Pretty pathetic!

[davidhwynn]

Did my very first ever Parkrun this morning. Fantastic day, great turnout, everyone very friendly - in fact nothing like the scary event I had been dreading. My first organised run for 57 years!! What was disappointing was that I felt I had to walk most of the way, which was disappointing and frankly given all that I've been trying to do in C25K pretty pathetic. My time was 50:53. The only consolations are that it means I have done (mostly walked) 3 x 5K this week and I now have an official time to aim at next time.

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

You're still getting out there, which is more than most people. And it will be doing you good. The gremlins have you well and truly under their control at the moment, but I am absolutely positive that you will beat them. Huge well done for getting a PB in parkrun!

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

I'll get past the gremlins in the end because I'm determined to make it happen. So very disappointed with the Parkrun, but at least I didn't wimp out of going. I could walk 10K without a problem, same pace as my 5K today: 2 minutes jogging and I simply grind to a halt. GRRRRRRR!!!!!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

You did it though!!!!

I still have not got out there yet, due to initial wimpiness and then having decided and chosen a date, been on the IC since!!!!

Go you David!!! Well done x

[Millsie-J Graduate]

Great news David! So glad you went this morning. You are so hard on yourself, please don't be😃 You have a PB to aim for now, but also why not start monitoring how many times you walk too, reducing the number of walks overtime?

I occasionally take a walk break, but I find it easier to run again if I set my times . So I aim for at least 1k run before I walk. Then if I don't need the walk I don't take it until I do. If I do take a walk, I time it, no more than one minute, then I must run again for at least 1k. The discipline of timing means I have to run again......too easy to get into a 'walking' mindset otherwise. Keeps those gremlins at bay!

Have a great weekend park runner🏃🏻🏃🏻🏃🏻🏃🏻🏃🏻

[Runon Graduate]

It's that old thing of every journey needing a first step. You've taken that step - that's the important thing. The journey - the adventure, awaits. Well done.

[Madge50 Graduate]

There is nothing pathetic about your parkrun! So stop that immediately, or I'll have to send poppypug , Oldfloss , Realfoodieclub , Curlygurly2 and anyone else I can find round!

You are now on the road of milestone t-shirt land, which is fantastic, and have that fabulous support that is all things parkrun, just keep going, slowly but surely you'll get there, give yourself a break.

Mx 😊👍

[Irishprincess Graduate]

You've run 5K three times this week and you've put yourself "out there" by turning up and running a park run. Nothing pathetic about any of that. You had the courage to start this programme and keep at it. You're amazing 👏👏👏

[Hidden]

Well I ran/walked my parkrun on a 60:30 beeper this morning and got my best time of the year so far, under 33 mins. There is absolutely no shame in walking as much as you feel you need to and you shouldn't be at all disappointed. You got out there and you've set a marker time for what will hopefully be lots more parkruns. Well done on making a start and hope you're back out there next Saturday.

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Definitely not ashamed, but disappointed how little I felt able to run given I've got to W5 of C25K (for the second time!) I can't be in Parkrun next weekend but will be back there the following week. Not at all scary any more! I'm going to try doing my C25K sessions on the Parkrun course and carrying on each time to the 5K. Next week it's a "fit in what you can" week for me. Thanks for the support.

[davelinks Graduate in reply to davidhwynn]

David, I hope you continue the Parkruns,I believe it can only get better for you, as you're a new runner doing c25k.. give it time! At my local PR there is a guy who is 74 and power walks it every week and is rarely below 50 mins, I volunteered tailrunner 1 week and was right behind him and we came in at about 53 mins... 😊

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

Well done for getting out there don't worry about your time, I'm always at the back of the pack when I do parkrun and everyone is lovely to me. It is a starting position so feel proud that you went.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Although running with others at parkrun adds to our competitive streak, the only person you are really running against is yourself. From here on in you will be able to watch your progress as your official time almost inevitably will tumble over the coming months and you will be able to gauge your development as a runner.

Keep running, keep smiling.

[misswobble Graduate]

You just improve with practice, as with everything else. No shortcuts in this game. Worth committing to to get fit and healthy. Everyone there has the same idea so it's the place to be 😀

[MotherPip Graduate]

That's a bit how I felt ok my first one (53.09 I think,) didn't enjoy but at least we went round and have a target now

[Kingfisherk26 Graduate]

Hi David.

I just did my first park run this morning having got to week 7 of couch to 5 k. I was rather nervous last night... I'm 51 and have never been sporty. I went on a few websites and you tube to read others comments about park run. The one that hit home to me was that you are already doing better than the people that stayed at home this morning. I ran at the back of the pack. I was so slow I was beaten by people who were jogging a bit and walking a bit. I was overtaken by people with small dogs and a lady pushing a baby BUT I did it... And so did you!

I just look back at the physical mess I was before I started out... And I know it's a bit cruel but I look at the state of some of the people I see around and about. It's not very noble but it makes me feel better!

15km without driving in 1 week. As far as I am concerned that's hero territory.

John

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to Kingfisherk26]

One of the pacers at Luton Wardown Parkrun this morning (lots of different pacers every last run of the month) was pacing at 19 minutes and pushing a buggy!!!!! No further comment needed .....

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to davidhwynn]

Eeeek, where do these people come from, are they really mere humans😠. Let them have their fun, we can be the naughty (but nice) ones at the back 😎😇

[ancientrunner Graduate]

Please stop being disappointed with yourself. You are keeping at it and even though it's not as easy as you would like - you are still going!!!!! Actually I think the determination you are showing will stand you in good stead for the future, and you will be great at encouraging those who follow on behind. There is nothing pathetic about it.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

You've set your benchmark now and you will feel so great as you chip away at it.... well done 😎

[poppypug Graduate]

David, truly that is not pathetic at all, you are so hard on yourself, cut yourself a bit of slack here . Please don't compare yourself to others, there will always be someone fitter, faster, stronger, its the road to misery

You keep at it, keep doing your own thing , just keep going , you are out there , you are off the couch , you are doing great ! xxx

[davidhwynn Graduate]

Thank you & everyone else here: without you all I wouldn't keep going, I'm finding it bloody hard - not just easy thing to say here, but I mean it. My truly "elite athlete" 17 yr old grand daughter said to me on Friday that just because I'd said before that my target was that I would do a Parkrun in May wasn't a good reason to wimp out on a glorious morning in March. This morning she was RIGHT!!! By the way, if it's any help to anyone having cold feet about Parkrun, just DO IT. It's not scary at all when you do it and I found people to keep me company all the way from start to finish. I wasn't (almost) last, there's always a tail runner someone you can get to know pretty well. I haven't got anywhere remotely near beating my demons yet, but I WILL get there in the end. (re-reading this before I post it, does anyone else get that really really really nasty feeling that my grand daughter will carry on bullying me - she's threatening to join me on a Parkrun on my birthday in May: if I start next week I just might get to the end at the same time). Hey guys, thank you everyone!

[Slinkymalinki Graduate in reply to davidhwynn]

I admire you for posting so openly & honestly and for your determination. I'm about to start week 7 & scared of a parkrun at the moment but you might just have convinced me to give it a go - so thanks! 😊

[MotherPip Graduate in reply to Slinkymalinki]

I did my first one in week 3 or 4 and I set out fully intending to do plenty of walking and I did it in just over 53 mins.

Then I did one a couple of weeks later...Felt I had done a little more jogging and improved on my time but was actually slightly slower...But I'm just glad i plucked up courage to do it. I get anxious about running in daylight and with other people and that's really hosted me as it seems (I now realise) that the anxiety tightens up my breathing and by the time we start running I'm already almost gasping to breathe. So now I've realised that I can try and work on that. Another thing I've done twice now is volunteered as a Marshall...And even for that I was nervous but enjoyed it. It is out of my comfort zone but the more I do it the better.

You get to see all the runners in all their sweaty painful suffering glory and that can be quite inspirational...Like the 70 year old 6 weeks post hip replacements powering round on his stick and the big guy who's just had a triple heart bypass also mostly walking but getting fitter week by week. Our last runner this week ( apart from the tail runner ) was a lady with learning disabilities and possibly some mild physical disability who walked all the way with a smile on her face... They are the ones that inspire me to keep going. You can be bringing up the rear like i did first timeout... And the elite athlete in the front achieving 17 minutes will often be the first one to say well done, "keep going" and the last one home often gets the biggest round of applause from the numbers that have long finished but stay to clap and encourage the last one home. I would definitely recommend having a go at volunteering...Lots of different roles so I am hoping to move on to the challenge of trying some other roles too. Mr Pip has been on the IC for a while and volunteering for him has been inspirational too and he's had a go at a few things now. And a lack of volunteers would mean cancellations so i would urge people to give that a go too

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to Slinkymalinki]

Certainly join in with Parkrun. I thought it was going to be scary, but it wasn't, everyone super friendly. I was previously thinking back to my runs at school (57 years ago!), runs that I was made to go on until I found out how to avoid them. I kept thinking how terrible it would be to do the same awful thing again. Nothing like it, terrible result as far as I am concerned, disappointed with myself, feel that all my hard work on C25K so far hasn't been worth it, but good company almost all the way ... it was a glorious spring morning and I am DELIGHTED that I went and took part. It's now on my list of regular activities. DO IT, you are unlikely to regret it.

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

We have HEAPS of parkrunners at my local parkrun who regularly take 60 minutes to finish their 5K. Fact is we are getting more and more of them - and we LOVE it!!

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Parkrun?? Ho-Hum - I did number 96 this past weekend!! I can recall my first one a bit over 3 years ago - it was W1D2 2 of C25K, including the 5 minute warm up and cool down walks. I was only 67YO then - just a youngster, This morning I ran for an hour with an 85 year old - while he racewalked. He was a bit hard to keep up with !! C25K leads us to all kinds of new experiences

[misswobble Graduate]

It sure does! Helps us find in ourselves what was there all along 😀💪

Crack on 🙂

[Erinsjoy Graduate]

I did my first Parkrun 6 weeks ago, but in my case it was a Parkwalk. I had a couple of runner friends who kept suggesting I go, but I knew I was not in their league, but finally one week decided just to go and see what it was all about. I took off with everyone else, and ran out of steam after only a couple of minutes and was mortified about being last all the way around, despite everyone being so genuinely supportive. The Tailrunner kept encouraging me and saying at least I was doing it and how great that was. I was beating myself up for being last, but then I heard there were several who didn't even complete the course, so felt a little better. The next time I went I spoke to Frank and said I had no idea how to pace myself and he suggested I try C25K. I have just completed Week 3 and jogged more of the Parkrun than previously and am very slowly knocking off a few seconds each week and feeling more confident with my running. I am no longer last, but also not so worried if I am as I realise the only person judging me was myself. Knowing at the start that I felt that was a bit of a stigma for me, my friend suggested that one option would be to volunteer as the Tailrunner, as they have to be last and it would be helping out. I haven't actually done that, but I did think it was a really good suggestion for someone just starting out. As I have read so many times on this forum, the fact we are getting out there and trying is amazing... we are not the ones still sitting on the couch. I now use the Parkrun to do my 3rd run of the week and once the podcast is over, just try and either reset it and repeat, or just run/walk as much as I am able. It helps to have specific times to run and I am learning to set myself targets such as, I will run to the litter bin, or a specific clump of trees, and it is getting better. I know my walking sets me back as I don't have a long stride, but at least I am still moving. Good luck with it David, stick with it and you will do great. The people at Parkrun are so amazingly supportive and will only help and encourage you.