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Parkrun, as a walker, with even slower DH

67 replies

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 26/07/2022 07:09

Just signed up for Parkrun. I would expect to finish in just under an hour, but DH is waiting for a joint OP, which doesn't stop him walking, but will slow him down. I've read tips about being early for the Newbie Briefing. Anything else I should know from regulars please, that maybe you'd have liked to know first? Tips? TIA.

OP posts:
BogRollBOGOF · 29/07/2022 09:23

It is great that parkruns are getting more diverse in participation. I did my first one in 2015 in 30:30 on a hilly course... and was in the last 5 finishers! These days that's a mid-pack finishing time.

There's a 95yo that parkruns/ walks near us taking about 1:05:00 which is amazing. It's a flat course, popular run and not an outlying time.

I do think it's worth considering volunteer time if you know you're going to be a significant outlier on a parkrun's usual times. It takes a lot of people giving their time in the morning to make parkrun happen week in week out and filling the roster is one of the most stressful parts of the Director's job. My nearest run has parking permission until 10:30 and it's a 5 minute walk round to the parking, plus putting equipment away. Someone taking longer than 1:15:00 (which is a very slow walk 25min/ mi ) then starts putting parkrun into an awkward position with their arrangements with the council that could hypothetically result in those arrangements being revoked. Volunteers are there from 8:30, that's coming close to 2 hours standing around. In winter/ difficult weather, that can be a health and safety issue (that can include summer heat too). People have other arrangements in their day that they'll make around the usual times that their run takes. Some volunteers have tasks such as results to complete afterwards. There's also the practical concern at the finish line that an incident may have occured on the course if marshals/ participants aren't returning when you'd reasonably expect them to. While there is no official cut-off time, there can be deadlines on arrangements that parkrun has based on reasonably anticipated finish times.

I've walked parkrun many times through injury or when dealing with the whims of my children when they were younger. I'd always say to look at the times; it's more comfortable to not be a significant outlier anyway. Courses with fewer laps are easier for walkers. Having laps 2 and 3 storming behind/past you can be a little stressy, single lap or out and back is easier. Generally people get fitter by participating and their times will improve. At 45 mins there'll be a cross-over of brisk walkers (4mph) and slow runners either a constant slow pace or run/ walking.

Walking at parkrun is great, and most people can walk at a moderate pace that is reasonably forseeable, but there does come a point where if someone is significantly slower than reasonably anticipated, it does have consequences on the volunteers and parkrun itself, and it's a valid logistical point to raise. While parkrun times have increased (brilliant!), it's been a gradual process over years.

Not saying that OP is in extreme outlier territory, have a great time, it's a lovely community event.

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 29/07/2022 09:45

Thanks for the encouragement, @squiggletea I did wonder about the finishing thing @RunNotARace If it looked like we were not going to finish in a reasonable time, I would turn back, as it's an 'out and back' route, so you think not finish then? It sounds sensible, but, presumably on paper, does it look like I haven't attented, or just not finished iuswim? Nice to see some Park Run Insiders here. Thanks for all your info peep, appreciated.

OP posts:
Helenloveslee4eva · 29/07/2022 09:49

go op !
just do it x

we have a lady who completes it on a wheels delta Walker. She is a total inspiration.

jgw1 · 29/07/2022 23:32

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 29/07/2022 09:45

Thanks for the encouragement, @squiggletea I did wonder about the finishing thing @RunNotARace If it looked like we were not going to finish in a reasonable time, I would turn back, as it's an 'out and back' route, so you think not finish then? It sounds sensible, but, presumably on paper, does it look like I haven't attented, or just not finished iuswim? Nice to see some Park Run Insiders here. Thanks for all your info peep, appreciated.

Since only finishes are recorded, if you do part of the course it would not appear that you had been there at all. Unless you did part of the course, double back before the furthest point and still crossed the finish line.

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 30/07/2022 12:37

Ok, thanks @jgw1 .

Did parkwalk today. Awesome. Friendly peeps, and the route was great, and would be good for bike rides. Didn't do whole route, for time reasons and DH, but disappointed that no record. So if we cross finish line, we get a record, but skewed times due to not finishing/time recorded as for whole route? Feel I could probs live with that, but would benefit from motivation of 25 runs recorded or whatever. Really glad we did it!

OP posts:
BogRollBOGOF · 30/07/2022 12:43

I've started and not completed before. DS and I attempted the Christmas Day parkrun this year, but DS was struggling with the cold so we exited the course near the car. As there was a marshal there, we did say we were finishing early. It's no big deal 🙂

It's common for people to do one lap on two lap courses for a multitude of reasons. At juniors, our tailwalkers are used to breaking into a jog to catch up if it's the final participant and they need to catch up to the next one.

I know someone with arthritis who regularly walks lap1 while her son runs both.

RunNotARace · 30/07/2022 12:52

@SpongeBobJudgeyPants I'm glad you went and enjoyed it. Can I suggest downloading something like Strava on your phone for recording your participation at the moment? Then you'll get your own record of your time and the distance you actually did and you'll see yourself getting quicker, or covering more mileage etc.

Going through the finish funnel if you haven't done the full course just to get a record of participating isn't really the done thing. You might find someone comments on it and may ask you not to do it. Your own record on any of the running sort of apps would be a much better way to keep track and then when you do complete the whole thing you won't always be chasing a personal best from stopping early!

TigerRag · 30/07/2022 12:56

baxterstockman · 26/07/2022 07:51

My friend volunteers and finds the walkers frustrating. She wants to get home! Just go for a walk somewhere instead. Or you could do Couch to 5k and work up to running it. The Parkrun I go to does have some people who do a mix of running and walking, but no one who walks the whole thing.

Why is she volunteering then? I once put myself down as tail walker and got an apology from 2 ladies in front. They explained that they had a local race the next day and wanted to walk. I've looked at the results from previous weeks and knew it wouldn't be a fast one.

EhatBow · 30/07/2022 12:59

At this time of year walking is fine and there will be others walking.

In winter having the volunteers hang around for very slow walkers isn't great, although no one at my parkrun would tell you that.

My parkrun is three laps so walkers can drop out after one or two laps and build up to the whole course if they want to, but still be involved in the social aspect says she who went only for the coffee this morning

There's a lovely picture of an 87 yo being given his finish token by a 4yo from today.

rainbowandglitter · 30/07/2022 16:42

I don't think you should complete one lap and then go through the finish tunnel. You'll have a false time. Finish times are expected to be based on the whole 5k. People will start getting upset if you're doing that as it'll push them down their age categories etc.
There are other ways to track it for your own purposes if you'd like to do that.

jgw1 · 30/07/2022 16:59

BogRollBOGOF · 30/07/2022 12:43

I've started and not completed before. DS and I attempted the Christmas Day parkrun this year, but DS was struggling with the cold so we exited the course near the car. As there was a marshal there, we did say we were finishing early. It's no big deal 🙂

It's common for people to do one lap on two lap courses for a multitude of reasons. At juniors, our tailwalkers are used to breaking into a jog to catch up if it's the final participant and they need to catch up to the next one.

I know someone with arthritis who regularly walks lap1 while her son runs both.

I tail walk quite frequently.
Year ago with DD in buggy the child at the back decided that they were done after about 3km. Fine, except that, the next slowest person was many minutes ahead by that point, so I then went rather faster than a run to try and catch up, never did, no problem, no harm done, just a harder workout that I expected.

idril · 30/07/2022 16:59

I am a fast parkrunner and also a volunteer. We have walkers in ours but they usually finish in under an hour.

Ours is two lap course and the walkers at the back cheer on the front runners as they get lapped and vice versa (although I don't usually have the breath to talk at that point but I will cheer them on when I finish). I don't get the animosity between fast and slow people There is no need for it.

As for being very slow, I would email the park directory just as a matter of courtesy. When I volunteer, I usually expect to finish by 10am so if there was someone very slow and I needed to go somewhere afterwards, I would opt to marshal in an early position so I could still get away on time.

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 30/07/2022 17:05

No need, Idril, walk was timed to return within the slowest last time of the previous week.

OP posts:
SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 30/07/2022 17:27

I have recorded our times in the Not Parkrun section. Will stop commenting now, just really returned to say we did have a good time, despite the doom merchants saying don't do it!

OP posts:
RunNotARace · 30/07/2022 18:00

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 30/07/2022 17:27

I have recorded our times in the Not Parkrun section. Will stop commenting now, just really returned to say we did have a good time, despite the doom merchants saying don't do it!

I'm really glad you did! Keep it up and before you know it you'll be doing the whole thing. Especially if you can do some walks during the week too.

DatingIsDifficult · 30/07/2022 21:46

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 30/07/2022 17:27

I have recorded our times in the Not Parkrun section. Will stop commenting now, just really returned to say we did have a good time, despite the doom merchants saying don't do it!

I honestly think parkrun was made for people like you. You said you (or your husband?) couldn’t really do it in the time everyone else was so you went anyway and joined in with what you could, walking a shorter distance but doing it with the parkrun people. And you described it as ‘awesome’, ‘friendly people’ and you’re glad you did it and I really hope you do it again. The founder of it all would be really very heartened to hear your story I’m sure.

squiggletea · 31/07/2022 10:30

I too am glad that you went, enjoyed it and have found a friendly parkrun. It feels like such a gamble to say 'Do it' based on positive experiences knowing that some places have a different vibe.

There is nothing wrong with some thoughtfulness towards the volunteers and other runners but most of them are there so that others can take part. Our volunteers have a higher variety of running backgrounds - and are supportive of everyone. The more runners that show up make it more worth their time. It does make me laugh in the winter when they say Well Done to us runners for turning up in the cold when they must be the ones really freezing.

Keep going and you'll be through that tunnel in your own right before you know it.

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