ParkRun / Running Thread

stop_shouting · September 10

DoctorCharlton said:

hi all,

Recently I have been losing weight... down to 113kg from 135kg at the start of this year. Took up running 6 weeks ago and now doing my first ever parkrun next Saturday.

Ran a few 5ks and my best thus far is 33mins. Really hoping to beat that, any tips on how to make me a bit faster in a short space of time? Really nervous about it all, hope I don't succumb to the pressure on the day or over exert and DNF/injure myself.

Do you guys have any food/drink before the run? Pacing tips? Don't think my parkrun has any pacers so I'm self-reliant in that aspect.

Thanks all

Personally, I would just have something light like a banana. If you want to “do a time”, then I suggest you set up strava on your phone if you haven’t done so already. Let’s go for 32.5 minutes which I’m gonna suggest from what you’ve said that, that’s achievable. That is a pace of 10 minutes, 27 seconds per mile. Make sure that you’ve got your split average pace set to miles on strava and then you can track where your pace is at during the race. Hope this makes sense.

WSS · September 10

Don't think you need to worry about food for a 5km (other than being hydrated) and pace wise, consistent from start to finish is probably the way to go although a negative split is always nice.

Not sure you're going to get much time to influence speed in such a short space of time but interval training will help (like running at full pelt for 400m, resting for 90 seconds and doing it 6- 8 times). Make sure you have a slow 1.5km warm up and cool down either side.

GNelson · September 10

DoctorCharlton said:

hi all,

Recently I have been losing weight... down to 113kg from 135kg at the start of this year. Took up running 6 weeks ago and now doing my first ever parkrun next Saturday.

Ran a few 5ks and my best thus far is 33mins. Really hoping to beat that, any tips on how to make me a bit faster in a short space of time? Really nervous about it all, hope I don't succumb to the pressure on the day or over exert and DNF/injure myself.

Do you guys have any food/drink before the run? Pacing tips? Don't think my parkrun has any pacers so I'm self-reliant in that aspect.

Thanks all

Enjoy it - there has been a really supportive atmosphere every time I've run and it's a great way to start the weekend! Don't go too fast on your first one, you want an easy time to beat for your second parkrun!

I wake up around 7 so usually have a light breakfast, but I've done it without or with minimal food plenty of times.

No pacing tips from me. I usually go all out on the first half and then spend the rest of it knackered and getting overtaken.

Hex · September 10

Don’t worry about any targets, just enjoy the run and the atmosphere. Every parkrun has different challenges, some are flat, some are (very) hilly, some have plenty of space where you can run uninhibited while others have width restrictions which force you to slow right down. It’s all part of the fun. Just relax and enjoy it !

Don’t forget your barcode !

DoctorCharlton · September 10

Thanks everybody, really helpful. I have done some intervals and ran 600m x 5 at sub 6min km pace so happy with that. Would be great to sustain that!

Think I'll have a banana and a black coffee and hope this will do the trick.

Will be sure to post my result on this thread next week and will be checking this thread more often.

If anybody is remotely interested, it's the Harlow parkrun and seems to be pretty flat... thank god!

larryorcolin · September 10

I can't really add much to the good advice already given by everyone, but what i will say is its your first parkrun so its is a case of laying down a marker time, something to chip away at over the coming weeks and months.

I never look at my time until I get the text , which sometimes is a very nice surprise.
Good luck my friend. Let us know how you get on.

AFKABartram · September 10

Well done @DoctorCharlton and good luck. I remember being nervous before my first parkrun and it seems the most ridiculous thing to be nervous about now.

If I had any advice it would be that the most common mistake people make at first is going off too fast. Ignore the pace of those around you, just plod off at a pace you are comfortable with. Have no thought about times for the first one, just have a target of running at a pace you are comfortable running 5k with without stopping. Once you’ve got first timer nerves and familiarisation with the course out the week, target the following week to improve your time and go from there.

I don’t get to do it as much as I’d like but Parkrun is one of my most favourite things in my world and does wonders for my mental health.

Good luck!

AFKABartram · September 10

Ps, out of interest what one are you going to do?

DoctorCharlton · September 10

AFKABartram said:

Ps, out of interest what one are you going to do?

Thank you very much, mate. All very good advice. Definitely don’t want the occasion to get the better of me and burn out too quick.

running my local one which is Harlow, it’s a couple of laps in the park and appears to be mostly flat so hopefully a good parkrun to start things off

swordfish · September 10

DoctorCharlton said:

AFKABartram said:

Ps, out of interest what one are you going to do?

Thank you very much, mate. All very good advice. Definitely don’t want the occasion to get the better of me and burn out too quick.

running my local one which is Harlow, it’s a couple of laps in the park and appears to be mostly flat so hopefully a good parkrun to start things off

I hope you get the bug and make it part of your weekly routine. Whilst I have highs and lows which affect how much other running I do, and my enthusiasm for it, PR is a constant for me and I wouldn't have it any other way. It becomes an obsession, but a heathy one. For now though, just try to enjoy your first run. It'll be great to hear how you found it.

DoctorCharlton · September 20

Just to say, completed my first park run today. Ran a 32:13, finished 162nd out of 263 runners which I’m very happy with. Would’ve been even quicker had I not ran the wrong way on the final lap lol

Really enjoyed it, will definitely be back next week

Fumbluff · September 20

First one back today after missing 4 with a back injury. Headed into deepest darkest Essex and surprisingly got my least bad time for a while which makes no sense at all but hey ho…

Hex · September 20

I seem to be on a bit of a roll at the moment. My revised summer training schedule is letting me get back to previous times by around 30secs each week. Today was my second fastest at Shorne and third fastest ever. It was also my second fastest age-graded score .... and we won away !

larryorcolin · September 20

"oh we do like to be beside the seaside" Southend parkrun for me today. Which rather strangely wasn't actually in Southend, it is in Shoeburyness. I didn't feel duped or cheated as we stopped for breakfast after in the lively seaside town.
As for the parkrun it was a fairly flat 3 lapper on an old MOD site. My girlfriend and l got round together in a pretty quick time so we went home happy.

AFKABartram · September 21

Well done @DoctorCharlton

larryorcolin · September 28

I ran the Vitality 10K this morning, my first ever race and the first time that i have ever ran that far. I loved every minute of it.

Me and my girlfriend were aiming to get round in under an hour and very narrowly missed out on it, but after spending most of this week coughing and sneezing we did really well to get round.

I didn't see any addicks on the course but my girlfriend spotted one at the train station after and we stopped for a chat.
I will be back next year and will be smashing a sub one hour time.

Rothko · September 28

I’m going to sign up for the Vitality for next year, need a target to keep me going

Fanny Fanackapan · September 28

Our 17 year old grandson started "jogging/running" on his own in the evenings apprx 9 months ago just to keep fit.

He entered the Reigate Half Marathon last Sunday & came 416th in a field of 1067.

But was 1st in his U 18 group of 11 runners in a time of 1:52:10.

Not bad for his first race.

( Already looking at flights to LA in 2028

)

RC_CAFC · September 28

larryorcolin said:

I ran the Vitality 10K this morning, my first ever race and the first time that i have ever ran that far. I loved every minute of it.

Me and my girlfriend were aiming to get round in under an hour and very narrowly missed out on it, but after spending most of this week coughing and sneezing we did really well to get round.

I didn't see any addicks on the course but my girlfriend spotted one at the train station after and we stopped for a chat.
I will be back next year and will be smashing a sub one hour time.

Well done! Definitely go again and break that hour.

I spotted a couple along my way!

Was a great day for it and I got a pb for timed 10k's with 48.16. Last year I went off fast and couldn't maintain it but this year, I got quicker as it went on which I was really chuffed with.

WSS · September 28

My 8 year did the Westminster Mile in 6.40 yesterday. So proud of him.

AllHailTheHen · September 29

Did the Vitality yesterday too. It's a great event. Got round in 45:47 which was 4 seconds slower than my best time of 3 years ago. Very pleased with that as also suffering a bit of man flu! Been using the Runna app to try and get some pace back and its definitely helping.

arthur · September 29

It was a great inclusive event with a big range of finishing times, just as it should be. I saw one Charlton fan in the recent yellow away top in wave 2. I snuck under 44 minutes which was a PB by 2 minutes!

I regularly see someone in a Charlton cap running at Shorne Woods parkrun and give them a cheer!

stop_shouting · September 29

I didn’t vitality a couple of years ago. Really good event and my favourite finishers t shirt! For anyone wanting to do it next year, entries are now open. It’s really popular so will probably be sold out in a day or two.

InspectorSands · September 29

I did the London 10k too - only my second 10k, lopped nearly two minutes off my finish from the same event in 2023 - did it in a sturdy 1:08.43. Upgrading from jelly babies to Haribo did the trick.

Brilliant event - maybe a bit too busy in wave 8 (lots of late-arriving faster runners trying to charge their way through slower runners) but that was only a minor gripe.

Stupidly ticked the "no medal, plant a tree for me" box, which meant missing out on the opportunity to have my medal presented by Jessica Ennis...

Rothko · September 29

So I've signed up for next year, having to start all this running stuff again and feels like I needed a big fat target to aim for so this is it.

I think it's all very doable as long as I don't go chasing the times I did 4 years ago, and just chill out a bit

InspectorSands · September 29

larryorcolin said:

"oh we do like to be beside the seaside" Southend parkrun for me today. Which rather strangely wasn't actually in Southend, it is in Shoeburyness. I didn't feel duped or cheated as we stopped for breakfast after in the lively seaside town.
As for the parkrun it was a fairly flat 3 lapper on an old MOD site. My girlfriend and l got round together in a pretty quick time so we went home happy.

I did Chalkwell Beach at the weekend, which is very much Southend - it's an out and back with the turning point just below the Cliffs Pavillion. It was one of the best parkruns I've done for a while - really nice atmosphere, good crowd, and got lucky with the weather.

Was meant to be going to Berlin for the German Unity Day bonus parkrun, but I've had to cancel as my dad's in hospital. So I'm already starting to plot next year's extra runs...

arthur · September 29

Rothko said:

So I've signed up for next year, having to start all this running stuff again and feels like I needed a big fat target to aim for so this is it.

I think it's all very doable as long as I don't go chasing the times I did 4 years ago, and just chill out a bit

Keep your lifetime PB's but its also important to almost re-set your PB's maybe every year, every decade or especially after an injury. It's not out of the question to get back to where you were, but it will take time. It doesnt mean you are not achieveing great things because you aren't as fast as you used to be.

Rothko · September 29

arthur said:

Rothko said:

So I've signed up for next year, having to start all this running stuff again and feels like I needed a big fat target to aim for so this is it.

I think it's all very doable as long as I don't go chasing the times I did 4 years ago, and just chill out a bit

Keep your lifetime PB's but its also important to almost re-set your PB's maybe every year, every decade or especially after an injury. It's not out of the question to get back to where you were, but it will take time. It doesnt mean you are not achieveing great things because you aren't as fast as you used to be.

so I would like to get close to an hour for a 10k, I was down to 57 minutes before my hip went all dodgy

Hex · September 29

arthur said:

It was a great inclusive event with a big range of finishing times, just as it should be. I saw one Charlton fan in the recent yellow away top in wave 2. I snuck under 44 minutes which was a PB by 2 minutes!

I regularly see someone in a Charlton cap running at Shorne Woods parkrun and give them a cheer!

Much appreciated. I used to wear the cap for sympathy and head butting low branches out of the way but if it deflects from my ‘running’ style as well ……

Hex · October 3

Tomorrow's parkrun at Shorne Woods is cancelled. They put out a message a few hours ago that their risk assessment rules require them to cancel if winds over 40mph are forecast due to their woodland location.

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