I'm doing my first park run this weekend as my W9R1 and the park run I have chosen is 90% on grass. It has a tendency to get muddy apparently (it wasn't on a couple of weeks ago to allow the ground to recover a bit) and it's set to rain this weekend.
I have some beautiful bright pink Ascis trainers which cost me the earth. I don't want to get them ruined by running through mud. I was wondering should I put them through the washing machine if they do get really muddy???
I'm a novice at all this, so I haven't a clue if that would ruin them?
Because of the weather forecast, I'm thinking of switching park runs to the South Manchester park run which I believe is on concrete.
Am I being a princess by worrying about my beloved trainers?
I'm stressing enough as it is about park run. The slowest park run time from last Saturday at the Cheadle Hulme Park run was about 35mins. I reckon I'd be about 45mins.... that's if I make it around 5km. I've not actually come anywhere near 5km on my runs yet.
So I'm wondering whether to do South Manchester park run because the slowest time there was 45mins and that was the tail runner.
CH park run is much smaller than the Sth Mcr one.
Oh decisions, decisions.
Anyone got any advice please?
Written by
mancunianpoodle
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I just wash my shoes in a bowl of soapy water and then lol, I put them in my spin dryer, they seemed to survive. I would have thought they are designed primarily for a running shoe not fashion, so they should be made to withstand some rough treatment.
With regards to park run, I'd be a hypocrite if I said it doesn't matter were you finish, its the doing it that matters, but really that is the truth. I don't think changing venue because of the weather will help, you and I both know what the Manchester weather is like, I always work on the assumption of rain, if it does anything else, its a bonus.
Have fun and go and do it.
Best of luck
Seems like a no brainer to me. If the times at South Manchester are slower you will feel less psychological pressure to run faster than you are able (Even though times really don't matter at park run). If the surface is concrete and you won't have to worry about your shoes that's another plus. If you don't have to worry about your time or your shoes all you have to think about is turning up with your barcode. South Manchester all the way.
Do not wash your trainers, they will never be the same afterwards. If they get muddy wait for it to dry and then brush it off.
I was also going to suggest some cheap shoes like the Karrimor Tempo, I use these on the coastal path as it can be muddy. Also if you are not used to running on Concrete it can be tricky. Good Luck.
Concrete can be very hard for the joints (ankles, knees, hips), particularly if you're not used to running on it. On the ohter hand, if you've already run many of your runs on concrete it shouldn't be anything new for you.
As for the shoes - let them dry (stuff with newspapers if they're really wet), then brush loose dirt off. I wouldn't put them in a washing machine.
If it were me I'd be going for South Manchester - more people and slower times. In some ways it's the sheer number of people there that make parkrun fun.
As far as washing your shoes go - I just wipe mine down with a very damp cloth (or if they are really bad hold them under the running tap to wash the mud off). Then I leave them to dry. What I wouldn't do is put them in the washing machine or dryer. My favourite but very old Merrell trainers delaminated when I tried to resuscitate them in the washing machine.They had covered several thousand miles though (from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the Great Wall of China via the bogs of Kinder Scout) and this was a last ditch attempt to get them looking somewhere half respectable.
Any remaining mud stains are merely a badge of honour, denoting the fact that you are a real runner.
I'd also run in the shoes you are used to. I've had bad experience of buying cheap trainers and going straight out in them because I thought the conditions would be bad. I ended up running barefoot with the trainers in my hand (well at least until I passed a rubbish bin...)
I posted a pic of those shoes last week Mancpoodle. They are very stylish but cheap. Lots of us here seem to have them☺ i posted it 8 days ago. I can't post a link on my tablet, no idea how to do it. Soz☺
Where ever you decide to run, have a great time! I'm with you on the trainer thing Mpoodle I'd hate for any of my nice new trainers to get dirty so would opt for an old pair just to be safe ha ha. I know it's girlie but hey we are! I've only managed 5k with my warm ups and downs. Good luck and just enjoy your run
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