5k round Greenwich Park

Hi Everyone....as I head towards W8R3 I thought I'd keep myself motivated by joining my daughter-in-law for the 5K run round Greenwich Park on November 25th. Wythenshawe Park, where I normally jog is more or less like a spirit level...so I contacted the organisers in London to ask whether the course was reasonably flat....and they replied kindly, saying the course had 'undulations'. Yikes! As there's a massive escarpment in Greenwich Park, I don't want to be tackling THAT!! Is anyone familiar with this course by any chance...and can put my terrified mind at rest ???? Thanks a million.

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate]

🍏 That’s a fantastic goal to work towards. Don’t let the undulating terrain put you off. There are some good stretches of flat bits as I remember & you can always walk up the hilly bits if you prefer not to run up them.. It’s a very beautiful park..

[Hidden in reply to Annieapple]

Phew, thanks Annieapple. I hope to take the hilly bits as a personal challenge not to walk...but let's hope this isn't pride going before a fall, ha ha!

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Try routes with a hill or two now if you can.. you take them extra slowly with very small steps & easy breathing & they won’t be a problem .. the plus is good legs🤣

[Hidden]

Good legs? I've always wanted good legs....instead mine are like a pit pony's. So I'll definitely be taking your advice if it can give me Elle McPherson's pins!!!

[Leotigris Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I'm trying to imagine what a pit pony's legs look like! Ending in hooves?

[Hidden in reply to Leotigris]

Yeah - cloven ones!!!!

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate in reply to Hidden]

🤣

[Wavy-chick28 Graduate]

I walk round the park quite often and yes there are some very steep bits but plenty of flat! Unfortunately don’t know the route but it’s iconic you will be too busy looking at the views 🤞🏼

[Hidden]

Thanks Wavy-chick - that's scary...and interesting I'll have to do a few runs on the treadmill in the lead-up...and set it onto either an incline or a variable programme.

[Ukunda]

My daughter runs in this park, undulations is right - she notices the difference running with me in Plymouth with its constant slow and sharp hills! Very good for the heart, embrace the challenge and you'll soon relish it! Top tip - try to avoid climbing hills at the end, when you may be tired - organise a return route so your earlier uphills are rewarded with later downhills!

[Hidden]

Thanks so much for this useful intel . Judging from the website, the charity run I'm hoping to do only gives entrants one route but I'll do a bit more research. I lived in Plymouth many years ago but never tried running in those days. Lucky you!

[Cmoi Graduate]

Don't you think you might be making a mountain out of a molehillHidden ?! You're talking about an event over three months away so you have plenty of time to go out to practise inclines and hills.

If you don't want to run them, then walk. It's a sensible and effective way to conserve energy for flatter sections. Because of where I live I've always run hills - it's rare for any of my runs these days to come in at less than 100m elevation gain, most are significantly more - but if the terrain and/or gradient mean that it's safer or more energy-efficient to walk, then I'll walk.

Forget the good legs though! Mine are still ridiculously short and chunky, with cankles, and in summer they're usually covered in scratches and bites. So attractive. Who cares? They take me to places I'd never have gone before I started running.

[Hidden]

😀

[lusmo Graduate]

I don't know Greenwich Park - I tried to look on the map but it found some mall with the same name. That will definitely not be it

Don't be afraid of hills. Where I live, there is almost no level ground. I remember being very afraid of it. Eventually I found the hills to be cool. The important thing - at least according to what I discovered - is not to rush into them too quickly. Calmly, very slowly, so that the breathing remains regular. You will find that the hills are not the enemy. Personally, I prefer running uphill to downhill. As long as they are not too steep, it will be just fine!

Happy running!

You dan do it!

[Hidden in reply to lusmo]

Such a star Lusmo - thank you. I will look at hills with a whole new attitude!

[Wavy-chick28 Graduate in reply to lusmo]

Greenwich Park is in London has the Royal observatory and the Naval museum and the Greenwich meantime line which all the tourists stand on! Oh and the Cutty Sark ⚓️⛵️

[lusmo Graduate in reply to Wavy-chick28]

I thought so - I've been there - but the map pointed me to some shopping center with the same name, so I wasn't sure

But sometimes it's quite uphill there.

[Hidden in reply to Wavy-chick28]

Yup - I've visited all of those and they're fantastic. However, I just can't remember the lie of the land in running terms - ha ha!

[Wavy-chick28 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Will try and have a look next time at the running route give you a nod !

[Hidden in reply to Wavy-chick28]

star - thank you!