First Park Run! Not in a park - along the prom!!

[skysue16]

Ran my first ever Park Run yesterday. When we lived in Scotland the nearest was 200 hundred miles away, so never managed it!!

It was a rather cold, damp and windy morning. Some kind volunteers explained what I needed to do and the route, which was several laps up and down the sea front. Volunteers had also worked hard to sweep away sand which had blown across onto the pavement! It was interesting to hear that there were quite a few people visiting from different areas.

I started off at the back and nice and slow. Chatted to a lady who was running with her spaniel. I didn't take Squiggy which was just as well since the route was narrow in places and he would get too excited and pull too much! Later I saw another lady fall over her dog - ouch, I know how that feels 😕.

The flat route helped my pace and I was pleased with my breathing - not too much huffing and puffing!

Lovely run, great volunteers, fantastic!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Glad you enjoyed your Park Run yesterday, I would think it was nice running with a group compared to running alone.

[skysue16 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Yes, it was nice running with others although some of the runners weren't exactly running 'with' me - I just saw a flash as they overtook me

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to skysue16]

Those runners who passed you in a flash are the sub 20 minutes 5K 'gazelles' as they are called here on C25K, they sprint round the park, well like gazelles, hence their name.

I looked at some of the results from various parkruns yesterday, the winning times for some of them were around 17 minutes, the age grading was junior male 14/17 age group.

[skysue16 Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Ha, ha definitely gazelles! Yes, the winner was sub 20. One young lad in the 11-14 category was amazing, came in about third I think.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Where are you in Scotland that’s 200 miles from a parkrun? Far northwest maybe? I love going to my local parkrun. I live in Arbroath so Montrose is just half an hour up the coast. I don’t think I’d like it now if I had to book a hotel to be able to enjoy a parkrun. Glad you enjoyed the experience.

[skysue16 Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

Yes, far NW - the Isle of Skye. Not sure why there isn't a Park Run in Portree though, I think the local running club could perhaps start one.

Yes, organising hotels or getting up very early makes going to events quite an outing! I did the Road to the Isles 10k (running into Mallaig) one year, beautiful scenery but it did require a very early start to catch the ferry!

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to skysue16]

Maybe not 200 miles then to Fort William but certainly too far to travel at that time in the morning! There is a fair amount of commitment to organising a parkrun and nobody gets paid for it - I think parkrun employs fewer than 20 people for central support which is remarkably few but everyone involved at local level is working for free and they have to know enough of them can be available 52 weeks out of 52. So serious competitive runners might find it onerous if it limited their freedom to travel to races - most races are on a Sunday but from Skye that will typically involve a weekend away I would think and sitting processing parkrun results at lunchtime on Saturday might not be feasible. The core team at Montrose seems to have a mix of serious club runners, joggers and people who don’t run at all but help with sedentary tasks. I don’t think a running club would take it on by themselves especially in your location. It would be a great place for a parkrun though!

[Myzinnyboy Graduate]

When I graduate I am going to do my local park run, I know I’m not ready for it yet and I also know I will be the last to finish! I’m up to week 5 and run 1 is tomorrow

[skysue16 Graduate in reply to Myzinnyboy]

No, you won't be last because they always have a 'tail runner/walker'

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Our local parkrun is along the Prom at Southsea skysue, probably about as far from you as you could go. Ours is just an out and back so we just see the greyhounds speeding back before I’ve run 1.5k! As our parkrun is flat, it’s one of the easiest in the country but when the wind is blowing it completely changes that.

I’m glad you enjoyed your first one, may you have many more when on holiday.