As promised... I did my first Parkrun this morning in Taunton. Here's a few notes...
Location: Taunton Longrun Meadow with 273 runners... all shapes and sizes... perfect weather.
Course: Perfect!! Almost totally flat with lots of local parking... coffee van for post run refreshments. As this course is next to my office I have run it a number of times before.
Organisation: Very good and all the volunteers were very friendly. When I arrived I spoke to an official looking guy with a clipboard and told him I was a newbie, he told me there would be group announcement and then another one for newbies to Parkrun and the course. This was informative with useful local and safety information, we were also instructed what to do with our barcodes.
My Performance: Absolutely pants!! Not sure why, but slowest time for a while, breathing was awful, legs were really hurting virtually all the way around. My position was 265th out on 273 and I was the last but one male. My time was 40:29.. although I am not a fast runner, have done better on previous runs this week. I really dont know why this was, I got up early and had breakfast (porridge) I parked at my office which then gave me a nice walk/slow jog to the start to warm up. I never run in the morning.. perhaps my body doesn't like it? My last run was on Wed, so thought I had given my body a rest.
Future Parkruns: Will I do Parkrun again... most probably. Will I do it next week... probably not. Feeling so knackered did make me feel a bit despondent after having a couple of good 5k's in the week, but this should take nothing away from the event. Perhaps I just need to keep getting out there and maybe try some more morning runs. Only one negative... teenage kid shouting at me to get out the way.. was not conscious that I was in his way... hey ho... kids eh!!
Will be out running again on Monday on my own Think I will try the same course after work to see how I get on evening running.
Hope everyone has good runs this weekend... weather looks good
Written by
AndyD
Graduate
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hey Andy been waiting for post parkrun post . bottom line you have gone out there and done it big pat on the back Andy I had hoped you would have a positive experience ,I guess a little of good and bad .. Don't worry about where you came or the greyhounds that fly round in 16 or 17 mins .. it is about being out there and taking part
I came 298th today at mine ,think that is my worst so far position wise .. and was certainly the worst start I have ever had !! technology issue !!
It still comes back to you are out there running on a sunny spring saturday morning for 5k, yes 5k Andy ,that says so much about your progress
wish we lived closer would love to come out running with you ,maybe one day that can happen somewhere
Thanks Rob... makes me feel better Yes, it was a positive experience, but perhaps I just had an off running day.
Now that I'm home, showered with coffee in hand I know that 5k on a sunny day is still a great thing.
Would be great to run together one day.. lets hope that will happen one day. Glad you enjoyed your run, and as you say, we're out there and that's the main thing.
Well done for doing it Andy. You sometimes find that a bad run follows good ones so don't worry over it just remember to look back and see how far you've come this is an awesome achievement and now you have a PB at Parkrun
Well done Andy, I've had runs where I haven't felt comfortable and legs have hurt all the way, but I think it just goes like that sometimes! I normally run in the mornings so park run suits me, when I have run later in the day it hasn't felt as comfortable, so maybe that was part of it.
Anyway, well done, 1 down, 49 to go for the first trophy t-shirt!
Well done on the first parkrun. There were only 67 at my parkrun and I think that makes a tremendous difference. It took a while to settle on the right pace for me and not get either dragged along by the faster runners or dropping back following the slower ones. This has to be much more difficult in a big field of runners.
I think it takes a while to determine the correct rhythm. Better luck next time.
Well done Andy, you did it! That is something to be proud of. Doesn't matter about speed or time, sometimes we have a not so good feeling run, your next one will probably feel better. Well done for getting out there and doing it x
I know at my parkrun I used to get pulled along at the beginning and go out much too fast, so getting knackered much sooner - could that have happened today with you? I've got much better at doing my own thing now
I live out in the sticks but even I have 4 parkruns in my vicinity which I could get to within an hour on public transport (I know the organisers suggest not driving).
I will definitely look to do some as part of my routine/training once I graduate c25k.
Looked like a lovely morning is everyone in shorts and t-shirt already? I think my suitecase is going to be full of all my running gear! I knew I should have got that ultra light jacket thing yesterday. Sorry...
Some times there is no reason, you did it and that is the main thing. I always think what would have been doing on my Saturday morning if I wasn't running and then I realise it wasn't running 5km.
Regarding the teenage kid send him to me here in chile he wouldn't survive!!
I bet you just got caught up in the excitement perhaps went a little too fast to start with and then it really hits later on. Nevertheless you did it, you now have a time and that just becomes your target to beat - and you will then so enjoy seeing the website record you with a new PB!
Andy, you did far better than me when I attempted it. I didn't finish!! I dropped out. Hated every minute of it. So well done you. Maybe you were just having one of those days. I always run at night and if I ever do run during the day I struggle too. Look. You did it. You finished. Well done and huge pat on the back!!! X
I'll admit, the idea of dropping out was on my mind as during the first loop I was so close to my car. Funny how some of us are more evening runners than morning. If I do run in the daytime, its not until after 11:00
Well done - you ran a full 5k at what looks like a beautiful Parkrun. I am still building up the courage to get there ............ It sets you a good time to start chipping away at over the next few weeks and months!
I would advise everyone to have a go at Parkrun if you think its something you may enjoy. Think I try the course again one evening and see how I get on.
Omg!!! Sorry but how rude and obnoxious of that teenager!!!!
Anyway..well done and how is that a pants preformance!! The fact that you can even complete a parkrun regardless of time is impressive lool.. i cant even get past week 7 run 1, me!! Go you!!!
Well done Andy ! You did it that's the main thing. Now you have a benchmark if you decide to do it again and you will know what to expect then. Chin up, hardly anyone can run 3 miles....but you can.....
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Here's a few notes...
Not sure why, but slowest time for a while, breathing was awful, legs were really hurting virtually all the way around. My position was 265th out on 273 and I was the last but one male. My time was 40:29.. although I am not a fast runner, have done better on previous runs this week. I really dont know why this was, I got up early and had breakfast (porridge) I parked at my office which then gave me a nice walk/slow jog to the start to warm up. I never run in the morning.. perhaps my body doesn't like it? My last run was on Wed, so thought I had given my body a rest.
been waiting for post parkrun post . bottom line you have gone out there and done it 
1st parkrun done!! 
1st parkrun!!
1st parkrun and I'm buzzin 😁
Parkrun.
1st Parkrun report
