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parkrunners (AOWALC) Anonymous Keep on Running into Spring

999 replies

OhOneOhTwoOhThree · 27/02/2015 21:05

New thread for parkrunners old and new.

We are a long-running thread, but very friendly - please come and say hello, and chat about PBs, tourism, progress towards tee-shirts and anyything else about parkrun Smile

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Thread gallery
14
officelady · 04/07/2015 12:15

Morning all Smile
Well that's that - Inaugural Parkrun done and dusted! We were expecting up to 250 runners but word had spread and we ended up with 430 finishers Confused
I was handing out finishing tokens at a rate of knots - at one point we were worried we would run out - we only had 450 tokens prepped Shock I believe there was a spare 50 somewhere, borrowed from a nearby Parkrun but I wasn't sure who had them - luckily we managed with 20 tokens of our own to spare. My dh was timekeeping and had his work cut out to keep up at the busiest times. Unbelievably we were still in sync with numbers at the end of the race Grin
It was amazing to see so many people come together, absolutely brilliant atmosphere and I can't wait to run it myself soon. Hopefully with a few less runners!!

steppemum · 04/07/2015 12:28

Office that sounds fab. Brilliant start. Do you think you will get that many every week, or were many of them coming to give it a good send off?

I did 40:28. Very pleased. Not quite under the 40 mins yet, but a whole minute off my time last time. I used my phone app to pace myself and I was happy with my pace all round.

OhOneOhTwoOhThree · 04/07/2015 12:53

Wow what a turnout for your first one office!

Well done steppe Grin

I had a great time at Wimpole (once I got there - set off slightly late and got stuck behind some slow traffic). It was lovely to see cinners and her brood and fishandjam, and have coffee, cake and bacon sarnies in the sunshine afterwards Smile

Have lovely weekends everyone!

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cinnamongreyhound · 04/07/2015 15:36

Wimpole was great, lovely scenery and even better company Smile we're just heading home now OhOneOhTwoOhThree so we made a pretty decent day of it! Ds2 has already fallen asleep after his early start. Would love to go back again it's a really nice course and take my little dog too Grin

chutneypig · 04/07/2015 15:53

That's stunning office, must have been a few tense moments with the bar codes though. Fantastic timekeeping!

Great to take so much off your time steppe. Brilliant.

Glad you had a good time cinnamon and ohone.

I stopped half way today as DD was struggling in the heat. Felt a bit deflated but it was roasting. And I got to see DS power in, he knocked 40 seconds off his PB though I don't know how he managed it!

karatekimmi · 04/07/2015 16:52

Fantastic runs everyone.

We've had a change of finish area due to our carpark being turned into housing which now includes an uphill finishGrin. I marshalled and its a lot further to walk, especially as I forgot mini kimmi's pushchair!!

MelanieCheeks · 04/07/2015 17:22

Well done, office, what a start!

I touristed to Larne today, a round trip of 70 miles to the delightfully named Carnfunnock Country Park.

...except it doesn't start in the country park - I discovered this at 9.18, and had an anxious drive to the real starting car park a mile away with minutes to spare....which was full. I asked a passing runner if there was anywhere else to park, and as I won't use a disabled space, I parked on the grass verge.

The run itself was fine, and as the local couch to 5k group were having their graduation run there was a good turnout, and the bestest display of sandwiches, buns cakes etc afterwards.

I went back to the car park at 10.10, to find that me and the white car beside me were blocked in by a burger van. The driver was sitting in it, so I asked him nicely if he could pull forward so I could reverse out.

"You're not supposed to park there" he says. Yes, I know, I explained my circumstances.

"That's where I usually park..." errr....
"Only I was a bit late this morning"...so YOU didn't get your usual illegal spot, but it's a bad thing that I did.
"And I've missed about 15 bikers lookin' for burgers"..again, YOU were late, I didn't have my crystal ball with me to know that I was in your spot, as I'm a visitor here and not likely to return with that attitude!

Ah well, the photos will appear in my blog in due course Grin

LornMowa · 04/07/2015 20:44

Wow Officelady that really is a good start to your Parkrun. Was your town previously in a parkrun desert?

On the subject of Parkrun deserts could someone start a few up in towns north of Preston - I was hoping to do a run on a recent trip up there but there were non to be found.

Melanie I am very impressed at how organised you are on a Saturday morning to take in such distant venues. Shame about the burger van man.

I had another happy trip to our recently started local one and another PB!

MelanieCheeks · 04/07/2015 22:22

I think it helps that the ni ones start at 9.30!

So today I left home at 8.15. And was back again at 11.

feetheart · 04/07/2015 22:48

Officelady - Wow! I'm SO glad our inaugural was quieter than that, I would have been on the gin by 9.30am! Well done for keeping in sync with so many people too, if you can cope with that number for your first one you can cope with anything.

Well done on keeping your cool Melanie. Still planning summer trip home around which parkrun we want to run - I really want to do Portrush but Comber or Bangor are much closer :)

Let us know when you plan to do Wimpole again Cinnamon as DS and I want to do it in the sunshine (or at least with less mud :o)

How was Tinkerbell Blathers?

Didn't run today as I've got a local 5 mile race tomorrow so volunteered in a blue tutu and red cloak :) Lots of people went for the red, white and blue theme, including a buggy-runner and her baby :) We also had hordes of volunteers as they are all involved in the race tomorrow.

OhOneOhTwoOhThree · 04/07/2015 23:14

My next trip to Wimpole will be on 3/10.

I know that because I have just checked my previous visits and I was there on 3/1 (with feetheart), 4/4 and today (4/7). The 3 month intervals were not at all deliberate, but make a nice pattern Smile

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GammaDelta · 05/07/2015 01:02

Hello dear ladies.
Officelady brilliant work.. its people like you who keep this briloiant work going.

Melanie I would have lost my cool... good job you didnt.

Good job you ladies try different venues of Parkrun.. I stick to mine.. close to home.. I finished mine today at 33. but continues jogging/ walking to complete 12.5 km.. not with decent time though..
Question: Do you ladies ever feel lacking confidence in finishing this race.. I do.. this week i couldnt run even once. today was late so started without almost any warm up and no breakfast,... i thought I wont finish it.. happens so often with me.. every run i do i am not sure I will be able to finish the number of laps I did last time..Silly I know :)

MelanieCheeks · 05/07/2015 08:28

Portrush - nicest view, but a tough course running on sand. I'd check the tides for the day you plan to run!

Comber - a rather boring route, but small and friendly.

Bangor - great post-run buns.

Gammadelta, I think we all have confidence worries. I always get nervous before a big race.

cinnamongreyhound · 05/07/2015 08:44

If I'm pushing myself yes I do feel like that quite often GammaDelta, 5k is a tough distance for me!

I'd like to go back with my little dog feetheart reasonably soon, so sunny would be lovely but just a bit cooler would be even better! They actually have a dog start!

standingonlego · 05/07/2015 10:12

DS1 and DS2 had a fabulous time at mk junior parkrun this morning - thank you to blathers and team Smile

steppemum · 05/07/2015 13:27

we are in SW in the summer and today someone mentioned a devon parkrun which he swore was the worst in the world, you start in a pretty park, turn the first bend and it is vertical.

can't decide if it is a challenge, or one to avoid!

steppemum · 05/07/2015 13:27

(near Dartmoor I think he said)

cinnamongreyhound · 05/07/2015 14:23

Sounds like ThursdayLast's home parkrun Grin

MelanieCheeks · 05/07/2015 19:09

I might be at Bushy Park next week!

cinnamongreyhound · 05/07/2015 19:12

Ooooooo exciting!! We've vowed if our parkrun has to cancel again due to another event all the RD's will go Smile

MelanieCheeks · 05/07/2015 19:15

I'll be in London for my daughter's graduation performance (she's a dancer).

Staying with my best friend in Feltham - last time I was there I did Crane Park, literally round the corner. But friend has offered to drive me to BP (its about 3 miles away).

C0smos · 05/07/2015 19:49

Hello

International park runner here. I run in Johannesburg, park run started in South Africa about 3 years ago and we now have about 10 runs in Johannesburg alone.

My local event us 10 mins from home and is a 2 lap race, there isn't a flat bit on the entire course and there is 1 long hill where you get to the top, run round a large rock and then straight back down. The course is a mixture of grass and dry mud which Is very dusty at the moment as its dry season, there are also lots of tree roots so you have to watch your feet. Also running at altitude so my times are much slower than they were in the UK. Although the winning male is back in just over 16 mins which is amazing.

Our park runs start earlier, 8am so I am home by 9am. We usually have about 500 runners and the last people are back in about 1.05, lots of people walk the whole way, bring dogs, prams etc. My 6 year old runs with me and loves it.

OhOneOhTwoOhThree · 05/07/2015 20:42

Hello C0smos and how lovely to hear about your South African parkrun!

Melanie you lucky thing you!

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GammaDelta · 06/07/2015 08:04

Welcome to the thread Cosmos . your ds is only 6 and he does it. . great jobSmile

ThursdayLast · 06/07/2015 08:35

steppe, you deffo need to come further south if you want a real parkrun challenge Wink
Us Lanhydrockers are determined to remain THE hardest parkrun I don't even know that we are we just like to scare the tourists

Too blummin' not to do well this week, it was a case of just being there for me. Still had a lovely time though, I've made some lovely friends who I like to go and catch up with.

melanie I've just booked a trip to London (just me!bliss!) that HAD to be at the weekend so I can run Bushey. I'm so excited

Welcome C0smos...wonders if touristing to SA might be a step too far...