And tomorrow's Parkrun will be.....

[RebeccaSK]

.........my fourth different one! I'm a Parkrun tart. This one is my closest Parkrun but I've avoided it so far because it's extremely hilly. Tomorrow I'm giving it a go. Wish me luck!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

Ohhhhh good luck Rebecca xx you'll be fabulous

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to Mummycav]

I definitely won't be - I've worked 55+ hours this week, am absolutely exhausted and my legs still feel tight from the triathlon. I predict a lot of walking! I love my Parkruns though - you all know that! I'm going to miss it next week - we're in Sicily. There is one in Sicily but on the other side of the island so I won't be doing that!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate in reply to RebeccaSK]

You will...whatever you do...walk/run...you are fabulous x

[flos-mum]

Good luck. Conquer those hills

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to flos-mum]

Every uphill had a downhill too!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

You don't need luck... just you

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

I'm doing it with my friend, a running trainer, who introduced me to C25K. She's wonderful.

[Sadie-runs Graduate]

I want to be a parkrun tart! But am nowhere near ready for that. Good luck! 😘

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to Sadie-runs]

What stage of the programme are you Sadie-runs

[Sadie-runs Graduate in reply to RebeccaSK]

Tomorrow's run will be R1 of W3, so early days, RebeccaSK. Wish me luck, I have to run for 3 mins at a time. Feels a bit impossible right now!

[Polly2810 Graduate in reply to Sadie-runs]

You can do this...impossible = I'm possible!! Enjoy!!

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to Sadie-runs]

It does feel impossible at the beginning - and, believe me, it still feels impossible after you graduate - but it IS possible and you will do it. In some ways I look back on those early weeks with real nostalgia. That feeling when you achieve something that you truly thought impossible is the absolute best feeling in the world. For me, it wasn't plain sailing, It took a lot longer than nine weeks because I repeated some weeks but I did it - and so will you. Just believe!

[Sadie-runs Graduate in reply to RebeccaSK]

Aw, what a lovely message of encouragement, thank you SO much! In a way, I really don't mind that it's hard. The feeling you get after a run is so worth it. Thanks for the support, RebeccaSK! Keep running. 🏃‍♀️

[rolysmate Graduate]

Now then you tart lol you'll be great, hills what hills

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

Park run tart??!!!!! Love it 😂😂😂

[Polly2810 Graduate]

Good luck!! One day I will do one!

[Tricky2836]

Fourth..... fourth... wow you are just a super amazing running machine, you go for it 😉x

[Hidden]

A Park Run tart, priceless... you don't need the luck, you have the head and the heart

[HeleneCorsa Graduate]

Hope it went well! And what could be better than being a confirmed Parkrun Tart-with-a-Heart?

Whereabouts are you off to in Sicily?

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to HeleneCorsa]

Thanks HeleneCorsa . We're going to Noto - our first time in Sicily

[HeleneCorsa Graduate in reply to RebeccaSK]

Noto is really beautiful, and it's an interesting choice, not many non-Italian tourists seem to end up there. Nearby Siracusa is wonderful too and there's plenty to see there. And then the food... Sicily is great and I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to HeleneCorsa]

It was gorgeous - we've just got back HeleneCorsa . I'm guessing a lot of tourists may avoid Noto because it's a bit of a hike from the airport? We got the bus to and from - 8 euros each way and it was a dream! Amazing food, stunning architecture and history and the weather was glorious. I feel a bit ashamed that we never actually left Noto. We kept saying that if we had bad weather one day we'd explore a bit more - but we had clear blue skies every day and temperatures that went up to 34 degrees and never fell below 25. We loved Sicily - very un-Italian in many ways with very laid back people and pretty well organised!

[HeleneCorsa Graduate in reply to RebeccaSK]

So glad to hear you had a good time! It sounds like a good sign that you ended up staying the whole time in Noto - you must certainly have been happy there. Just gives you a good excuse to plan another trip to Sicily to see some more of the place!

I love it there. It is such a shame that it has been strangled by organised crime, because it has so much to offer. It really ought to be seen as the pearl of the Mediterranean but many problems still exist. It's perfect for tourism though - beautiful, historic, not very expensive, and wonderful weather. Sicilians tend to be very welcoming and generous but more reserved and discreet than in other parts of Italy (southern in particular) and I always appreciate this.

For the future - Noto is near Modica, another beautiful town known for its amazing dark grainy chocolate, close to original Aztec recipes. They hold a major chocolate festival there every year

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to HeleneCorsa]

You've articulated it perfectly - much more discreet and reserved. You didn't get jumped on every few steps by waiters trying to get you to eat in their restaurants and they didn't follow you round their shops watching you like a hawk - and that made me feel much more at ease. The Sicilians we met really couldn't do enough for us. I didn't see any signs of organised crime which surprised me. I go to Belgrade a lot where there is a lot of organised crime which is very evident but saw nothing in Sicily. My friends in Belgrade (who are Serbian) are fairly wealthy compared to your average Serb and drive new (but not flashy) cars. They bought a new Toyota 4x4 recently and when we drive down the motorways all the cars move out of our way because they think we're Mafia!!!!!

[Fishypieface Graduate]

I can only aspire to be a park run tart, one day, one day!! Good on you.

[Wannabefit19 Graduate]

Good luck xx - smash & kill the hills