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Why then is it timed and why are those results categorised?
Why wouldn't you time people if you can?!
People like to progress and feel like they're improving, going from 38 to 37 minutes keeps people engaged. Everyone likes a PB and you'd lose some of the appeal by removing that. They're also catergorised so that you can see your progress in the context of your age or sex. Using my Mom as an example again, she started off at 44 minutes and was chuffed when first she broke 40 and now when she drops under 38. She's not fussed who she beats or doesn't beat, but getting a touch quicker means she works a little harder, gets a little fitter, etc. She'll never be the first finisher but she can beat her own time, or go up a percentage in her category.
Also, yes, we celebrate the fast runners, why not? But we also give as big a shout to the guy who's run his 50th and the person who's volunteered 25 times.
Lunge those anecdotes are wonderful and not to lessen them but they are not unique to Parkrun. The whole athletic club concept is built on volunteers who work tirelessly for others and I have wonderful stories over the years of peoples lives being changed through athletics and I know a large number of ne'er-do-well's over the years who have made something of themselves after joining running clubs.
Anyway we are talking past each other and the stuff you are talking about is not my point which I have made a couple of times already so lets leave it there 🙂
Surfer, indeed, I apologise if I have missed your point. I'm more than a little passionate at the benefits of parkrun so can get a little preachy!
Lets leave on the note that parkrun is great, running clubs are also great and that running in general is good for body and mind.
Cheers.
No it's not.
👏🏻
Love passion Lunge 🙂
Got my first XC champs next weekend, doing a club relay, 4km each, should be fun in a metallic tasting way! 😂
I'm just hoping I'll be able to walk again normally by the weekend, Sunday's helping out marking the course at a trail race meant 25km and 1400m climbing... and this weekend should be even worse 🙂
I did my first ever parkrun in 2015, and was recruited to the my local running club by the club president at the end of my 3rd event. It's fair to say that my running has improved a bit in the subsequent 4 years. The local club is a big supporter of parkrun, and without parkrun I probably wouldn't have been aware of it. I'd say my life has been significantly enriched by progressing my running through the club, and parkrun has played a significant part of this.
Having said that, the running shop, who also organised events, near my work has closed down and they attribute a lot of their loss of trade due to parkrun, which sounds counter-intuitive. Despite more people running, their opinion was that runners were now expecting a lot for free, as they don't have to pay for parkrun.
While it's easy to pick faults with parkrun and draw comparisons, it's difficult to argue against overall its positive effect on many levels.
Had to look up parkrun (did I write it properly, as spellcheck has flagged it 😉 ) - it does seem analogous to a sportive, many of whose participants will never belong to a cycling club, only took up the sport last year, and are just hoping to get round. Meanwhile at the sharp end it's very much a race, between riders who belong to clubs, compete in their local masters or elite league, and have spent the last week training on Teide. The few I've done over here have been like that at least - sportives hadn't been invented last time I rode in the UK!
Today is a month since my last run (discounting the two which prematurely ended in me hobbling back down the hill). There's been improvement, not sure if down to the exercises my Physio set me, or it's just getting better on its own, insofar as I can walk around without ibuprofen. But running feels a long way off - lasted about 20 paces on a test trot along a soft lawn before it began to feel sore again. This time last month I'd just run my 10k PB...
Thats interesting Turboferret. Would your aspirations be satisfied now by ONLY Parkrun? I suspect not and like me (in the past) you run a range of events. When I was younger I ran competitively over every distance from 200m to the Marathon, I kid you not! My favourite events were 800, 1500, 3000 and 5000 on the track and 5k to 10k on the road as well as relays.
Parkrun does the job of introducing activity to those who lack the confidence or fitness to attempt a race (although we are shifting towards the over celebration of mediocrity in my view) but offers nothing in terms of development which clubs do well. I hope many are encouraged to join athletic clubs because that is the place for them, for many (from my own observations) being the best Park runner every week is their only goal. I personally find that a bit depressing. Running Parkruns regularly as a gauge of fitness and a hard run is fine but for those with competitive aspirations it should not be the be all.
Having said that, the running shop, who also organised events, near my work has closed down and they attribute a lot of their loss of trade due to parkrun, which sounds counter-intuitive. Despite more people running, their opinion was that runners were now expecting a lot for free, as they don’t have to pay for parkrun.
The shops round here are closing down, but that's all to do with Wiggle, Amazon and the rest - having chatted with the owners they get a lot of people in who try on the shoes, then make some pathetic excuse about how "they'll think about it", "it's not the colour they wanted", etc... and go buy online. (It's certainly not parkrun, as it doesn't exist in Spain...)
I'm not as regular at parkrun as I used to be, although that's partly family commitments. I don't think that I'd be satisfied just doing a 5k once a week, hence parkrun being some fun on top of serious and generally longer events. Marathons seem to be where I do best these days, but I can't do too many of them a year competitively, so other events fill up the calendar too. This coming weekend is the Nation 6-Stage Road Relays in Sutton Coldfield, a little leg primer a week out from York.
Mogrim, I think this shop was rather unique in that it had an events company too, and the events were also supporting the shop. Thus I think the effect was compounded with diminished participation in addition to trying to compete with online retailers. I think the shop made a loss from me as I used to generally pick up a prize of a free pair of shoes from winning the events they organised!
Haven't run for nearly 2 years and have avoided this thread during that period too. But this week went out and got some new trail running shoes and dragged myself out for a run, because I'm an idiot tried going for a 5 mile cross country run, which I then set out at too high a pace and had to walk for a few mins on the main hill as my heart rate had gone through the roof and calves were solid, finished run and felt good, forgot how relaxing and enjoyable running was.
Now to go back and fully run this route tomorrow or friday and to remember to pace myself!
I sort of get what surfer is trying to say, but you are coming across as a bit sour and snobbish.
having chatted with the owners they get a lot of people in who try on the shoes, then make some pathetic excuse about how “they’ll think about it”, “it’s not the colour they wanted”, etc… and go buy online.
To add a bit of balance, I try them on in Forum then buy them online in Pete Bland's 😉
I would hope so but I am not sure the evidence bears that out (I will try to find it later) having both is great and all for encouraging people to simply be active but in my view there is an element of displacement
Glupton took me to my first parkrun. 3 months later I joined a running club and dragged a triathlope mate long with me ....we avoiding the town's athletics club as that holds zero interest running circles is even more boring than running around town.
Like cycling it's all about getting into the hills for me.
I sort of get what surfer is trying to say, but you are coming across as a bit sour and snobbish.
Whatever. I wasnt "trying" I said it
running circles is even more boring than running around town
Horses for courses I try to get off road as much as I can but in my youth it was all about the circles 🙂
I get it. But athletics club would not have been a way into running for me.
Id not be running if id not been exposed to a group that hill runs.
As it is there's zero formality we are just a whatsapp group that meets up and runs
We don't count on any "club" list or running participation list....and judging by the number of people we meet on the hills - we probably are not alone.
Very few of us even race.
we avoiding the town’s athletics club as that holds zero interest running circles is even more boring than running around town.
You'd be surprised, I much prefer running circles to running in town (though I prefer trail to both...) Running circles with a club you're usually following a coach's directions, maybe doing intervals, technique work, some kind of fartlek, etc. Between exercises you're chatting to your club mates.
And all that with no traffic lights, dog shit, cars...
^^Yeah cars are the worst bit - especially the $£^&ers that park 3/4 on the pavements.
I do actually do a session on a track on Thursday nights with a club I'm a member of when I want to do speed work in the lead up to a race. I'm aware of how boring I find it compared to hill running.
But my point was it wasn't an entry path for me. I saw it as a necessary evil to get faster.
But my point was it wasn’t an entry path for me. I saw it as a necessary evil to get faster.
Ah, gotcha. I can't see it as an entry path either, unless you've been going since your parents signed you up at school. Although I do dispute the "necessary evil" bit: I really enjoy the twice-weekly run sessions at the track with my triathlon club.
Doing my 1st 10k on Sunday. Parkrun time predicts 40'
Track with a group is undoubtedly the best way of doing sessions, however since my 1st child arrived nearly 4 years ago, I've made about 2 track sessions with the club. I integrate my intervals into my 20km trail commute, and have improved my times across the board subsequently. Proves that the track isn't a necessity, but I do have the odd race outing on the track.
Wheres yer 10k Al?
Just signed up for a wee cheeky half marathon in kirkintilloch on Sunday!.
So what we all up to this fine weekend?
I'm a week out from a half and a currently ill so it'll be light for me.
3.5 gentle miles up to parkrun, run directing once I'm there, 3.5 miles back on Saturday.
1.5 miles to Junior parkrun and 5 miles back Sunday.
Anyone up to anything more interesting?
Anyone want to use my Oxford Half place next weekend (13th October)?
I’m not able to use it, sadly. Free to a good home! Not sure about the switching logistics. You might have to be me for the day.
Depending on ill children and a plethora of other plans, I am either doing the ParkRun tomorrow and aim for a PB or going for a longer (around 10 mile) slower pace run on Sunday.
So what we all up to this fine weekend?
Left my swimming kit at home this morning, so an extra 10k tempo run is on the cards for this afternoon. Then another trip up a mountain on either Sat or Sun, just not sure which. Or which mountain for that matter 🙂 The other day will be a bike day.
Quiet year for me, not had much enthusiasm for racing. Ace news in that our club half has just been voted Best Half Marathon in the North (the power of social media!). Small plug - Four Villages Half Marathon and we're ramping up for the January edition now.
Couple of health niggles on the back burner now and mojo slowly returning in time for the winter gloom and filth. I do like the XC season. Anyone else doing the British Fell Relays in 2 weeks? Should be a good one in the Peak.
I've got Wakey parkrun tomorrow as it's a club league event then off trac 10 at Tickhill on Sunday.
10 miles mostly off road through farmers fields and it's going to be raining so should be extra muddy. I've got the trail talons at the ready. Next weekend it's Isle of Axholme half. My first half for a while so will see how I get on.
I managed a wake up and run 18 this morning, was warm but wet and dark to start off with. I like running first thing, but not every day....
Hopefully Nonsuch parkrun tomorrow if leg feels ok. Not sure a pb on but we’ll see.
Did pyramid track session last night and it was strangely compelling. Round and round and round, but nothing to think about so very therapeutic. Finished off with a 4x400 and despite tired legs after 7k of running managed my best time in 30 years - 1:30. I reckon i can get it down to 1:20 if fresh. Fast team got a 4:57 which wasn’t bad at all. Just shows how fast you have to run to get a 4 minute mile as they were ripping around.
Next week might do the Richmond Park XX race with the club. 5 miles, two laps, could probably just about make it.
Unlikely to be much for me this weekend - niggling shin splint that I want rid of and hoping to do the Windgather fell race next weekend...
riding in to hazlehead for the park run.
Wife and daughter meeting me there and going for a walk while i run - then we will go for walk and a coffee in the park then pending when my parents are due to arrive ill either Ride home on the road or run home through the woods.
Rest day today after 8.5 mile club longer interval sesh last night, pacing parkrun (25 mins) tomoro, then Half Marathon on sunday, which I'll PB at, as I've only ever properly tried for a half time once before, and it was ****in roasting with a brutal headwind, and the wheels came off big style. 🙂
Need to get a big run in before Jedburgh ultra in 3 weeks too.
That was awesome! Loved pacing a really comfortable time, means you can chat, encourage and be a nuisance!
Came across a 12 year old lad who'd went out too quick and had a stitch at the side 1km in, talked him round to a PB, brilliant, made my morning that.
24.53 so paced it not too bad, it's pretty hilly and lots of heavy tree cover to play havoc with the GPS pace.
Well thwt didn't go to plan. We all slept in this morning......would you believe that with a 2 month old....
Got to the start in the car with 10minutes to spare.
Ran pacing my self for a 25 mins finish since it's my first parkrun since may...about half way my stomach turned and we stepped on the gas as much as my guts would let me.
Ran a 22.39 and continued on straight to the cafe and used the facilities
And have been back about 4 times.....
I appear to have caught an illness.....just hoping it isn't rotovirus from the little one (she's just had her jabs so was warned about the possibility)
My Garmin also didn't catch a GPS signal prior to starting so I just have an accelerometer distance measurement 🙁
As D:ream said....things can only get better ...
My other half was there Terry, she was going out about some borderline ginger bloke that was just in front of her with shite running down his legs...
Really enjoyed the pacers last week so we’ll done for doing it. No pacers for me this week and I had four excuses:
1. Still feeling Thursday evening’s track session.
2. Drank too much last night.
3. Sore calf strapped up.
4. Muddy and slippery at Nonsuch.
New PB: 23:38. Went out a bit harder today. Might have been better a touch slower but picked it up for final 2k. All good fun.
Lol at Duckman! It's strawberry blond a tell ye! 😂
Anyone know if the Strava training plans are worth it?
10K Plan VO2 Max/Lactate Threshold
8 Weeks The 10K requires equal parts speed and stamina. This 8-week 10K plan builds your speed but also improves your stamina.
I'm busy with work at the moment so not riding but running 10 - 12 km every other day (so I dont go mad). I find the relative effort a useful tool. If left to my own devices I tend to just bang out variations of the same run and it's getting a bit boring.
I'm brown
.....well up top.
Beards ginge
Aye, she mentioned the brown! I realise time is at a premium, but entered anything else this year?
Mhari your Mrs ?
That's my first park run after recovering from the lairig ghru
Planning some duathlons over winter. Hoping to get some TT form for next season due to the time premium.
And looking at taking an hour off the lairig ghru next year if I get an entry.
No, my other half was the tall blonde in the Vegan Runners top. I did the Clova duathalon the other week, first time I have ever raced a bike and I loved it...Less said about the 9 miles with 2800ft run the better.Thats some target for the LG as you were what: A wee bit over 5?
At the start of the season I had half an eye on that but alas I was not running due to injury and I was offshore working when it happened.
The run looked tough.
5:15 last year. More running down hill and more squatting. My lower back gave in and hip adductors stopped firing.
Work on that there's a tremendous amount of time to be gained.
Well I didn't manage the parkrun again due to our ill daughter insisting she competed in the inter-school cross country race she'd entered. Despite having to stop half way around due to her sore throat hurting when she was gasping for air, she recovered and was in third place until she was pipped (quite literally) at the last 2 metres and ended 5th. Still, that does still mean she has qualified for the regional final next month 🙂
I ended up doing what was meant to be a steady 5.5 mile run on Sunday but I was feeling good in the final 1.5 miles (which includes the big climb up Otley Road as featured in the World's last week) and ended up PBing all all segments all the way up.
Took 9 minutes off my Half Marathon time yesterday, on what was a pretty lumpy route as well. Ran pretty steadily to come in at 1hr 38mins. Fairly happy, on a flatter route and with some more specific training there's defo more gains to be made.
I've only ever really went at one half mara before, and it was a bit of a disaster, hence the big time gain. 🙂
Was the Neil McCover half, named after a local policeman that was killed on his road bike, sadly. Good to keep peoples memories alive IMHO.
Nice work all. Getting proper jealous, running has been impossible for a month now. Rode yesterday, one of those crappy rides where everything goes wrong, all the time thinking "this would have made an excellent run..." Grr.
Time for another chat to the physio. I can walk fairly pain-free, so walked to work today (10km) and just got shooting pains down my shin and foot.
Well, that was embarrassing.
Volunteered at junior parkrun yesterday. They were running a new course and so asked me, as an experienced volunteer who can run a bit, to be the lead runner so no-one got lost. No problem thinks I, kids were given the instruction to follow the lead runner and to let me know if I was holding them up…you can see where this is going can’t you…
I didn’t warm up, why would I, these are kids. I didn’t even take my thicker running top off that I wear when I’m stood around, again, why would I, it’s no issue.
From the start I find myself in a sprint off with kids trying to overtake me. I did the first lap (1km, give or take) at a pace of just under 6 mins/mile with a heartrate of circa 180bpm. I had to pull off after that as I couldn’t keep going any more.
Said child completed the 2km event in just under 8 minutes.
I got royally abused by the rest of the team, quite rightly.
Anyone know if the Strava training plans are worth it?
Just had a look at the marathon plan - 4 runs a week, a combination of fartlek+easy runs during the week and a long run at the weekend. And repeat for the next 12 weeks. Nothing wrong with that of course, but I don't think you really need a plan for it.
These seem a bit more interesting: https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training-plans/
Never followed one but the plans on the Coolrunning site look reasonable
proper lol @ Lunge! well done mate! 🙂
dogbone, if you use a garmin watch, there are training plans on garmin connect that look good, tell you what you should be doing on the watch face, you can pick the timecale ie 12 weeks, 16 weeks etc, and put in a target time too.
I have seen a fair degree of success following the Pfitzinger and Douglas plans in their book Advanced Marathoning. A variety of distances per week and duration of training catered for.
So, Saturday’s forecast looks like chucking it down all day. A perfect day for me to do my first ever cx race (sans bike) in Richmond park, methinks.
roots - Surrey League I assume? Which club are you racing with? I would ordinarily be racing too but kids swimming is taking precedent this season.
Sutton Runners, re-named by my daughter as the highlighters due to the dayglo shirt. I think it’s surrey league and I am “racing” in the loosest sense of the word. I’m only doing it because there are more than 10 in our team and only the first 10 go towards the result.
My good (edit: and only) wife is doing child duty.
Good luck roots!
My XC debut is the county champs 4 man relay next week, however we're the 4th team from the club, so no pressure*.
*I'll still have the fear though, big style! 🙂
Have now survived a few trail runs but am getting a very sore arch in my right foot. For my MTB and roadie shoes I use a the blue specialized footbed. Can anyone recommend some medium arch supporting insoles which dont break the bank?
Try the sidas 3feet footbeds. Different heights and I like the yellow high version
Well, that was different. Very unlike a parkrun where I guess I’m in the top 15% of runner despite being average. Just one look at the 300 strong field of fit looking male athletes and I headed to the back for the start. Again, unlike a parkrun the field was much closer, stampeding across park, a sound like thundering horses. Tempted to join in the fun but ran my own race as 5 miles an unknown distance for me, so took it easy.
It was muddy, slippery, wet, hilly and bloomin' good fun. Had some left for the final km and got a good finish up the hill.
I wasn't last, but was amongst the slower finishers - just behind the main herd really. Was aiming for 45 minutes but got 41:53 so happy with that.
Has anyone ever used the exposure lights headband? I’ve got an axis and it’s seems crazy to buy another expensive light just for running.
Or is running off-road with a hand torch a stupid idea?
Not contributed to this thread for a while. After I did the Joss Naylor Challenge I went down with tendinitis in left foot. I kept trying to ‘run it off’ and ignore it but it was pretty excruciating so I’ve not been running for the last 4 months. Luckily I’ve still been able to cycle so not gone completely insane. Eventually I went to see a Physio who came up with an action plan which I have kind of been doing. Anyway, today I did a Parkrun (Ford Park, Ulverston) in 23:02 which is pretty much a PW and I couldn’t be more delighted! Virtually no pain. I am very, very happy!
Has anyone ever used the exposure lights headband? I’ve got an axis and it’s seems crazy to buy another expensive light just for running.
It will end up sitting on your ears.
It doesn't work for running ime.
I just bought a 15 quid led 1500 lumen special off eBay and it's been grand.
It will end up sitting on your ears.
It doesn’t work for running ime.
The reviews I could find weren’t great. Local running shop has some tidy looking silva ones in
I have an older version of that and just carry spare 18650s.
My previous Silva's don't seem all that robust . Genuine Led lensers seem to be the popular one with the posh guys we run with occasionally.
jam bo
Has anyone ever used the exposure lights headband? I’ve got an axis and it’s seems crazy to buy another expensive light just for running.
Or is running off-road with a hand torch a stupid idea?
Decthlon do a chest mounted Ironman style light for running.
I use one and find it realy good. I think its about £30.
The light beam swings from side to side as you'd expect as your chest moves, but it's a wide enough beam that it's not really a problem.
Doing my first half marathon tomorrow.
No idea how it's going to go.
I followed a 10 week training plan, but had a 3 week rest in the middle because my hamstring has been playing up.
Since then I've only been doing a short run in the week and then a longish one at the weekend.
My fallback plan is 2hrs, but hopefully gonna be able to push and get a bit more out of it. Just need to be careful that I don't bugger up my hamstring.
Just worked out that Kipchoge'e 2 hour marathon pace works out at 2m 51sec per km! May set that as my reps pace for next week (but not certain I can do a full minute at that pace).
He was under 2 hours so might have been quicker.
68 seconds 400m, 17 seconds 100m, 14:10 5k.
Mind boggling.
Just done my longest ever run / race - the Windgather Fell Race our of Buxton (22k). I had been worried about a niggling shin splint but didn’t feel it at all. My friendly IT band on the other hand...! Mixed feelings of frustration at being nearer the back of the field than the front (but it was a small field due to the weather) and chuffed at actually completing it! Puts it in perspective that Kipchoge managed a marathon and a few press conferences before I finished a half 😉
Interesting experience at the Brum half today. A suspicious vehicle was found on the course and so they had to shorten it by 2 miles. So a half turned into an 11 miler. Good pace and a nice run, just not quite what I signed up for.
Just heard on the radio they cancelled the Cambridge half and had full firearms response to an incident due to the actions of someone “being misinterpreted by a member of the public”!
^^^^^ It was the Peterborough Half, or Perkins Great Eastern Run.
Was supposed to be my first half marathon....
Spent ages tucked under an umbrella before the start before dumping my bag at the baggage bit 15mins before the start to get in the starting pen.
I was wearing a bin bag, but it was cold and wet with the rain falling pretty hard. It was about 45mins after the start time that they announced it was cancelled...cue the melee to get to the bag tent!
Apparently someone called in suspicious activity by someone on the course, which turned out to be a false alarm...
I think they are gonna give the option of refund or defer entry to next yr.
I did my regular(ish) parkrun on Saturday - felt really good and thought I was running a decent pace (a few quick glances at my watch had me running comfortably sub-8min miles which should have put me there or thereabouts close to my PB) but got to the end and I was over a minute down 🙁
Hello runners, can I ask a question about plantar fasciitis.
I've had a nasty bout of it recently, which was actually triggered by a vicious hike-a-bike - but flared up again following a run a week later. So now I'm nervous of running again too soon.
So my question is - how long would people expect to lay off running to prevent another recurrence.
I'll just note again - it wasn't triggered by running in the first place.
Impossible to answer that - all you can do is start again slowly and gently and see how it holds up.
i had a bout of it (probable) after the lairig ghru . it didnt manifest its self at the time but in the week or so after when i was trying to recovery run shooting pains in the sole of my right foot on the front of the arch.
2 months of gentle z2 2-3 k runs on the treadmill + new shoes and i seem to have banished it.