Slowest Parkrunner, feeling demoralised

You did better than everyone who stayed on their couches.

It's a legacy of PE teachers who valued speed over participation and regularly berated slower runners and belittled their efforts. My PE teacher thought I was lazy for staggering around wheezing, with cramped calves and clutching stitches and would say "motivating" things, like "you're not even trying" while boys bounded past goading "lapped you... lapped you twice"

It tends to instill a deep fear of being "slow" in public and set up negative self-talk about sporting ability and performance.

Parkrun is the antithesis of that, but it takes people a lot of drive and courage to get to that stage.

We've got junior parkrunners who've come about 150 times, jog round with their mates and aren't bothered about pushing to be near the front, and that makes me so happy that they're content to just regularly turn up and enjoy without the pressure to be competitive.

I'm all for hash browns and sausages, but they are even more enjoyable when eaten in the ravenous and virtuous glow of having run 5k at 9:00 on a Saturday morning and having the rest of the weekend ahead of you! I am extra-lucky because my local Parkrun is in beautiful National Trust parkland overlooking Lake Windermere and has a great café. I haven't been for ages as I fell off the running wagon for a while, but am back on it and planning to start doing Parkrun again after Feb half-term. I've done over 100 in total.

Oh really!? She’s awesome 🙌🏻

Fun fact. Lisa used to work at MNHQ

I’ve been last at parkrun many times and once in a proper race. Literally no one cares. And if they do, sod them. My theory is at least I’ve done it, and if someone wants to laugh or feel superior about it, then I’ve improved their day too.

We have way more walkers at our Parkrun than runners.

But I am not in the UK.

It seems from reading some PR threads here, that people feel obliged, or they they have to run. Is that the case? It most definitely is not the case with our parkrun.

I didn't go today as it was just too hot. But OP, just to give example, last week I came in 804th out of almost 1500 people. 😂. I only know that as I went to check the email to see how many finishers there were. I even forgot to check my token.

Obviously the first finishers do, but the vast majority in my crowd (walkers) just do it to get out, get some exercise and many just to meet other people. It doesn't have to feel pressurized.

I’m Team sausage and scrolling but I do feel a certain admiration for the folk that go and do a Park Run x

The fact that you get up and go and take part is the only thing that matters, even if you walk the whole thing like a snail is still movement. The ground is so muddy at the moment so very difficult to do anything. Well done for going, keep at it and forget everyone else, just think of the movement you are doing and the fresh air you are getting!

You can't have been the slowest as the tail walkers will have been behind you. If you are happy with what you are doing and enjoying it then just keep going you are doing great. If you fancy a change you could volunteer to tail walk. I tail walk at the parkrun my son volunteers at. Well he runs then volunteers whereas I tail walk and arrive at the finish after most people have gone home. I still enjoy it though.

I do between 45 and 50 mins and I am delighted with that (late 60s). I would have been dancing a jig with your time.

There's usually 10-20 behind me, but my local runs all attract 200-300 people. You should be so proud of yourself. Your only race is with yourself.

i’m glad you’ve had so many lovely comments and that they’ve helped you think again. As so many people have said, getting up and going round are achievements in themselves and you are doing a lot more than a lot of people to attend to your health.
Do you have a friend who might like to go round with you? That can help as you encourage each other. Hope you enjoy next Saturday.

Each run will be different, some are good, some are hard, some are faster, and some seem never ending! But each will give you something different. No such thing as a bad run 💐

68 finishers and you were one of them! As others have written, a small event and it sounds like it was challenging. It can feel intimidating. You were a winner the moment you started.

Parkrun is a community event and, once I have gotten over my shyness, I’m always amazed by how welcoming and encouraging other runners are. Nobody started that fast from day one; they’ve all had to turn up and do the work. They have your back.

Be proud of your accomplishments, of turning up and taking on the challenge, of starting something you know is hard for you.

I was third from last at a 5km run a few years ago. There were medals for all finishers. The lovely Marshsll who gave me mine said I should get two because I’d been running longer 😊

OP it all counts and I think you’ve done brilliantly. There would be at least 50-75 people behind you with that time at my local park run which has 4-500 people every week.

You obviously want to enjoy it otherwise you wouldn't have posted. However, you just dont. Not yet. There is no shame in not enjoying it. I know fast runners who don't enjoy parkrun. I know slow runners who also don't enjoy them. My family like them, but they don't run. They just tag along with me.

Firstly, as has been said, you did a lot better than the majority of the UK population this morning. It's grey, dull and the weather seems relentless ATM, but you still got your gear on and did a parkrun so that in itself is something to be proud of. No-one honestly cares about your time, they are too busy worrying about their own time.

The speedy ones are either hanging about supporting those slower than them (they might be with someone the same sort of time as you) or they have left. They are not hanging around to laugh at you or make you feel inadequate and even if they are then that's on them, not you.

At mine today I came 29 out of 40. Your time would have put 6 people (inc tailwalker) still behind you so not last. This one was hilly, muddy and even my trail shoes had me slipping about and I walked more than I should.

I knew today wasn't a PB day. I knew it wasn't even going to be a good time day (I was 8 mins slower than the last time I did this route back in Nov/Dec), but I just thought about the fresh air I was getting, the fact that I could still go out and there and do it. I really enjoyed it - even though I was very slow for me (nearly 40 mins when my PB is a sub 25). It doesn't matter, it's only parkrun not the olympics. It's just meant to be a bit of fun on a Saturday morning.

So go into it with a different mindset next week. Don't think about your time or that person who you feel should be slower than you. Just look at the scenery, think about those that would have loved to have been there, but can't for whatever reason (work, injury, other plans). Give it another couple of goes, but if you really hate it then accept it might not be for you. Good luck and I really hope you discover the enjoyment as I think you want to.

Good lord! You're amazing! Surely it's not about the time, it's that you're actually doing it.

It would probably take me a week to do a park run. On my hands and knees!

I've just had a friend pop in for a cuppa and we were talking about walking our dogs, mud, leaves and so on. She had a nasty fall in her garden recently. I had a mishap coming down my stairs. So you're right to be cautious. It will be different in the summer when it's dry.

For what it's worth, from a stranger on the internet, GO YOU!!

First of all: super well done for going out in the grim weather and the treacherous grounds as well as finishing. 🏅

Now as for the speed: are you a bigger person? It puts a lot of pressure on joints and I wouldn’t recommend running if you’re heavy. I’d increase walking uphill at a decent pace (where you could still talk but manage the speed and burn on muscles.) Return to outright running once you get the weight down. I

s it your cardiovascular ability? Do you feel out of breath at the speed and distance you’re going? If that’s the case I’d do a walk/run regime (look up Fartlek) to play with the speed (literally the name of this kind of training) and do that for a while to increase your endurance. HTH

You'd be nowhere near slowest at either of my regular ones, they tend to be 60 mins at one and 70 mins at the other. I'm usually between 50 and 60 mins, walk, jog or a combination and I love it.

I used to go to one where part of the coursebwas along a lane full of puddles and the rest on gravel or grass. I couldn't think about speed as mostly it was about keeping upright. It was much better in summer but I tended to avoid it in the winter as it wasn't much fun

Thanks for this post OP and everyone who has commented
i’m slower than you and get very red in the face when I exercise, so I have never dared do a park run. Maybe I’ll try next week…

Whenever I’ve been last the lovely volunteer have always encouraged me by telling me how many millions are still in bed or sitting in their pj’s on the sofa! Please don’t be demoralised . As others have said, you’re out there and you’re doing it and that’s bloody brilliant!

You weren’t last because that’s the tailwalkers job. You got out and did it and your run has exactly the same value as the first finisher.

I’m an RD at my parkrun and we love to see people turning up and trying every week. And your time is about my usual time these days because I’m very out of condition and for personal reasons just haven’t turned up recently.

Please dont worry about your time, I volunteer regularly and massive thanks to your DS for committing to volunteer regularly. We have teens volunteering often for Duke of Edinburgh etc and quite a few who then continue to volunteer after finishing the DoE award just because they appreciate the community. And thats what parkrun is about a community of encouragement and support. You got out on a miserable day, fresh air, exercise and your son is doing a brilliant thing, be proud of you both.

Well someone has to be last, and if the person who finishes last each time gave up, it would soon be the end of parkrun, so I'd keep at it.