I found parkrun to be a *dreadful* experience to be honest. Lots of club runners, 3 lap circuit & I was 'forced' into doing it by my running obsessed girlfriend.
All it did was remind me of dreadful cross-country runs I was forced to do at school. Finishing almost last/near to the back in front of the gf & her running friends all chatting away at the finish line felt like a form of humiliation. Not good.
I am so sorry it felt that way. Events are not for everyone. I must admit I don’t like the fact my local Parkrun is three laps, if it starts going a bit wrong in the first lap the brain just keeps telling you how many times you have to do it again, so I can understand how that must of felt if you were not enjoying it. Do you think it would be any different if you went to a double or single lap Parkrun on your own, or was it the quantity of people? The good news is to carry on running Parkrun is not essential so been there, done that, you can happily move on with your own running journey. Happy running, Rfc. X
A couple of people said to me I should do a parkrun to celebrate graduating but I don't think it's for me and sounds like it's not for you. I've had confidence and self esteem issues and I won't do anything that will potentially make me feel bad about what I'm doing, I run for me, no one else. I hope you can put it behind and go back to doing your runs how you like to run them.
Thanks for the response. I like doing exercise on my own, even things like rowing at a gym because I can just focus on me. I think I'll give parkrun a miss. As for the 'supportive' ethos I didn't get a "well done" or positive comment from anyone at the event. Oh well not for everyone. Maybe I could volunteer instead. I'd make sure to say something positive to everyone.
Well doing something because you’re forced to is never fun. What I’m learning is that some parkruns are more attractive to serious runners and others appeal more to you and me. I was quite pleased with my performance on Saturday but it turned out I was 92nd out of exactly 100 because the course isn’t one that would attract walkers. I still enjoyed it though because I did what I set out to do: I got round the second hilliest parkrun in Scotland without stopping or walking. Yes I was lapped by several people (it was a two and a half lap course) but I didn’t care. However my home parkrun is a single lap and very flat. I can do it in five minutes less than it took on the hilly one on Saturday. Yet on Saturday the tail-walker was ten minutes faster than at my home parkrun, because lots of people walk at my home one.
So if you think of parkrunning again, look at the results to see what time the tailwalker usually takes because if it’s around the 55 minute mark you’ll know they are sympathetic to walkers and slow runners.
Thanks for the tip. How do I check the tailwalkers pace for a given event?
That’s a shame.
On my first Parkrun, one of the volunteers realised I’d come entirely alone, made sure to get my name and cheered me on using it every time I passed her checkpoint.
If I’m marshalling any event I do like to give everyone who isn’t sprinting round a ‘well done’ or a ‘you can do it’.
3 laps is depressing, I struggle with 21/2 laps at our local park and generally do better when I do a ‘tourist’ run and have no expectations about where the course will take me.
You could always give marshalling a go. But don’t feel you Have to, if you don’t think you’ll enjoy that either.
That’s such a shame Graham. If you felt like giving PR another go, is there another close enough to you where you might be a bit more anonymous? For example, I probably have 5 that I could do.
Yours is the reason I didn’t fancy joining our local running club, although I might now, nearly a year on.
Happy runny whatever you decide. 😀
I'm in the Leeds area so to be fair their are a few. Perhaps I will take a look, but I was really put off by the first time doing one. I suppose I would say to people don't do parkrun etc , just because you feel you 'should' or someone nags you into doing it if your not ready or it is the wrong type of course. Being passed by lots of people on a multiple lap course is very hard to ignore and dispiriting in my experience.
there *not their*
I'm unsure by your post if you've tried the C25K or do any running ? If not It's a programme you can do on your own suitable for practically everyone and would build both your strength and stamina as well as confidence in yourself.
Running with lots of other people doesn't appeal to me I must admit. I've done a couple of charity runs and found them a bit daunting. I have thought about perhaps entering a PR while on holiday this year but large numbers of people can be off putting so we'll see.
Good Luck if you decide to do the C25K.
Well done for trying though. I have just done my 5th and quite enjoy the freedom of running without music etc, knowing that I will be timed over the course. There are some VERY serious people there and to be honest, I usually prefer my own company. I always finish about 30 from the back and haven’t really got much faster but just think of it as one of my runs of the week and it makes a bit of a change. As has been suggested. Maybe try a different one when you feel ready. Good luck.
Very sorry to hear you had such a bad experience of it 
And very surprised you got no "well dones" on your way around! 
The idea of volunteering and giving out the well dones yourself sounds like a good one to me 
Yes that’s really quite poor that he got no verbal encouragement. May just be a parkrun that doesn’t have many marshals. I’ve only done one where that didn’t happen but it was a large parkrun with only one marshalled turn and everything else just signposts. I tend to be the opposite, I keep hearing ‘well done’ even when I know I’m taking it easy! I used parkrun for intervals once and it was fine but the marshals were giving me so much encouragement because when they saw me starting to walk they thought I was struggling
Actually runners in general, not just parkrun types, are usually very supportive of us rookies. I happen to be related to a former world champion and he’s full of praise and support for me just because I try to run at all even though he’s twice as fast and ten years older. Don’t get why the ‘running obsessed girlfriend’ isn’t doing the same.
Well she's a relatively new gf. She was chatting with a group of her running friends & the volunteers (she is also a sometime volunteer) at the finish line. As I was one of the last to finish there were not many people around and folks just ignored me. A couple of people at the finish line had a bit of "hurry up we want to pack up" vibe. Maybe that was in my mind at that point but it certainly wasn't very encouraging to say the least. Not my fault I'm not very good at running!
Who says you’re not good? Not fast, but that’s a different thing. Remember parkrun is very strict about being a timed run NOT a race. There was a guy at Perth a few weeks back who took 75 minutes - his first parkrun and he’s 92. That was celebrated on the local and national parkrun Facebook pages.
I’m often last because I volunteer as tailwalker and yes, some tidying up may have started and yes, the majority of runners are already in the way home but there are still two timekeepers, two people on tokens and the run director who will all be applauding the later finishers over the line. I do particularly like my home parkrun I have to say; but when I’m visiting a different one I still feel welcome and encouraged.
As it happens I took someone to her first parkrun recently- not a girlfriend or anything but nevertheless I went round with her at her pace and finished behind her (with only the tailwalker behind me). Not everyone needs that - when I went to my brother’s parkrun I told him to go on ahead and not wait for me - but she did and it sounds like you did. You don’t invite people to an event and then ignore them.
Seemed all a bit clique-like actually. By the end lap I was walking so maybe there's some "oh you're not a runner" thing going on? I'm sure most people have a positive experience, but I can only go on my own experience at this point.
I'm about halfway through my C25K plan if anyone was wondering. Just came on here to have a bit of a vent.
Well if you’re half way through C25k then of course you were walking by the end, it would have been foolhardy to try to run 5k at that stage. That friend of mine I mentioned above actually did the first run of C25k at parkrun so eight one-minute runs and the rest walking. She got nothing but total encouragement from everyone else - pouring rain and howling gale and after she finished her eight runs the tailwalker caught up with us but nobody was anything other than totally lovely to her and she put a wee jog on at the end and crossed the line soaked to the skin but with the hugest smile on her face. That’s the parkrun I know. So sorry your experience was less.
Sounds ruddy awful.
Don't feel you need to be doing lots of running things together just because she runs. Running for many can be a very personal thing.
I am really put off by all events, the clubs and cliques, just doesn't feel like it would be worth the effort.
Good luck with the rest of your c25k journey 🤞👍😁
Thanks. I think I need to be more self assertive i.e. not do things that I don't actually want to do in order to please someone.
Yep. 👍 Togetherness doesn't mean you have to do _ everything _ together just share stuff when you are.
I run. My fiance doesn't and I'm glad to have something for myself. He cycles... a lot... sometimes we go for a wee ride together but I'm happy for him to do his club stuff and leave me to my peace and running 👍🤣
Oh what a shame. Please don’t give up on park run after one bad event. That sounds awful.
I’m a snail and always near the back at my park run. I actually drive to one further away as I’ve heard my local Parkrun is v competitive and hilly.
I have always had loads of support. Mine is two laps so I do get overtaken but a few times the front runners have given me a ‘well done’ etc I have always felt really welcome and part of the crowd which is lovely as I was a total non-runner before c25k.
Make sure you’re doing what you want to do, not what gf wants you to do. Find your own happy place, sounds like her park run is not the one for you but another may be.
Well that's true. It's not like I "demand" that she goes to the gym and lifts weights she couldn't manage.
Absolutely!! My husband and I alternate park runs as we have a toddler. He has now started running onthe week it’s my turn but does it with the buggy! There is no way I can do that so we just go along and cheer when it’s his turn (although last week Storm Hannah made us stay in the car as we had to give up on the cheering front!). If it’s no fun it shouldn’t be done.
When I first started park running he wasn’t keen on the idea so just stayed at home. He’s only got into it once we both decided to sign up for a 10k and it fits in with training. I couldn’t imagine forcing him into anything 😬
The more I think about it the more ridiculous and manipulative her behaviour & attitude over this has been. Running is very important to her (for mental health reasons) so I was trying to be empathetic and go with the flow. I think I should let her know I am not happy with her about this. If my not wanting to be a sub 30 minute 5k runner is a big problem for her then that's maybe a bigger issue...
Sadly park runs seem to have been overtaken by serious runners and fitness fanatics the country over. Hell’d freeze over before I’d do my local one given hearing folks at my gym talking about PBS sub-25 mins..yikes!!! Suggest you find a couple of like- minded runners who do it for the enjoyment of the run and nothing else - keep running though!
The one I went to has lots of ppl with sub 20min PBs. Not exactly a fun run!
First Parkrun experience
Yet another 1st Parkrun!
First Parkrun at Marlborough's first Parkrun!! 👟👟🤪🤪🏃♀️🏃♀️🌧🌧☔☔
1st Parkrun
Parkrun 1 Done
