First parkrun - Porthcawl

[darkpeak]

So, bit the bullet and tried my first parkrun, about 5-6 weeks after graduation.

Super day for it, bright and sunny, not too cold and not too windy.

Marshals were very helpful, pointed out the course and the procedure. I thought you had to have your barcode scanned at the start, but no, just at the end.

I've never run in a group or at any kind of event before and I made the mistake of starting quite near the back, which made it difficult to get past people not going at the pace I wanted to, at least initially though things soon opened out.

The course has a bit of an undulation in the middle which wasn't too much of an issue. Amazed at how fast people can run 5k though! I finished 117 out of 163 in a time of 27:37 which is a little slower than I've done 5k before, but not much. There were markings every km and at some of those points there was a marshal shouting out times. Also there was a 30 minute pacer runner, which was useful.

There's some photos at flickr.com/groups/porthcawl... though I'm not telling you which ones I'm in

So I'd recommend doing a parkrun, though I probably won't do it every week, but it's a nice change of scene and running environment.

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Nice report and a great time! Yes it's amazing how quickly some people run it but there again there are more people out there who can't run to the bottom of the garden.

[Frank-ntj]

Well done on a great time on your first parkrun, I would also recommend parkruns. Keep going out and enjoy your running.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Well done and flipping heck you are speedy...I'm still trying to get a time like that after 2 years!!!!