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Original poster

parkrunners old and new come and chat all things parkrun.

999 replies

cinnamongreyhound · 06/02/2016 11:51

Starting a new thread at FiftyNineOhEight's request. Come and get comfy and talk all things parkrun, anyone thinking of starting out on your parkrun journey we have loads of experience between us so come and ask.

OP posts:
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feetheart · 06/08/2016 12:59

So sorry to hear about Max Melanie, sad times for you and Minnie.

I was RD today and had an 'interesting' parkrunday. The annual Mela set up around us and in spite of assurances that everyone would be onsite by 8:30am I was still doing traffic control at nearly 10am!
Having someone tell me at 8:45am that a miniature railway had just set up on the course was actually the least of my worries!
Still we got 221 runners round without losing anyone to moving vehicles, miniature railways, steam engines, dog poo or the heat.
Definitely cancelling next year though

swampytiggaa · 06/08/2016 13:06

Hello! I volunteered today along with 2 of my children. I was timekeeper, one child did finish tokens and the other did barcode scanning.

90 people there today which is about average for us. We have a music festival going on in the park today so setting up was a bit of a challenge :) but everything went ok. Well I hope it did - the results haven't been sent yet (bites fingers and hope I didn't cock the timing up...)

Blatherskite · 06/08/2016 17:34

BIIIIIIGGGG news this morning.

A friend was having a birthday night out in Nottingham and DH came with me. We booked a hotel for the night. Somehow I managed to talk him into doing Beeston parkrun with me before we headed home!! Shock

It was lovely Grin

So that's course number 49 for me. Better choose my next one carefully as it's my "cow" run...

MyBlackCat · 06/08/2016 18:10

blathers I ran at beeston today too Smile hot day and nice course but found the out and back after passing the finish line tough Shock

Was with my friend who struggled a bit today so we were close to the rear of the field, at 22 weeks pregnant I'm enjoying the leisurely runs Smile

Course number 8 for me, aiming for 20 and the tourism leaderboard on the websiteSmile

Hope everyone enjoyed their runs

Blatherskite · 06/08/2016 18:31

Small world BlackCat! I was the tourist from Milton Keynes :)

I did 31-something today. Still way off my PB but I'm trying to slowly work my way back so that I don't trash my ankles again. I'm getting about a minute faster each week at the moment which is fine with me.

Once you get to 20 courses, there is a facebook group that you can join and things get silly. Lots of talk of "doing a Cowell" which is getting to 100 different courses and is named after the first man to achieve it (50 courses is a 'cow' as that's half a cow-ell) and Alphabetourism and Regionairres....

GeoffreysGoat · 06/08/2016 19:08

I managed under an hour today had a lovely chat with the wonderful tail runner but also very much enjoyed my final lap just me and a slumbering baby in the pushchair Blush

MelanieCheeks · 06/08/2016 20:18

Well done all! I got round safely, which was all I wanted today ( actually it was faster than my last time here 3 weeks ago). My Parkrun tribe top was lovely, I went for the sleeveless vest, which was perfect for the warm muggy conditions.

My music shuffle was in Eurovision mode, and came up with this year's German entry, Ghost. Since weimaraners are known as silver ghosts, I smiled as I remembered running with max.

0ellenbrody0 · 06/08/2016 20:25

Condolences melanie

DD1 came with me for the first time today and was happy just to get round as it was quite muggy and she hasn't run for a while.
Parkrun number 7 for me, I was slower than last week, but still a time I was quite pleased with.

FiftyNineOhEight · 07/08/2016 09:05

Sorry to hear your sad news Melanie Flowers

I had a hot run at Holkham. It felt better than last week but I was slower. Bizarrely I finished a lot higher up (over 30 places) so the field must have been completely different this week.

chutneypig · 07/08/2016 14:43

What a coincidence you both being there, Blathers and MyBlackCat. I've heard it's a lovely course. I didn't realise there was so much going on with tourism!

I wonder if people get affected by the heat differently Fifty? Or with people away on holiday. It was hot our way and DD really didn't like it, I felt I could have gone a lot faster so felt like I was getting somewhere.

Glad your DD went 0ellen, will she be going back?

Great you're getting out there Geoffrey.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on breathing I can pass on to DD. She has this strange breathing thing that sounds like she's moaning, drives me batty and must sound like I'm torturing her. She keeps getting stitch which I'm sure is related. But I'm rubbish with my own breathing when running so wondered if there's some simple rhythm or something?

DS came first at juniors this morning, so he was very pleased, despite saying before he didn't want to run. DD would have beaten her PB too apart from the course diversion. Lovely morning for volunteering too.

FishTailPlait · 07/08/2016 18:29

So sorry to hear about Max Melanie. I'm not too far from Beeston may have to try that in a couple of weeks! Have had a look at the west coast races in Scotland- can't decide between Victoria or Pollock in Glasgow. Will only be my 3rd ever Parkrun but I've been loving it so far! Found yesterday quite hard but was surprised to see that I was only 9 seconds slower felt like lots more than that!

londonmummy1966 · 07/08/2016 20:59

So sorry to hear about the dog Melanie a friend of mine has just lost her faithful running companion too.

I had a very tough one in the heat yesterday but managed to run all the hills and only took a minute more than last week despite stopping to help an injured runner in front of me - was really shocked that so many people just ran straight past her.

Has anyone tried a parkrun in the Gloucester area? I'm over that way in a couple of weeks - I had wondered about the Forest of Dean as it is all trail so would be a nice change from municipal tarmac.

Original poster
cinnamongreyhound · 07/08/2016 22:27

So sorry to hear your news melaniecheeks Sad

Sounds like some lovely parkruns all round!!

We had a quiet day but everything went smoothly apart from a lady who twisted her ankle then fainted. Beautiful sunshine for volunteering not so good for running!!! Ran a 10k today in super heat and there were several people collapsed at the side of the road Sad reminds me to keep well hydrated in the heat as I'm pretty rubbish normally!

OP posts:
megletthesecond · 08/08/2016 08:49

It was hot on Saturday. I'm in between leg waxes so I couldn't wear my shorts, silly really, if I'd turned up just as it started and ran no one would have been able to see my fuzzy legs anyway.

Blatherskite · 08/08/2016 10:34

chutney, is she perhaps going too fast? When doing our beginners groups, we always recommend that everyone should be running at a pace where they're able to chat to the person next to them. Talking makes you take regular, easy breaths and not pant (panting actually only shallow fills your lungs which makes oxygen pick up harder) It generally means a slower pace but it's easier meaning that you can go longer and further which is generally more important when someone is just starting running.

Obviously, you should be slightly out of breath but if you can't manage more than one word answers then you're going too fast. The fitter you get, the faster you can go while chatting as your lungs get stronger. Training like this will help build base level fitness first.

When she gets stitch, get her to stop, bend down and touch her toes and then stretch up as high as she can. All with long slow breaths. This will stretch out her core muscles and should help stop the spasming which causes the pain.

swampytiggaa · 08/08/2016 19:26

Oooh can I share something here? DH won't understand but I have just been asked if I would think about being a run director! I am going to chat through what is involved at the weekend but I am going to seriously consider it. I feel really proud to be asked too :)

FiftyNineOhEight · 08/08/2016 19:58

tiggaa that's brilliant and as you say a real honour. Congratulations!

chutneypig · 08/08/2016 21:17

That's interesting about the chatting Blathers. She used to talk a lot more going round (complete contrast to her brother) but stopped in case it was giving her stitch. The odd moaning thing started not even 50 metres in this time, I don't think it's because she was going too fast, this time at least, it was a slow start and she's far faster than me (sub 10 PB at juniors which I could only dream of!). I'll start with some chatting next week and see if it settles her into a better rhythm. And fantastic tips on the stitch too, thanks, I never know what to do.

Wonderful swampy how exciting.

It's sobering seeing people at the side like that cinnamon. I hate running with water but make a big effort to drink ahead of going out.

EmpressOfTheSevenOceans · 09/08/2016 09:19

Hello

I'm thinking about trying parkrun, but bit nervous because I was a crap runner at school (1,500m in 10 mins).

I walk 6 miles a day and do zumba twice a week so I'm reasonably fit, but would everyone be dashing away from me?

FiftyNineOhEight · 09/08/2016 09:56

Empress - no! There is almost always a tail runner who walks/jogs at the back at the pace of the slowest people. It's my favourite volunteer role as you get to know new people and often they are newcomers to parkrun. Have a look at the finish times at the parkrun you are considering (they are all online). We often have walkers at mine.

The couch to 5k app is brilliant if you have had a break from running and there is usually a support thread on MN - that's how I started a few years ago.

Enjoy!

EmpressOfTheSevenOceans · 09/08/2016 10:05

That's very encouraging, FiftyNine. I'll have a look, thanks!

feetheart · 09/08/2016 10:12

swampytiggaa - I'd say go for it. I have only asked people who I knew would be brilliant (and have been proved right so far :o)

Empress - if you already walk 6 miles a day you will be flying round! We always have walkers at our parkrun and the Tail Runner comes in between 55-65 minutes. We do also have the 'Fastest walking stick in Luton' who can do it in under 37 mins but he is an ex-athlete and SO competitive (but also superbly supportive of everyone :))

I have just offered our services as Tail Runers at Fell Foot parkrun in the Lakes in 2 weeks. Managed to pull a thigh muscle last week, am on walking and physio exercises for a while and don't want to miss out on another tourist opportunity - DS is aiming for the 20-parkruns list and a cow cowl. I think we are on 12 so a way to go.

londonmummy1966 · 09/08/2016 11:41

Empress go for it - you might want to think about trying to jog 1 min walk one min - so long as you remember jog is not the same as sprint flat out. If you are walking 6 miles a day and doing zumba you may well find you can keep that up for half the route and then walk the rest.

I've volunteered to tail run at my parkrun on Saturday - it will stop me panicking about being the last as I'll have to be anyway...

EmpressOfTheSevenOceans · 09/08/2016 12:33

Thanks for all the encouraging responses, I'm away this weekend but next weekend I'm going to have to give it a go! Jogging & walking sounds like a good tactic.

PurplePidjin · 09/08/2016 13:21

I'm a walker, 55:55 last week - shocking compared to everyone here but I do have a nearly 1yo in a sling on my back Wink

(GGoat name changed back to an old name for another thread and decided to stick to it!)

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