cameo role in parkrun

[marc_read]

Whilst visiting family in Brum, I felt the need to run and on a sunny Saturday morning in the park close to where I was staying I did just that. I started off and found that there were these bright green signs laying out some kind of route. How cool, I don't even have to think about which way to run. So I followed them and found a gathering of athletic looking people. I carried on and even found distance markers even better I could get an idea of timings.

So imagine my surprise (bearing in mind I am a relative beginner and not a very quick runner at the moment) when about 100 runners came running past me at top speed and people at particular way points began cheering me on. So this must be one of those parkruns they are talking about!

I followed along at my not very quick pace and enjoyed running with other people. I also found after finishing my individual run that I had broken three out of my four records....fastest 5 K fastest 1k and fasted mile. The only record I didn't break was the longest distance and that was because I only wanted to do 5k. I'm sure I could have broken that if I wanted to.

I now realize how good other people are at running they seemed to eat up the distance without any effort at all. It also brought out the best in me. So perhaps I should enter one for real!?

[paul2014 Graduate]

Lol, great post Literally stumbled upon a Parkrun mind you, all those new records so it seems to have been worth it

[tanyag_163 Graduate]

There's definitely something in the group effect sometimes makes us realise we can push harder than we think we are capable of

[pinkangel16 Graduate]

Brilliant! What an introduction to parkrun.

And didn't you do well? Good for you

x

[ju-ju- Graduate]

brilliant blog...and yes you should sign up for parkrun, they are great and so well organised ( as you have already established!!)

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Do try parkrun. If it gives you nothing else, you will have an accurately timed 5k to use as a base for future running, but you will probably get the excitement of running with others as well and meet other runners. Remember it's all free!!

Keep running, keep smiling.

[folkieboater Graduate]

Although I was only walking ahead of the boat scouting for a mooring, I stumbled upon the Baildon Runners Beginners session yesterday morning. If it had been an hour later, or I had been an hour earlier, I might have joined in.

Went for an 8 mile walk in the afternoon instead.

[Sue_Reading]

Literally stumbled into a Parkrun... brilliant! Welcome to the Parkrun family! Now that you have seen how lovely and friendly everyone is, tons of encouragement and advice on hand every week, and how much more fun it is to be running in a group of likeminded people (some speedy, some ploddy) - bet you'll be there every week soon!

And the nice thing is, no matter where in the country you are, there's a parkrun not too far away that you can join in with. We love hearing that there are Parkrun Tourists in the group and where they are from. Sometimes there's even cake at the finish line for everyone as more often than not its someone's birthday, or they've reached a parkrun milestone (such as 50 or 100 parkruns). Parkrunners LOVE cake!