Parkrun on Sat -- am I mad?

[Fitfor60]

I am planning to do my wk9r1 on sat at Edinburgh parkrun So no music , no Laura and never run more than 3k before -- bit nervous but should be interesting! Oh and I prefer grass and this is on the prom It took me weeks of faffing about and reading about running on this forum before I actually started c25k My goal was to be able to run 1 mile charity race with grandson next May and I NEVER EVER thought I would be able to run for 28 mins let alone be contemplating 5k ! Might have to walk last bit but I am going to just keep running and see what happens

[c4ts Graduate]

Go for it and enjoy. I did a 5k for my W9R1 and despite it taking longer than 30 mins I just kept going, the motivation of it being an actual 5k seems to be enough - and no reason not to go with Laura if you want to. I did do it accompanied by Laura (still do 4 months later).

You might catch the 5k bug!!

[flossieflyblow Graduate]

Oh, have a go but promise to let us know how you get on! And if you have to walk, so what?! As you say, you never thought that you'd be able to run for 28 minutes so you've already surpassed a goal. I have a sneaky feeling that you're going to get carried away with the excitement of the occasion!

I haven't done a Parkrun yet so you're being pretty inspirational, here.

Hope that your Grandson is bowled over by his bionic Grandma!

[crox Graduate]

Not at all, the Edinburgh parkrunners are a good bunch, I did it back in June.

Don't forget your barcode and take your time

[Rockette]

Good on ya ! Best of luck for tomorrow , you will do it

[Fitfor60 Graduate]

Thanks everyone Your comments are really encouraging Its cold but sunny today so fingers crossed same tomorrow I am getting quite excited now

[Mummysaurus Graduate]

I am so excited for you as the others have said you may just surprise yourself, it's much nicer running with others but just stick to your own pace and if you have to walk/run the last bit then so be it just make sure you are running when you hit the finish with a great big smile, will be thinking of you tomorrow.

[Fitfor60 Graduate]

Thanks I will try and keep wee bit oomph in reserve so can run over the finish line ---- and then prob collapse !

[deb54 Graduate]

Park runs are so lovely I bet you do the 5k happily. There will be no collapsing as you will be excited about getting scanned. I am hoping for cold and sunny down in hampshire too! Good luck and good running

[Fitfor60 Graduate in reply to deb54]

Thanks hope sun shines for you too

[mum2theboys Graduate]

Look forward to hearing how you got on. I used a radio today and it was really helpful. I'm putting off a parkrun as there is a huge incline twice! Maybe in a couple of weeks. Do your own pace regardless of others. I bet you surprise yourself. Have fun. X

[Fitfor60 Graduate]

Huge incline x2 oh no no no I am lucky our parkrun is completely flat and by the sea with amazing views Plan is to try and not to think how far I still have to go and think of something else --- maybe how I havnt started Christmas shopping yet ! Maybe not good idea as that will just put me in panic mode

[DH164 Graduate]

I listened to stepping stones

For my 5k as the music was longer . I just kep turning it back to the beginning. It has audiifuel music and thst organisation do good long running music themselves. Hope you managed it in sunshine. Sounds glorious

[turnturtle Graduate]

How did you do Fitfor60? It was a glorious crisp morning here. I finished the run last of over 100 runners. They were putting away the funnel. How humiiiating! In the last K a really nice man jogged past, asked if I was doing the ParkRun and said he was recovering after injury and would run with me. 'Come on. he said. Let's get a spurt on', so I did and we 'sprinted' to the finish. Don't know my time yet but at least I finished. One 3 minute walk break after 25 minutes. Bet you did better than me!

[notbad Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

Nooo not humiliating turnturtle, please don't put yourself down! It takes real stamina to keep going when you're on your own at the back of the pack - it's wonderful that man ran with you. Today I was marshalling and was looking out specially for those towards the back, was so sad to see one lady drop out on the last lap, I would have run with her if I could. Running 5k is an achievement to be proud of however long it takes you - no 'at least' about it.

PS Fitfor60 hope you enjoyed your parkrun, it doesn't seem long since you blogged about your w5 r3, good to read you're going from strength to strength.

[turnturtle Graduate in reply to notbad]

Thanks notbad. It was really such a help to have someone run with me. The trouble with doing a run around a racecourse is that you can see the whole field all the time streaming further and further ahead of you and you have to fight your mental feeling of failure. When I run on my own and on the only other park run I did. which was around a tree-lined park, I couldn't see anybody else and was able to concentrate on my music and my own performance. Lesson learned. I think I will look for a less exposed venue nex

t time. And there will be a next time

[notbad Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

I can imagine it must be mentally tough to see the whole course flat out like that, I always find the longer stretches harder than lots of smaller sections. Funny how the same distance can feel longer/shorter. Good luck for your next time!

[Fitfor60 Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

Just did new post I did it in 38.37 still can't believe it Dont put yourself down turn turtle you should give yourself a pat on back for turning up and keeping going -- I bet a lesser person would just have given up and stopped please do it again and I bet you will surprise yourself

[turnturtle Graduate in reply to Fitfor60]

Well done Fitfor60! That is a brilliant first time time! I am sure I was a lot slower than that but can't check as my local Park Run doesn't usually put the times up till Sunday. I really did feel like giving up at times but in a childish "I don't want to play this game anymore cos I'm not winning' sort of way and I am too old for that attitude! I kept going, but thank you lovely man for latching on at the end and encouraging me. Wish I'd had the breath to ask his name

[Fitfor60 Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

Our park run results not there yet but I got txt telling me my time -- I think I signed up for it when I registered Hopefully you can return the favour and offer help to someone struggling when you am old hand at these park runs Good luck for your next one

[turnturtle Graduate in reply to Fitfor60]

Time up! 40.30. Which is 15 seconds faster than my first attempt two weeks ago! I am going to focus on my age-graded score which is 52.39 which is .25 better than my 38 year old son who finished in 25 minutes! Yeh...

[Fitfor60 Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

Really good you improved time and 'beat' your son . I think I had better look at age related score as I don't think I had seen it before

[waletta Graduate in reply to turnturtle]

Brilliant. I hope one day to muster the courage.

[Fitfor60 Graduate in reply to waletta]

If you anything like me the more you think about doing the Parkrun the bigger it gets Just go for it I am sure you would enjoy it

[waletta Graduate in reply to Fitfor60]

Thanks. You're right it does get bigger. I will muster the courage but not quite yet.

[Mummysaurus Graduate]

Well done for finishing turn turtle that's a great achievement, really looking forward to hearing how you got on fitfor60