Parkrun World Record 7:55 and lost 5 pounds - Couch to 5K

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Parkrun World Record 7:55 and lost 5 pounds

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate
41 Replies

You read it right, that's a personal best, oh did I say world record? Sorry, I meant to say a personal best time of 7:55 AM :O that being the time I woke up on a Saturday!

At this point I weighed myself, didn't like the numbers, moved the scales, weighed myself again, repeated the above, then decided the whole weighing myself thing was a bad Idea from the start and putting it out of my mind.

After having less showers than could be considered useful I got dressed and set off to my nearest parkrun. I arrived about 5 to 9 and waited around a bit,, there were lots of people so I pretended to look like I knew what I was doing, when I was actually trying to look like I was avoiding the rain - unsuccesfully, all the while looking like I was a bit lost. So a double bluff.

At about quarter past everyone started getting together and a volunteer (awesome people and I'm very grateful to them all!!) asked if there were any tourists, then new people, then we were all walking in a certain direction. I went towards the back of the pack. (Apparently there were 228 people this week ( just a warning that I am putting brackets within brackets here, I'm a physicist so that is my excuse for ruining the English language (sorry about that ( and that is the day before the Great Manchester Run!))))

So I was towards the back third I think, the sky was grey which was normal for manchester, it was raining which was normal, and there were huge puddles on the paths, which was particularly normal. And everyone set off. At this point I was getting my wristband out ready to show someone, I didnt realise its only at the end of the race you get scanned, which makes sense! So I started running with everyone. Got very wet trainers and socks, after the second Kilometer I was shouting thankyou at all the volunteers for being so nice.

Throughout the race I was pushing it a bit, I was mostly following someone in-front of me (its a lot easier than following someone behind me) who I ended up losing, on the last K I picked up the pace a bit, then on the last stretch around a nice pond I started running faster, then got tired just before the end where people overtook me. Queued up for a bit to get scanned, went to the wrong person, went back to the right person, sure my wrist band wouldn't work but It did! 1st parkrun done. I waited around a bit to see what would happen then started to walk home.

On my way home I walked around Sainsburies fallowfield to try and try and stay feeling like I was with other people. After doing this for longer than anybody should sanely walk around a supermarket without any intention of buying anything I carried on back.

Then I remembered I had brought a fiver with me and realised it would be good to get some decaff ground coffee so I could drink too much coffee without drinking too much caffeine. Went to a smaller sainsburies, found it, then realised Id lost my five pounds :( , on the bright side, somebody found five pounds and I't balanced the times when I was a kid and probably found a fiver :)

So now I have typed this up and intend to have as many showers as could be considered useful before drinking way too much coffee with way too much caffeine.

As I've been writing this I checked the parkrun page for parkrun south manchester, it said they usually update them a day or two after but Ive just noticed it change. My run time was 28:14 , which I'm absolutely delighted with!!!! Also Fits nicely with W8r3!

Wow did not expect a time like that! I need to mentally and physically slap myself! Thankyou again to all the volunteers who stood in the rain so we could have a run! Thanks to this forum for getting me into this place!

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Kallyfudge profile image
Kallyfudge
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41 Replies
Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Graduate

Lovely write up, fantastic run! I predict you will be smiling all day😊!

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to Sandraj39

Thankyou :) went much better than I expected and feels good!

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate

Great post Kally and what a fab time for your first parkrun! I know what you mean about an early start. I'm not a fan either. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

Thankyou :) Some saturdays I havent even woken up by now so Its going well :) realy happy with the time

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

Best time of the day IP.... getting out there and doing it :) x

Easy for me to say... I'm retired:)

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate in reply to Oldfloss

So am I! 😊

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

You're not old enough!!!!

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate in reply to Oldfloss

I took early retirement 😊

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply to Irishprincess

I knew it... a mere babe! :)

Good isn't it..? My husband took it.. at 50! I finished at 52!

Loving it! :)

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate in reply to Oldfloss

Not enough hours......

90ldfinch profile image
90ldfinchGraduate

Very entertaining report, Kallyfudge . Have a good 'un.

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to 90ldfinch

Many thanks :) Starting on the coffee now, think the trick was my body hadn't realised I had woken up yet so I got the run in whilst it wasn't looking

heavyhorse profile image
heavyhorseGraduate in reply to Kallyfudge

maybe the gremlins were caught napping! They must have expected you to be still asleep!

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to heavyhorse

I told everybody and they wouldn't believe me, "one day all of these lie ins will come in useful" :D

secan profile image
secanGraduate

{From a physicist [I would have expected (a wider variety) (of parentheses)]}... 😁

Congratulations, that is a very good time for a parkrun and an an impressive time for the first one.

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to secan

Haha! You underestimate my abilities to make text of any kind unclear :D Good point though!!

Many thanks I'm really happy about the time and the race, looking forward to the next one!

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply to secan

Clever! Are you doing okay? x

secan profile image
secanGraduate in reply to Oldfloss

Fine, thanks. ;)

I am hoping for a pause in the constant rain to go out for a run but I might have to wait until tomorrow, according to the weather forecast.

Nick_Buddha_12 profile image
Nick_Buddha_12Graduate in reply to secan

just do it rain or no ;-)

secan profile image
secanGraduate in reply to Nick_Buddha_12

Oh, come on! Let me be lazy just for today, would you? :D

secan profile image
secanGraduate in reply to secan

See? Today, in the glorious sun of a Sunday morning and with a gentle breeze to cool me down, I made peace with running.

After two tough runs, I finally had a very enjoyable one and I feel better than I've ever had since the bad news at work. 🙂

heavyhorse profile image
heavyhorseGraduate

well done! Amazing time! Mornings must agree with you , you should meet them more often on weekends!

P.s my collies consider 7.55 am an unacceptably long lie and expect to have left the house by 7am at the very, very latest!

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to heavyhorse

Many thanks heavyhorse :) I realy should! For me it was Pharaoh (the Saluki) who used to wake me up to go for a wee, but then he would put even me to shame with his ability to lay in bed all day.

heavyhorse profile image
heavyhorseGraduate in reply to Kallyfudge

maybe you are a typical hound too! Full speed runs then happy to retire to the sofa!

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply to heavyhorse

They have a lot of common sense, and now the weather is getting better and the mornings lighter, it is perfect!

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

Great post and a fabulous time for your first (indeed for any) Parkrun. Now you've done it once, you'll be back next week, and the one after that, and the one after that..... Enjoy your coffee ☕️

Jacqui-fit450 profile image
Jacqui-fit450Graduate

Enjoyable read. I put brackets in brackets too (and I'm not even a physicist).

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Well done you!!!!

Now ditch the scales there's no need for numbers...you know how you are doing...:) My daughter kidnapped my scales ages ago... took them home with her! :)

PS

My son-in-law is a Physicist too...no excuse..., only joking :)

Love your posts!

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to Oldfloss

Many thanks :) still a bit addicted to the scales, If I do throw them out the window I could be weightless.. for a short while :p

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply to Kallyfudge

It would be good for you... believe me :)

Dunder2004 profile image
Dunder2004Graduate

Great run and great read, Kally.

The thing where you passed people during the last K only to be re-passed by them towards the end is quite familiar to me, I did the same thing in my first Parkrun. Now that you know the course, you will get the pacing better next time.

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to Dunder2004

Yeah It was a case of thinking the end was closer than it was and a bit of thinking I had more energy. If I can get a similar time Ill be really happy!

Nick_Buddha_12 profile image
Nick_Buddha_12Graduate

7:55 pfffft ;-) you had me there for a moment I wonder what I was doing wrong ;-)

sounds brilliant and well done

love your run report thank you for letting me know how a park run works I have yet to do one :-)

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to Nick_Buddha_12

Haha! I'm sure there would be a drugs test, but I definitely woke up as unnaturally as is possible without drugs :P

OldWheezer profile image
OldWheezer

Well done kally brilliant time. I do enjoy reading your updates.

useitorloseit profile image
useitorloseitGraduate

Physics means nothing to me, but my son just told me he got 3 points off an A in his recent A level physics test which makes me very happy and makes me no longer feel abused by the £38 per week I'm paying for extra physics tuition! You are super fast and clearly entering the adult world if you are waking up before 8am on a weekend! Congratulations!

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to useitorloseit

Well done to your son :) and thank you very much! Its an awesome subject and definitely worth it, but the best science is the one you enjoy the most! I hope the whole waking up thing gets a bit easier, although I say this and its 00:38AM so I'm definitely early today!

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate

Fantastic post Kally , and Well done on your first parkrun !

That's your Saturday mornings sorted out for the forseeable future !

That's a brilliant time too, Congratulations !

I normally get overtaken by 8 year olds at mine ha ha :-) xxx

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to poppypug

Many thanks poppypug!! All the best for the run tomorrow I am sure you will do great! And beat the giraffe :D

Kallyfudge profile image
KallyfudgeGraduate in reply to Kallyfudge

Just realised it's today! Need to go to bed, all the best for later! Enjoy it :D

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate in reply to Kallyfudge

Thank you so much Kally xxx

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