When to Parkrun?

[OliP]

I'm now on week 7 of C25K and have been doing all my running at the local gym on the treadmill on a 5k program that gives me a little course outline, and randomly varies the incline between 0.5 and 3 degrees.

More often than not, I've been finishing out the 5k track on the screen with a mixture of walking and jogging after the cool-down walk has finished. In this way, I've already completed 5k many times as a mixture of running and walking.

My first 25 min run I completed 16 mins @ 6/mph, 4 mins at 5.5/mph, 4 mins at 5/mph, 30 seconds at 5.5/mph and 30 seconds at 6/mph. With the two 5 min walks @ 4/mph, the session covered about 4.5 km, and I finished out the 5k with a time of just under 36 mins (down from about 42 when I started out).

I'm doing a 5k Zombie Evacuation Race on 28th of September, but my local park run does pacer runs on the first weekend of the month. There are a pair of pacers doing 35 and 34 min runs, and that means that if I want to get a good idea what my treadmill pace feels like in the real world, I could to do the parkrun next weekend, it would probably work out as the week 8 run 1 or 2.

As I see it I've got five choices.

1. Do the park run (7/9) with the pacers at week 8 run 1 or 2

2. Do the park run (14/9) without the pacers at week 9 run 1 or 2

3. Do the park run (21/9) without the pacers as a graduate

4. Do the park runs starting tomorrow (no pacers) and walk where I have to, after all I "can" technically complete 5k already, then do the pacers next week.

5. Hold off on park runs until after my zombie evacuation race on the 28th.

[LeeU Graduate]

The only real answer regarding when to do a ParkRun is, do it when you feel ready to do it.

If you run only on a treadmill you may find that you need a couple of runs to transition to running outside, the treadmills are normally cushioned so they reduce the impact on joints, etc, running outside doesn't give the same level of impact reduction and you *could* get injured.

Just take it slow and steady and see how you go.

[Pugwash Graduate in reply to LeeU]

This is great advice from LeeU. I'd only add that another difference between treadmill and outside running is that the latter requires a bit more effort but does at least allow micro-alterations to ones pace. Additionally, don't set any goals for your first Parkrun other than to try and complete it... and it's OK to walk sections, loads of people do! Good luck, don't overthink it and listen to your body :-).

[Tasha99 Graduate]

Just do parkrun tomorrow! Forget times! Do your next run inside it - I used to. I think by week 7 I did the 5 min warm up walk before then did the rest inside parkrun. When the programme had finished I did whatever I could do til the end. You’re overthinking it. Running outside is different to the dreadmill so I don’t think you can really give yourself a target yet. Just go and get a feel for it. Parkrun is fab! Forget pacers for now.

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Maybe try a few runs outside first before going to parkrun. As treadmill and outdoor running are very different. Good luck 😊

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to Buddy34]

You can 'try a run outside' at parkrun though. It's not a race and you don't have to run all the way. The only thing to watch is you're not tempted to run further or faster than you should just because there are other people around - hence the advice people are giving about ignoring pacers.

[Madge50 Graduate]

Do parkrun whenever you want, you don’t have to run it all, there will be walkers, run/walkers, plodders, gazelles, every shape size, age of person you can imagine, people with dogs, people pushing buggies...the one thing they have in common is the joy of getting together and moseying around 5k every Saturday morning at 9am....

If you want go along just to watch, or better still volunteer, (it only exists because of volunteers)

Many people do the podcast including the warm up walk, then walk the rest, there are no set rules, go along, be nice, join in...

Don’t forget your barcode....(if you want a time recorded you need to register just once on the parkrun uk website and download and print your unique barcode) ......the only risk is one of addiction.....be warned...you will want to go, again, and again, and again........and again....especially as there is free stuff, like milestone t-shirts for 50, 100, 250 and 500(!) runs.....and the very, very special 25 for when you’ve volunteered 25 times....

I love parkrun, best invention ever!

Don’t over think it, it’s not a race, go, then come back here and tell us all about it....👍 and most important have fun.

Mx

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

We recommend that if you are mid C25K and wish to do parkrun that you stick with your programmed workout and walk the remainder.

When you do that is your decision, but as others say, running outdoors is very different to running on a treadmill.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

I’d forget about the pacers for now even if they’re on the run. You’d be best served running at your pace rather than chasing a number that doesn’t matter one little bit at this stage in your running.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Yes, forget about pacers for now. Far too early to think about that. Go to parkrun as soon as you like but when you do, stick to the amount of running you should be doing at this stage in your programme and walk the rest.

[Tasha99 Graduate]

Did you go?

[OliP Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

Yup It was brilliant! so much easier to run when you can naturally control your speed, and overtaking gives a nice adrenaline boost

Only problem I foresee is next week, I might have to slightly diverge from the programme. My 5 minute cool-down walk finished a minute and a half before the end of my race, so next week when the run is 28 mins instead of 25, it would mean I'm walking through the finish line, and for a minute or two afterwards

Is it cheating to count the 2k walk to the park before the run as my "warm-up 5 mins" so that I can finish the cool-down before the end, and enjoy the finish line?

I finished in 36:32 which I'm really pleased with, I think I've easily got sub- 35 in me already.