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.
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damienair
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Guess which wazzock forgot to check the news page and turned up at a cancelled parkrun? I’ll give you a hint..,it was me. I had a free drink on my Costa card so I cheered myself up with a hot chocolate and a newspaper. That was some consolation!
Well done to everyone who successfully ran, walked or volunteered!
If anyone does turnup at a cancelled parkrun which there were many today in Scotland due to fallen trees, I assume there is someone at the start line to inform that person that the run is cancelled.
If it was Marine Parade parkrun it was on the cancellation list a long time ago because of high tide conditions AlMorr . In that case there would be no one to inform runners. However, if cancellation is at short notice one of the team would be there.
I only knew about that one because I saw it when looking for something else a few weeks ago, and I asked cheekychipmunks whether the promenade got flooded and whether it coincided towing the Severn Bore. That must be an amazing sight.
On a Monday morning a few months ago I walked the course of Springburn parkrun, compared to a Saturday morning it's quite strange with no one else there except a few dog walkers, it could be a completely different place, no signs, nothing on the route, no marshalls on the course and most of all, no runners except a few out for exercise, by the way my time for that 5K walk was 48 minutes.
Ah no. I planned to go to Galway this morning but two of the parkruns were cancelled. Thank goodness I checked. Beauty of parkrun is that there is always next week.
Thank you! I’ve been tired all day so I think it was the right result in the end! I’ll try and run tomorrow instead … and that will end with more ☕️ !!!
Hi Damienar, I’ve just finished the Blickling Park Run here in North Norfolk. A slow enough time of 32:10 Park Run or 31:41 on my watch for a 71 year old but at this stage I’m not particularly bothered. I did a slow 6 mile during the week and that is my longest run for ages.
I used to run a lot and lived in County Wicklow Ireland and ran in the hills and mountains. MSR Mud Sweat and Runners. A guy called Juju used to run it. He still runs, kayaks and cycles. Mad altogether. What part of Ireland are you from?
Yes we have to accept these varying times. It can add 40 seconds on my time at Southsea as we seed the start for safety reasons. I love it when I get to a small parkrun !
Well done on getting out the door. You’re always going to be a 1,000 times faster than everyone else who is still in bed. I’m currently in the front passenger seat of my car whilst my wife is driving. We are on our way to Roundwood in Co. Wicklow for the night. My sister lives in Roundwood. I love Wicklow and I’ve done a lot of Hikes and a few 10K trail races up there. We live in Navan in Co. Meath.
Morning Damien; I have been out of the Saturday 5k loop for a while, but I think I have got the niggles out of my legs now🤞🤞🤞. These new trail shoes took a bit of running in, but all seems fine at last, This morning I doubled up my trail 5k with a NRC fartlek run, which had a slow warm up first lap. I ended up with 30:48, which felt pretty good. Whilst it is still nippy out there, it is a beautiful sunny day; just a great morning for a run. 👍
SB for Jenny and I this morning. No ice this week I’m relieved to say, in fact they were great running conditions. 🙏🏻
Jen mentioned how she feels her fitness is returning post-baby and I suggested she might like to drive the buggy for the entire 5k. Imagine my delight when she said yes! 👏👏👏 He’s 7 months old now and growing like a weed - she’s welcome! 😅
Worked a treat for both of us. She ran it in 31:55 (somewhat less Garmin) and I ran in 39:08 (38:37 Garmin) which is more like I should be doing it in. Still plenty of work to do to regain proper running fitness (only did one less than 4k run all week prior to today), but a step in the right direction. Jen is gunning for sub 30 (with buggy), so we both have good goals.
Haha Sandie, yes I think she surprised herself with that time! Let’s hope she didn’t stand on the back axle on the way back down the hill and hitch a free ride. 😅
Thanks Dexy5 . She’s been running with Bahram in the week and as he’s quicker than her over a short distance she’s been trying to keep up. She’s seen a huge difference. Lovely for both of us to do our own thing. 😀
Thanks damienair , ahh I’m sure you’ll get a free brekkie soon. I’m being repaid by my two daughters for their years as teenagers together! Oh I shudder at the thought! 👿😂
It was lovely MissUnderstanding , perfect conditions - rare on the bridge at this time of year! Let me know when do plan to run there. Would be lovely to say hello. 😀
Well done both! Bet it was much easier without the buggy! Youngest kitten got another 5k PB today - 20:01. Baton well and truly handed over to the next generation in our household!
Good morning damienair and parkrunners. Mudita11 and I were tailwalkers at Lowestoft parkrun this morning, it's a lovely course, very welcoming RD and other volunteers, neither of us is fit at the moment but we managed to complete in under an hour. A very tasty bacon bap on the seafront, a meander back to the car and a rather roundabout journey to the station, then home for me 😁 really chuffed, I wouldn't have even contemplated this a month ago .
I now need a North....GT Yarmouth north beach will do it, then a trip to Southampton to get an East 😁
Yes, Somerdale Pavilion (aka Curly Wurly) is in Keynsham, so about 25 minutes for me. It’s been under water this week (flood plain), so probably wise to wait until spring/summer SueAppleRun 😀
How lovely to have a meet up with Mudita11 . I take it she travelled to you yesterday rather than this morning. 😂
We have yet to do Eastleigh . It is our nearest not done yet, and we will save it for the perfect day as it can be quite muddy at this time of year. I hate running on grass at any time so I have been avoiding it.
Yes she arrived yesterday afternoon, we did holiday things like a walk on the beach and ate fish and chips. It was fun. Then volunteering at Lowestoft as neither of us running.
Very well done Sue. I’m just needing a North to complete my compass challenge. I have about 4 trips planned for UK at some stage. To get a North, Y, J and Bushy Pilgrimage.
Brilliant Sue! There aren’t too many Wests are there? We did Oswestry, which is also pushing it as a ‘West’ if you ask me 😂 We aren’t as brave as you - we did Northwich which is much, much easier than Great Yarmouth! However, we did do Eastleigh and Southampton, both of which are great courses. Enjoy! I’m very jealous of your bacon bap 😋😋😋
I'm sure it's your sausages that I get jealous about. I wonder how far Northwich is from me, great Yarmouth will take about an hour and a half at my level of fitness but I get fitter each month, I've done Southampton and Eastleigh will happen this year 😁 I do like a long drive.
I'll look where it is, but I walk a bit on the beach most days so might stick with local, there's a photo somewhere here of me running a race on GT Yarmouth beach as a child, one day I'll see if I can dig it out
A perfect parkrun morning Sue, a good walk with a friend followed by something yummy to eat! Glad to hear you’re still getting out there, I hope things are going ok?
Thank you, it was lovely and the weather was great, a slightly different beach to the one nearest me, there were people swimming in the sea which made us shiver. It's hard work building up fitness again and some of the treatment I have floors me for a few days but then I feel stronger than the month before and it's great 😃 Here's a photo of the beach when we arrived this morning.
Hello everyone! It was 4 weeks since my last parkrun and we had a Trotters club outing to Market Rasen this morning (15 of us, almost 10% of the total 170 runners). A grey and murky morning, but dry and no wind. 124th parkrun; time was 34.58, which I am aiming to improve on in the coming weeks, but 1 min 29 secs faster than my last, virus fuelled, one on 4 Jan. Group stop off at the 7 Districts coffee shop for a cappuccino, ham and poached eggs on sourdough toast and a good old natter and I’m set up nicely for the weekend 😁
It was really nice! We are starting to have a club meet up at different parkruns on the first Saturday of each month, so could be a bit of tourism on the cards 😃
That’s good. My PB was set in 2019 and I can’t see myself ever getting back to that time again , but I like to see how I compare with my age group and get above 50% age grade score.
Thank you. Still ot 100% pain-free, but nowhere near as painful . The worst thing for me is holding myself back . want to start the long runs and hill runs and sprints , etc, but I don't want to set myself back again. It's been stretches and gym with parkrun on a Saturday , but I might try another run during the week
Hello damienair and fellow parkrunners, when the alarm went off at 7.00, it seemed incredibly early . But UpTheStanley has got the beginnings of another cold and was due to volunteer on finish tokens with a new DofE volunteer. So I had said I would take over from him if he didn’t feel up to the full stint.
Of course once I was up and dressed I was fine, and weather conditions were perfect 6°C and only a 6 mph easterly.
This is the first parkrun this year that I haven’t been struggling for breath, and needing to walk. In fact I spent a lot of the run calling people to run on the left and not to run in the cycle lane alongside the prom. Someone asked me if I used to be a teacher 😂. I didn’t .
I was really pleased to have a steady pace throughout and was 34:21 on my watch and dead on 35:00 in the results.
Breakfast followed with UTS, and Coddfish who had volunteered and Oldgirlruns and Mr C who also took part. A good time was had by all.
Hello everyone, this morning I went for some parkrun tourism by driving for 2 hours and 15 minutes to Bundoran Promenade parkrun in south Donegal on the west coast of Ireland. It was cold and very windy but as usual the volunteers were amazing and super welcoming. This was the 10th week of this new event. The course was basically an out and back along a path on the coastline. Scenery was spectacular and I really enjoyed the run despite the 40 mph headwinds. I finished in a time of 27:03 and in 46th place. Another one ticked off my list.
Good afternoon Damien and all, wow, it’s been busy in here! I think that may reflect how busy and popular parkrun is getting again. We were at 456 at Stratford upon Avon today and were regularly getting 450+ now, slightly more than pre-Covid levels.
I was in two minds to run today but I’m determined to get to 200 before Easter, so I just got on with it. Pre event course check done first, thankfully no ice, no flooding and no other dodgy happenings, so we were good to go, for only the third time this year!
With a HM tomorrow I took it gently, for once actually running with Shake-and-run rather than shooting off after promising I’d run with her 🤭 I had a Coopah plan run of 20 minutes easy plus 10 second ‘strides’, i.e quick bits. So I did that and then walked so that I could catch up with Shakes again. It worked out really well: it was good to take the pressure off myself for once, I enjoyed it and it was good to have a natter and Shakes’ company. If I’m going to get to 200 for Easter then I’ll have to do this as I’ve got some big old Sunday long runs coming up over the next few weeks.
Shakes wasn’t staying for coffee so Katnap and I went home to continue putting stuff away in our newly fitted kitchen. Might save the post run bacon sandwich for after the HM tomorrow 😋
After some weeks of volunteering and other activities, like swimming, I actually walked at our parkrun today damienair. I realised that I was rather stuck on 97 and if I’m going to reach that magic 100, I need to get a shift on! So it was a 50:54 min walk, coming in at 460 out of 467 but that’s fine with me, nothing wrong with being at the back and there’s less chance of being mown down in the rush! And as ever my little report ends with the usual breakfast with Dexy5, UpTheStanley, Coddfish (one of our timekeepers today) and Mr C. A good start to the day!
Parkrun tourism for me today, including a meetup with Tasha99 and GTFC .
Today was Fountains Abbey near Ripon, Yorkshire.
I arrived early as there's a fair trek to the start point from the car park. The National Trust requires parkrunners to use their overflow car park, but there's about another 10 minutes of walking from the visitor's centre to the start.
It's a busy venue. Over 400 turned up today. Tasha and GTFC turned up about 8.50 and I recognised them immediately. We listened to the first timers' briefing then lined up. Because of my recent 32-33 minute finishes, I chose to slot in the crowd a bit after the 30 minute point.
The pair of them are coming back from different interruptions to their running routines.
Due to the numbers it was a slow start and, even though the Run Director had a loudspeaker, it was a bit muffled and the countdown to "go" was a bit indistinct.
I wasn't doing a comfortable pace with the group I'd found myself amongst, so when it started to spread out I did my usual trick of finding gaps and doing little sprints through them. There were a few people with dogs: little ones furiously wearing their paws down and bigger ones barely at a trot.
We also had a blind runner paired with a pacer, both in yellow waistcoats. He had his nickname on the back of his waistcoat and was well known to the marshals.
I was running in my trail shoes with hard rubber soles. They're a bit noisy. I kept apologising to people as I passed them for making a racket.
The scenery is amazing. We passed both sides of the abbey and around the water features beyond. The course is two laps, the second over a slightly extended loop, but finishing well short of the starting point.
Even though I'd done a slow 10km run yesterday and had little sleep after travelling and getting up early to travel to the venue, I felt a bit of strength in my legs today. (Starting off slowly might have helped too.)
The finish was at the start of the harder of three short slopes on the course.
I hung around after getting my finish place token to snap a photo of Tasha and GTFC finishing, which I then sent to them.
Afterwards, having had our tokens scanned, we ambled to the very busy cafe and had a coffee and a bite. The National Trust does well from the cafe after parkruns!
We had a long chat (mostly about running, unsurprisingly).
Last week I came 4th in the Pwllheli parkrun. However, only 15 people ran, and my time there was 32:16. I doubt I'll get as good a finish placing again.
Today? 219th out of 435 with a time of 29:19. My first sub-30 minute parkrun since May last year.
So that's five people from the forum I've met at parkruns so far, the others being TailChaser , Katnap and Curlygurly2 .
And this ends my Run Every Day January, compensating for the Sunday lost to snow. No running tomorrow!
A group of three in front of the parkrun sign at Fountains Abbey, with the abbey behind.
Well done Nowster! Feels like ages since we met at Newborough…possibly because it is 😱 Well done on your Pwllheli placing, just say you finished 4th, don’t worry about the rest of it 😅
Great to meet you two too! Enjoying the break, and I have had a few rest days (Sunday and Tuesday), and a hilly 5km loop on Monday. Hope you saw the photos on Strava (courtesy of GTFC). As a lot of the land round here is Army related (with barbed wire topped fences and shouty signs), there are few public footpaths.
In the morning I'm planning on running around a former gravel quarry which has been converted to nature trails (which means a short drive to the other side of the A1(M)).
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