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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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lastqueenofscotland · 27/02/2016 16:59

Oh cinnamon what a prick, I saw someone shouting at a cadet who was handing out water in an hm once and I (all 8.5st and 5ft 7 of me) stormed over to this 6ft+ muscular beast and called him a bully.
I hope someone stood up for you!

Dragged mum out again today, ran another sub25 so happy enough. Mums totally got the bug, chasing tshirts and is volunteering next week. Grin

lastqueenofscotland · 27/02/2016 17:00

Is it bushy park they found the body?

chutneypig · 27/02/2016 17:33

They found a body in the fountain at Bushy last weekend while we were there. There were a lot of police and paramedics there as everyone was leaving after the run. The news report said there weren't any suspicious circumstances. The one today they're still investigating, they've shut a lot of the park off since.

That's fantastic to hear about your mum lastqueen

MelanieCheeks · 27/02/2016 17:55

Just about snuck in a sub-25 this morning at Queens 4th birthday

lastqueenofscotland · 27/02/2016 19:15

God chutney that's terrible, that poor person. :( must have been v traumatic for you and the other runners too.

chutneypig · 27/02/2016 19:44

Two weeks in a row has definitely rattled me. Poor souls and their families.

Original poster
cinnamongreyhound · 27/02/2016 19:57

That's awful ChutneyPig! Poor people and not nice for you either.

He was a parkrunner MelanieCheeks, a dog had stopped in front of him and he twisted his ankle so didn't get the pb he wanted today so shouted at the lady with the dog when she apologised, shouted at one of my timekeepers then shouted at me and then very loudly told anyone at the finish who'd listen that 'that dog ruined his pb'! The poor woman was mortified!

OP posts:
MelanieCheeks · 27/02/2016 20:20

Oh dear. I can understand frustration at not getting a PB (but really...there are bigger issues), and as a dog-runner I'm very conscious of keeping out of the way of others - not always possible! But very unfair to take it out on you, and the other volunteers.

FiftyNineOhEight · 27/02/2016 20:20

Grrr cinners what a horrid man. Doesn't he know it's a run not a race, and that there's alway's next week for his PB? Hope your HM goes well tomorrow, one of my friends is running it too.

How sad chutney

Well done Melanie and lastqueen and lastqueenmum Smile

DS1 PB'd. I didn't Grin

lastqueenofscotland · 27/02/2016 20:25

Cinnamon he sounds a twit.

Though there was a runner with a dog at my parkrun on a long lead, ours are really narrow Tarmac tracks, but three abreast is urinalysis doable but this man and his dog took up the whole width of the path and made overtaking really difficult. He wasn't responsive to people yelling "on your right" etc either. Which coupled with a 3 lap fast course with the first few finishers being sub17 runners means you can go a good pace and get lapped so it was really annoying. I've seen some v inconsiderate behaviour from runners the last two weekends at this parkrun and at the race hq of a big half marathon I did last week (the playground/field of a school) where loads of men couldn't be bothered to wait 2/3 mins for the bogs so pissed in the doorways of the school, disgusting behaviour.

cheapandcheerful · 28/02/2016 08:06

Hi everyone! Sounds like a few people had less-than-ideal parkruns yesterday.

Sorry to hear you got shouted at cinnamon and for your horrid experience chutney :(

I was rather pleased with my run yesterday as I managed to somehow shave TWO MINUTES off my pb! Not quite sure how...

karatekimmi · 28/02/2016 20:57

Not good cinnamon I dread anything happening when I'm RD!!

Not a good week at Gedling where a body was found when a runner had a "call of nature"

I did my 18th location at York. Very friendly but a bit of a boring but flat course. I was practising my marathon race pace - not going to fast at the start!!

feetheart · 29/02/2016 15:17

cinnamon - I liked this advice to new RDs from the ED Facebook page "Some people are grumpy gits and there is nothing you can do about it"
Not nice though - some people really don't get it. not looking at you Mr uber-tourist who got tripped and swore a lot at one of our regulars Best quote from another runner that day was "Well we don't do that at parkrun, it was just like the football"

Not too keen on the idea of bodies being found either :(

chutneypig · 29/02/2016 18:23

They believe the man died of natural causes but are still trying to identify him. Seeing where he was its at least something he was found, it's not a spot people would normally go through.

I'm glad others had better runs - two minutes off is fantastic cheap.

York parkrun is near the racecourse isn't it karatekimmi?

Blatherskite · 01/03/2016 20:44

I'm around I promise. Just quiet

Original poster
cinnamongreyhound · 02/03/2016 16:54

Hi Blatherskite!

Run 99 for me this Saturday. I'm quite excited to be going to the core team meeting with Helen Hood etc in bury st Edmunds Friday night but I'm not sure whether to join them for the actual parkrun Saturday which is meant to be super muddy or stay at home, what do you guys think?

OP posts:
MelanieCheeks · 02/03/2016 17:45

Ooooh, tough choice. Where are you running your 100th? Maybe pick a different one for 99. And you have to have an ice-cream 99 afterwards, itz da roolz.

Blatherskite · 02/03/2016 21:45

You at least need a flake for your 99th. It's a bit cold for ice cream!

My new Apricot parkrun tshirt arrived last Thursday just in time for parkrunday as promised so it got it's first outing straight away. Took DS with me in the hope of getting in an easy run but the little bugger decided that for the first time ever, he wasn't going to stop and he ran the whole thing in 31:40!! I'm now torn between wanting to take him more often to see how much he improves and not wanting him to run too far too often as he's only 8 (9 in 3 weeks!) At least we know junior parkrun is doing him some good though!

We were going to do an all male team for Sunday to let the Mums run but so far we have an RD and 1 volunteer so it looks like we might have to accept women after all Sad

feetheart · 03/03/2016 09:40

Blathers - DS was 8 when he started at parkrun and was quicker than me within 6 weeks Hmm I have just let him be the guide as to what he does, always let him dictate the pace and stop if he needs to. He now has a posse of responsible adults who I trust to do the same :)
Mostly he wants to chat his way round, occasionally he wants to try for a PB and quite often he wants to volunteer. I also got him to be aware very early on about pacing himself so he doesn't do the 'hare off, stop, hare off' thing that lots of kids do. I know it's not the done thing for young ones to run too far too often but there are also all the kids around the World who run/walk miles to school everyday (and seeing what 9yr old elite male gymnasts do I don't think a weekly 5k is too excessive!)

chutneypig · 03/03/2016 18:02

My two are both 8. They do the main parkrun and the junior most weekends. Like feet we let them dictate whether they want to or not and usually they do. DS and DH are pretty well matched for pace and if he wants a quiet week he runs with me - I feel so special Grin. Both DS and DD are considerably faster than me, so it doesn't push them too much. Both have volunteered too and DD sometimes runs with her friend. I'll never in my wildest dreams get to DSs PB but he does like pacing me to one.

It was interesting in the week actually. The afterschool club manager has been on leave and she commented on how much DS had improved in terms of sportsmanship and supporting the younger children in activities. I reckon parkrun has had an awful lot to do with that, just the general positive supportive attitude and him realising the biggest thing is challenging yourself and not comparing so much to others. He's far more supportive of DD when they're running than at any other time when they will squabble over absolutely anything

Blatherskite · 03/03/2016 21:27

Yes, we've discussed pacing and last week was the first time that DS had properly slowed down instead of haring off which I think helped. We got properly laughed at the time before when we went and a lady overheard me telling DS that he was aiming for a 5k pace not a 2k pace Grin

I might see if he wants to come again this weekend. I'm running with a friend and her boyfriend who is doing his first ever parkrun. He's done 5k in 40 minutes on a treadmill apparently so shouldn't be too quick - in fact, DS will probably have to slow down!

Or would that put the new runner off do you think?

chutneypig · 04/03/2016 06:59

It wouldn't have put me off for a first run, I'd have found it a nice distraction. But then I did take both DC with me on my first parkrun. There are some lovely photos of them, not so much of me. it did help me keep going and I was definitely in that time frame.

Blatherskite · 04/03/2016 12:47

Thinking about it DS is going shopping with DD and DH for some reason I am not allowed to know about but only happens the day before mothers day every year so I'll have to go alone anyway.

ooh, another outing for my apricot tourist shirt!

feetheart · 04/03/2016 15:58

I'm 'shadow RD' tomorrow as we have a new RD having her first go. I just hope last week's results issues (of which there were many!) didn't put her off.
However I will have my t-shirt on too, under many layers. :)

Trying to work out where to run next weekend.
We are gong up to Birmingham to see my niece compete in the Inter-Counties cross country as my brother and his wife are coming over from the Isle of Man for it. Enroute we have the choice of Northampton, Daventry, Leamington, Coventry or Brueton. Would be nice to have a shower afterwards but not essential.
Any thoughts people?

Blatherskite · 04/03/2016 17:46

Northampton is very flat. It's an odd sort of lap and 3/4 of an inner city park. TBH the view isn't much (unless you're into houses, offices and peoples back fences) and the parking is a nightmare unless you're very early. Not much of a cafe culture for afterwards. I think there may be showers in the cricket club but I'm not sure.

Daventry is less flat but much more fun. Parts are fairly muddy and the finish funnel has to be taken slowly to avoid breaking an ankle. You know the ED there though as she gave you advice on setting up yours. It's close to the local leisure centre which has showers.

Leamington I'm struggling to remember. I have a feeling it was muddy with a couple of long, slow hills. My time there is over 2 minutes slower than the week before and almost 5 minutes slower than I did Buckingham the following week so it must have been tough. Don't remember showers.

I haven't done the others Shock Best get planning visits Wink

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