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Jul 2013
4:52pm, 31 Jul 2013
864 posts
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Pedro_Perez
Good idea mulbs. 
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Jul 2013
5:03pm, 31 Jul 2013
8,038 posts
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JamieKai *chameleon*
I'd echo what's already been said. Don't worry about being "too slow" - at Heaton parkrun in Manchester we currently have a runner who is recovering from some form of cancer of the brain, and he takes around an hour to do the course - and he is as equal as every other runner on the course (and generally gets more cheers!)
Put yourself out there - you'll be glad you did and wish you'd gone sooner. And if you're really nervous, scope out the route beforehand, take yourself off to the park and run the route on your own so you know what's coming. Then marvel as it all seems easier with all the other runners with you on the Saturday Good luck!
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Jul 2013
5:06pm, 31 Jul 2013
129 posts
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mrsdistraction
I agree with what has been said by everyone else I started out at my local parkrun by volunteering whilst my husband ran, then I started running myself. It's nice already knowing a lot of people there.
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Jul 2013
5:25pm, 31 Jul 2013
17,447 posts
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sheri3004
But be warned..... parkrun is strangely addictive
They know how to lure you in, with points competitions and free T-shirts.... not that I'm addicted, of course. Oh no. Not me. I could stop any day (but I have to get my 100 shirt first...)
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Jul 2013
5:27pm, 31 Jul 2013
20,593 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Lol sheri. Addict! I think that volunteering is great idea. Then you'll see how friendly it is. But yes, def one of the funnest, most inclusive ways to start running with others. Go for it! Parkruns are ace. :-)G
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Jul 2013
5:56pm, 31 Jul 2013
310 posts
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Revbarbarag
Don't worry about being able to run the whole 5K before you go - walk breaks are perfectly acceptable. My first Parkrun, I had 5 walk breaks of about a minute each to get round. A month later, I did it non-stop, which was a major achievement. The point is - start where you are, and you will get loads of support. And fun
And I can confirm that Pedro_Perez is great at supporting slower runners - whenever he laps me, he tells me how well I'm running
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Jul 2013
6:18pm, 31 Jul 2013
7,257 posts
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Oysterboy
The biggest challenge for you will be getting from your flat to Ashton Court before 9am on a Saturday.
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Jul 2013
7:07pm, 31 Jul 2013
5 posts
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Marvin
Hmm so no fetchie Ashton Court parkrunners about to sell the merits of it? *sigh* I guess I’ll have to delurk then
Basically everything everyone has said is horribly horribly…. true. The beauty of it is you definitely won’t be out of place whoever you are, whatever you’re doing. There are runners of all type some do just go for a social and have a chat but most will be wheezing and gasping and trying their best. Like all parkruns there are people of all ages, and shapes and sizes, in the last couple of weeks there’s been a blind runner, a runner with a prosthetic leg, runners pushing buggies, and loads of family groups.
If you don’t know Ashton Court is a beautiful park, a great café and lots to look at, great views over Bristol, but yes, hilly. On the plus side that means many, many people walk some of it and it’s mainly downhill on the 2nd half, it’s the easiest 2nd half you’ll ever do.
There’s always a tail runner, yup last week was 48 minutes but well over an hour isn’t unknown too. I’ve tail run on occasion and we mainly walk the 1st half and run the 2nd. It’s a great inclusive way to become more integrated into the local running community, go on give it a go (… but not on the 10th August ‘cos it’s cancelled due to the balloon festival)
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Jul 2013
9:53pm, 31 Jul 2013
16 posts
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Space Cat
Turns out 2 things: There's a parkrun even closer to me, and I just ran 5K in 30m51s. I almost died after 3k and I was starting to black out at 4k but I figured in for a penny...
I'm not sure I'd like to do that again for fun, especially not in public(!) but I know I can do it now.
I'm going to volunteer and then attend sometime soon
Thanks for the encouragement! Sadly since there is a little stoke parkrun I am not sure I will be able to attend the AC one so easily, bit of a cycle from where I am, but perhaps I will try and go once in the future if it really does turn out to be addictive...
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Jan 2014
10:32pm, 24 Jan 2014
96 posts
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iampecunia
The Poole parkrun is a major contributing factor to running regularly. I take park runs quite seriously too.
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