First Parkrun

[Oldjigger]

Did my first Parkrun today. This was my goal in starting all this. I had no idea how long 5K would take me when I started C25K, but the last week felt a lot better and I was aiming for 35mins, but would have been happy at 40. Delighted to receive my time of 34:02. I finally got the famous endorphin buzz at the end, plus an unfamiliar feeling of achievement. There were nearly tears.

[Ang33333 Graduate]

Well done! Did my first last week and volunteered today. Bar code scanning. Was as much fun as running!

[Oldjigger in reply to Ang33333]

Lol. Well done for that, too! Giving up your time for other people's pleasure. I think I'll get a few more under my belt first. Volunteering when the weather's not so good for running, maybe... 😉

[Ang33333 Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

That's a good idea! Our park run is only 2 runs old so they do need volunteers!

[Monicarun Graduate]

Congratulations. That is very impressive - and seems impossible at this stage for me (week 5). Need to keep the faith!

[Oldjigger in reply to Monicarun]

You will make it. Keep at it. One bit of advice - I went too far thru the programme before finding the time to buy good running shoes. I ended up with injured knees that set me back weeks. The shoes cost £120 in the end, but are well worth it. They do make the running easier and safer. I heartily recommend the investment if you haven't already. It's not a lot compared to say a year's gym membership.

[Monicarun Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

Thanks for the advice. You are right I haven't invested in the shoes yet. I think now might be the right time so thanks for the motivation

[Unfit53 Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

Sensible words, think I need to do that. Might help with the aches n pains. I’m just on W3

[Oldjigger in reply to Unfit53]

Early days but the advice says to get a gait analysis and good shoes before w5, I think. I was just too busy and went all the way to W8R3 before finding out the hard way that's too late. 6 weeks delay before I made it to W9 then.

[Readygo Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

That is what happened to me too. Week 8 run 2 and I had a swollen ankle for a few weeks. Now need to get back to running but definitely need to invest in good running shoes first. Well done. That sounds like a good time.

[Unfit53 Graduate]

Way to go 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done!

[Madge50 Graduate]

Oh yes! Well done you, and what a fantastic time, I hope you enjoy many, many more parkruns, whatever the time, each one is a great achievement, you went out and completed it 👏

Welcome to the parkrun family.

Mx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Very well done you!

[damienair Graduate]

Congratulations. Now you have a PB time to chase after next week. Parkruns are amazing. I’m a huge fan.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Great job... that’s a brilliant time for a first one!

[Oldjigger in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks. The Morris dancing must have kept me fitter than I thought 😊

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

I always thought being outside pubs was healthy 😂

[over61andstilltrying Graduate]

Well done to you! I really buzzed after my first Parkrun too. I wonder how long the glow will last? Just amazing to think how many folk are involved in this both in this country and abroad 1,776,476 runners!!! Yikes!

[Oldjigger in reply to over61andstilltrying]

Wow! That many. I only recently realised it is international. A great idea, though, isn't it?!

[over61andstilltrying Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

I just looked that figure up on the Parkrun home page. I didn't investigate whether that is the figure for just the UK or Worldwide. An absolutely great idea!

[SANDI_runs Graduate]

Did my first park run today too. What an amazing experience. I loved it

[lyndamorag Graduate]

The buzz never goes ,I just did my 92nd parkrun at age 66 after someone on here recommend it. Still only run under 40 minutes once but love it anyway.

[Oldjigger in reply to lyndamorag]

92 parkruns - go, girl! You must be really looking forward to that century. When did you do #1?

[lyndamorag Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

My first parkrun was on 29th October 2016.

I came 140/141 , you can never come last because there is always a tailrunner/tailwalker who brings up the rear . My time was 46.59 and I was on week 4 day 1 of c35k , so a lot of walking inbetween , but that is ok in parkrun, you can even walk all the 5k on days you don't feel like running. My tailwalker was called John who since then encourages me every week with a call out when he passes me.

I have also volunteered 13 times, as a tailwalker or as a Marshall. Best thing I have done. I went along on my own not nothing anyone , now my parkrun family are over 200. I even got Parkrunner of the month yet my PB is only 39.06 and I have only run the 5k 6 times without stopping. This week I was 41.53 and still proud of myself for getting of the couch and going. We have a 84 year old who has had a hip operation recently and is now back at parkrun and is catching me up , he will soon be back in front but good luck to him. He has run all his life I only started in 2016 .

[Mayanow in reply to lyndamorag]

You are amazing! What an inspiration!!

[Oldjigger in reply to lyndamorag]

Keep it up - that's great. I started from the basis of being a regular Morris dancer, although I had never run in my life - so not too unfit. I have great respect for all those who start from a real 'couch' position. Sometimes I see someone out jogging who is older than me or definitely overweight, and I just think "good for them - they're doing it", I just never thought I would too!

[lyndamorag Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

That is me 66 and 13st+

[Oldjigger in reply to lyndamorag]

All the more credit to you then. Well done.👋👋

[Superspud Graduate]

Congratulations like you did my first park run yesterday, I just really wanted to see how far short of the distance I would be after running for 25 minutes. (W7R1). I was short by 7 mins and a few seconds, which means I carried on not as fast though to have a PB and a score of 48% whatever that means. Satisfied I completely the course, maybe do the same next week....

[Hidden]

Well done! That’s a great achievement. I’ve signed up for parkrun but haven’t plucked up the courage to do it yet 🙂

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Go girl. Why not go and watch one Saturday and see how it’s run. Everyone is supportive and now that you have graduated it gives you a bit of a target each week. My favourite run of the week and if I’m not running, I will be volunteering. Mind you I go to the 2nd flattest in the UK, some are a bit tougher.

[Hidden in reply to Dexy5]

Sounds really good. I think my local ones will be fairly flat in East Anglia. I think once I’ve done one, I’ll probably be like you and get really into it.

[Oldjigger in reply to Hidden]

Go for it. When I went plenty of people were stopping to walk or panting heavily as they slogged on - you won't be alone and no-one will look down on you. It's a great atmosphere with encouragement from all directions - marshals, park walkers, other runners. People were running with dogs, with baby buggies, in groups gossiping (I don't have the breath to talk). 381 people on that run. It was so much easier than running in isolation.

[Hidden in reply to Oldjigger]

Sounds great. I really must do it 🙂

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Congratulations oldjigger , it’s great to do a parkrun as your post graduation run, I did the same back in May. What a brilliant time though for your first one. Parkrun is my favourite run of the week; meeting other runners and listening to their stories.

Keep running 🏃‍♂️👏

[Oldjigger in reply to Dexy5]

I went straight home after rather than going for a cuppa in the park tea-room. I was glad I did, cos when I got home, the wife pointed out I had been wearing my running shirt inside-out all morning!

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to Oldjigger]

It does happen- I’ve just done a 4k run with my top the wrong way round - I should have been running backwards!