Park Run

[tim2]

2 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

As I've started running again, I've taken in a couple of Parkruns.

I was surprised by the balance of runners, it felt like there were more serious runners than there used to be and fewer people doing it for a bit of fitness. If this is true and not just me misremembering, it would be a real shame I think because it could become off-putting for brand new runners. I took the missus for her first ever 5k there and she was a bit intimidated by it.

I've also been to a lot of junior parkruns recently, and the balance there is definitely skewed to kids that are better at running. I took my niece once, who is an amazing gymnast and does cheerleading etc but as it was her first time struggled and finished dead last. Unsurprisingly, she doesn't want to do it again. I wonder if the low numbers (10-20% of the adult one) has anything to do with that.

Is this anything other people have noticed or has it always been that way?

Up to recently, statistics woud show that more slower runners are taking part (Rother Valley parkrun's average time has gone a lot slower since I started in 2013)

This may have changed as more and more regular runners, introduced by parkrun, get quicker. I do a lot od tourist runs and attend briefings for new runners. There seem to be fewer first timers than before Covid, and more tourists.

Having said that, parkrun now actively encourages walkers, with a special volunteer role for parkwalker, to accompany new or solo walkers.

[Maximus Decimus]

1 hour ago, tim2 said:

Up to recently, statistics woud show that more slower runners are taking part (Rother Valley parkrun's average time has gone a lot slower since I started in 2013)

This may have changed as more and more regular runners, introduced by parkrun, get quicker. I do a lot od tourist runs and attend briefings for new runners. There seem to be fewer first timers than before Covid, and more tourists.

Having said that, parkrun now actively encourages walkers, with a special volunteer role for parkwalker, to accompany new or solo walkers.

I just took a quick look myself at the Widnes parkrun and it is similar. I took a look at the 75% runner at each one, and the slowest was my most recent two.

That of course doesn't necessarily mean I've misremembered. Maybe what I noticed was fewer casual runners, ie people just throwing on some sports gear but who might still be quite fit. The overwhelming majority seemed to be people in proper running gear with sports watches and the like.

Since I've been going (about 2015?) Widnes has always had a walker at the back. I was really surprised when they didn't have this at the junior one. The first time I took my lad, simply because he stopped a couple of times he was in a race for last. Put it this way, if the people who get 40 minutes plus on Parkrun would come last in the junior one at that pace.

I honestly thought there'd be loads of kids trying to improve their fitness.

[tim2]

4 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I just took a quick look myself at the Widnes parkrun and it is similar. I took a look at the 75% runner at each one, and the slowest was my most recent two.

That of course doesn't necessarily mean I've misremembered. Maybe what I noticed was fewer casual runners, ie people just throwing on some sports gear but who might still be quite fit. The overwhelming majority seemed to be people in proper running gear with sports watches and the like.

Since I've been going (about 2015?) Widnes has always had a walker at the back. I was really surprised when they didn't have this at the junior one. The first time I took my lad, simply because he stopped a couple of times he was in a race for last. Put it this way, if the people who get 40 minutes plus on Parkrun would come last in the junior one at that pace.

I honestly thought there'd be loads of kids trying to improve their fitness.

It depends on the parents, I think. Kid are notoriously tricky to persuade to go and run 2K on a Sunday morning.

My grandson has done about 15 but doesn't like it.

There should be a tailwalker.

[Maximus Decimus]

2 minutes ago, tim2 said:

It depends on the parents, I think. Kid are notoriously tricky to persuade to go and run 2K on a Sunday morning.

My grandson has done about 15 but doesn't like it.

There should be a tailwalker.

Maybe I'm just used to having a parent who would have forced me to go every week had I been unfit!

No lie, he used to make me and my brother do 20 laps of the football pitch if he felt like we'd been too lazy in the holidays. You'd be put in care now!

[Charlie RL]

Great CC semis this weekend! 

University of Northampton parkrun (event 2).  Modern (new,?) Campus, river, park, wavy bridge, marna.   Excellent.  Time ok.  

 

[tim2]

Newbury parkrun last week (on the old Greenham Common airfield and common) and Bramshall Road in Uttoxter today. No reaction from the injuries so may start to ramp up the training a little while I'm in Spain (if I can get up at 7am).

That's 344 parkruns at 115 locations. I've done 25 different parkruns in a row now - no repeats since December 24th 2022.

[JonM]

Josh Kerr won the 1500m World Championships today. He ran Edinburgh parkrun 4 times in 2011/2012, in age category JM11-14, being the first finisher twice (and third on his other two runs).  Last year's 1500m World Championship winner, Jake Wightman, also ran at parkrun in his teens - and continues to do so.

[Gerrumonside ref]

1 hour ago, JonM said:

Josh Kerr won the 1500m World Championships today. He ran Edinburgh parkrun 4 times in 2011/2012, in age category JM11-14, being the first finisher twice (and third on his other two runs).  Last year's 1500m World Championship winner, Jake Wightman, also ran at parkrun in his teens - and continues to do so.

That was a very exciting finish for the gold.

[tim2]

I've had a few weeks off on holiday. Will be blowing a bit tomorrow I suspect.

[Maximus Decimus]

Turns out I was totally wrong: average Parkrun times have been getting slower year on year. The first year's average was 22 minutes!

I've had a bit of a mare this summer with Parkrun. I originally planned on doing Amsterdam and Derry. 

We got up, rented bikes and set off to Amsterdam only to get absolutely drenched while we were trying to find a certain bike route. We went back with our tails between our legs.

Derry was also weather affected and was forecast storms with a lot of wind. We decided against it because of the previous week's experience, but I think it ended up being OK.

We were supposed to be doing Widnes tomorrow and now the missus isn't feeling well .

[tim2]

On 25/08/2023 at 17:35, tim2 said:

I've had a few weeks off on holiday. Will be blowing a bit tomorrow I suspect.

I ran horribly yesterday at Melton Mowbray, which, by the way is a lovely course. My heart rate was through the roof.

Later yesterday I came down with a high temperature, shivers and zero energy so I'm amazed I got round at all.

My smart watch told me off for doing too much with a low "body battery". Well yes, I guess I did ignore its warning.

Edited August 27, 2023 by tim2

[MattSantos]

5 hours ago, tim2 said:

I ran horribly yesterday at Melton Mowbray, which, by the way is a lovely course. My heart rate was through the roof.

Later yesterday I came down with a high temperature, shivers and zero energy so I'm amazed I got round at all.

My smart watch told me off for doing too much with a low "body battery". Well yes, I guess I did ignore its warning.

Whenever i have a weekend on the sauce, i leave the Garmin at home.

1. I like a good watch anyway

2. I hate being told off

[Maximus Decimus]

I've recently got a Garmin watch and I'm really impressed. I've signed up for Runna and it puts it all through the watch. 

[tim2]

On 28/08/2023 at 16:25, Maximus Decimus said:

I've recently got a Garmin watch and I'm really impressed. I've signed up for Runna and it puts it all through the watch. 

I bought a Fenix 6 and still have my trusty ForeRunner 235 as backup.

I'm struggling back from having (probably) Covid. Walked one three weks ago, ran Mansfield in 29.30 two weeks ago and Aylesbury on Saturday in 28.40. It's always a long and painful journey back to fitness after a break. 

[Maximus Decimus]

On 19/09/2023 at 15:01, tim2 said:

I bought a Fenix 6 and still have my trusty ForeRunner 235 as backup.

I'm struggling back from having (probably) Covid. Walked one three weks ago, ran Mansfield in 29.30 two weeks ago and Aylesbury on Saturday in 28.40. It's always a long and painful journey back to fitness after a break. 

I started running again about 5 months ago after 2 and a half years off. I'd ran for nearly 3 years before that.

What prompted my stopping was because I got ill and didn't run for 2 weeks. The amount I lost in that time was demoralising. I went from a 49 minute 10k to 55 minutes and not improving. Eventually, after about 3 months I took a break that turned into a long time!

 

 

 

[tim2]

13 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I started running again about 5 months ago after 2 and a half years off. I'd ran for nearly 3 years before that.

What prompted my stopping was because I got ill and didn't run for 2 weeks. The amount I lost in that time was demoralising. I went from a 49 minute 10k to 55 minutes and not improving. Eventually, after about 3 months I took a break that turned into a long time!

 

 

 

I think it's only doing parkrun every week regardless (including walking) that's kept me going at times.

[Maximus Decimus]

4 hours ago, tim2 said:

I think it's only doing parkrun every week regardless (including walking) that's kept me going at times.

That's handy. Saturday mornings are the lad's football matches sadly.

I've got a 10k a week Sunday that I've been preparing quite seriously for for me. Signed up to something called Runna and found it very useful, and something that has given me structure and made sure I'm being challenged.

Got an outside chance of a PB, but not going to put pressure on myself.

[Maximus Decimus]

4 hours ago, tim2 said:

I think it's only doing parkrun every week regardless (including walking) that's kept me going at times.

That's handy. Saturday mornings are the lad's football matches sadly.

I've got a 10k a week Sunday that I've been preparing quite seriously for for me. Signed up to something called Runna and found it very useful, and something that has given me structure and made sure I'm being challenged.

Got an outside chance of a PB, but not going to put pressure on myself.

[tim2]

29 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

That's handy. Saturday mornings are the lad's football matches sadly.

I've got a 10k a week Sunday that I've been preparing quite seriously for for me. Signed up to something called Runna and found it very useful, and something that has given me structure and made sure I'm being challenged.

Got an outside chance of a PB, but not going to put pressure on myself.

Good luck. I'm so far off my PB it may as well be the World Record I'm aiming for! I thought that in 2017 when I was at a similar low point. Four years later I smashed all my distance times.

[Maximus Decimus]

3 hours ago, tim2 said:

Good luck. I'm so far off my PB it may as well be the World Record I'm aiming for! I thought that in 2017 when I was at a similar low point. Four years later I smashed all my distance times.

I didn't start again with that aim. My missus suddenly decided she wanted to have ran a 10k in her life, so I helped her get through one albeit very slowly. My plan was to build up to a first half-marathon, with a view to seeing whether a full marathon is something I could do.

Following the slow 10k, I signed up to run one separately and it was only after I used the Runna app plan that I realised I'm doing quite well speed wise for me. As I've recently turned 40, I quite like the idea of making PBs as an older man.

If I don't get close, I'm not gonna keep trying because PB hunting can be quite draining. The last time I beat my 10k, I had like 4 failed attempts.

 

[tim2]

19 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I didn't start again with that aim. My missus suddenly decided she wanted to have ran a 10k in her life, so I helped her get through one albeit very slowly. My plan was to build up to a first half-marathon, with a view to seeing whether a full marathon is something I could do.

Following the slow 10k, I signed up to run one separately and it was only after I used the Runna app plan that I realised I'm doing quite well speed wise for me. As I've recently turned 40, I quite like the idea of making PBs as an older man.

If I don't get close, I'm not gonna keep trying because PB hunting can be quite draining. The last time I beat my 10k, I had like 4 failed attempts.

 

It crept up on me. I was running well and had lost weight. I was just going quicker and quicker - the amount by which I nbeat the PBs was a real shock, especially the 10K. It's difficult to maintain, though, and after 6 months when i'd beaten all my records an injury at the end of my Half Marathon PB put me out for a while and the form's never returned.

[Maximus Decimus]

On 22/09/2023 at 12:41, tim2 said:

It crept up on me. I was running well and had lost weight. I was just going quicker and quicker - the amount by which I nbeat the PBs was a real shock, especially the 10K. It's difficult to maintain, though, and after 6 months when i'd beaten all my records an injury at the end of my Half Marathon PB put me out for a while and the form's never returned.

So much of the PB thing is mental I think. For a while I saw a 25 minute 5k as unachievable but I can beat it quite easy now. My PB is 23:46 and I look at 22 minutes as impossible but I know it's probably in my head. If I trained right and lost another stone, I probably could make it easy enough.

I do still have a thing left over from the previous target where I feel like anything under 5:00 a km is really pushing it. It doesn't make much sense as I've done a 10k at an average of 4:55.

Ultimately, I'll move onto a half-marathon without a time goal, probably mid next year. Did you find them challenging and have you ever gone full marathon?

[tim2]

4 minutes ago, Maximus Decimus said:

So much of the PB thing is mental I think. For a while I saw a 25 minute 5k as unachievable but I can beat it quite easy now. My PB is 23:46 and I look at 22 minutes as impossible but I know it's probably in my head. If I trained right and lost another stone, I probably could make it easy enough.

I do still have a thing left over from the previous target where I feel like anything under 5:00 a km is really pushing it. It doesn't make much sense as I've done a 10k at an average of 4:55.

Ultimately, I'll move onto a half-marathon without a time goal, probably mid next year. Did you find them challenging and have you ever gone full marathon?

I did 22.04 at the age of 60 and three weeks later a sub 45 10K, during which I also broke my 5 mile record.

I like half marathons (or did, before my body started giving me grief after 10-12K). I've done about 15 and my PB is about 1 hour 44. I did a couple of 30K races and a twenty miler in the lead up to doing the Manchester Marathon in 2015, which I did in 4 hours 8 minutes. I then did an ultra (50K) in 2016.

 

[JonM]

2 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

So much of the PB thing is mental I think. For a while I saw a 25 minute 5k as unachievable but I can beat it quite easy now. My PB is 23:46 and I look at 22 minutes as impossible but I know it's probably in my head. If I trained right and lost another stone, I probably could make it easy enough.

For a 24 minute 5K, you're looking at around 15 seconds per 2lbs of weight lost for the average person (assuming you're not getting to the point of losing functional weight). 

[Maximus Decimus]

1 hour ago, JonM said:

For a 24 minute 5K, you're looking at around 15 seconds per 2lbs of weight lost for the average person (assuming you're not getting to the point of losing functional weight). 

Believe me we're not talking that