Parkrunners anonymous keep on running

[OhOneOhTwoOhThree]

As the last thread was filling up, here's a nice new one for parkrunners old and new

All parkrunners are welcome here!

I want to do my local one, but I'm scared because I struggle to run on the treadmill, but walked 2 miles in 45 minutes last week so I think I can do it (was weighed down with bags last week).

Reassure me people won't laugh if I'm slow and get overtaken by a small child, please!

No-one will laugh Lollipop, I promise.

parkrun is timed but the time you finish in is not what it is about at all. It's about encouraging people to join in and give it a go. We have some super-speedy runners but the run/walkers at the back who are trying their best are cheered through the finish with all the gusto that the first finishers get. They've worked just as hard after all!

Being overtaken by a small child is something you will just have to come to terms with though. I'm not all that slow and I get overtaken by small children regularly. Some of them can be speedy little buggers

Second what Blathers said - I know I've had a good day if I pass a couple of flagging small children

The best way of really getting into the parkrun vibe is by volunteering I've found!

I have registered, am hoping to go this Saturday :)

I will accept being overtaken by small children with good grace

What blathers said. I can run sub 24 minutes and always get beaten by a large number of children, including my own 9 year old. As well as quite a few pensioners . Parkrun is very equal opportunities

I forgot to say you will also be overtaken by toddlers ( in buggies )

We have several who wave at me in an evil gloating way as they zoom past, while I puff and pant up the hills

( Only joking about the evil gloating bit)

I told you !

Yeah! Toddlers sat in their jogging buggies munching gleefully on sandwiches as they roar past you is a weekly occurrence at a lot of parkruns I'm afraid.

I've also been beaten by a speed-walker more than once!

Haha, I haven't seen anyone crazy enough to attempt a buggy at Lanhydrock...yet

I can't decide which would be worse - the fear of running down that hill with a buggy or the sheer impossibility of running back up the other side with one!

It's be one shaken baby that's for sure.

Is this it? Honestly, I don't know what you are on about, it looks like a gentle slope to me

My Garmin stats from the day I ran Lanhydrock show this:

Elevation Gain: 118 m
Elevation Loss: 119 m
Min Elevation: 30 m
Max Elevation: 127 m

Ha! and an average pace of 8:50 for the way down and 12:16 for the way back up again!

Yep. Thursday would kick my ass if she came and ran on a flatter course with me. She's hardcore.

I'm torn between wanting to try it again without being up all the night before with ahem "tummy problems" and never, ever wanting to do it again 'cause it's hard!

I can't see me being quite so addicted to parkrun if that were my local course!

That's impressive Blatherskite!

Go and take part LollipopViolet, ours is a good mix and generally the closer the back you are the more cheers and support you get from those already finished :) Which parkrun are you going to?

I don't want to say as I think it could out me, but it's midlands based :)

Enjoy your parkkrun Lollipop, always great to see new recruits to the cause

Enjoy and most importantly report back

I am openly Northampton so if it is mine PM me :)

And don't forget your barcode

LOL at openly Northampton

Have a great run lollipop I sometimes do a Nottingham parkrun when I'm at my sisters mainly forest rec or beeston. Telford is my home run, if that's any good to you!! I'm at a day spa on Saturday so no parkrun for me this week!!

Ooh a day spa karatekimmi, how lovely! I'm doing parkrun then off to a 6yr olds party.

Mine is wolverhampton if that helps lollipop, you can pm me if you want. Although if it does, as others have said, get ready for kids, pushchairs and people in their 70's storming past you!

It's a Staffordshire one, which narrows it down lots haha :) I've looked on Youtube for videos, and it seems to be mostly adults with a few older children, although knowing my luck all the mums with toddlers will descend on the run on Saturday

I'm quite excited :)