Slowest Parkrunner, feeling demoralised

You are a million times faster than me, than anyone sitting on their couch and anyone not doing a park run - don’t knock yourself for having the get up and go to do it.

Small parkruns are brutal! You’d be nowhere near last at ours.

Keep at it and think how you’re faster than all the people still in their beds!

I wouldn’t parkrun to save my life! zero stamina even when I was 11!
But was good at short sprints….. & now have rotten knees.
Yoga is much more fun.

Treat yourself to some trail trainers or walking trainers - it’s horrible to be worrying about falling over, and that is one thing that is easy to fix! Then you can do it at your natural pace, and that will feel much better. And well done :-)

It's supposed to be fun!

When I first started, I watched a heavily pregnant woman overtake me. Then a child. Then an elderly woman. I wasn't quite the slowest but I was right at the bottom. I felt very embarrassed but then realised no one cared.

Your route sounds very difficult though! Hopefully it'll be better in the spring x

Don't be demoralised OP! You’re outside in the fresh air getting some exercise.
Don't compare yourself to anyone else, especially not hard core runners.

OP, I sat on my sofa this morning. You’re doing great

You are doing great, I would consider getting some trail shoes, nothing fancy, but you will feel a lot more confident. They are really useful for country walks as well as running if you don't feel you will get much use out of them

I’m an avid parkrunner and have done lots of different courses. I’m always happy to have been but don’t enjoy some of the routes. Persevere with this if you can and then you’re in a good habit and you’ll feel so much more grateful of a course/route that you enjoy when those days come again.

The average Parkrun finish time gets slower every year, which is something the founders are incredibly proud of, as it shows it's getting more and more inclusive.

The aim of Parkrun was never to be competing against each other, but to be having fun, getting fitter, getting fresh air and challenging yourself. You're part of that now, so be proud of yourself!

You should be really proud of yourself. You dragged yourself out of bed on a Saturday morning in not particularly nice weather to do something you don’t really enjoy and don’t feel you’re very good at. But you still showed up and you still made it round!! I just looked at the finish times for the one I went to today and you’d have had best part of 30 people coming in behind you. Your times are not that bad.

my first park run in 2019 was 41 mins. Now my fastest is 21 mins (though I’ve been injured so more like 23/24 at present). Running more often will help you to improve your times but honestly, just getting out and doing the distance on a Saturday morning is great for your health, even if you feel you’re not doing well at it, it’s certainly doing you good.

The point is that you did it - great exercise

that is a fast course - we always have walkers who take an hour

and walking bits is fine

Look at it this way, you got twice as much exercise as someone who completed the Parkrun in 23 minutes. And infinitely more exercise than those of us who haven't done a Parkrun today. Keep going and take care on the slippy bits.

I am a slow parkrunner (slower than you). I have normally come near/at the back. Personally I just accept that someone has to be slowest.

However, if it is putting you off I would take a look at the results for some other local parkruns and get a feel for what the volume of people at different times is. There is one local to be that at 42 minutes you'd have a good pack around you (the average finisher is 33 mins or something like that) and the slowest times are closer to 66 minutes. Plenty of people at that one walk from start to finish. It is good a chat on a Saturday morning. Equally I have been to one where I finished 42nd but still in a time of like 54 minutes.

Whatever you're time there is no need to be embarrassed. Parkrun is about people getting out and taking part not about being at the front.

I often tail walk and your run is absolutely fine. We usually are coming in at the end anytime after 55mins. You've got quick runners! I should think alot of the running-walkers saw the weather and thought 'nahhhh'.

Do not quit because of your time and other people's running. Focus on you. Hills are a killer, you'll get to love-hate the challenge of them.

You aren't last at Park Run. Billions of us didn't do it today. You got your lungs and heart going, you've toned up them legs, your mental health will be thanking you. I feel guilty I opted for a slow dog walk in the woods this morning.

I was absolutely last, once. It was a trail run, partly over moorlands, and I was worried that all the volunteers would have gone home and left me lost and dying.
But, no, they were still around at the end, with a genuine enjoyment of celebrating every last runner who hobbled across the finish line.
It was still embarrassing. But why??? Someone has to be last, and if it had been anyone but me I would have been silently cheering them and admiring them!!

It is pretty unusual to be last with a time of 45 minutes. Have a look on the website where you can see all the results. Firstly it will reassure you that your time is pretty normal and secondly you might find one with slower times where you would feel more comfortable.

You're MUCH faster than all the people who stayed at home and had a lie in.

As a former athlete (who sadly is now to unwell to even go for a jog) I can tell you that I used to really admire all the beginners, overweight and elderly people who had a go.

Keep going - you will get fitter and faster.

You’re quicker than all those people who didn’t attend, including me.

Don't give up! I starter super slow and hating it when I first started running. I was overweight, red as a beetroot and used to cough for half a day after I'd run. I ended up running very nearly half marathon distances (never quite made it!). Parkrun really kept me going. The spirit of Parkrun is really inclusive to slow runners, jeffers and walkers, so try and keep that in mind and hang in there until you can switch to one with more slow runners. You may be slow, but you're beating everyone who's still in bed or sitting around on the sofa!

I was the last person to finish a half marathon - only the St John ambulance people left to see me cross the line...

You did great!

Park run is for all runners/

Sorry, yes. I should have added, your time was good!

I did it on crutches once and was "last", well over an hour.

Well done to you! I’m impressed 👏 Even though you felt conscious of being slowest, I bet nobody looked down on you - I can’t imagine that anyone would. As of us have said here, you’ve done better than all of us who haven’t even made it outside yet (let alone run 5km)! Be proud of yourself- you’re inspiring. x