As everyone set off from the start line I prepared to get left behind because I needed to do my 5 min walk. So tail end with the lady in hi viz bringing up the rear, and the mother of a runner who was up for a visit I had a nice 5 min chat before saying 'sorry, got to go, and setting off at a nice slow pace.
Soon after starting running I was being lapped, on the UPHILL section. Not a problem, it's my pace I'm worrying about, not theirs. I ran the whole of the uphill section.
The marshals are brilliant, very encouraging, even the mini marshal who must have been about 5.
I ran through the difficult patch that seems to come a few minutes in, and started on lap two. Along, round, up that damn hill again, no stopping and walking because Laura hasn't said so.
I start lapping people, (just the ones who've run out of puff and are walking). I keep going.
Laura says time to walk, but I've got some energy left and continue to run for maybe another 60secs. Then my warm down walk.
A slow runner whose wife has stopped running and started walking and is still keeping up with her husband, invites me to jog with them. We're on the home straight. Thinking it will be fun to cross the finish line running I start gently jogging. We're not on the home straight... there's another loop to do. Then I spot an ice-cream van in the near distance. What a good ideas to have one of those on the finish line! No, that isn't the finish line either, it's round the corner. So tempted to race a boy and his Mum round the last bend, but why? It's probably more important to the youngster what his finishing placement is. For me I'm just happy to finish. I move over, then follow them up the 'funnel' where you cross the finish line and get a bar code. DONE IT.
I walk round a bit more then sit on a bench in the shade and chat to a lovely lady whose husband is a runner. She gives me some tips: tippy toes up hill; local running club. I tell her about C25K as she's having a go at running but having difficulty pacing herself.
Then the hi viz lady bringing up the rear comes in to view, along with my conversation partner from earlier. I go to cheer her over the finish line. She runs the last stretch. Well done! Then she announces she's 80 and a half! (Now I understand why she doesn't visit her daughter very often. Nothing to do with the 250 mile round trip!)
I took 42 mins to do 5km exactly according to Strava. Average pace, slightly more than double per km than it took Roger Bannister to do a mile ๐
Looking forward to being good enough at this running lark to be just a little bit competitive. At least with the tail end of the pack. All in all very pleased with myself for sticking to my own pace and getting to the end.
Planning on doing the other local park runs. I think I can find another couple within easy driving distance.
Feeling good! ๐๐๐In the pink do to speak and that's just my cheeks.
First Park Run - disillusioned
First Park Run - Pap17 
I've just completed my first park run & I loved it 
Sheepish first park run
First Park Run! Not in a park - along the prom!!
