I'm thinking I might join a Park Run alongside my c25k plan. I'm currently on Week 3. But what strategy or approach should I take? Should I run the next run in the plan and then walk the rest until the end? Should I repeat the last run I did in the plan? Should I walk the entire course and have a rest from c25k?
In the blog, they suggest Park Run as the next step after c25k, however I have seen a variety of runners at my local park run, they are not professional athletes and I am sure some have never run before now or might not have heard of the c25k. I don't really want to wait any longer, I want to get out and enjoy Park Run now.
Any advise and your experiences will be appreciated.
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Go, go, go ,go! Parkrun is for everyone, all it tries to do is create a regular habit of activity, whether you walk, run or skip, whatever you want. I’d advise go along, join in, perhaps plan to do one of your ‘runs’ including the warm up walk, depending how you feel either walk to the end, jog a little, however you feel. There’s no pressure to do anything.
Have a chat to the people in high vis (volunteers), there will be a first timers briefing, tell others it’s your first time.
If you feel that’s too much, have a go at volunteering to see how it works - you’ll be made most welcome, parkrun only happens because of the volunteers.
Most of all whatever you do, don’t forget your barcode (see parkrun.uk) , and have fun!
Thank you Madge50, lovely words of encouragement, much appreciated.
I have been reading historical posts about this and they recommend doing the run you are scheduled to do in your plan and then walk the rest. That works for me!
Looking forward to my first park run in a few weeks.
I tell you, my biggest regret is thinking you HAD to run 5k to go to parkrun, you do not, but you should be fit enough to at least walk it (if you want a time to be recorded)
It’s a great community, all ages, sizes and shapes, all with their own goals, reasons for participating, but with a common love of getting out into the open air together to complete 5k once a week.
Don’t forget to report back here of your experience, I sincerely hope you enjoy it
I have seen in here some who park run early on in the programme. I chose to wait until I graduated. I think it depends on your park run. The one I go to is large so as a newbie is a bit intimidating, not the people who are lovely but lots are going for PB each week. I’m really enjoying it now but not sure I would have early on as quite like running solo. Perhaps give it a try then you’ll see how competitive your local one is. Best of luck on your running journey, best thing I did 🏃♀️🏃♀️
Ah that's a good point, running solo is quite enjoyable in the first few weeks as you try to find your rhythm, your pace... I can see how in park runs your rhythm might get thrown off with many people around you... I will bear that in mind. It's going to be a few weeks yet as I am off on holidays, by the time I come back I will be on W5 and will take a call then. Thank you for your response.
A key thing to remember is parkrun is not a race, it is a timed run. You are only ‘racing’ against yourself, yes, there are very quick people and club runners. (I’m never going to bother them , so they don’t bother me 😂)
It does take a bit of getting used to, running in a crowd, and having people close to you, for example the original Bushy parkrun has over 1000 participants, mine has an average of about 400, has narrow pathways and I (being a more sedate type) do get lapped. You just need to give it a try, it’s not for everyone. (But a heck if a lot of people seem to like it!)
I agree with Aspire24- I tried my local parkrun recently months after graduating- there were 645 people running!! No way I would’ve like that as a pre graduate despite happily sticking to the back!! Diff story if there were a lot less people! Off to try out a smaller parkrun next time.
Go to parkrun... it’s a wonderfully supportive environment and they actually want walkers and run walkers to come... they celebrate when the average finishing time goes up because it means they’re more inclusive.
The parkrun I volunteer at most has a lot of walkers, C25Kers and people than can run half... and we marshals love to cheer the last person over the line, it’s often the only time that week that we are all together
As above start with the warmup walk, do your C25K session, then walk the rest... obviously you’re going to want to run the finish, especially with all the encouragement you’ll be getting... but save that for the last 200m... avoid raising the injury risk.
We are there every Saturday morning and there’s no better sight than a busy first timers briefing.
Thank you so much, very helpful and I am feeling pumped for my first park run in a few weeks 😊. I am going to love my new life at 40, I can feel it in my bones ❤️😁😂
Definitely go. Probably incorrectly I started C25k and park running at the same time. I find running in a group a lot easier than solo and parkrun. Also because parkrun is timed and recorded it allows to measure your improvement. I have gone from being overtaken by an 80 year old to finishing in the top half. Best advice I had was “run the downhills and walk the uphills”
Personally I didn’t do parkrun until I graduated and this was the right decision for me. I found my local parkrun of 400 runners were much quicker and I was left behind and disheartened but at the same time determined to come back for more. Have done 19 more and knocked 6 minutes off my time. The decision is yours to make and it very much depends on your mindset running determination and motivation. Whatever you choose welcome to the running world it’s a great place to be
So glad you posted this question because I too have been thinking the same thing since week 3. Just finished week 4 today and reading a lot of the responses here as motivated me to aim for a park run next Saturday. It’s a new one and follows the exact same path I currently run anyway so it would be rude not to
Hi go got it, I did first parkrun on week 3 such fun and great atmosphere. I parked further away and walked 5 min down to start of course, then stated my running at beginning along with everyone else, then did the week 3 session. I ended up doing more running as did more of the week 3 session by repeating the intervals till the end of race but you could walk once completed it to the end. It’s so good running with large group of people loads of encouragement along the way, now running the whole thing in 32 mins but I have completed couch to 5k.
Thank you I was at 42 mins when did first park run, trying to aim for 30 will get there hopefully!! Love the community friendliness of parkrun and the sense of achievement of completing it 😃🏃♀️
I see that some have said that you should pick a smaller parkrun. Just so you are aware if you look at the parkrun results for any course it will show you how many ran and how fast/slow the runners were. Seems obvious but perhaps not to a complete newbie?
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