Parkrun...talk to me

[Plantsandpuddlesuits]

I'm debating doing parkrun. Never done it before. I used to go the gym and loved it but am looking for outdoor exercise at the moment.

I'm not that fit and substantially overweight (BMI 37) can I just waddle along at the back? Will everyone else be fit runners?!

I saw online you need a barcode do you just take a printout or do you need to buy one of the card or wristband things?

Bit nervous!

Any advice? Also how long can I expect it to take? It says they go for a coffee after but if everyone is miles ahead i won't be finished in time for coffee!

Also what do you wear, I presume gym clothes got plenty of those but what about layers for the top half? Also do people take a bumbag type thing for keys / phone / purse etc?

Thanks!

Do it, but, it does depend on the park run. I'm BMI 40, doing my best, and I've had tailwalkers (pushing a buggy, for really insult :D ) just run past me, and I've also heard another couple of tail walkers talking to each other about how it was apparently 'park walk' now (rude, they'd seen me trying my best).

On the other hand, the people on the corners and the home run were always so encouraging and lovely, so it's just a couple of mean-spirited people I think.

@roarfeckingroarr

Can you run with a pram? I have a mountain buggy so designed for it.

This is event dependent as not all courses are suitable for buggies. Email ahead and check (you'll find a contact email on the event website)

No masks at the briefings because it's outdoors, some have amplifiers/megaphones so people don't have to crowd up, and they cut it down to little more than the safety briefings.

There is often a 'first timers' briefing, and I would recommend asking one of the volunteers (pink hi-viz) who is doing it. If no-one, then chances are that the volunteer you asked will tell you what you need to know. If there is anything arising from your deafness then your plan to email is a good one, and anything that crops up on the day ask the person in the white hi-viz vest - they're the run director (and the person who will be delivering the main briefing) and they can sort anything and everything out.

I volunteer as tailwalker frequently - it's my favourite volunteer role and I meet lovely people. There are all sorts of people who are walking (entirely or mainly) for all sorts of reasons.

At my local, the tail comes in usually between about 55-65 mins. At the one near my DMum, it's usually 70-75mins because they have a regular walking group

You'll be fine to go round with a bumbag - lots of people have stuff attached to belts, tied round their waists plus might carry water bottles etc. Or you can leave stuff at the start - loads of people do and it seems to work well (on a trust system, so I doubt anyone's leaving high value items)

I've been pondering doing my local Parkrun once I get through a few more weeks of couch to 5k

Do it now! Seriously - whether I've read an article about 'what experienced runners want to tell beginners' the thing that's always included is 'start parkrunning even if you don't think you're ready'. You really don't need to be able to run to participate and get the benefits of the community

There'll be a pile of left bags and coats somewhere. I wouldn't bring anything you'd be devastated to lose but I don't know of anything ever going missing.
Thank you, that's useful to know. I have an ancient fleece and some old worn out walking shoes, plus a carrier bag to put them in.

Thank you also to the PP who mentioned collecting a token at the finish. I kept reading about barcodes and couldn't work out how just bringing a barcode with you gets you your time, and couldn't see any obvious info on the Parkrun website. A google of Parkrun tokens took me to an article on the Parkrun website explaining how it all works.

@ReviewingTheSituation

Just seen your update. At my local parkrun, the briefing has a BSL interpretation alongside the spoken briefing. But don't know if that's the norm - it might just be that she happens to be a regular runner and is happy to sign along.

Definitely not the norm although I know all parkruns aim to be as inclusive as possible but remember everyone running it is a volunteer, so it depends whether there's anyone local who has volunteered to sign.

@plantsandpuddlesuits I would definitely recommend emailing ahead to ask about a first-timers briefing and the possibility of a 1-2-1 safety briefing. The "talk" at the beginning is when the Run Director lets participants know about any safety issues and especially if it's your first time there, might be worth asking for a face to face just to be sure you can access all the info you need.

At ours we use a loudspeaker and mic, the mic would unfortunately be likely to impede lipreading

All our runs directors are part of the local running club and most of our volunteers. The running club has C25k groups and a walking group and everyone is encouraged to come to parkrun so it’s lovely and inclusive.

We’re one of the smaller ones because there’s about 15 in a 30 minute radius. We were ‘taken over’ by a couple of other parkrun regulars last week as their run isn’t back since Covid and they did all our volunteering. We had 179 runners.

My 6 year old runs with me and we’re around 45 minutes. Everyone encourages us on the way round with lots of the medium runners getting the child to chase them to give me a breather.

Tail Walker has been covered, our longest time was about 55 minutes last week, but we did have a week when the last time was +2 hours because there was an accident on the course. The volunteers waited so everyone got a time.

I take as little as possible. Barcodes (I have a wrist band, little ones is laminated), phone and house keys and that’s it. The DC insists on bringing a running water bottle.

We have a covered over area to leave stuff under and volunteers are happy to take stuff back to the start / finish.

Our council has put a sign up with the route at all of the entrances.

There’s a standard invitation for coffee to one of the local coffee shops, but I’ve never been despite knowing lots of the people who go. It’s perfectly acceptable to turn up, run and go.

I wear leggings, a sports vest top with built in bra, sports bra and long sleeve technical top. I added a cycling zip up jersey last week due to the rain, but it came off after 1k.

Placemarking

The whole set up of Parkrun is to appeal to everyone, so they should make you feel welcome.I had a sleepless night before my first park run! I don't know what I was worrying about. There are tail walkers walking with the slower people do no one is last.

There are people who leg it off and do it in about 15 minutes, then a bunch of people who run or jog, then people who just plod along.

At my old one there were elderly people, thin people, old people, fast runners, slow joggers, people with buggies - it really was everyone. There was an 84 year old man who would push his wife in a wheelchair all the way around. It was a lovely community experience and no one was left out. People then went for coffee.

Maybe do some e g Monday and Wednesday half hour walks in the week so you ready for one hour on parkrun day

Don't do it from zero.

Unless you already routine ly walk for 5k
And want to try doing some short jogs on way round

C25k nhs app is good

[quote ReviewingTheSituation]@lljkk - all my local parkruns from last Saturday. Plenty of people over 50 mins, and all have people at/around 60min. Granted not 5 people over 60 mins, but does it matter how many people are at that time? No-one at parkrun will care.

Leamington parkrun - 16 people at 50min +, longest time 60min
Warwick parkrun - 6 people at 50min+, longest time 59 min
Banbury parkrun - 7 people at 50+min, longest time 61 min
Solihull parkrun - 6 people at 50min+, longest time 59 min[/quote]
Bramley Park 5 runners over 59.44. (slowest being 66 minutes).
Wakefield Thornes, 6 runners over 60minutes (slowest being 76minutes)
Rothwell 3 runners over 60 minutes.
Colwick 6 runners over 60 minutes.
Watermead country park 6 runners over 60 minutes.
Mole Valley 6 runners over 60 minutes.

Do I need to keep going, I've only check a small proportion of parkruns...

parkrun is entirely what you make of it. A couple of my friends regularly run together during the week, but not so much on Saturdays. Although both have done over 250 parkruns, one only does their local one and the other has done over 200 different ones.
(If you want to get a complete A-Z of parkruns, you will need to go to Poland for Z).

I listened to the founder of Parkrun get interviewed by Chris Evans once. He said that he considered the fact that the average time taken has more than doubled since their inception to be their greatest achievement because the whole point is that everyone feels like they can turn up and have a go, regardless of fitness, time, experience.

My first Parkrun l "ran" the course and it took me 53mins.

If you're nervous perhaps go for a walk in the park on Saturday morning and just spectate or watch from the side. Or volunteer before actually running it. You don't have to do a particularly taxing role to volunteer. Just marshaling is enough. It will give you the chance to have a look at it before running or walking it yourself.

I've done 142 parkruns at 29 different locations. I simply love it. My first was back in 2012! Obvs have had some time out from time to time. Now I am a regular run director at a junior parkrun (These are sunday mornings for 4-14 year olds at a distance of 2K)

It really is for all abilities. Go, you will only thank yourself.

I'm about a 50 minuter (used to take my then 9 year old with me, he encouraged me!)

My number one tip is to print out the barcodes on a sticker sheet and just stick one to you/your car keys/whatever

I didn't understand how it worked for weeks, and didn't get it until my kids did the junior parkrun and I volunteered and finally understood - do print it out just so you have a record - and turn up/run/leave is totally normal at the one I go to (I'm definitely getting the impression it's not the friendliest though, reading others experiences here!)

Absolutely give it a go. The tail walkers walk at the back to make sure that no-one running comes last (was always my big fear). It is not a race. Some people run, some walk depending on your park run rules people run / walk with dogs/buggies/children. The Marshalls are fantastic and will encourage you round - remember to thank them on your way past / give them a wave. There will be a first timers briefing before you set off. Give it a go!!!! Enjoy it and good for you

I’d also add if you are super nervous do email your parkrun and let them know you want to come but are a bit anxious. At my local one we’ve found a buddy for nervous newcomers before.

We don’t routinely have a sign language interpreter but on occasion we have had. We’d put a specific volunteer call out for an interpreter if we knew one was needed before. And if you needed to lipread as a Run Director we’d get someone to do you a 1:1 briefing if you emailed or just asked me on the day. I could also do you a written briefing in advance if you needed one.

Also following on from the poster who had some not good experiences. If anything like that does happen to someone at parkrun do let the Run Director know. It absolutely isn’t what parkrun is about.

Also worth knowing that you can walk with poles, so if you’re a Nordic Walker you can do it at parkrun. Or if you just need a walking stick to help you along.

Great to hear so many positive experiences on this thread. I must say I found my local park run (st Albans) pretty speedy and not a particularly welcoming/encouraging environment for those who run it in 40ish mins, let alone walk. It really threw my confidence.

I do think some parkruns are nicer than others. I’d always have a look at the finish times before going to a new one to see what I thought, and maybe their run reports if they have them on Facebook. I also think it’s got better than when I first started many years ago and they didn’t even have Tail Walkers.

Definitely give it a go and I would email the event and explain that you lipread and if it would be possible for them to send you either a written explanation of the first timers brief or for someone to talk you through that separately when you arrive. So long as you can walk 5k you’ll be fine (I once tail walked and had a lady sit down down and declare she wasn’t sure if she do another km but we were half way round a lake so she didn’t really much option!!)

The tails used to be called tail runner, and they were optional.

It changed about 3 or 4 years ago, when they were renamed tail walker, and the orange hi-viz vest was rolled out for them (before that they were in yellow, same as all volunteers were) and they became one of the roles that had to be filled for your parkrun to go ahead - it's a safety feature as well as helping with inclusivity and showing when everyone has finished.

Do it OP (and everyone else thinking about it).

Parkrun is often the highlight of my week, and was even more so a few years ago during a very low time in my life. It was sometimes the only human interaction I'd have all weekend and I lived for it. I ran or volunteered every week and then I'd go to the cafe afterwards and always find someone to chat to for a bit.

Just checked my stats and when I've tail walked I've finished around 56 minutes on average. Last week even on a horrible cold rainy day that often puts walkers off the last 2 finishers at my local run were 55 minutes.

Every Parkrun has it's racing snakes done in 15 minutes, and it's plodders bringing up the rear in an hour or so, but nobody judges anyone else, I promise. Our course has 2 'out and back' sections where you pass runners coming the other way and there are so many smiles and waves and cheers of encouragement along the way. I've done a couple of runs away from home and have been warmly welcomed as a tourist.

Register, get your barcode (note that some Parkruns don't accept barcodes on phones, ours doesn't) and give it a go. Even if you don't finish, it doesn't matter. Nobody minds. Nobody judges. DP dropped out after 3km on Christmas Day with painful shins and all he got was a couple of 'are you ok?' concerned enquiries as I limped back to the finish to wait for rather less sympathetic me who'd carried on without him

Echo the suggestion to email your local run ahead if you're really anxious, they'll be able to answer any specific questions and offer reassurance. I like the buddy idea mentioned above, I'd be very happy to do that for someone new so might suggest it to our Run Director.

Good luck, and enjoy

@roarfeckingroarr

Can you run with a pram? I have a mountain buggy so designed for it.

Depending on the route. Guernsey Parkrun would be next to impossible (it's on cliff paths with participants going both ways ) but here in Jersey it's very doable.

In fact I regularly used to be overtaken by a Man with a double buggy containing his baby and toddler, with a buggy board on the back for his 4 year old Meanwhile my car-key and barcode are weighing me down.