week 3 - park run

[nonrunner_for_30_years]

Ok so I haven't finished the c25k - in fact I am only in the third week - but the last two weeks on the Saturday me and my mate did a double session repeating the podcast and couldn't help but notice this band of rather happy and friendly people jogging around the path with us.

So I looked into it and found the people were participating in the park run. The run is three laps of my park and me and my friend have been doing three and half laps in our double sessions. So we thought that actually we should be able to complete it and it would be quite good fun to meet some runners who might just motivate us to go that little bit faster.

We nearly chickened out on Friday evening tutting about the predicted weather and wondering whether we felt up for it. We decided to go for it though and I have to admit I never felt nervous just excited.

I thought I should be able to do it in 50 mins hopefully and I had looked at the results pages for previous weeks so already had the safe knowledge I would be last but I didn't mind I just wanted to participate.

This morning I picked my friend up and we approached the start line cautiously. As the heavens opened quite a few of us headed under a nearby tree to wait for the start of the race and it was lovely to chat to some runners.

At the start of the race everyone ran off and me and my friend started at a slow and steady pace smiling at each other as the rest of the runners went round the corner into the distance. slow and steady we kept going alternating between 2 mins run 90 sec walk. My calves were so tight for the first two laps making the change from jog to walk really difficult but by the third lap they had began to warm and feel better.

At some point the rain stopped (Though I have to admit didn't even notice at first and then I looked up and the sun was shining and I could see blue skies!)

My friend - even though she can go faster than me - stayed at my side throughout and really supported me and kept me motivated.

When we got to the finish line we tried just that bit harder and as we got closer we heard a round of applause from the dozen or so people still around.

It felt so good!

We felt sure we had got under 50 mins and played with the idea we might have even got around 47 mins so imagine our enjoyment when we found out our time was 44 mins and 22 secs.

I am so proud of that time and don't care that we were last out of 150 people. This is the first sporting event I have been excited to be in and even enjoyed doing. Incredible feeling.

And I can only get better as I continue the c25k programme.

I would encourage others to consider a park run as a motivator and not to worry about what time/place you get - it's just a fantastic feeling - me a jogger completing a 5k at the weekend - I still haven't got bored of telling my family and friends!!!

[PamJK Graduate]

Inspirational blog. Well done to you and your friend, especially for doing it at W3. It took me until Week 9 to do my first Park Run this morning. Great going! x

[nonrunner_for_30_years]

Thanks Pam, I think it helped that I knew the course as I run in the same park doing the c25k and had seen people doing the park run so knew it wasn't too scary. I never thought in a million years I would volunteer for something that involved me covering such a distance so I am just in love with this programme!

[greenlegs Graduate]

Oh, what a lovely blog! That was a really good time too - I did my first parkrun a couple of weeks or so after week 9, and although I ran (well, 'ran') all the way, it took me longer, so you really did do well!

I was worried about the end, as I thought I might feel humiliated (I was last too), but it was quite the opposite, I felt so proud of what I'd achieved, and really happy that others appreciated what it meant to me. Parkrun is so good. Being part of it made me feel really warm and fuzzy - all those people working together just to feel good!

[Cazvs Graduate]

"I am so proud of that time and don't care that we were last out of 150 people."

Too right! <high five> You should be proud. Parkruns are very supportive, I bet you'll find loads of C25K graduates there. My local one was my first post-grad run and the experienced runners are so supportive and full of great tips.

[TJFlute]

I enjoyed reading your blog! You did so well and I'm sure that others will be encouraged to do the park run now

[nonrunner_for_30_years]

Thanks everyone, I was going to do it again this Saturday but it is cancelled due to another charity fun run taking place. I will do it at the end of the month though and again I am quite excited - I am hoping I might be able to jog more and walk less for this parkrun.