RFL ----- Help !!!!

[grannyjudes]

help needed pretty please. My RFL is next Sunday, I can and have run 5k but it takes me 50 long minutes, now am I going to look stupid joining the runners or should I just join the walkers ( who are probably going faster then me ! ) and run anyway. Not sure at all what to expect

[Net68 Graduate]

You will be great I walk the local race for life each year with my daughter and lots of people pass us jogging good luck

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Net68]

more afraid of walkers passing me jogging !!!

[Net68 Graduate in reply to grannyjudes]

Start with joggers and do your best, you may surprise yourself good luck

[rr76 Graduate]

I'd run if I were you - you're a runner however long you take. As Laura says, it's about distance, not speed. And I'm sure the atmosphere will carry you through - good luck!

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to rr76]

thank you

[PandaRunner Graduate]

I'm going in the running section next week - Laura said! Xx It's my first run also.

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to PandaRunner]

well if Laura said !

[Rockette]

They have runners ,joggers , & walkers called out at the start of the race , I watched last years race in my area coz mine is July 27th , so join the runners , then when u slow down it's the joggers , simples , that's my plan lol . Best of luck & enjoy

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Rockette]

good enough for you good enough for me rockette

[Rockette in reply to grannyjudes]

I'm getting a bit nervous now , we will be fine I'm sure

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Rockette]

Hi Rockette, dont worry , you will be absolutely fine. I did mine last week, and there is no pressure at all. I went in the Joggers group, but I had to walk some of the way purely because it was very uneven ground and just the sheer volume of people taking part. There were some that started in the Runners Group , that ended up in the Joggers group, it all sorts of blends in nicely, if you know what I mean. You will have a brilliant time, the atmosphere is amazing, a real buzz ,its just a great feeling taking part for such a great cause xxx

[Rockette in reply to poppypug]

Thanks poppypug yes I can imagine , won't be long now , thanks for the advise

[BloomingEck in reply to poppypug]

I ran my first yesterday and was in the joggers lot. It was also very, very busy, and a high percentage of "joggers" were walking. It was quite tiring to be effectively running on the spot! I'm running my second RFL next Sunday (13th) and will firmly plonk myself at the back of the "runners" group this time! It doesn't matter how long it takes you at all.

[Bazza1234 Graduate in reply to BloomingEck]

You will have to tell me more about how to avoid the walkers. My "race" in August has 85,000 entrants - and unfortunately I won't be one of the twelve up front on the starting line ( they are "by invitation only" )

[BloomingEck in reply to Bazza1234]

Crikey, 85000! Good luck with that! The atmosphere will be fab.

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

maybe you will get an invite before then ? ask Laura !

[BloomingEck in reply to grannyjudes]

ah, is it a C25K special? Alas, I have never graduated, I bunked off early!

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to BloomingEck]

Im beginning to realise that, so glad I posted this ( love your name ! )

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to BloomingEck]

Im beginning to realise that, so glad I posted ( love your name by way !! )

[poppypug Graduate in reply to grannyjudes]

HI GJ, you will be absolutely fine, I promise. You will have a brilliant time , enjoy it, theres no pressure regarding times or speed , its just an amazing feeling just taking part , when you approach the finishing line, everyone is clapping and cheering you on, its fab xxx

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to poppypug]

ohhhhhhhhhh poppy, what have I done !!

[c4ts Graduate]

You will have a great time, join the runners / joggers don't let your time worry you, it is not a formal race but a time to remember, celebrate, join 1000s of others for such a good cause. Enjoy.

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to c4ts]

okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk )

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

Definitely run. It dosent matter what your time is. Everyone is there for a reason and because of that you will probably be amazed at how supportive they all will be. Go at your own pace but most of all enjoy your run. Good luck.

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Realfoodieclub]

confidence returning, you guys rock

[running_joke Graduate]

I’d say definitely to join the runners.

After the warm up, you will be divided into runners, joggers and walkers (or at smaller events just runners and walkers) so that the runners start ahead of the joggers, who start ahead of the walkers. At the v large RfL I did last year , still being new to running hten we decided to line up with the joggers rather than the runners. But this was a mistake as most of the ‘joggers’ in front of us slowed down to a walk after the first 100 yards and those of us who wanted to run/jog couldn’t do much running as the paths were too narrow to be able to overtake these walkers. So frustrating after all the training (the whole reason I did C25K) to end up being forced to walk half of it! So this year we started with the runners, and even then overtook quite a few who had started with the runners and then slowed down to a walk. So I would say if you are intending running all the way (or even most of the way), you need to be with the runners - you most definitely won’t look stupid!

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to running_joke]

Im running all the way, if it kills me, so be it, but I am running, so ok, I will start with the runners, good advice, just what I needed

[AncientMum Graduate]

Runners GJ, definitely the runners. You are, after all, officially a runner. Good luck sweetie

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Oh AM I love this group

[no-excuse Graduate]

Yes start with the runners! you most certainly won't look stupid, you are doing great. Above all, enjoy yourself x

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to no-excuse]

the support here is wonderful, do you know that

[Hidden]

You've done all the training, you know you can do the distance so it would be a waste not to run it wouldn't it ? I bet you would inspire plenty of walkers to give the running a go.....Hope it goes well.

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Hidden]

thanks henpen

[totalbeginner Graduate]

Good luck I ran a fun run for charity with my daughter recently and we came last (she's only five) we ran and walked and the support was amazing no one cared about times. as others have said start strong with the runners the support will be fantastic.

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to totalbeginner]

my 4 year old grand daughter is running with her Mum but she is expecting star jumps, hopping, skipping, running backwards, being a spider, being a crab, she scares me, a lot !!

[Pigivi]

You'll be grand! Like me you may need the t-shirt i posted about earlier on

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Pigivi]

what t shirt is that Pigivi ?

[Pigivi in reply to grannyjudes]

oh, I can't put a picture on the reply thingy.... I did put one in a post by the title "Running top?" on here yesterday - the writing on the t-shirt says: "I RUN... I am slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter BUT I RUN" -

I have decided to buy one for me!!!

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Pigivi]

love it

[Miles_Yonder Graduate]

GJ: you are a runner. You must therefore start with the runners. For you are a runner and run you shall! You'll do brilliantly, just you wait and see!

Try not to worry; you'll have a blast!

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder]

Miles you are such good support, and I do listen to you

[I_will Graduate]

I think you should just do your thing, and if that's running slowly then it's fine. Anyone decent who runs will be supportive of what you're doing regardless of speed.

I bet you'll do great! Good luck, and most of all, have fun!

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to I_will]

I will report back on sunday !

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Grannyjudes-- there will be a LOT of entrants much younger than you trailing behind you in your dust-- believe me!!

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

like the sound of that, trailing in my dust !! as I prance along to Freddie ! should I give high fives do you think ?

[madamepearson Graduate]

When I did mine in June, they had walkers, joggers and runners. The runners were pretty much runners and were fast, the walkers were all walkers and the joggers pretty much switched between jogging, walking and running, so if you went in the joggers queue I think you would do fine

[grannyjudes Graduate]

loads of advice, thank you everyone, you are a grand lot !

[BloomingEck]

Wondering where we are all running? I'll be at the Dudley RFL.