your foot. I should be painting the kitchen ceiling it's had one coat but a bit patchy, another coat will sort it out, maybe tomorrow, I'm not in a hurry. This rain is good for the garden.

[PeggySusi in reply to SueAppleRun]

Ugh I hate painting ceilings! 😩

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to PeggySusi]

I've found I'm not that keen myself, but I like them when it's done, I'm enjoying having the time that I don't have to fit it around work

[PeggySusi in reply to SueAppleRun]

Yes, when I finished work I thought I would have time to make both house and garden immaculate.. but I don’t seem to have managed either yet..🤷🏻‍♀️

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to PeggySusi]

It's a work in progress 😂 can decorate in winter

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

You out ran the faffage, the gremlins and the doubt...a HUGE well done to you, my friend.... so many PBs there...and not just running ones xxx

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Oldfloss]

I really enjoyed it Floss, and have signed up to volunteer xxx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Great job!!! X x

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

Amazing! Beating the gremlins first and then dealing with what the run threw your way. Well done, Sue. I think maybe your Saturday mornings have changed forever!

I was babysitting last night and have just got home. I was toying with the idea of doing the local park run this morning before agreeing to babysit. Who knows whether or not I would have done it 🤣

I’ve still got a run to do this week. Unless it clears up here, it will have to be tomorrow!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Jools2020]

I can't wait til you get down here for a parkrun Jools, I was very nervous but once we were off it was all about me and my run, I loved it.

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

I know you had doubts beforehand. Perhaps you will have for a while. But look at the rewards! You are starting to realise it’s actually *your* run, nobody else’s. I can see you being a parkrun tourist! You’ll be a seasoned park runner by the time I come down, enjoying every second! 😊

So happy you’ve found parkrun!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks Jools, and I've been plodding on slowly hardly out of breath for months, parkrun seems to make me push a little faster, I'm hopeful to do a sub 40 minute 5k one day

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

You will I’m sure. Plodding on is great for stamina - and training you to be on your feet for longer periods but if you want to increase pace, too you have to do speed work/intervals, too and push yourself a bit. I’m sure with a bit of research you can come up with a training plan 😊

[BGood]

Well done Sue! 45:44 mine today! Last night I wasn’t sure I could get up in time as I was knackered because of 05:00 get moving all alarm as I start work at 06:30 till 14:00.

However got up this morning before park run alarm and walked down to park run this morning!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to BGood]

Fantastic, well done you 👍

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Hey I love this. It just proves that getting to your first parkrun is the hardest bit. Once there, you realise you don’t have to worry about your speed, you just run against yourself. So glad you enjoyed it , and when you’ve been there a few times you’ll get to know some regulars that run a similar pace.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Dexy5]

It was nice chatting to people, it'll be good to run a few there before I venture farther afield. That guy in front of me ran a steady 7:30 pace until we turned into the wind, I was pleased I kept up with him even though he was running and I had walk breaks

[Doris8 Graduate10]

Well done Sue loved your report and you beat your gremlins , they can be naughty at times. 👏

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Doris8]

Thank you Doris, yup they are pickles aren't they?

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

For PeggySusi I love our beach even though it's stony

Sea

[PeggySusi in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you Sue! Yes, a beautiful beach, and what a lovely sky too. 😊

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to PeggySusi]

The sky was lovely, and most of the rain held off until later

[Oldlady64 Graduate10]

Very well done for the park run! I like to go to different courses and meet new people too.

I’m planning to ‘park run’ next Saturday and hoping for drier weather (it’s absolutely pouring here in the south west)…

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Oldlady64]

I'm lookin Ng forward to going to different places,

[Birdlady64 Graduate10]

That sounds wonderful SueAppleRun ! I really must force myself to try parkrun soon. I put my barcode out last night but a lousy nights sleep scuppered plans. Or maybe I'm finding excuses....

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Birdlady64]

You could jump on a train and join me Diane, or I'll come and support you at your first as Sandie1961 and Mudita11 supported me in my first 😃

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

That's a lovely offer Sue 🤗Think I just need to get by big girl pants out and go

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Birdlady64]

It's quite amazing once you get there,

[Sandie1961 Graduate10]

Just brilliant 😃😃 Setting new goals 👏

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Sandie1961]

I really didn't expect to enjoy Lancing that much but I did 😃

[Martlet76]

Well done, you are an inspiration M76

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Martlet76]

Thanks

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

I’m so pleased you’re enjoying parkrun Sue and that you plan to volunteer as well, ; the run only happens because of the volunteers! A great time for you as well, you’re definitely faster than me these days! I love your photo, I’m in the Midlands at the moment and it’s poured all day!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Thank you, I'm only faster because I was trying to catch the man up in front of me, I'm sure he was a lot older and didn't look like he was putting in much effort where I was pushing hard. We will run together one day 😁.

It started raining soon after 10 am and hasn't stopped, but tomorrow looks dryer.

I wanted to volunteer before I ever ran parkrun, and it is what it's all about isn't it? Mind you if I did tailwalker I'd have to run to keep up

[RunBrianRun Graduate10]

This is excellent news Sue. 👏👏👏😊😃You’re going great guns and I’m so glad that you overcame those nasty gremlins and got out there again! Well done and here’s to many more parkruns and I’m sure we’ll be seeing PBs before long. 👍

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to RunBrianRun]

Thanks Brian, I can see why you compete . Being part of a group of people all heading in the same direction is powerful. I don't think entering races is where I want to go with my running, but parkrun has given me a reason to get out and run. I think that's possibly why my running plans fizzle out, there is no end point to aim for. Now my aim is to start off slow enough that I don't need to take walk breaks, my eventual goal is sub 40 min 5k and to keep turning up and running. 😃

Oh and to finish painting that flipping kitchen ceiling 😳🤣😂🤣

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

This was lovely to read!

I wondered why you were at Lancing instead of Worthing again 😊

Sounds like a you made a great decision and really enjoyed yourself.

So pleased for you... Well done for beating those gremins!

🏃‍♀️👌xxx

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thanks 😃 I think the deciding factor was stopping on the way to buy something with a fiver so I had enough change to park 😂 I couldn't think what to buy but I'm glad I went to Lancing, it was lovely and very friendly, xxx

[Week7 Graduate10]

Pleased to hear that Parkrun went so well!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Week7]

Thanks, I can't believe I'm enjoying it so much

[Folkylass Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

👍🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️👏🥰x

[Week7 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Sounds like the start of a whole new Saturday routine for you!

[JeremiahObadiah]

Hi and yay! 😃You nearly got dissuaded by those wretched and powerful counter thoughts but powered through and had a fab time.

Next you’ll be counting the weeks before you get a special t shirt….

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to JeremiahObadiah]

Oh goodness, yes I almost already am, it's quite funny really.

[Folkylass Graduate10]

Well done Sue! You ran those gremlins into the wind. They won’t mess with you again👍😂😂🥰x

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Folkylass]

At least not until next Saturday morning 🤣🤣🤣

[Maddee_6333 Graduate10]

I’m so glad you’ve found a parkrun you like 😍 well done for getting out there.

I regularly volunteer at the Brighton and Hove parkrun - that’s the one in Hove Park, not the one on the Prom - so if you ever want to do some local parkrun tourism, you should head over 👍

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Maddee_6333]

Oh yes I'll definitely come to that one, 😃

[Maddee_6333 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

😍 we have a couple sneaky slopes, but nothing you can’t handle.