Eeek - no more excuses?

[thinnerandfitter]

Over the past few months, while I've never been very tempted to move up to 10K I've thought more about Parkruns. My best excuse has been that the nearest one is 20 mins drive away and has notorious parking problems (phew).

Weeeeelllllll...... imagine my mixture of surprise, delight and horror when I saw in the local paper that a new ParkRun is starting next week...... in the local park 5 minutes' walk from here (and indeed part of my usual course).

So - do I try it first week or see how the results look for a few weeks and join in if there are other slower runners? I've checked the course and it's flat (good) and mostly grass (less good for me - I'm so used to tarmac now). It's 3 laps around several fields - in fact I'm surprised it comes to 5K. My PB from last December is 34 minutes but since 5x50 started I've been finding it tough to run the 5K distance - yesterday was my best run in a long time with 4.28km in 29 minutes. I'm not sure that the ParkRun has been well publicized so maybe it'll only be keen club runners the first few weeks - or am I self-sabotaging and talking myself out of it?

I suppose I could try a trial run around the route during the week and see how I do - but that still won't tell me whether I'll be embarrassingly slow.

Any insights very welcome!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Oooohhhhhh you don't really need to ask do you? Its a chance in a million to attend your local first ever Parkrun. Good luck with it, don't hesitate, just go and do it and let us know how you get on

[sfb350 Graduate]

Go for it !! I enjoyed our first parkrun earlier this year and you'll be showing the organizers that their efforts have been worthwhile.

My time then was 34.35 and there were several behind me so i wouldn't worry too much about your placing, just enjoy it. Your first one is just a target to try and beat next time !

[Malcy Graduate]

Yep - absolutely go for it. My local run uses some grass and, like you, I had only been running on hard surfaces. So before my first Parkrun, I went along a few days before-hand and had a secret trial. Better than expected, which gave me the confidence to do the run which, as it happens, went well.

I think you've got enough experience to handle this with your head held high!

[oona Graduate]

Go for it, thinnerandfitter! I live a long way away from the nearest park run and would love to try one so you're very lucky to have one 5 mins away. In years to come you'll be able to say you ran in the very first one! Best wishes.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Just remembered Saturday is 27th which is my eldest grandson's birthday too, so will drink a toast to your first Parkrun and to him Now get out there for a practice run this week and do C25K proud.

[greenlegs Graduate]

I've only just spotted this - I'd agree with all the others, it's an opportunity you're not likely to get again, being part of a brand new parkrun. I'd go for it (even with my much slower speed) - as someone else said, it's good to show the organisers that it is appreciated.

Let us know how it goes!

[thinnerandfitter Graduate]

OK OK everyone - I consider myself duly nagged! I knew all along that I *should* do it - it's just a question of registering and getting myself there at the prescribed time (and really I have no excuse on that score at all!) I'll try and run a lap or two of the course tomorrow for practice in case it makes a difference. I think I'll do a slow time on Saturday but I'll do my best to keep running - after all I won't be the first person to have come last (heh - actually I've come last plenty of times before, about 40 years ago).

I'd have run today but it's so grey and yucky looking out there I did the Wii Fit instead. Feels like cheating but never mind, better than nothing and I did walk 2.5km earlier on.

Have a good week everyone!