The most painful parkrun yet....

[RebeccaSK]

I did my local one, Clair, again. The hills are just horrible. After two weeks off running I hoped my legs would be fresh and happy to be moving again but I was very wrong!!!!

I'd appreciate other people's thoughts on a couple of things.

1. So, I tell myself that every uphill has a downhill and it should balance itself out. I'm not sure I actually believe that. The uphill is far more difficult than the downhill is easy.

2. Laps. Today I found it even more demoralising than normal that I've nowhere near completed my first lap when the super speedies come flying past me. Clair Parkrun is 4.5 laps so, always being one of the slowest, I constantly have people coming flying past me. Does anyone else struggle with this?

It got to the point where I was really tempted to just give up, sneak back, get my water bottle and go home without finishing but I gave myself a talking to and agreed with myself that even if I walked the rest of the course (I didn't) it would still be 5k and that I'd still be well ahead of the tail walker who was miles behind. I ran all the downhill, all the flat and the gentle bits of uphill. In the end, I actually beat my PB for that course and six people finished behind me. I'm proud of myself for doing it - because when I woke up this morning I really didn't want to - but it was so heinous!

Never fear, I'm not giving up on running, I'll get back on track and am still aiming for a 10k in the spring -

[Hidden]

Agree totally on the hills, in fact sometimes going down steep gradients isn't fun either because you have to brake to stop from falling over...

I've only ever lapped at our local pista, where the runners fall into 3 camps

Social - jogging lightly, but mainly walking

Speedy Gonzales - they focus on short sharp sprints

Solely one lappers. - it is 2.2km around the pista, or 1.8km if you ignore the mini wineglass loop

In essence I rarely get overtaken and when it happens, it's usually only the once, so I don't get that demoralised as I am invariably running for longer than them anyway.

But the Park Run volunteer here last weekend, was saying doing laps is a problem for all runners, it can be demoralising when people zip by and apparently those doing the zipping don't like it either, although I must admit my sympathies are with those being lapped. Maybe this one just isn't for you, unless of course you specifically like the challenge it gives, but it doesn't sound like you do...

You still got out and did it and drew on your reserves to get round and not give in. That's a winning run especially as you got a PB too.

Well done as ever.

[FlossnCharlie Graduate]

I am really struggling with the hills round me, which ever way I run there is a hill! I think I have done badly but then look at my Fitbit and each time I am a bit better (only on week 4). I know when I get to park runs I will hate people going past me. Well done for sticking it out and not giving up, and for getting a on. 😀

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to FlossnCharlie]

Hills at the beginning of my run when my legs are fresh I can cope with - it's later on in the race that I struggle. I think it's a case of finding a park run that suits you. I know that not everybody is as lucky as me - I have six or so within a 40 minute drive. My local one - the one I did this morning - just doesn't suit me but a couple a little further away do and maybe I should focus on those ones more - but, at the same time, I want to conquer my local one!

[roseabi]

Well done for the PB, and that was a bloody marvellous show of self control! You are right to feel proud.

Multi-lap courses are pretty demoralising. There's a single-lap parkrun in Milton Keynes I really want to try, and probably will one day since some of my family live in MK. It's in a wood where we used to do "cross country" when I was at school, and at the time my method was to walk all the way round. It would be nice to run it one time, quicker too

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to roseabi]

A bit closer to home, Eastbourne Parkrun (which I think is my favourite of the ones I've tried so far) is a single lap round Shinewater Country Park - it's gorgeous. Extremely flat, mixture of grass and a tarmac type surface. Clair (Haywards Heath) is my closest but Eastbourne, East Grinstead, Hove Prom, Crawley, Preston Park, Hove Park and even Horsham are not too far. I've not yet done Crawley, Preston Park, Hove Park or East Grinstead. I know you volunteered at Hove Prom when I did that one but do you run them too roseabi ?

[roseabi in reply to RebeccaSK]

Hmm, Eastbourne - might try to get over there!

I actually realised recently I haven't run parkrun since the 1st of July! A pity, because one of my goals for the year was to get up to 40 parkruns and I'm currently only on 17 Oh well I've volunteered quite a few times this year, and my triathlon plan was getting in the way because Saturdays ended up being my day off most of the time!

The last parkrun I ran in was Preston Park; I generally do Hove Prom because it's my nearest one, but I think Hove Park is my favourite of the three Brighton/Hove ones I've tried. There's Bevendean as well, which is a hilly, grassy one, and a bit further away. I'll get there one day!

[unlikelyrunner Graduate]

Oh the laps! My local parkrun is 3 laps round a field then a longer loop around an estate. I never make it round the first without being lapped, then am being lapped constantly around the second, then the third lap is a quiet lap for us slow-ies because all the others have disappeared round the longer loop. I think the fact that the speedies disappear half way through the run makes it a bit easier, but it's still pretty demoralising.

I can't really comment on the hills - I live in a flat part of the country and I am scared of hills, as well as being a bit envious of the variety that hills give you. I don't relish the ups, but the downs are sooo lovely.

Something that perplexes me is that the way I feel before a run seems to bear no relation to the way the run will feel. I sometimes skip out of the door full of confidence then find it really difficult, or it can be like this morning when I REALLY didn't want to do it, forced myself out, then it was a pretty good one (PB, but I'm such a beginner that it hardly counts).

I guess all that really matters is that we go out there and do it. Very well done getting round after your 2 week break.

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to unlikelyrunner]

Yes - I completely agree with you about the way you feel before a run bearing no relation to the way the run feels!!!! A PB is a PB whether you're a beginner or a seasoned runner - be proud!

[Fishypieface Graduate]

I can't offer any help I'm afraid. Just wanted to say blimey what you are doing sounds amazing to me! You are really chucking yourself in there, challenging stuff. I would say sod it though. Sod the lappers. What you are doing is awesome, don't forget they are all cyborgs and we are real people . Focus on you and what you achieve, sounds to me like you are doing a brilliant job.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Hi you!

Hills are tricky, wherever they are.. ju-ju- did post some tips for hills...but I cannot locate it!

You did it.. that is all that matters.. and there will be runs that feel amazing and some..not so.. I cannot really offer much advice re the Park run laps as I have never done one.. :@ But I know you will get great advice form the seasoned Park runners on here x

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

You've never done a Parkrun Oldfloss ? How can that be?

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to RebeccaSK]

Lone snail..... only just got round to running with another real person Anniemurph a few weeks ago.. it was amazing...

healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

But...never say never

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

But that's the joy of Parkrun for me - I run alone but with the camaraderie of running with others. I always make sure I stay until the last runner has finished (which, let's face it, is rarely more than five minutes after I've crossed the line) to cheer them on. The camaraderie is just amazing!

[RebeccaSK Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

and how did I miss that post of yours? It's wonderful!