Hello Everyone. 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.
Written by
damienair
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I thought that one had closed! Sure I read a post a few weeks back from a friend that it was their last one 🤷🏼♀️ You didn’t let me know you were coming 😢
Big weekend away for me. York parkrun today and a swimming competition tomorrow.
I signed up for the swimming competition and thought I’d do a parkrun nearby. I was happy to see York was close. Got to tick the elusive Y off my Alphabet challenge Only 2 of them in England and 2 in Wales.
It was a lovely flat course around the horse racecourse, which was a new and interesting experience. I’m not sure it’s a PB course though. It was quite busy and the paths are somewhat narrow, especially in the beginning with the mass start, but it was very well organised with lots of friendly volunteers.
Very well done to you on getting your Y and another tourist parkrun. I am missing a Y and a J, neither of which are in Ireland. I’ll be making a trip next year to get one of them in the UK.
Ran my lovely local Hastings parkrun today. On a mission to get a new PB...it's just 40 seconds out of reach! When I restarted running again last year (coming back from injury) I put all thoughts of PBs out of my head. I am 4 years older than my last PB and now in my 60s 😱 But now I have come so close, I can't help going for it!! Ha ha my poor heart...🥵
Ooh we haven’t seen you for a while fellow class of 18 runner! Welcome back. Never say never on that PB, although mine was in 2019 and I haven’t come close to it since the pandemic . 😂 I reckon you can catch 40 seconds over time.
Very well done. I was in a similar way regards my PB. I got my parkrun PB in 2019 in a time of 25:36. 5 Years later I managed to beat it and I got a new parkrun PB of 25:22 earlier this year. I am on a mission to beat it again in 2025 and my ultimate goal is to get a sub 25 minute parkrun time. It is good to have a goal for motivation.
I traveled this morning with my parkrun tourist friends Ida and Petula to tick ✔️ Armagh parkrun off our list. It’s only about 80 minutes away from us and it was my NENDY. It was a tough course with plenty of hills. It was also the first outing of my new Garmin Forerunner 165 which arrived yesterday. I have loads to figure out with it. I finished in a time of 28:01. Just before the start of the run a guy came up to me and said hello, he caught me off guard as he knew my name. I then realised who he was, (Freecloud) a fellow Health Unlocked member from Sligo in Ireland. We ran together for a while and he joined us for coffee afterwards. Such a lovely morning. Happy running all.
Jen and I headed for Severn Bridge again today. A grey morning, seemingly perfect for running with little breeze. We planned our 5 mins on/off with the buggy and set off near the back of the pack. Jenny took the first leg (flat), I took the second (not so flat) and we kept switching as usual. So where did that wind suddenly spring from? The person with the buggy was spent after their stint, and isn’t it funny how 5 minutes flies by running without it, but seems more like 10 minutes with? 🥵
After battling up, we decided to mix things up coming back, so we added some little sprints. They made no difference to our times as the wind put paid to any advantage, and of course our little passenger is getting bigger each week! 😅 Slow times, but a great amount of effort was put in and we felt righteous enough to down huge breakfasts afterwards. 😋
Thanks SueAppleRun , it’s a lovely cafe near the bridge and they do fab breakfasts. Yes he’s a sweetie isn’t he? Very nosy and didn’t sleep through the run this week! 🩵
Oh 🤤 yummy. That looks like a beautiful breakfast. Very well done to you both and how amazing it is that you are able to spend a lovely healthy morning with your daughter and granddaughter. 3 generations of a lovely family parkrunning together. I ran beside a guy today who was pushing his daughter around in a buggy, he was taking it easy as he was running in a 10K race at 11. I could barely stay with him and it was a very hilly course. 🤣
It was great to meet you there . I actually read your post about todays Parkrun earlier this morning and thought what the chances were if we were to meet there, as I knew about your Parkrun tourism...
I have even more respect for people running up hills with buggies now damienair . SB is a lovely gentle slope (doesn’t feel gentle when it’s windy though!), and even that is hard work. I’ve been sped past many a time by people pushing double buggies. Just how can they go so fast? 😅
You definitely earned that breakfast cheekychipmunks . I hadn’t considered the weight of your passenger increasing over time. Must be tough on that uphill part.
I realised how heavy he’s become when I was carrying him to the car in his car seat. That was a workout in itself!
When Santa has delivered Jenny’s new buggy it should be easier as we can push using one hand and the wheels will be smoother. Hope so anyway! Hills can only make us stronger, but note how we’re avoiding Eastville and Ashton Court! 😅
I ran (and walked a few times) at the Parkrun in Armagh today. It was my second Parkrun outside of Sligo. Took a few days off and spent a few days in Armagh with my wife and thought I'd see if thare was a Parkrun here. I had a nice surprise meeting you there damienair . It a great to meet you and thanks for the lovely chat and coffee afterwards.
I think this one is hillier than Sligo. Very nice place and enjoyed the banter between the person sound the starting brief and his fellow volunteer.
It's been a while since I ran a 5k at pace and boy did I feel it. Not sure if all this slow running / marathon training is working and feel the need to get back to the paces I was at before.
Must do the Parkrun more often and am looking forward to meeting you again at another PR.
We are currently sitting at the Country Museum waiting to get our silhouettes done and it's our turn soon .....
It was so nice to meet you. A lovely surprise. Very well done to you, even though we had a couple of walking breaks you had a very nice sub 29 minute finish time. Not too shabby especially considering the hilly course.
Good afternoon Damien and other parkrunners, I almost didn't get to Springburn parkrun this morning, the electric train broke down but a electrical engineer fixed the problem and the train was only five minutes late, from the moment I got off the train to the time I got to the park I was on time as I walked fast and even ran a little too.I was the tailwalker this morning, no running as the lady who was the last runner walked all the way because she had a sore hip, so the only running I did was from the train station to the park, my walking time was just over 52 minutes so that wasn't too bad regarding the lady who had a sore hip, weather mild, cloudy but dry, a change from the snow from last week.
I'll tell you what Dexy5 , I had my phone out and ready to email the Run Director to tell him that I can't get to parkrun because the train I was on had broken down, but just as I was about to do that an announcement came saying the fault had been repaired quickly and the train would only be five minutes late, phew 😌I was the tallwalker, I read somewhere that a parkrun can't go ahead without a tailwalker, I am not sure if that is correct.
Yes they have to have one. We have 2 tail walkers at our run so if 1 can’t make it there is always another. Also there is the fall back of using one of the 2 park walkers.
I was so relieved when the train got to Springburn station only five minutes late, I made up time by running a little as I was wearing my running shoes
Hello everyone, today was my 200th parkrun, which I shared with our regular volunteer photographer doing his 250th, dressed in evening shirt, bow tie and black shorts! I also had the pleasure of running with UpTheStanley !
We had a local running club volunteer takeover today so had more marshals than ever and UTS was briefing them all. They had music, pom-poms and were brilliantly vocal.
Just 3 GSR 10 mile shirts were spotted, but most of us are still awaiting delivery with anticipation. I suspect they are sending the largest T-shirts first. 😂
Not a brilliant time for me today, as I was overheating in my 2 layers and was also getting out of breath. Thats what running with UTS does. But 35:07, 2nd of 3 in age group, and 60.42% age score. Garmin 34:24. UTS came in at the same time but was a gentleman and let me cross the line first.
Breakfast followed on our own as running buddies are all elsewhere.
Well done Dexy5 , the big 200! Fabulous that you got to share the day with a 250er too! 👏👏👏 Glad you celebrated with a delicious breakfast. Any excuse eh?! 😅
Only 178 for me, and 81 for Jenny. We’re going to try to align our 200/100 for the same weekend so I need to do 3 without her.
Congratulations on your 200th parkrun Dexy5 doesn't seem all that long since I remember you running your 100th, this morning the weather was very mild but you got a +60% age grade which I know you will be happy with, once again congratulations.🏃✅✅
Congratulations Dexy on doing your 200th parkrun. Love the pic of the guy in his 250th Tux. Nice way to celebrate. I did my 204th parkrun yesterday so I'm just 4 ahead of you. I am going to volunteer more next year so we might get to celebrate our 250th parkruns together.
I went to my local parkrun Shroggs Park. I had a 20 minutes run on the NRC so i thought I'd incorporate that into a parkrun ,i took it really easy and came in just over 34 minutes. I'm doing the Heaton park half marathon tomorrow my first chipped timed event so wish 🤞 me look not looking for a certain time it's just to get round. Well done everyone on your parkruns
I was a marshal at Southampton parkrun today. 930 runners and mild weather. I was clapping so much that my Apple watch thought I was doing a session on an elliptical trainer 🤷🏼♀️🤣
Not a bad day for volunteering I should imagine Mudita11 ! Well done on doing so. Bet you had sore hands from clapping - and I love how your watch thought you were on the elliptical! 😂
Well done on getting your parkrun volunteer fix Mudita11 . Ha ha. I’ve got a tambourine for when I marshal, it saves the hands, especially as I’ll be in gloves now.
Reasonable conditions at Portsmouth Lakeside this morning with the puddles more or less dried up. Set off at a good pace - perhaps too good as I struggled a bit with the last km. Came in at 30.15, so need to consolidate my recent sub-30!
Yesterday was a return visit to my local (Chadderton) parkrun. I've been away for a few weeks looking after Dad whilst my sister was getting over a colonoscopy.
Of course, getting back to Manchester I went a bit mad with the running: 10km on Wednesday, 3km on Thursday, 15km on Friday and then (the morning after work's Xmas party) my local parkrun.
I hadn't slept well. The fancy food had given me reflux and I couldn't settle. The watch said I shouldn't be running at all (Training Readiness was at its lowest of 1).
I dragged myself out of bed and kitted up. Suddenly mild so it's shorts weather again. My gut woke up about 30 minutes after I did, so I had to do a u-turn just at the point of leaving the house which in turn made me late.
Thankfully the run director was enjoying the sound of his own voice a little, and we didn't actually start until 9.03am.
It was quieter than the previous time I'd been (67 runners versus 85) and there were fewer fast runners. I was lapped on the second lap, but not lapped as often.
I felt OK during the first two laps but then after about 20 minutes it felt a lot harder to keep going.
One can't do your longest run since May the previous day and expect to bounce back fresh as a daisy, especially after a heavy meal with drinks in between (actually even though we got a taxi there and back, I'd not drunk much).
A few of the regular runners were volunteering this week.
I'm pleased that, in spite of the temptation in the final lap, I kept running throughout. Also my heart rate was a little lower than the previous time I'd been there at the start of November, which suggests I'm starting to get back to how I used to be.
On the final straight a guy suddenly came from behind and passed myself and the guy who I'd been using as a pacemaker for the final lap. In the official results there's only a second separating each of the three of us.
Official time was 33:03, a few seconds slower than the start of the month. I'm happy with that.
I hung around chatting at the end. There was a lady from Merseyside who was attempting all the parkruns in the area and was currently only doing the ones least likely to be muddy for the winter.
I had to bid my farewells when I started to feel the chill through my sweaty top layers.
As you'd probably expect, today has been a rest day.
Very well done. A finish time of 33:03 is fantastic especially after all your running during the week and a Christmas Party the night before and crappy sleep.
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Only 2 of them in England and 2 in Wales.
