I absolutely have the running bug right now. Snails pace is ace!
I was researching different things I could do to challenge myself. Started off with looking at all the different charity 5ks in my area then 10Ks, then somehow ended up looking into the virtual London marathon.
Thankfully sense took over before I signed myself up! I have however registered for the park run in my local park and emailed the organisers with all my worries. Im still a little bit nervous of showing up for the 1st time though.
Has anyone else taken part in these? I know they’ll all be slightly different depending on the people that regularly go - but is it as scary as I’m anticipating? I’ve been reassured I won’t be the last over the line (thank you to which ever volunteer will be the back marker that day 😂)
Hopefully going to give it a shot this Saturday. Figuring since I’ll be into week 7 by then I should be able to do it using c25k run 2/3 then walk the last bit as an extended cool down?
Is this a good idea or am I getting ahead of myself?
Written by
Rainbow2019
Graduate
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Hi there,Go to parkrun......parkrun is not a race, it is a super welcoming community who all get together at 9am every Saturday to walk, jog, run, skip a 5k.....to chat, to make new friends.....it is run by volunteers.
If you want a recorded time all you need to do is register at the parkrun uk website, you’ll be given a unique barcode - take a copy of this along with you - when you finish you’ll be given a numbered token, this alongside your barcode will be scanned.......keep your barcode, give back the token......then a little later you’ll get an email telling you your time.
All parkrun asks of you is to go along and be nice and join in, however you wish, it’s not a test, it’s not a race.......there are also opportunities to volunteer.......it’s a great community.
I hope you go along and give it a go
If you do, report back here about how you found it - if you’re nervous, and don’t feel you can speak to any fellow participant, approach anyone in hi vis, including the run director - they will all be welcoming....
Oh and yes there is a tailwalker .....who’s job it is to be the last one home....walking.....
Best thing I ever did was to go to parkrun, my only regret is not going sooner......
Doing C25K is not a pre requisite to joining parkrun - you do not ‘have’ to run, you do not ‘have’ to be a certain speed, just able to reach 5k however you wish to
Parkruns are great. Been many years since I ran in one but the volunteers (many of whom are fellow runners taking a turn to help out on the day) are very pleasant and welcoming.
Personally I would wait until after the programme to "run" it just incase you get sucked in by the occasion, do too much and injure yourself. However if you feel you can beat the temptation to catch that runner in front and just do your own pace with walking and running you should be able to do it. Some do the parkrun as a walk so you certainly won't be last, but it's designed as a means to measure your own performance over time rather than worry about others speed and times. It's a great opportunity to meet fellow walkers/runners with most parkruns offering juice, tea, coffee afterwards so hang around at the end to meet a few people if you decide to go.
As for me, I plan to focus solely on the programme until at least week 9 then I might see about volunteering at the local parkrun to help them out and pick some brains on the course and what to watch for before I eventually joining the fun.
Good plan - focus on the c25k then maybe go have a nosey before I fully commit to attempting it. I think I could do it easily at my own pace but I’ve looked at the results page for my local park run and they all seem to be finishing waaaay ahead of anything I could do at the min. I don’t mind been last but I don’t want to be last by so much! How in gods name does anyone finish 3 miles in 20 mins and less?!. Furthest I’ve managed is about 2.5 miles in the 30 mins sessions so far. Definitely on my to do list once I’ve graduated though.
When you do finally feel ready to try the Parkrun have a look at the results of previous weeks and work out where you expect to finish. This way you'll go into it with a realistic idea of what you will achieve, when you'll finish and where in relation to everyone else.By the way, when the run starts the fastest runners set off first. If you know your likely finish time you'll know whether to set off in the middle or, like me, among the last ones.
My local course is two circuits and it's truly a joy to watch how effortlessly the sub 20 minute guys move when they run past me for the finish as I finish my first lap.
When I did my first Parkrun I'd have been happy with 45 minutes. In the event I got carried away and did it in around 41 or 42, pulling a ligament in the process. Since then I'd like to say I've learned restraint but...Anyway, I know that I will never ever be anywhere near the front but I've not yet been last. Not that it would matter if I was, it's not a race. It's just a chance to run in company and truly it's the case that it's all about taking part.
2.5 miles is very good!! Many graduate the programme doing around that distance. Really the programme is about safely building to run 30 mins several times a week rather than an expectation to hit 5k but opens a variety of training options after to improve speed and distance.
On one of your rest days you could walk round the parkrun course to get an idea of what you're in for. I went today and noticed a few twisty bends around bird cages at my local parkrun.... I'll be making sure to work on some strength and flexibility stuff so less chance I end up with a twisted ankle or something on my first go running it 🤦♂️
It's a really friendly supportive experience. I finished Couch25k a month ago and have done 2 Park runs since. The volunteers are great (and they all get a round of applause at the start). There are all abilities of runners and walkers - my only tip is "set your own pace and don't be swept along."
Of course you can do parkrun. There is no requirement to run it. In fact many walk the whole thing!
For my first two parkruns (at that point as someone who could comfortably run ten miles) I totally misjudged my pace and ran too fast. I walked a fair bit of those two first parkruns.
My local parkrun venue looks easy on paper, but there are relentless slopes and a steep climb about three quarters the way round. I often see people walking sections of it. You will not look out of place.
Every parkrun has a tail walker volunteer whose job it is to come in last, making sure that nobody is left behind. The team doesn't clear up until that last person comes in.
It's a friendly atmosphere. Some will be there to chase personal bests but most are there to prove how mad they are by running around a cold park at 9am (9.30am in Ireland and Scotland) on a Saturday morning when they could be having a lie-in instead.
Larger venues can sometimes be intimidating. My local venue usually attracts between 60 and 80 participants. The next nearest ten times that!
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