Junior Parkrun

[MuddledGardener]

Well, that was embarrassing! Only 2k, but my four year old granddaughter and I came 74th out of 78! 😖 Admittedly we did a fair bit of walking, because after only about 40 seconds she said her legs hurt and she wanted to walk!

It was like going back to w1r1 for me for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I had this little person hanging onto my left hand, pulling against the direction of travel. Secondly, about a quarter of the course was a reeeally long gradient, that we had to do THREE times! WTF??? Sorry, but that’s how it felt at the time!

We passed a dad telling off his little boy (who was crying) for not running. ‘I’m sick of coming here week after week, and you not running.’ Maybe he doesn’t actually want to be here, week after week, I thought to myself. I wanted to say something encouraging to the little lad, but this was on the uphill stretch, and I knew I was incapable of speech. Shortly afterwards, my granddaughter said she didn’t want to come here again, and I thought ‘Thank goodness for that!’ Then immediately felt guilty. AARRGGHH! So many conflicting emotions! 😫

After we got home, I casually asked my granddaughter if she had enjoyed it. She said that it was very tiring and hard, something that she’d said to all the stewards on the way round. I then asked her if she’d like to go again, and after a very short think, she said yes! That means muggins here has to up her game. We did it in 19’36”. The fastest kid did it in 7’53”. 🤐

[Tasha99 Graduate]

I love junior parkrun. It’s full of kids either crying or running faster than I could ever dream. It’s very cute.

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

That’s not what I called it! 🤣🤣🤣

[Tasha99 Graduate in reply to MuddledGardener]

🤣

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

I do not think you should have children who cry and obviously dislike running, it's a bit like the old days at school when kids had to run, forcing them to run will make them hate running for at least 40 years when they might restart running with a C25K program. 😊

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

That’s the only positive about it - a future C25K candidate.

[Oddity]

They let four year olds do junior parkrun?? Must be like herding kittens 🤣 bet they look cute though x

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Oddity]

She did look very cute, but there again, I am EXTREMELY biased! 😍

[Oddity in reply to MuddledGardener]

You're allowed to 😉

[Buddy34 Graduate]

😂😂your granddaughter didn't like it but wants to go back. They can never make their mind up. Good luck with next time 😊

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Buddy34]

Thank you! 😁

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

Sounds like she’s a real C25K-er in the making - not enjoying the run but can’t wait to do it all over again!! Well done both of you! Sadly it sounds like the dad with his son hasn’t really ‘got’ Parkrun has he? It doesn’t matter if you walk, so long as you’re there! What a shame!

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to Oldgirlruns]

To be honest, I really wanted to tell him off, but it wouldn’t have been appropriate. Poor little kid.

[littleOnetwo Graduate]

Haha I’ve done junior parkrun 4 times with my 4 year old son and nephew and come rain or shine we come in last each and EVERYtime! They’re like 2 little old men out for a Sunday stroll! But hey it’s the taking part that counts and as he keeps telling me ... it’s not a race mummy!

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to littleOnetwo]

Lol! That’s what I kept telling her over the last few days! 😁

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Sub 10 minute kms at age four is a great start. The fastest kid will have been doing it for a long time, we have one who runs 2k in 6:30! What’s important at 4 is to go out and have fun... I tailwalked juniors this morning and we stopped to pick daisies, we skipped, we walked, we even did some running... but those kids at the back had some fun, out in the fresh air and got a little bit fitter while their classmates were probably thinking about getting out of bed.

We get the pushy parents and I wish we could ban them from the run... the kid on their own would be able to enjoy the experience! Sadly we lose a lot of kids by age 11, a lot of whom are probably down to pushy parents.

Great job getting out there with your granddaughter... hope she has lots of run chasing 19:30... and then progressing from there.

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you. She did whinge a few times, but I managed to jolly her along. If it gets to the point where she doesn’t want to do it anymore, then I’ll stop taking her. I don’t want to force it on her.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to MuddledGardener]

She did great... see if she can think of a way to make it more fun for next time.

[MuddledGardener Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I’ll put my thinking cap on. 😁