First Parkrun complete

Finally, I took part in my first Parkrun this morning. Although I am only starting Week 5 of C25K this week, I wanted to see where I was.

It's 12 years since I last ran 5K.

[Fishypieface Graduate]

Well done! I am in awe of a) doing a Park Run (I haven't got the nerve for that yet!) and b) your time!!! Pretty awesome all round!

[Hidden in reply to Fishypieface]

Do what I did and just go for it. It makes getting your PB easier next time.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Hidden]

If you want a PB, of course x

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

I also did my first park run this morning...my time was 41 mins...how do you feel?? I feel a bit deflated to be honest...so many gazelles bouncing past me...made me feel like, as well as I'm doing on here, in reality I don't feel like I am now...not as much anyway...think I'm gonna leave the park runs until I graduate....well done for yours, brilliant

[Fishypieface Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

Ooo, saw your other post, errr, 41 mins and week 6??? Erm, isn't that just awesome too?!!! I think you are being super hard on yourself. Blimey, i've graduated and I don't think I'm that fast!!!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to Fishypieface]

Awww, thank you

[Hidden in reply to Mummycav]

To be honest, I was in awe of those who finished in 17 minutes. My shins are a bit tender. I wanted to see the course so I can practice through my C25K and get acquainted to hills.

[Fishypieface Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I don't think they are human - machines the lot of them!!

[Hidden in reply to Fishypieface]

They were sprinting and chatting at the same time up a hill. Craziness.

[Hidden in reply to Mummycav]

Don't give up on Parkrun. It's got a great community.

[Hidden in reply to Mummycav]

41 mins is really good for anyone's first time. Plus, you are just learning the route for the first time. Now that you have done it you will know where to reserve you energy and where to speed up. I'm glad I practiced running up hills this week. My Parkrun is mostly hills.

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Phew...I'd still be running if it were mostly hills!!! Thank you...

[NotKate in reply to Mummycav]

I was hoping you would post your time, I don't think you should be down on yourself, I bet you weren't the slowest. I thought about going to my local Parkrun but decided it was too soon for me. To get an idea of my speed I set Map my Run going when I did my wk7d3 run this morning and was gutted to find that I had somehow paused the app after 0.3km. Maybe next Saturday.

[Hidden in reply to NotKate]

I came 364th of 377. I wasn't the slowest and all the people behind me had been a few times. It really is a mix of abilities and physique. I'm glad I'm not the only one who accidentally pauses the app. I bet you were annoyed. I use Strava for tracking in the background. Once I buy a running watch, I won't have to rely on my phone.

[KKThomas Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

I've graduated and I'm still too scared to attempt park run. Well done for completing it and your time sounds amazing to me. I find running outdoors much harder than running on a treadmill. Don't be so hard on yourself you are doing so well x

[Hidden in reply to KKThomas]

Thank you. It's not that bad. There is a real community feeling to it and everyone meets at the end for tea and coffee. I found it easier running with others than running on my own. We could encourage each other along the way. I will definitely go again.

[Sillyyak13 Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

You beat me by 10 mins. You did GREAT. X

[HeleneCorsa Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

Ooh well done Mummycav109! Your time is great - your first ever Parkrun! - so don't be deflated, you are newish to this and they have probably been doing it for much longer. On the contrary, just think that one day you'll be the same!

Even just three or four weeks ago, would you have imagined yourself doing a Parkrun?

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

Do not feel deflated,.. you did well and staying within your comfy zone at this stage is really important! You did brilliantly!!!

[Spinning_22 Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

41 mins is great Mummycav we can't all be bouncy gazelles, don't compare yourself to others. Look at where you started and how far you've come.

[Erinsjoy Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

I have been doing Parkruns for 6 months now and have only just gone below 41 minutes, so that is a great result. It took me several weeks before I got over the self consciousness of always being last and thinking others were judging me. They were all very supportive and it was such a great feeling to see myself move further and further up the table (although not that far up!). I'm still slow, but am very gradually improving. I found volunteering as a timer one week helped as I could see how others were running and finishing. I was also advised that if I was worried about being slow, I could volunteer as the tail runner/walker, as they have to finish last. I didn't do that as I wanted to keep improving, but it is an option. When I was doing the time keeping I was chatting to someone who had volunteered 25 times and still didn't have the confidence to run, but she felt she was helping out and building confidence at the same time. Keep at it, you are making great progress

[Hidden in reply to Erinsjoy]

That's interesting to hear. I never thought of tail running. It gives you the opportunity of supporting others, learning the track and conditioning the body and above all, building up confidence. 41 minutes is still great and each course is different and challenging. As I was thinking the other day, any time is better than sitting on a couch doing nothing. I was surprised by how supportive everyone was on Saturday. Having others cheer you on is a nice experience. Good luck with your next Parkrun!

[RunaroundSue in reply to Erinsjoy]

Beware. Tailwalking (as it is now called) can be slow, but if someone drops out after the first lap you may find you need to move a bit quicker to catch up the next person! Actually you don't, your mission is to come last

I like being the Tailwalker, each time has been very different. The first was when I was quite new to parkun, I set off with an experienced runner who was walking due to injury. Walking? I had to scurry to keep up with her, she was 6 foot tall. Luckily we caught up with someone in his eighties (he did his 450th parkrun recently) who was struggling with a cold and asthma so I had an excuse to slow down. Mostly you can run fairly slowly and have a chat.

Running with children can be fun! I helped at a junior parkrun and one small girl sat down, removed shoes and socks so that her dad could wring out the water and a small boy stopped to pick flowers.

Another time I was with a mother and pre-teen daughter who bickered because the daughter didn't want to run, although I looked at her stats and she can run faster than me.

On another occasion the mother and small child dropped out and I ended up with pb's for 1km and 1 mile as I ran to catch up the next person.

And last week, a teenage boy really didn't want to be there, he would barely walk. In the end his mum took the hi vis jacket from me to become tailwalker (she is one of the regular volunteers and a club runner) and I ran ahead to be with a newbie. The boy dropped out after the first lap as his dad had already finished so when the mum caught me up I took back the hi vis.

All good fun and a good way to get to know the other parkrunners and marshalls as you and the person you are with always get a lot of encouragement.

[Sillyyak13 Graduate]

Wow! VERY impressive. I bet you're buzzing. Well done. Great feeling isn't it? 😂🎆🎉🎊

[Hidden in reply to Sillyyak13]

Thank you. I've wanted to do it for so long. I'm happy I just went for it.

[damienair Graduate]

Fantastic time for a first Parkrun. Very well done. I did my 13th today in Dublin. I just took my time, used it as a training run and really enjoyed it. Well done.

[Hidden in reply to damienair]

Wow. You are doing well. Is the Dublin Parkrun busy? From my run, I know I need to work on off-road running as well as hill climbs.

[damienair Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I live about 30 minutes north of Dublin in a town called Navan. My local Parkrun is in Navan and is 3 laps of the town park with usually between 100 to 120 people running each week.

Marley Park is one lap, beautiful course, around 500 to 600 people taking part.

[Hidden in reply to damienair]

My local had 377 runners today. I believe other parks are slower close by.

[Getfitok Graduate in reply to damienair]

Small world, I used to work with somebody in Manchester who now lives in Navan, Mary Carragher?

[HeleneCorsa Graduate]

Well done, and great time! Glad it was a good experience.

[Hidden]

Well done you, I see you opted for the blinking fast method. I am dead impressed at W6 you should be really proud of that pace amazing. But chillax next week on W7👍

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm on Week 5. I've just finished Week 4. I'm sticking to the course for the next two weeks and then doing another Parkrun.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Even more impressed then, are you elated to a certain Farah?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Haha. I had my friend run with me for the last 500m. He kept me going at a decent pace.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done...a very good time

[Hidden in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you

[Erinsjoy Graduate]

That's an amazing time, well done.