Parkrun - has anyone walked it?

[Sofiria]

Hi! I'm looking for ways to be more active and shift a bit of weight this year. Parkrun looks like good fun, and on their website it says that it's fine to jog or walk the course, but I'm curious as to whether many people actually do this.

I'm very unfit and can't run or jog but I've got a steady walking pace and usually walk 5k in 55 minutes or thereabouts. I know I wouldn't be stopped from doing this but I'd feel very embarrassed about finishing last, on my own after having been lapped a few times by all the serious runners (memories of school cross-country, ugh) and would be put off trying again.

If it makes a difference I'd be looking at one of the courses in London - probably Highbury Fields, but I'd travel a bit further if there's a course that's particularly walker-friendly.

Anyone have any experiences to share, positive or negative?

45 minutes?? Someone WALKS it in 45 minutes? I can barely run 5k that fast.

One of our local park runs is two laps on same course, so someone could just walk one lap and take about the same time as the rest.

Where are you OP?

There are other run/walk/jog groups in our area (east Scotland) that would welcome you.

I totally disagree with the Pp who said it's unfair on volunteers if you take (in their opinion) too long that's against the ethos of these groups entirely.

You have to start somewhere, and with an organised group you should be encouraged and have a record of your achievements and progress.

I think 45min is a very brisk walk or slow jog , normal walking pace would be nearer 60 mins

Lljkk - remember you are beating the people on the sofa

Oh I'm actually very proud of my meagre achievements. But not going to expect to impress anyone else.

This is bad. I've just lurked on the results sheets for the nearest park runs, spotting people I know (complete stalker behaviour). One entire family, even. This is as bad as Strava stalking. They are all better than me so will stay in stealth mode.

I did a cross country race today, it took the leading women about 30 minutes, a lady of fairly advanced years with some mobility issues completed the race in 1.15. She got the biggest cheer of the day and this was at a fairly serious race for club runners. Go for it

You should contact the organisers and ask for their suggestions, the 2 local to us, have drinks and cakes after the run, so no one would be kept waiting for you to finish, do you have. Friend or colleague that could join you and stay at your pace.

Amanda - even if they have cakes afterwards, the marshals and most of the rest of the volunteers - timekeeper/s , funnel managers , token sorters, tail runner, scanners etc - have to stay on duty out on the course until the last person finishes. The fact that everyone is having coffee without them will be no consolation !

Volunteers are there for at least 30 mins before the event starts , then at least 15 mins afterwards to clear up . Add 45 mins for the run and that's 1.5 hours outside in all weathers. The extra 15 mins between someone jog / walking and someone strolling round at a leisurely pace makes quite a difference.

The official parkrun policy is that it's open to everyone, even if they just want to walk. But I think most park runners are mindful of the effects their choices have on the whole team of volunteers . Personally I would be embarrassed to make a dozen people stand out in the cold in January just so I could exercise my " right " to walk round the course .

The clues in the name - it's for people who are at least trying to run , even if that's a slow jog alternating with walking . People do It in their nineties , with babies in double buggies , or recovering for a stroke, a heart bypass or cancer. You don't have to be fast . But it's in the spirit of the event to at least make an effort .

Amanda - And I think you will find that nearly all running events have a maximum time the event has to be completed in . This is not " against the ethos of these groups entirely " - it's for Health and safety .

The event organisers have to be sure that someone is not lost or taken ill out on the course. And it allows roads to be reopened where necessary .

Large events usually have a sweeper bus that goes around collecting people who are not going to finish in time . If people choose not to take a lift , they are informed that they proceed at their own risk .

It's nothing to do with not celebrating someone's achievements . For some people, walking a few metres is a major achievement . But it doesn't mean it appropriate for them to enter a marathon .

It's to do with keeping runners safe , making sure everyone is prepared for the event they are taking part in and respecting the work of volunteers .

Anyone who is is a running club would be happy to explain this to you .

I am in a running club, I win races, Marshall and organise races, wouldn't have a problem in you taking part, you could always do one lap and tell the organiser not to wait for you whilst you do your second, you would probably be fit enough to walk/ jog after a few weeks to do it properly.

A good idea would be to find the route and time yourself going round it then see how that compares to the times on the parkrun results.

If you feel that you're too slow to participate just now then that could be a great incentive to keep on trying that route at a faster pace until you were comfortable to take part.

Another idea is to volunteer - that way you'll a) be helping out and b) get a true sense of what the slower ones on the field look like i.e. are they running or walking, also by volunteering you'll get to know the other volunteers so when you do take part, they'll all be routing for you. On the weeks I volunteer I run the route afterwards with DS cycling beside me.

I should point out that it's a lot harder for us slow pokes as we have to exercise for longer !

Samantha28 I think you are being very harsh. Some people start off by walking, I don't think Parkrun is or should be exclusive to people who can complete it within a certain time.

As mentioned before I've done over 100 Parkruns - I'm not a super speedy runner, I can do 5km in 27 minutes so very average over this distance (I'm better over longer distances). This weekend I was tail running and the person at the back walked the whole course; she didn't run and it took us an hour. Yes, I got a bit cold and yes, I wasn't expecting to be out for so long but did I mind? No not at all. She was lovely, enthusiastic and really wanted to get out and do some exercise. I told her about C25K and suggested that would be an excellent way to start but she admitted she was quite shy about running in public. Hopefully coming along to Parkrun will have given her some confidence and we did run in the last 20m. She said she was going to start C25K with the aim of being able to run the whole thing by Easter. If she waited until she was ready to run it, maybe she would never get started - sometimes people need motivation and to be part of a group to even get going.

Parkrun is very inclusive. It's about helping people get out and get some exercise whether they are a sub-20 runner or just trying to get round at all.

Samantha28 I think you are being very harsh. Some people start off by walking, I don't think Parkrun is or should be exclusive to people who can complete it within a certain time

I didn't say that. You must be thinking of someone else .

your local parkrun seems quite fast.

When I started running at mine I did it in 42 minutes (running, just very slow). I certainly wasn't the last by a long way.

When I have marshalled, I have noticed there was one lady who was running very very slowly, The tail runner was walking behind her! She took 59 minutes, but all the marshalls and volunteers cheered her in, and still do every time she comes. She was there again this week.

We do have quite a few who half walk and half run, some end up with fast times and others slow times, depending on how much walking they do.

Have a look at other ones and see if there a a less competitive one near you.

When I started running I could only manage about 10 seconds. Seriously. Thought I was going to die I didn't, and worked up to running to an hour continuously, so it can be done. Of course, I let it all go and am now back to about 10 minutes, but I'm perisistent!

Good luck, op!

Oh, never done a parkrun though....

samantha, and inmybackyard - I have just read your posts on this page and I think they are directly against the spirit of parkrun.

As I have just posted we regularly have many who finish in 40-45 minutes, and often up to an hour. Maybe it is because the atmosphere at ours is very good and very inclusive, I know 2 of the faster runners - both finish in 23 minutes. They can often be found standing at the finish cheering people in.

Our tail runner comes along behind everyone and is the last in. The tail runner is often walking as the slowest people are either running at walking pace or walking.

I volunteered this week, I was on barcode scanning and we all waited for that last lady, and none of us minded.

salty - I saw your post on page 1 about the lady running in in 59 minutes and I wondered of we go to the same parkrun??

3 nearest park runs, everyone was in by 42, 45 or 49 minutes.
I know for sure I'm a very fast walker & I couldn't walk 5km in 49 minutes.
That 49 minute event, with my 35 minute time for 5km, I'd be No. 390 out of 429 on the last results day.

Much more pleasurable to run by oneself

Iljkk - parkrun is great fun, and there are many who come in at 35 minutes, where you come doesn't matter, it isn't a race, it is a timed run. You run against the clock and yourself.

My fastest time is 37:23. Up from 42 minutes 6 months ago.

The conversation is always How did you do? ie against yourself, and the replies are always along the lines of 'I was slow today' or ' quite pleased with that, maybe a new personal best' No-one is running against others as a race.
Having said that, my fastest times are when I try to keep up with someone in front who I know runs a good time.

Steppe mum - of course people will cheer the person who walks round in an hour. They cheer everyone who finishes .

And of course the tail runner is last - that's their job. They don't get too cold Because they are moving . It's the other volunteers who are standing still who get really cold.

Most park runs have many people who take 40-45 mins. They mostly jog / walk . That's not what is being discussed here - it's the people who don't even try and take an hour or more .

Most first timers do not WANT to make everyone else wait another 15 minutes for them . They don't WANT to walk around the course with the tail runner and be 15 minutes behind the second last person. They don't want to be embarrassed . They want to have fun and achieve something and join it , not exercise their rights .

I think that asking someone to consider the feelings of others is exactly the spirit of Parkrun , I'm sorry you feel differently .

I'm also sorry that this thread is being hijacked by this agreement, rather than encouraging people to get out and walk / jog/ run , get fitter and have fun .

Samantha28 All your comments point towards that, you've made it very clear you feel it is unacceptable to take as much time as you need to do it.

Steppemum Possibly, but I won't say the name of my local one or it will out me! Have a look to see how many runs your tail runner had done this week and whether they were female!

Our course always has a tail runner (a volunteer wearing a vest to say they are the tail runner) and a friend of mine does it sometimes; she normally runs the course in 31-32 mins but when tail running takes about 45 mins - she obviously walks quite a bit of it.

I think if it took you 55 mins you would be weeelll at the back, of ours anyway.

Can you pick up that pace a bit or maybe jog just for a few minutes every so often? As others say, we all look a bit red or puffed out when running. That's kind of the idea! My parkrun is lovely, really supportive of all abilities and ages (some old gimmers like me, some kids, some v fast 25 yr olds) but I would agree with others, you do need to be running a bit really.

I get what Samantha is saying.

I did a public paid for 5k run a couple of years ago and whilst it was great to see a mixture of people I thought it was odd that people would deliberately pick a fun run to walk round ditto for a number of longer races I have done. Again I'm not particularly fast but will always jog at least some of the course.

I think at our parkrun they have 60 mins as the recommended max time.

Does the tail runner start about 10 minutes after everyone else? Or just walk to start.

Tail runner just starts with the group and keeps pace with the slowest runner (or walker).

Samantha - as I said, I did my first parkrun in 42 minutes.

If I had come across your posts and your attitude before i did it, I would never have dared to go. I find your very off-putting, despite your declared intention to get people out and running.

Fortunately my dh was already doing parkrun and so were a number of our friends, so I was encouraged and went along.

Due to parkrun, I now run 2-3 times per week, and have got fit and lost weight.

I am sad that your attitude is putting people off.

One of the slower ones this week (not the slowest) was a regular parkrunner who has had a knee op. This is her first one back, and she took about 51 minutes. Of course no-one minded!

salty - not the same - you weren't our tail runner.

Llijk - the tail runner waits until eveyrone has moved off. We have quite a big run, in the summer it is 500+ and it can take a while to get everyone over the start line. He/she follows on once everyone has started, and either walks or jogs depending on how slow the slowest one is.