Parkrunners anonymous

funchum - welcome and well done on the running.

We do our briefing at 9:00, and don't start running until 9:10 (but we are supposedly a very laid back parkrun ).

Was it Black Park where people said they had difficulty parking a little while ago? Might be worth turning up bit early to get a space.

I would say for our parkrun 8.40 would be perfect for a new runner. We do our new runners talk about 8.50 and then move over to the start at 8.55, short pre run info and then start as dead on 9 as possible. Our start and finish are in different places so we tend to hang around the finish, as that's where all equipment is, until 8.45 then wander over to the start. Congratulations on getting to week 8, I did the c25k two years ago having never run before, I think it's a great plan.

Hi parkrunners, I am on week 8 of couch to 5k and aim to do my last run at parkrun on March 8th. I have done some races years ago but never a parkrun - any tips ie how early should I get there etc? My local run is Black Park near Slough.

I am so impressed at all your mileage having read a few posts on here just from today!

I'm only 5'5" but I'm 2/3rd leg I reckon! My dh is 6' and we have the same length legs (although his are pretty short!)

There was a woman in the first 10 finishers who had a very springy stride, almost like she was bouncing. I agree cinnamon that it's not a good idea to try & change the way you move unnaturally, but like you I don't lift my feet very much & all of the runners from my club who can run far & fast seem to have long strides. I'm quite tall for a woman at 5 foot 7 but my legs are quite short, so maybe that is why I stride short.

At my running club we do a lot of hill work & sprint on the toes. I cannot seem to transplant that stance into running on the flat, it makes my calves ache. It's not fun at all, but the sense of achievement after powering up a steep hill is great!

We've been doing hill work at the 5k Improvers course. That slightly tipped forward - high knees - lifted toes - arms pumping stance is what you should be going for on the flat to get you moving faster. Plus, running up hills will improve the muscles you need to go faster too.

Not fun but it works

My shoulders usually get sore around 9 miles but by then even with concentrating on relaxing them it's too late! I think it's fascinating how differently everyone runs, and I'm not convinced trying to change your style is a good thing. I apparently lean backwards, have a very small stride and don't lift my feet very high. I've read you're best of to lean forwards slightly and almost feel you're falling with each step. I worry about causing an injury by trying to move in a way that isn't natural for your body. One of the ladies from my club is being taught how to walk different and then run different and her knees point inwards and her feet kick to the side and is causing her hip problems. Will be interesting how it goes.

Well, any techniques you can share?

I've been trying to concentrate on not hunching my shoulders and clenching my fists - adopting a more relaxed stance.

Well done everyone :)

I volunteered this week as I had a late night on Friday and I don't run very well when I'm tired. I really enjoyed helping out & will definitely volunteer again if I am not feeling like running for any reason.

The fast runners are so fast, it was amazing to watch. Sprinting speed, but consistently for 15 minutes. I would like to be that good one day. I spent a lot of time watching the runners' technique to see where I might be going wrong, so it was quite useful to stand watching rather than run (I was a marshal) even though it was very cold!

I WILL beat him one day OhOneOhTwoOhThree!!

So sorry to hear that Blatherskite! Get well soon! I've been coughing for 5 weeks now but it definitely improving, nothing that's stopped me running though thankfully!

My parkrun this week was 29, getting there!

Sorry to hear that- but you know you're right to put your health and recovery as top priority. There will be other runs.

Oh Blathers how frustrating. Hope you bounce back soon

I did chip scanning for the first time yesterday too. I wanted to run, I really, really did but I'm still coughing like a 90 a day smoker so there was no chance Also meant that I missed out on my 10k run today too. I went along and took pictures and DH ran in my place but I'm still really annoyed that I couldn't run - especially because my cough hasn't been nearly as bad today.

Probably best that I rest and don't risk a chest infection but I'm feeling really frustrated now

cinnamon

How very dare you, a mere woman, keep up with such an attractive specimen of manhood.

Well done spacechimp. And great you got all the way round nightsky

Good for you spacechimp :)

Fantastic OhOneOhTwoOhThree! I have an arch nemesis at parkrun too, he's has pee'd two steps off the path, spat and snorted repeatedly with me just behind him and commented on me 'keeping with him still' and that I was 'cheating' running with my dog!

well done Space. Our poor barcoders were stressed out today. We are a tiny parkrun of about 140 people who suddenly swelled to 260 due to the good weather. the usual 2 barcoders had queues waiting for 10mins.

Thanks for the encouragement re barcode scanning. Everything went ok and I didn't mess up. Would definitely do it again but hoping I'll be fit to run next week. Hope everyone had a good run today. Was lovely and sunny here

Mr SBSF is a nasty piece of work who barged past me and one of my friends at the finish a few weeks ago and insisted he'd beaten us over the line even though he hadn't

Thank you

I took 13 seconds off my previous PB - which was 2 months ago. I chased the lady who helped me PB last time AND I beat Mr Smelly Beardy Snot Face

Ohone.... bloody well done!!!

Go OhOne liking your work :)

I PB'd this morning

Gorgeous morning here in norn irn, and we attracted a record turn out!

I was feeling positive- had run 4 times this week, done my daily strength exercises, not gone mad on Friday night drinks. And mapmyrun was telling me I was doing great- pace likely to reach a new pb. Woohoo! And then it announced that I had reached 5 km when there was still the final stretch to manage.

Oh well, 27:07 is better than most of my recent times, even if it's a bit short of a pb.

That's great thenightsky!

It was beautiful, I did 28m02 but I didn't want to push it as me and a few others did 9 miles afterwards. My friend who I run with knocked a massive 30s off her pb though!