My slowest parkrun ever, possibly!

[Beads]

So why the smiley faces?

Last November (I think) I did my first ever parkrun, with Grace, but she was running with her stepmum and runs slower than me, so I went off, that was at Lloyd Park in Croydon (her home course, it has hills) and my time was 34 minutes plus some seconds that I can't remember without going and looking it up.

Today, Grace came to Riddlesdown parkrun (my home course, no hills, Grace fancied a 'flat' run, she looked at the one 'hill' with scorn as well) with me and I returned the favour to her. We got down to the start and during the pre-race chat she decided to bottle out. Her mum talked her round to trying for one circuit and when they said 'go!' off we went, nice and slowly at a pace she was comfortable with. Just before halfway she needed a couple of walking breaks, just 50 yards or so (she told me to go ahead but I said no because then when she felt like running again she'd try to catch up, tire herself out and not make it to the end). We got a boost at the halfway mark when they told us our split time was 17:53 which is her fastest split time, so she lobbed her iPod at her mum who was walking back to us and announced she was completing the run!

About 200m from the end our time was 33 something, which gave her another boost and we sprinted the final 100m with the zombies chasing us! By heck, can that girl move! Her normal running speed may be slower than mine but that last 100m I struggled to keep up with her on the sprint!

I don't know our final time, but hopefully for Grace it's a good one.

Now for the ulterior motive. Having got a lift up there, I ran home! Yay! A parkrun and a long run all in one go! Now a direct route home from the parkrun is about 4k, so I went 'round the houses' somewhat, even extending the run up the hill and the long way home so my final run (total, including parkrun) was just over 13k! I now have a smug feeling inside!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Wow Beads well done both to you and Grace. What a good friend you are not leaving her but sticking to your running buddy like glue, thats what true friendship is all about But then you go on and run some more, why, because you could, good enough reason Smashing blog thank you.

[Malcy Graduate]

Another 8k after a Parkrun? Sensational!

[sfb350 Graduate]

You should feel smug - well done on your long run and for looking after your friend.

[Beads Graduate]

Thanks everyone. Looking back at what I wrote I could be coming across as snotty or snobby or spoilt or something, but it was really nice running with Grace. Doing that 'forced' me to run at a slower pace rather than haring off after everyone else, generally I'm too tired at the end of a parkrun to go the extra distance (when I did the run a couple of weeks ago then went round again I was useless for most of the rest of the day). The next 'epic' might be to run there, do the run and run back, if I manage to go the direct route it'll be the same distance as today (and there's always the option of walking home).

Just checked the results and both of us got a time of 35:28, not at all shabby!

And well done to Tracy from here who came in next but one after me!