Park Run

[gingerjon]

6 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

 

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?

 

5 hours ago, tim2 said:

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.

 

To me, a half marathon is 'just' regular running stretched out to the distance of 22k. You can build to it and get there as long as you stay fit and put in the training. (And avoid injury or growing old.)

I fooled myself with marathon training that it was the same. What I then found in the marathon - and there were warning signs in a 20 mile run before it that I misread - is that that distance is really not just building on your running experience. You really do need to have strategies in place for hydration, for energy and for dealing with mental breakdowns. I had none of those. I'm proud I still got round but there were a few miles there where I was a shell.

 

[tim2]

10 hours ago, gingerjon said:

 

To me, a half marathon is 'just' regular running stretched out to the distance of 22k. You can build to it and get there as long as you stay fit and put in the training. (And avoid injury or growing old.)

I fooled myself with marathon training that it was the same. What I then found in the marathon - and there were warning signs in a 20 mile run before it that I misread - is that that distance is really not just building on your running experience. You really do need to have strategies in place for hydration, for energy and for dealing with mental breakdowns. I had none of those. I'm proud I still got round but there were a few miles there where I was a shell.

 

20 miles + really is different territory, even if you've done a marathon before.

[Maximus Decimus]

On 24/09/2023 at 20:45, gingerjon said:

 

To me, a half marathon is 'just' regular running stretched out to the distance of 22k. You can build to it and get there as long as you stay fit and put in the training. (And avoid injury or growing old.)

I fooled myself with marathon training that it was the same. What I then found in the marathon - and there were warning signs in a 20 mile run before it that I misread - is that that distance is really not just building on your running experience. You really do need to have strategies in place for hydration, for energy and for dealing with mental breakdowns. I had none of those. I'm proud I still got round but there were a few miles there where I was a shell.

 

I'm going to do the half and then see whether I think it's achievable.

I watch quite a lot of stuff from the Running Channel and the presenter Sarah completed her first marathon  and it was much like you explained. However, she had to stop at one point. I'm totally not judging, but for me doing a marathon would involve running the whole way. 

Is this something you were able to do?

[tim2]

19 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

I'm going to do the half and then see whether I think it's achievable.

I watch quite a lot of stuff from the Running Channel and the presenter Sarah completed her first marathon  and it was much like you explained. However, she had to stop at one point. I'm totally not judging, but for me doing a marathon would involve running the whole way. 

Is this something you were able to do?

I did, except when somebody near me fell over and I stopped to check they were OK.

[Charlie RL]

I've got below 25 mins several times last few months.  Beat my 2016 PB.  Enjoyed trips to Conkers and University of Northampton. 

Build up to my 2nd half - Cov - this coming Sunday.

[gingerjon]

On 25/09/2023 at 20:50, Maximus Decimus said:

I'm going to do the half and then see whether I think it's achievable.

I watch quite a lot of stuff from the Running Channel and the presenter Sarah completed her first marathon  and it was much like you explained. However, she had to stop at one point. I'm totally not judging, but for me doing a marathon would involve running the whole way. 

Is this something you were able to do?

Just realised I didn't reply to this.

I had planned to run/slow run the whole way round but, in the end, that didn't happen. I walked for a chunk at the midpoint and then built up a routine of run/jog/walk/run/jog/walk until about 2km out when I felt I could run without stopping again.

Getting to the finish line was always the challenge for me so I'm okay with that. It would have been nice to keep running throughout but once that became impossible I had to rebuild my strategy mid race - and that was properly tough!

[Maximus Decimus]

On 24/10/2023 at 07:21, gingerjon said:

Just realised I didn't reply to this.

I had planned to run/slow run the whole way round but, in the end, that didn't happen. I walked for a chunk at the midpoint and then built up a routine of run/jog/walk/run/jog/walk until about 2km out when I felt I could run without stopping again.

Getting to the finish line was always the challenge for me so I'm okay with that. It would have been nice to keep running throughout but once that became impossible I had to rebuild my strategy mid race - and that was properly tough!

Thanks for this. From watching a number of videos and hearing experiences etc, I think I would just need to concentrate on getting round by hook or by crook. Running all the way on the first go seems unrealistic.

I'm also not sure after seeing other people's experiences that I'd fancy another go!

[tim2]

I'm not fit and too fat so the hilly courses of the last couple of weeks (Roundhay and Graves) have been tough. Up to 352 runs now at 120 venues.

[gingerjon]

A nice little video featuring Hastings parkrun. Tiny Ginger makes the briefest of brief appearances handing out tokens.

 

[JonM]

I did parkrun in California a couple of weeks back, quite an attractive bayside location in silicon valley, on part of a 15+ mile long cycling/ walking/ running trail. Mostly British & Australian volunteers, and tourists from UK, Australia & Canada, but a nice friendly feel with a monthly post run picnic and plenty of silicon valley 'locals'. 

[tim2]

I did Lincoln a couple of weeks ago and Gateshead last week. Both lovely parks.

I'm not sure how many people are aware of the "controversy" surrounding the removal of some the "fastest time" and "most events" records and tables from parkrun's website. Basically I don't care but some people have gone completely crazy about it. Set up a petition, trolling all of parkrun's social media and so on.

The reason given by HQ is that speed records put off newcomers. Others are claiming (but parkrun deny) that it's linked to transgender women claiming women's records. The complainers claim it's because they love stats, not because they're transphobic.

Either way, it must seem very odd when viewed from outside. People getting furious and abusive because a free event changed its website. It's all very 21st Cntury First World problems when people are struggling to pay their bills and people are dying in Ukraine and Gaza.

 

 

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, tim2 said:

I did Lincoln a couple of weeks ago and Gateshead last week. Both lovely parks.

I'm not sure how many people are aware of the "controversy" surrounding the removal of some the "fastest time" and "most events" records and tables from parkrun's website. Basically I don't care but some people have gone completely crazy about it. Set up a petition, trolling all of parkrun's social media and so on.

The reason given by HQ is that speed records put off newcomers. Others are claiming (but parkrun deny) that it's linked to transgender women claiming women's records. The complainers claim it's because they love stats, not because they're transphobic.

Either way, it must seem very odd when viewed from outside. People getting furious and abusive because a free event changed its website. It's all very 21st Cntury First World problems when people are struggling to pay their bills and people are dying in Ukraine and Gaza.

 

 

"It's discrimination against fast people" was my favourite genuine line about all of it.

Like, mate, Hastings has had, at least three different courses but the course record covers all three. And it's a different length in the summer and the winter. And it's different again depending on whether Martin or Yoki puts down the halfway cone.

[tim2]

17 hours ago, gingerjon said:

"It's discrimination against fast people" was my favourite genuine line about all of it.

Like, mate, Hastings has had, at least three different courses but the course record covers all three. And it's a different length in the summer and the winter. And it's different again depending on whether Martin or Yoki puts down the halfway cone.

Markeaton in Derby includes times from a cross-country course in Darley about 5 miles away that was regularly flooded so they moved to a tarmac course in Markeaton Park.

[tim2]

Recent parkrun jaunts were to Bramley and Huddersfield, both classic Yorkshire courses. That's 130 events now. Next up, Riverside, Chester-le-Street.

Bramley was less manicured than Huddersfield with howling gales at the top of the course and warm sunshine at the bottom. Huddersfield was heaving, 653 runners. Obviously the stats issue is having a massive effect on numbers...

[Charlie RL]

i have done 204 parkruns now over 10 years.  Joining the local athletic club last year gave me an incentive.  I recently got my PB down to 24:00 and 64% grade.   branched out into road race, Burghley 7 done and Silverstone 10k soon. 

[tim2]

Went to Tamworth on Saturday to do Tamworth Castle Grounds parkrun.

Lovely park, but I really struggled on lap one. I never know when these bad weeks are going to come. I walked for a bit then managed to run lap two and felt OK at the end.

That's 132 venues and 370 total now.

Someone just did their 1000th parkrun as a volunteer (this includes junior parkruns). Not keen on the yellow colour they've used for the T-shirt. Still, if I live long enough to reach 1000 parkruns (I'll be in my eighties) I'll be happy enough!

Edit: Tamworth Castle is worth a visit too. 

 

Edited April 2 by tim2

[Charlie RL]

Not many park runs so far  this year.  I did have the privilege of running Silverstone 10k.  2  laps.  

[Maximus Decimus]

So I did my first half-marathon on Sunday in Chester to very mixed results. Unfortunately, I didn't take my own advice on this very page by not giving myself a time target - this was very much my undoing.

I've been on a running plan for 13 weeks using Runna and lulled myself into the idea that the sub 2-hour time was more than achievable. After all, it is only an average of 5:41 per km, which isn't a particularly challenging pace as I can do a 10k in around 50 minutes and I'd gone up to 18km without much difficulty. The plan was to run at a pretty steady 5:20-5:30 with a view to banking the time to negate the inevitable slow down after 16km or so.

I'd been keeping an eye on the forecast with trepidation as it seemed to be predicting hotter and hotter and so it ended up. I'm warm-blooded and prefer running very light and in the cold. I didn't let it bother my preparations though and went in feeling positive about it. 

I think one of my issues, was that I haven't been in enough races recently including Parkrun etc. I felt thrown off by the big crowd and was quite boxed-in for the first 2k only averaging 5:44. This meant I tried to speed up once I got free and inevitably went too fast as a result. I also found it difficult to switch off, I'm usually very good at processing my thoughts while running which helps to pass the time. 

At about 15km, I started to realise that I probably wasn't going to hit the 2-hour time. I was tiring fast and hadn't banked the time. This was when I first got the urge to stop, something I literally never do. The heat wasn't helping either. Fortunately, I reached a water station and managed to plough on feeling confident I would get to the end. However, it quickly unravelled. At 20km, I was passed by the guy holding the 2-hour sign and turned the corner to find myself at the bottom of a big unshaded hill. I'd previously done a 10k in Chester and remembered it ending with a killer hill. 

So I stopped and walked it; I just couldn't face it. I ran the final 500m to finish in 2hr 3 minutes. I still can't quite believe that I stopped with 1km to go. I couldn't face maximum 7 minutes of discomfort after running for over 110 minutes. 

After the initial disappointment, I feel OK about it now and I'm treating it as part of a learning curve. I was looking at my Garmin today, and for some reason for 68% of the run my heart-rate was in Zone 5; I almost never go into Zone 5 apart from during interval training. I don't know if it was the heat, the exertion or the whole occasion but that can't be good. 

I think I'll try to book in another for Oct/Nov and take away the time pressure. Might be easier said than done...

[tiffers]

1 hour ago, Maximus Decimus said:

So I did my first half-marathon on Sunday in Chester to very mixed results. Unfortunately, I didn't take my own advice on this very page by not giving myself a time target - this was very much my undoing.

I've been on a running plan for 13 weeks using Runna and lulled myself into the idea that the sub 2-hour time was more than achievable. After all, it is only an average of 5:41 per km, which isn't a particularly challenging pace as I can do a 10k in around 50 minutes and I'd gone up to 18km without much difficulty. The plan was to run at a pretty steady 5:20-5:30 with a view to banking the time to negate the inevitable slow down after 16km or so.

I'd been keeping an eye on the forecast with trepidation as it seemed to be predicting hotter and hotter and so it ended up. I'm warm-blooded and prefer running very light and in the cold. I didn't let it bother my preparations though and went in feeling positive about it. 

I think one of my issues, was that I haven't been in enough races recently including Parkrun etc. I felt thrown off by the big crowd and was quite boxed-in for the first 2k only averaging 5:44. This meant I tried to speed up once I got free and inevitably went too fast as a result. I also found it difficult to switch off, I'm usually very good at processing my thoughts while running which helps to pass the time. 

At about 15km, I started to realise that I probably wasn't going to hit the 2-hour time. I was tiring fast and hadn't banked the time. This was when I first got the urge to stop, something I literally never do. The heat wasn't helping either. Fortunately, I reached a water station and managed to plough on feeling confident I would get to the end. However, it quickly unravelled. At 20km, I was passed by the guy holding the 2-hour sign and turned the corner to find myself at the bottom of a big unshaded hill. I'd previously done a 10k in Chester and remembered it ending with a killer hill. 

So I stopped and walked it; I just couldn't face it. I ran the final 500m to finish in 2hr 3 minutes. I still can't quite believe that I stopped with 1km to go. I couldn't face maximum 7 minutes of discomfort after running for over 110 minutes. 

After the initial disappointment, I feel OK about it now and I'm treating it as part of a learning curve. I was looking at my Garmin today, and for some reason for 68% of the run my heart-rate was in Zone 5; I almost never go into Zone 5 apart from during interval training. I don't know if it was the heat, the exertion or the whole occasion but that can't be good. 

I think I'll try to book in another for Oct/Nov and take away the time pressure. Might be easier said than done...

You certainly aren't the first and won't be the last to have this happen. As you say, a learning curve for another attempt.

If it's any consolation, I had a similar experience a few weeks back at the Salaman KVK. I hadn't managed to get as much mileage in the tank as I normally would and thought it would be ok. Turns out the brutal hills were exactly that and I found myself cramping and walking the last major hill. The first time I've ever done that in a race. 

Use it as motivation for the next one. That's my approach. Get something booked in and give yourself something new to aim at. The main thing is you gave what you could do on the day, you can be satisfied with that.

[tim2]

13 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

So I did my first half-marathon on Sunday in Chester to very mixed results. Unfortunately, I didn't take my own advice on this very page by not giving myself a time target - this was very much my undoing.

I've been on a running plan for 13 weeks using Runna and lulled myself into the idea that the sub 2-hour time was more than achievable. After all, it is only an average of 5:41 per km, which isn't a particularly challenging pace as I can do a 10k in around 50 minutes and I'd gone up to 18km without much difficulty. The plan was to run at a pretty steady 5:20-5:30 with a view to banking the time to negate the inevitable slow down after 16km or so.

I'd been keeping an eye on the forecast with trepidation as it seemed to be predicting hotter and hotter and so it ended up. I'm warm-blooded and prefer running very light and in the cold. I didn't let it bother my preparations though and went in feeling positive about it. 

I think one of my issues, was that I haven't been in enough races recently including Parkrun etc. I felt thrown off by the big crowd and was quite boxed-in for the first 2k only averaging 5:44. This meant I tried to speed up once I got free and inevitably went too fast as a result. I also found it difficult to switch off, I'm usually very good at processing my thoughts while running which helps to pass the time. 

At about 15km, I started to realise that I probably wasn't going to hit the 2-hour time. I was tiring fast and hadn't banked the time. This was when I first got the urge to stop, something I literally never do. The heat wasn't helping either. Fortunately, I reached a water station and managed to plough on feeling confident I would get to the end. However, it quickly unravelled. At 20km, I was passed by the guy holding the 2-hour sign and turned the corner to find myself at the bottom of a big unshaded hill. I'd previously done a 10k in Chester and remembered it ending with a killer hill. 

So I stopped and walked it; I just couldn't face it. I ran the final 500m to finish in 2hr 3 minutes. I still can't quite believe that I stopped with 1km to go. I couldn't face maximum 7 minutes of discomfort after running for over 110 minutes. 

After the initial disappointment, I feel OK about it now and I'm treating it as part of a learning curve. I was looking at my Garmin today, and for some reason for 68% of the run my heart-rate was in Zone 5; I almost never go into Zone 5 apart from during interval training. I don't know if it was the heat, the exertion or the whole occasion but that can't be good. 

I think I'll try to book in another for Oct/Nov and take away the time pressure. Might be easier said than done...

I was reminded by facebook that 10 years ago I ran the Burton 10 Mile. There's a photo of me finishing. The thing is, I don't remember the last mile. And I didn't remember it at the time. It was a hot day (maybe 24-25C) and muggy. I set off at PB pace and was on track after the first of two 5 mile loops. I thought I'd taken on enough water - being 2 loops I left a bottle at half way and picked it up, plus I used all the water stops. Things started to slow down at about 8 miles. I knew I was slowing and feeling tired.

The next thing I remember is lying down after the finish looking up at the trees, which were shimmering. This was odd, because there was no wind. I tried to get up but felt like I'd had 8 pints of beer. Someone asked if I was Ok and bought nore water. It took about 15 minutes to stagger  to the St John's ambulance people who were borderline useless. I guess I had walked there so I must be OK. I wasn't. I got to my car, got in and couldn't remember how to drive. It took half an hour and more fluid for that to come back.

Looking at my Garmin afterwards, I was about on PB pace until mile 9. The last mile took about 4 minutes longer than the others and I was clearly stopping and walking. Can't remember any of it.

it was classic Heat Exhaustion. Luckily it wasn't heatstroke, but another few miles and it could have been. In retrospect there was a Leisure Centre next to the finish and I should have gone there straight away and got in a cold shower.

Looking at your report, I recognise everything about how you ended up doing what you did. It's pretty common for runners to have days like that. It's possible, based on your heartrate, that you weren't 100% well, even though you didn't have obvious symptoms. Or something about your body/biorythms was out of whack. Heartrate's a really good indicator.

 

[tim2]

The last two parkruns have been torture. Over 30 minutes. A few weeks ago I got Covid again (probably, certainly felt like it) and it's destroyed my energy levels. Still I staggered round Rother Valley and Sherwood Pines and now have 373 parkruns under my belt.

[Maximus Decimus]

22 hours ago, tiffers said:

You certainly aren't the first and won't be the last to have this happen. As you say, a learning curve for another attempt.

If it's any consolation, I had a similar experience a few weeks back at the Salaman KVK. I hadn't managed to get as much mileage in the tank as I normally would and thought it would be ok. Turns out the brutal hills were exactly that and I found myself cramping and walking the last major hill. The first time I've ever done that in a race. 

Use it as motivation for the next one. That's my approach. Get something booked in and give yourself something new to aim at. The main thing is you gave what you could do on the day, you can be satisfied with that.

Thanks for this.

Now the dust has settled, I'm taking the positives from it.

The one big niggle is the quitting. I genuinely never considered it as an option. I thought I could get injured and stop but not in that way. I suppose my fear is I've done it once so it'll be easier to do it again now I know it is an option. 

I'm starting to think about my next attempt. I hope there are no women reading this, but I expect it's a little like childbirth. As I was running, I thought I might never do it again and laughed at the idea of a marathon (something I'd considered before). Now it's like I remember it was hard but I fancy giving it another go. I'm also still thinking of a marathon for next year, but knowing I'll end up walking.

A part of me wants to do it again soon like 3/4 weeks, just on my own on a cool wet day around Widnes. Just to prove to myself that I could have finished. 

[Coggo]

I ran a hilly half marathon on my own on a day off and I’ve never been so exhausted in my life.

My body refused to cooperate to run the last KM without intermittent walking, and I couldn’t stand up in the shower for 15 mins after.

So, I feel your pain!

[JonM]

Took advantage of being in London for the cup final to do Bushy parkrun. Nice park in a nice bit of London. First time I have not been in the top 400 at parkrun

[Maximus Decimus]

I saw the seemingly bizarre news recently that Parkrun has been banned in France for a couple of years and it is still going to be.

Apparently, due to concerns over insurance, for normal competitive runs, runners have to get a medical certificate off their doctor to say they're OK to run. This obviously causes issues with Parkrun which is much more casual.