Park Run - is it possible with no training?

[Thisismyusernamefornow]

I know it's 5k and not a marathon but I've been invited to run this weekend and I'm worried it will be awful.

I have general fitness but I don't train for anything and I don't do any running.

Will this be a really bad idea?

Yes it's fine, just walk a bit

Go for it it's all about pace start off very brisk walk then build up speed .Be very careful not to go too fast and walk for a few minutes to recover but you need to do this before your struggling .
The biggest mistake people make is the set off run too fast burn out really struggle and injury themselves.
good luck

Go for it!
As others have said just alternate running and walking, don't push yourself too hard, and make sure you have some supportive shoes on (saw one guy doing parkrun this summer in flip flops
I love parkrun and would defo recommend giving it a go- good luck!

Go for it! The biggest thing as @rwalker says is not to sprint off at the beginning - the first five minutes you should either be briskly walking or if you think you’re fit enough to run the whole thing, you should be jogging so slowly you feel a bit silly. It’s so easy to shoot off and think “yes, this is great!” but then five minutes in you’re panting and give up or don’t run again for the rest of it! For sure if you go slowly and walk when you need to you’ll do it no problem, it’s such a fun event I’m sure you’ll be back!

All of the above.. and don’t forget your barcode!

Do it!!!! Print off your barcode and enjoy :) Quite a few park runners on mumsnet...give us a clue where you are - one of us might already be there tomorrow 👍🏻

Park run gives me such a buzz! I'm slow, around 33mins, but you can def do it by jogging/walking (very unlikely you'd jog it all as a first attempt, I'd be impressed if you did!) in under an hour.

DO IT!

My parkrun times are all over the place depending on if I'm running solo or have the kids who can be anything from running all in the 30s, run/ walking in the 40s or plodding in the 50s.

The teams are great whether I'm running 28 mins-ish or double that at 56 mins.

It is worth checking out the results as different courses will attract different variations in pace if there's a range in the area.

At my first one 5 odd years ago, my 30 mins was right up the back, so the culture has definitely changed!

I always do parkrun when I want to get back into running. It's my 1st run. I did it in 2010, then built up to longer runs. Stopped for a couple of years. Did one in 2013 and then ran a half marathon later that year. Stopped and had 2 babies. 2017 I did it again. Ran a half again that year. Had another baby. 2019 tried again and it nearly killed me!
I never walked. My fastest was 15mins, slowest 30mins.

Not 15 mins!! 25 was my fastest.

Survived!

One buttock did not like it though. Trying to work out if it's an injury or just because I've not done any running before?

Well done! And for The record @BatEaredFox 33mins is not slow...I did 33.10 today

@ThisismyusernamefornowMake sure you stretch, and good on you fir going today! Hope you enjoyed it and will be back again next Saturday

well done!!!!!
Get on youtube and look for some proper post workout stretches too do.

I'm also interested in this. I am a member of the gym, and swim a lot. I could swim for hours without stopping, but when it comes to running my body seems to hate it. Even after about 30 seconds my lungs and legs want to give up. So I would have to be a fast walker, with maybe a little bit of jogging. I would love to get into the routine of going every Sunday morning, but it just scares me as I know I'm rubbish :(.

Does every one just leave the park once they're done?

I'd like to try a park run but I'd be so slow and wouldn't like the thought of stopping other runners or volunteers from going home because I still hadn't finished.

@OneMoreLight The volunteers stay till everyone is finished. Most runners leave once they have crossed the line and had their bar code scanned. Even if you walked all the way it would only take an hour so don't worry about holding anyone up!

@OneMoreLight there always a tail walker and the volunteers will wait for everyone to finish. Most of the volunteers know each other and stay and chat anyway. At ours we have a clubhouse open where you can stay for tea and coffee. Don’t worry

Everyone is always delighted to see new walkers taking part! There is always a tail walker, no one comes last. Give it a go :)

@SunshineAngel just give it a go one Saturday morning!

@CalmConfident you're quite right, 33 is not slow! My friend does it in 22mins so I FEEL slow, but I'm glad you've picked me up on that, whoop to us!

Well done, @Thisismyusernamefornow! What was your time?

My local park run feels so competitive :(

The majority are members of running clubs and turn up wearing their club gear every week. Really puts me off. No one walks it at all, I've stopped going.

@BatEaredFox absolutely...go us! My big goal is to get back to 30 minutes (once upon a time my Pb was 26m something )

@Nivarna1979 try looking at some others to see if can find a more relaxed one. Are you in London by any chance? A colleague said something similar earlier this week :(

@CalmConfident no, I'm in Scotland. It just feels like a race and its not really fun. I was averaging 34 minutes but coming in last every week with most finishing in around 27 minutes.

The next nearest one is 30 miles away unfortunately.