Slowest Parkrunner, feeling demoralised

It’s not the only way to run! Who enjoys being last? No fun in my view.

Btw I've watched marathons before. They're v moving (no pun intended !). I was equally in awe of the last last stragglers at the back as I was the famous elites at the front.

It is honestly a very respectable time. I think it's unusual for the last runner to be less than 50 mins, but I see yours is particularly small. Keep it up!

Over the last few years my running has been so stop - start. Your post has reminded me I really want to start again! You're inspiring. Keep doing it and you'll make the run welcoming for any new newbies, if the rest are largely ultra fit. And you will definitely see improvement in yourself over time.

The hardest, slowest runs count more IMO because you still did it when you easily could have not.

I had to get myself seperate trail shoes with better grips for off road in this weather. Helped quite a lot.

Wouldn't matter if it took 3 hours to do, no time would be shamefully slow.

It sounds like a great opportunity to get some more variation in running/walking/jeffing times/intervals and build better strength, stability and muscle development in areas that aren't so activated when running on a more or less flat, dry, hard surface.

I was going to go for a walk this morning, saw the weather and flopped on the sofa 😊
You should be proud of yourself!

Try to remember that someone has to come
last in any run or race, and as one of the volunteers at our Park Run likes to say- you’re still by a long shot beating all of the people sat on the sofa!

I was the slowest by a long way and had people who ‘looked’ like they should be slower (very elderly folk!) overtake me easily. No advice but it was humbling and I never went back as I felt so demoralised.

I’ve also been overtaken by children too. Honestly no on is judging you, everyone is just focused on their own time.

That’s a tiny park run and so it’s going to skew the results, especially if it’s generally frequented by a lot of fast runners.

there were about 380 finishers at the one I went to today and the last finisher did it in 58 mins. You’re honestly doing just fine OP.

It’s nice you have a small Parkrun too. When I started my local was 100 or so, now it’s 400 and much too busy!

I’m a mediocre runner in the middle of the pack and when I’ve seen the last runner with the tail runner at Parkrun I’ve never thought anything negative. Running is tough at any level, and you are doing brilliantly as you are. Parkrun is such a positive movement and I just want to cheer for everyone because I know everyone is cheering for me too. And it’s brilliant you have started in the winter too. You will get faster - just keep going!

That was me too. But I got fantastic encouragement from the stewards and other runners. Keep going!

@slet

I do parkrun most weeks. And I have for about 2 years now. I walk though And I just want you to know that times are not actually the be all and end all. Nor is the placement.

My fastest ever time in two years is 46mins. My average is 55 minutes. Not every course is doable in the same time.

Ours is trail, and hilly. Your time today would get you in the front pack of walkers / slow runners at my course.

Please don't get despondent. Can you tey another course with more people?

Ours is huge so that will make a difference but the tail walkers come in with the last crowd and there is always people cheering everyone on. I doubt one person cheering them on ever thought, oh look they were last.

You are amazing OP. I’ve only just got out of bed.
Have a gold star for getting out there and doing it ⭐️

My DS volunteers at park run and the tail walkers often take a good 50 plus mins doing the 5k. No one cares about your time or how you look. I promise you!
You are amazing for getting up on a grey Saturday ans doing it !!

Worrying you're going to fall over isn't fun, so I third the recommendation to get some trail shoes if you're going to be doing that parkrun regularly, a good pair should make you feel a lot more secure. The social side can take a bit of time but can be incredibly rewarding, volunteering can help you get to know people more quicky which will make it more fun.

If it’s only worry about being last that stops you I would urge you to go and try it out. No one cares what position you come. They really don’t. There’s also a fair chance that you wouldn’t be last at a bigger one as long as you can walk at a brisk pace.

PS Parkrun should always have a ‘tail walker’, which means no one should finish ‘last’, unless the choose to volunteer in that role

How many finishers are there at your parkrun? At ours, 45 mins is nowhere near the slowest - we have people up to 58/59 mins.

Dont be demoralised - a 45 min 5km is still the same distance as a 20 min one. Good job 👍🏻

I was last in a local 5 mile run once. I was overtaken by a small child with a prosthetic leg! TBF to me, I was having a mild asthma attack at the time and didn't realise it as I hadn't yet been diagnosed and just wondered why I was short of breath from the moment the race began. It was embarrassing at the time and I overheard a snooty mother sniggering about it months later.

But I finished the race, despite the asthma attack.

You're way faster than all the millions of people who didn't do it.
Keep at it and you'll get faster.

Park Run is supposed to be fun and open to all runners. It was started by a man who had an injury and wanted to get back into running in a non competitive way. You are only competing against your own PB. Nothing else matters.

You’re doing far better than me, I won’t even take part I’m so worried about being last. I think you’re amazing for doing it!