To have been really put off Parkrun by this

[rookiemere]

I'll start by saying I love parkrun. I've done over 130 of them and it's a real treat to discover a new one when we're away on holiday.

Everyone there is lovely and welcoming and it's such a great way to start Saturdays with a 5km run.

I am also older, fat and slow, but this is fine as I'm not there to win it.

So last Saturday headed to one of my usual parkruns with a friend. There was a traffic incident so many people didn't make it. This meant that rather than being in the back 10 or so I ended up being the last person bar the tail runner. Again all fine and someone has to be there.

However for the last km or so as I went past people who were dispersing made a big point of clapping loudly and shouting on encouragement. Obviously meant to be supportive, but I've run so many of the damn things and I just like to be invisible rather than the obviously last, slow ploddy person who people want to help.

I'm actually really nervous about going again, it upset me so much. I could go to one with more runners and then I should be less likely to be right at the back, but its a further drive and the whole thing has knocked my confidence and I don't know what to do.

No - do tell. I’m all ears.

There was a kid at a local run recently who came in far last and we were all clapping. He came in with a smile but it must've been hard at his age to be so far behind, and with a crowd...and he still managed to put his game face on... and I cried but hid it as I felt like a twat as I didn't even know who he was lol. But I was so bloody impressed at him. I keep thinking 'be like that kid'. Its Easier when you know you're great at something to enter but IMO shows amazing Spirit to still really go for it when you know you're not.

I have been the last person in an event before and I really appreciated the other runners waiting for me , clapping and cheering encouragement . I would have felt really bad if they were looking miserable and had an 'about time ' attitude. There was a relief in finishing and the opportunity to share the joy/trauma with fellow runners!
Now I'm usually one of the first runners at parkrun and still appreciate the support of marshal's. I regularly volunteer and we cheer and encourage every runner from 1st to last.
There is one guy who comes regularly and he really doesn't like his time splits being read out . He has obviously spoken to the run director and so we all know not to shout out when he passes. Maybe let the organiser know if you'd prefer not to be cheered.
As for not being able to use the park. The one I go to is quite small - the full perimeter of the park is less than a mile. But I regularly see the same lady going for a walk at 9am each Saturday and a man who walks his dog and watches the parkrun progress. A pp pointed out after the first 10 minutes even 300 ppl have dispersed to make no area especially crowded.

If you don't understand a phrase like "the tyranny of the majority", you're perfectly at liberty to Google it, @Doingprettywellthanks.

Also, you might like to Google the phrase "a drop in the ocean."

"All the gear, no idea". This always comes up on a Parkrun thread. Is it supposed to be slower newcomers wearing what they think is the correct attire- I worry that was me once 😅

I do trail running usually so dress slightly differently for Parkrun.

The endless photos! Yes agree. It’s usually some bloke who wants to be involved bit doesn’t know how. I find it invasive too. Very strange.

This thread is making me think there should be an alternative run (working name "Shitrun". Or perhaps not) for those of us who are proud amateurs. Anyone with an average time under 30 minutes would be barred. The run would take place at 10:00am on Saturday, and we could ponce all the routemarkers from the Parkrun crowd.

There would be no photos, and everyone would run under an assumed name. Mine would be Relentless Puma.

@Neilsfavouritechilli, don't let any of this nonsense put you off. As mentioned above, I don't find the encouragement patronising. I know a lot of the regulars at our parkrun and I believe their encouragement is sincere. Mine certainly is when I volunteer, or when I manage to gasp out a word or two to someone passing me while lumbering round the course. For those who really don't want any attention from others at all, headphones are a great idea, as mentioned by many others already.

As for angry park users who don't want you using the cafe, they should try asking the cafe owners and staff whether they want paying customers to stop turning up. My hunch would be they don't. Our park cafe does very well out of both adult and junior parkrun.

DH does Parkrun most weeks and we got an absolute tirade from a local resident for daring to park on his road to attend it. Apparently he wants to invite his friends to come to his house every Saturday at 9am and they should be able to park right outside his house but they can't because of "bloody parkrunners". Not sure how MN stands on that one.. are we the CF for driving to Parkrun (can't park in the park car parks until after 10am) or is he for wanting rights to the road outside his house without paying for a dropped curb....

Wow! That is a really harsh judgement on a lot of well meaning people @MasterBeth

I have run parkrun, I've marshalled and, more recently, watched (my home overlooks the start line of one of the biggest runs in the UK and I am currently a. injured b. unfit) and I can honestly say I don't recognise any of that at all. It's all over by the time the majority of people even want to use the park anyway and 99.9% of runners are extremely conscious that we are sharing the park with others.

OP I can imagine how that made you feel. I have also been towards the back, just willing it to be over! But then somehow you always end up going back

Sounds great!

As I say, I live EXTREMELY locally to a ParkRun and I can honestly say @Neilsfavouritechilli (god I love that name - is that you Susan?) that I love it and enjoy seeing it and doing it too.

I suppose technically you can park there but it would be nice not to as it’s upsetting people?

Ooh this sounds good - and we should finish at a perfect time for coffee and cake lots of cake.

Now that is a great idea - where can I sign up?! I would also ban anyone cheering and whooping and clapping unless you wear a big badge saying ‘cheer me’ and there would be no emails of shame telling you how slow you were.

Sign me up for shitrun!

We could take turns bringing home baking?

Hah @IMustMakeAmends perhaps we could munch as we amble around .

@Newgirls I also park on that road to go to the dentist. Does the reason for why I park there make it ok? Which bit is unreasonable? The day/time or the reason we're there?
Also, my mum lives on a road with a church. Every Sunday the road FILLS with cars. Should she complain???

(I shouldn't have to add LIGHTHEARTED but obviously will 🙄)

I really don't get this idea that being noticed or even photographed is a problem, even if you're fat and slow, as I am. Nobody else is poring over photos and times and laughing at other parkrunners! People encourage others to be nice, but mostly it's all about their own run, and their friends'.

As for @Swingsarefun's post, I took it to mean that she runs because she's good at it, and it's therefore fun and doesn't require much self-discipline. She admires those of us who are slow and find it a struggle, but still do it anyway, as it shows a grit that isn't necessary in her case - at this stage of her life. I totally get that.

Through parkrun I've got to know runners, joggers and walkers with a whole range of times. Some of the slower parkrunners are triathletes or marathon runners, so actually extremely fit and tough. Many of the other slower people are older, or injured, or have chronic health conditions, and in some cases they used to be a lot faster. Some of us were crap at PE at school, put off for life, as we thought, but are now slowly trying to get fitter in a far more encouraging atmosphere.

The whole event was set up to provide an easy way to get a reliable time for a 5k run week after week so participants could have a record of their times and monitor their progress. It's really not about winning a race. You get your time so you can see if you can do better than that, or at least no worse, on the next occasion. Easy enough to avoid getting a time if that isn't important, or you don't want it published.

there would be no emails of shame telling you how slow you were

Everyone who finished the race would get an email simply saying "You ran 5k you absolute LEGEND!"

YY to this!

(it could also say ran/jogged/walked 5k for those of us who can’t manage running for the whole 5k)

YOU GOT ROUND! That would do it.

I’ve done 2 park runs and come last in both! It did slightly put me off if I’m honest, but I know it shouldn’t. I don’t mind the encouragement, but do usually wear headphones when running. Anyway I think you should give it another try to see if you can get over this feeling.