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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Haven’t been on here much as life the last few weeks has been busy. However it was our daughter’s 18th and her request was to go somewhere snowy. I managed to book a very last minute trip to Salzburg for 2 nights.
Although it was a bit snowy on her birthday it was just bitterly cold. Rather brilliantly also managed to find a parkrun nearby.
So myself& husband set off for Hellbrunn parkrun (daughter probably had the right idea in staying in a warm bed!) Only 24 participants set off in freezing conditions.
Husband came 4th overall! I came 14th. Quick photo of the Sound of Music pavilion and then straight back to the hotel to pack as flying back this afternoon.
Didn't go to a parkrun this morning forced myself to stay in bed. My foot is feeling a lot better but I have a cold for Christmas 🎄 🤧 🙃. Well done everyone who ran or was a volunteer Happy Christmas 🎄 everyone
Good morning everyone and happy Christmas 🎄. This morning I went to my local parkrun. It was the 400th event of Navan parkrun. It was lovely to see and meet all my parkrun friends. I’m doing a training plan on my watch at the moment. New goal for 2025, my current PB is 25:22, so for the year of 25 I am training to get a sub 25 minute parkrun time. I should be attempting this goal on the 22nd of March. So today’s training session was a 2 minute warm up, 10 mins @ 5:25 min/km pace and 9 mins @ 5:10 min/km pace and 2 minutes cool down. It left me 800 meters short of 5K so after a brief walking break I ran to the finish line. Official parkrun time was 27:30. I then went for coffee with my friend Ida afterwards. Another lovely parkrun morning. This was my 49th parkrun of 2024. I’ll be doing my 50th for this year on Christmas morning.
Good afternoon Damien, this morning I ran at Palacerigg Country parkrun, many runners and volunteers were dressed in Christmas costumes, Santa hats, reindeer antlers and elves, one of the timekeepers was in full Santa Clause red costume with a false beard, probably photos on the Palacerigg Facebook page later today.
I was very pleased with my run this morning, another plus 60% age grading at 61.57% with a time of 32.37 on a muddy all trails course with many puddles.
May I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful running 2025.
Happy Christmas Al and fantastic running again this morning. It is lovely to see people dressed up as elves etc and wearing festive costumes. Have a wonderful Christmas my friend.
Annoyingly I needed to return to the bathroom just before leaving this morning and the traffic was busier this morning, meaning I arrived at the park bang on 9am.
It was raining lightly. The RD speech usually lasts a few minutes after the top of the hour, but not today. I'd no sooner joined the line-up than "start" was called.
Our numbers were noticeably fewer this morning. There were a few in Santa hats, some with bells.
The rain stopped after a couple of minutes. Everyone was dodging the puddles. I was wearing trail running shoes today, and it was noticeable how much noisier my footfall was due to the harder type of rubber in their soles.
I had a suspicion that one of the regulars was there (I'd seen her husband with their little dogs) but I didn't get have time to say hello to anyone at the start. Eventually whilst moving up the field I noticed a familiar gait (short fast strides and a lot of arm movement) but it took me about half a lap to reach her and confirm who it was, and say hello.
The usual trio of older folks was walking the other way round the route. I say usual as I've seen them on about three quarters of the occasions I've been there. I bid them a good morning when I first encounter them and "Hello again" when I meet them on the subsequent lap.
On the final lap I find myself alone, with nobody visibly ahead and nobody behind. This used to be the norm but hasn't happened recently.
Regardless, I try to pick up a little speed after the final tour of the rose garden (which has never had roses in recent years).
I finish. I ran the whole course. I did about the same time as last week (ten seconds slower). That's a win for me.
A short chat with the marshals and a few of the other runners and I plod back to the car to towel down and put on a jacket.
Parkrunners lined up at the start listening to the Run Director's speech.
Well done on your parkrun. Earlier this year I did some parkrun tourism and the GPS in my car incorrectly brought me to an incorrect location. So on went Google maps and brought me to the correct parkrun location which was on a race track. Instead of being 30 minutes early I arrived with my Cocker Spaniel with just enough time to line up at the start line before the RD said go! At least you got there for the start.
It was a cold and windy parkrun at Stratford upon Avon today. Katnap and I did the course check. The river was very high but not flooding thankfully. We took some rubbish out of the water to stop the geese pecking at it.
Did you know that, unless you were super quick today, that parkrun started in the autumn and finished in winter? The solstice happened at 9.21am. The days will start getting longer now, yippee!
Mine wasn’t super quick, my legs felt like lead as they’ve done a lot of mileage this month. But I’m very happy to have another run under my belt as I’ve not had a chance to do many this year. No.182 today. Thankfully my next marathon plan lets me include parkruns so maybe I’ll actually get past 200 runs at last in 2025!
Post parkrun mulled wine with Shake-and-run was much appreciated as we were freezing! Definitely needed even if it was a tad early??
Have a cracking Christmas break everyone, and thank you Damien for keeping these posts up all year. We really appreciate it 😍
Very well done TC and best wishes for your Marathon training in 2025. Great that you can incorporate parkrun into your training plan. I’m currently on 207 so should be hitting the 250th parkrun around this time next year. I’m going to be getting back to volunteering for the new year. Already have my name down to volunteer as finish tokens for the first Saturday in 2025. I like to volunteer one in every 5-6 parkruns. I took a break from volunteering this year so as to hit 50 parkruns in 2024.
After a 2 week break due to weather and illness, I was back at Market Rasen this morning for my 121st parkrun. Official time 35.32 which is a bit slower than the last couple of runs, but I’m still not 100% so I’m happy with that.
Wishing all my HU friends, real and virtual, a very happy Christmas 🎄
Hello damienair and parkrunners. Had not much sleep last night but I wasn’t going to miss parkrun! A jolly atmosphere and lots of elves, Santas and Christmas themes. It was a leaden sky, a bit of drizzle in the air and blowing about 37 kph. UpTheStanley decided to run with me in his pixie outfit , I think he felt better running with a reindeer than on his own. One of our bare chested runners (🥶) is also a magician and balloonist and he made a brilliant Christmas tree complete with axe.
The wind was straight into our face on the outward runs which made breathing difficult for me. Running with the wind behind us was much easier but did not compensate for the effort we’d used. I did find enough to challenge the man in front of me towards then end but I probably stepped it up too soon, as he heard me and then did the same. He came in at 36:24 and us at 36:25. I am still waiting to find my final stopwatch time of 21 secs - so close…. Maybe next year.
Merry Christmas everyone . We will be running again on Christmas Day but there will be no posting on that day!
Yes , I think it’s his equivalent of wild swimming and he runs like that even in frosty temperatures, when I’m in extra layers , gloves and hat. 😂. He seems to have quite a choice of shorts too!
Last week's parkrun seemed to have aggravated the lower abdomen strain I developed a few weeks back. So I'd decided to take a short break and hadn't run since then - hence some apprehension on how today would go.
Thankfully my worst fears weren't realised - I took it easy, coming in at 34.20, and only had a dull ache in that area thank goodness. However I think a further short break will be sensible and since we're away next Saturday I'll wish you compliments of the season and see you all in two weeks!😃
I did my first parkwalk since Sept. Been out due to injury, walked the route no jogging or running. I'd said to my PT, I'd like less than an hour, I got 54 mins. Bumped into pals on route who cheered me on, I needed it.
Made my way to a new parkrun - Oxford. Volunteered as a parkwalker and met a bunch of great folks. Today I volunteered to be a funnel manager at the Pinner Village Gardens junior. Over 50 kids braved the very cold morning...including four first-timers.
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