Wk8r1 :-)

[Jazio]

Wow.... only 5 more runs to graduation.... really can’t believe I’ve got this far..... at New Year when I started this ... I told a friend I’d do a park run with her in March... I’m beginning to panic now .... my current pace indicates it would take me over 40 mins to run 5K... when I look at the park run results everybody completes in under 30 mins.... I know my pace will increase but now panicking I won’t be ready by March. I think I’d be demoralised if I came in last

[ButtercupKid Graduate]

First of all, the person who comes in last is a long way ahead of most of the population, so please don’t let that bother you ! Second, the majority of graduates from C25k can’t run 5k in 30 minutes when they finish the programme, so you aren’t alone. Finally, I’ve never been able to do Parkrun myself because I have family commitments on Saturdays, but I know from reading about them here that lots of people walk some or even most of them and a lot of people don’t finish within half an hour. Stressing out tenses your muscles and bothers your breathing, so don’t worry, be happy, and you’ll be fine x

[molly1973 Graduate]

Hi Jazio: parkrun is such a welcoming environment, nobody will judge you for your pace and lots of the speedy ones who will lap you will give you some encouraging words as they fly by! I recently moved my pb from 44 to 42 minutes, so I am in the very slow bracket, but there are always people behind me. I wasn’t at our run last Saturday but apparently a lady in her 90s was pushed round in a wheelchair. It really is that inclusive. Plus there is a volunteer acting as tail walker so you can’t be last! Go for it 👍

[Jazio Graduate in reply to molly1973]

That’s great.... I wish I was near you.., lol...... I’ve been looking at the results of the park run I’m supposed to be running in for the last 3 weeks with anxiety growing as nobody seems to be below 30 mins lol

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Well... for one, it doesn’t matter if you’re 10 minutes behind the rest, what matters is that you run that 5k... or run/walk it. Parkrun encourage all abilities... they want their average time to go up beyond 30 minutes so you’ll be doing them a favour!

If that parkrun is truly all sub 30 minuters and you’d rather be with some others around your pace then for most of us there’s more than one local parkrun!

I now have 2 official parkrun times... next to last on the first one... so I had to work to come last on my second one... so I donned the high viz and became the tailwalker. I had a great time on both... maybe one day I’ll run one faster... but I know I won’t enjoy any more.

[Azana]

I’ve done park run 5 times now since I graduated. Yes, there are people who do 30 minutes but many do not and it’s really not a race. My goal was to get around without walking on my first one and still kind of is. Honestly, go for it - I kind of wished I had when I could run 25 mins as with people around you the 37 mins my first one took didn’t feel that bad. So give it a go when you are ready and don’t worry about anyone but you - running 5 k is an achievement!