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!

Oh yes, befriending people is a good idea - I got befriended by the lady I ran with yesterday. Afterwards she said, "I'll have DD with me again next week, if you'd like to run with us again?" which was lovely :)

I think I might have a bug, there's going to be a Run or Dye event in my town and I'm contemplating signing up for emails on where/when it will be, and giving it a go if I do well with my parkrun attempts. This is how it starts, apparently... then you end up entering the local half marathon, and the London Marathon.

Uh oh.

Blathers I hope my 50th will be sometime in July - but finding a weekend when DH, both DSs and I are all here at the same time is proving difficult - even though they are not regular parkrunners I have told asked them nicely to come for my 50th

Be very afraid Lollipop it is a slipperly slope. 3 or 4 years ago I have never run (except for the odd bus). Now I have several HMs and a full marathon under my belt

Haha, definitely addictive! Did my first 10k at the start of may and have signed up for another one in a fortnight!

Lollipop- so glad that you had a good time and enjoyed it. Am in awe of getting two buses to get there!

Morrigu- well done on your pb!

Don't know if anyone has heard but Paul Sinton-Hewitt ( parkrun founder) has been awarded a CBE in the honours list!

Morrigu I had missed your PB - that's absolutely fantastic!!

You're on the slippery slope now lollipop. I was never going to run further than 10k. I'm currently fighting off the urge to enter a 6th half marathon for this year just because the medal is awesome. even my marathon resolve is slowly slipping!

When you find a weekend OhOne, let me know and I'll try my best to be there.

The problem with befriending other runners is that the chats in the cafe after parkrun end up taking twice as long as parkrun itself pirate, then you get chatting to the volunteer team and volunteering more, then you become friends with some of the RDs and before you know it, they're talking you into being an RD too.... I'm running out of excuses not to be RD and I'm bricking it now. 500 runners all needing me to know what I'm doing

My friend's son doesn't always run in the right direction either. He's been known to run along shaking a box of jelly beans at him as encouragement. I think he ran his PB that week

I have made some lovely friends through parkrun - we only moved here just over a year ago after living overseas for a number of years and it has really helped me to feel part of our local community

I am up for a parkrun tourist jaunt OhOne so keep us posted on your 50th plans! I might even get to meet blathers :)

We had Knackerelli, we're discussing it Saturday morning. I think it's great!

I tend to only go to the cafe if I'm RD Otherwise I stay until everything's tidied and go home around 10. I love parkrun but also love my family time which is short as dh works half of Sundays too.

When I was runing today I listened to a really inspiring interview with a parkrunner from reading called Jacqueline Millett. She is 61 and started running at parkrun when she was 57. This year she's already run 20 marathons and won Comrades for her age category .

She ran comrades for the first time in 2013, when she fell and broke her arm and two ribs but finished the race !!!! Awesome women .

Oops forgot link here

I know Jacqueline

She is one of my crazy multiple marathon running friends. She did that Superhero marathon I marshalled last week dressed as Batgirl. She's awesome.

Please tell her I loved the MT interview. So inspiring !

I loved the bit where she said something like " when I'm training I do a few laps of the park, it's about 6-7 miles. Then oarkrun of course on a Saturday. Unless I'm doing a marathon, I run one most weekends, sometimes two "

It's just sounds so normal until she gets to the marathon or two at the weekend ......

It's very easy to get into the "it's only a marathon" headspace when spending time with those guys - anyone remember my 'but I can't ache, I've only run my first half marathon' meltdown in march?

She runs a lot with her daughter who is also amazing. I've crewed a few marathons they've done and they are just really, really nice people.

I agree blatherkite, it's hard to feel proud of a 2:07 hm when others have done the same but carried on to do a complete marathon. I've entered Norwich hm now and none of my club are doing it not sure if that's a good or bad thing!

Ha! Talking of Jacqueline...she's running a double marathon here on Saturday - 1 in the morning and another in the afternoon. I don't think I'm needed to help this week so I'm just going to go over and run and lap or two with her daughter so we can have a chat :)

At least if I wait until the afternoon, she might be knackered enough to be slow enough for me to keep up!

Truly astounding - I'm lost in awe.

I have now purchased some 3/4 length running trouser things, and some shorts in the same colour scheme, as well as one of those running water bottles that have a hand grip and are like an oval with a hole in the middle :)

So I'm all set for next parkrun :)

I have a water bottle like that, Lollipop. I find it too hot to wear 3/4 length capris at this time of year though, so I've been braving being seen in shorts!

< marks place to read violets first parkrun report >

Violet - remember to go really REALLY slowly the first time, then one minute faster each week . Then you get lots of PBs

Wow she sounds amazing!

Thanks, although not sure what to aim for now? You think you're doing so well at parkrun when on the second lap someone flies by you pushing not only a baby but a small child on a buggy board

I bought one of those water bottles too although I hate carrying them so have a belt to put them into. To think I used to make fun of bum bags! Only use it on my long run days though, any other day I tuck away a note as I know I'm never too far away from a shop. Also impressed with colour scheme. I probably look like I've got dressed in the dark half time.

Any Scottish parkrunners coming over this weekend to attempt all 18 of Norn Irn's courses?

I'm still a non-runner, but I hope to be showing them round our course at 8 am, before they head off to Craigavon's parkrun later on. I was thinking of bringing a tub of Haribo to share, as they'll need the energy! What think you?

The colour scheme was sort of accidental - I have 3 fancy sweat wicking t-shirts that I use in the gym, a pink one, a white one and a purple one. I saw the 3/4 lengths and shorts, in black and pink and liked them, so got them and then realised they match quite well with everything.

I've not started looking at the weekend weather just yet, but would you believe I'm looking forward to Saturday already?

Not me Melanie, but some are going from strathclyde parkrun. I think some haribos would be very welcome. Normally I would suggest a bacon roll, cakes and a cup of tea but I know they have a fair few runs to do after craigavon

How are you recovering BTW?

Not too bad, thanks. I see my physio next week, and will try a few gentle runs as well as swimming and cycling when I can.

My ankle will always be weak, and I've accepted with as much grace as I can that I've probably run my fastest 5k.

But I can do plenty of running without focussing purely on speed - I'm still going to get my 50 T shirt, I still want to visit and blog all the NI parkruns, I've grown to really enjoy volunteering and marshalling, and will probably train as a Run Director at some stage, and I've volunteered to act as a guide for blind runners.