Discussion
john2443 said:
<Event Director hat> We mostly don't go through results looking for unaccompanied under 11s because it's too difficult to spot them - the adult and child may not have the same surname even though they are related and kids with parent's friend is fine anyway.
But we do keep an eye out for kids who are obviously not with an adult and will have a word with the adult if we spot them. For persistent offenders we take the kids result out.
I know that as a parent you're happy for your child to run without you but remember that if there is an incident it'll be parkrun's name in the local paper and it might lead to the event (or all events) being shut down or rules tightened.
At an event with lots of runners kids will always be near trustworthy (hopefully!) adults but I did run at one where there was a section that I was alone in the woods with an under 11 - without me he'd have been completely alone and out of sight of anyone.
As far as I know there's never been a serious incident with a U11 runner but maybe that's because of the U11 rule being enforced.
Thats a fair point. But we do keep an eye out for kids who are obviously not with an adult and will have a word with the adult if we spot them. For persistent offenders we take the kids result out.
I know that as a parent you're happy for your child to run without you but remember that if there is an incident it'll be parkrun's name in the local paper and it might lead to the event (or all events) being shut down or rules tightened.
At an event with lots of runners kids will always be near trustworthy (hopefully!) adults but I did run at one where there was a section that I was alone in the woods with an under 11 - without me he'd have been completely alone and out of sight of anyone.
As far as I know there's never been a serious incident with a U11 runner but maybe that's because of the U11 rule being enforced.
My local Park Run is 2.5 laps of a figure-of-eight course, so I could actually see her for the majority of the event. I'm also lucky enough to know a lot of the people there through my running club.
I can see the issues that might arise on a single-lap course where the kid could be a long way from a parent
Did my first official pacer run last weekend - 32 minutes.
Finished in 31.51, 6 people around me got PB's, cant claim them all but I like to think I assisted to some extent!
When they announced me at the start, there was an audible "ooh" from the parkrunners - as in they weren't used to pacers at that sort of time. Around 10 people gathered closer behind me lol.
One chap stayed with me religiously for 2k or so then started to fall back, I gave him some encouragement, he was elated at this and carried on for another 500m before having to walk. Felt a bit bad for him, but he came over to shake my hand at the end saying I helped him out massively.
I am pretty sure that 30 mins is my natural pacing time so will try 31 mins this weekend.
It has helped me already as I am a bugger for walking up hills when running at my normal pace (27-28 mins usually). This pacing is making me run up them which can only help.
I really enjoyed it, and plan to pace at 30 mins once a month long term.
Finished in 31.51, 6 people around me got PB's, cant claim them all but I like to think I assisted to some extent!
When they announced me at the start, there was an audible "ooh" from the parkrunners - as in they weren't used to pacers at that sort of time. Around 10 people gathered closer behind me lol.
One chap stayed with me religiously for 2k or so then started to fall back, I gave him some encouragement, he was elated at this and carried on for another 500m before having to walk. Felt a bit bad for him, but he came over to shake my hand at the end saying I helped him out massively.
I am pretty sure that 30 mins is my natural pacing time so will try 31 mins this weekend.
It has helped me already as I am a bugger for walking up hills when running at my normal pace (27-28 mins usually). This pacing is making me run up them which can only help.
I really enjoyed it, and plan to pace at 30 mins once a month long term.
I managed to cock up start due to chatting to people for too long before we lined up so was too far back and then failed to start my watch so decided to just have a social run, spent most of it running with a mate, had a chat to a few people I knew as passed them and was pleased to find when the results were published that I did 24:11, PB is 22:48 so low 24 is good for a comparatively easy week.
KTF said:
It's all kicking off over the new course descriptions being 700 characters or less on the Facebook pages.
People do get worked up over small things sometimes. Cut out the poncy prose and the bits about This is Old Harry corner and say how many laps, what the surface is and it's easy in 700 chars.(This will be of little interest to those who aren't in a core team, it's just one of the fun things we have to deal with!)
john2443 said:
I managed to cock up start due to chatting to people for too long before we lined up so was too far back and then failed to start my watch so decided to just have a social run, spent most of it running with a mate, had a chat to a few people I knew as passed them and was pleased to find when the results were published that I did 24:11, PB is 22:48 so low 24 is good for a comparatively easy week.
Damn your easy week as I'd be coughing up a lung running at that speed 
TX.
First parkrun today after 5 weeks out through a calf injury. Just plodded round to feel how things are and finished in nearly 27 minutes. Ached a bit afterwards but nothing like the stiffness of a few weeks ago, so hopefully a good base to build on. Was hoping to get below 21 mins this year which is about a minute below my current PB but we'll see.
My plan for this evening after running (what the group call a 5 mile recovery run and I call a balls out 5m!) is to email some people who ran on Saturday and ask them to confirm who was running with the under 10s who don't have an adult with the same name near in the results, particularly the family where Mr Xyz ran 22, Master Xyz 26, Miss Xyz 28 and Mrs Xyz 33!
Sad to see a death at Forest Rec on Sat, positive news was that the guy behind him started CPR immediately and was quickly joined by 2 doctors.
Sad to see a death at Forest Rec on Sat, positive news was that the guy behind him started CPR immediately and was quickly joined by 2 doctors.
Sad news about the death - I've seen numerous people taken ill at events over the years, but all thankfully made a recovery.
As an advocate of all types of running, I've signed up to Great Run Local (mainly out of curiosity), which started a 5km event not too far from me in Birmingham - plan is to jog the 5 miles there, do the 5km, then jog back home for 13 miles or so in total.
Will report back with observations and differences encountered.
As an advocate of all types of running, I've signed up to Great Run Local (mainly out of curiosity), which started a 5km event not too far from me in Birmingham - plan is to jog the 5 miles there, do the 5km, then jog back home for 13 miles or so in total.
Will report back with observations and differences encountered.
Cybertronian said:
As an advocate of all types of running, I've signed up to Great Run Local (mainly out of curiosity), which started a 5km event not too far from me in Birmingham
Interesting (terrible website though, why aren't the courses on a map!)I've always wondered why there aren't many/any 'competitors'. parkrun numbers are huge and growing all the time but it's limited in that it's a Saturday morning and 5k. I appreciate races and clubs take up the slack in some respects, but both are probably quite daunting prospects for the average parkrunner (even if they're not, in reality), races in particular aren't cheap.
I would have thought there would be scope for a Sunday morning thing (if for no other reason that for many Sunday is a day they're more likely to be available).
Maybe there are just limited means of making it viable. I, for example, would happily pay a few quid to run a timed 10k even once a month on a Sunday without the whole medal/chip timing thing adding to the costs etc. As it is I'm dropping £20 a time to run in a fully commercial 10k event.
The website is indeed very poor. It wasn't immediately clear that I had to register via my pre-existing Great Run race account.
As you mentioned, parkrun is limited to those that can attend on a Saturday morning, of which there must still be many more that can't (those that work in retail etc). The particular event I'm going to takes place on Sundays at 10:30am, but it looks like events are free to pick a day and time of their own liking. Of course, operating on a Sunday will mean it's limited to those that aren't racing, and in conflict with those that do their longer runs on such a day. Attendance at my local event looks as sparse as the French parkrun events, with 10 - 15 on average and high 20s as the record.
As you mentioned, parkrun is limited to those that can attend on a Saturday morning, of which there must still be many more that can't (those that work in retail etc). The particular event I'm going to takes place on Sundays at 10:30am, but it looks like events are free to pick a day and time of their own liking. Of course, operating on a Sunday will mean it's limited to those that aren't racing, and in conflict with those that do their longer runs on such a day. Attendance at my local event looks as sparse as the French parkrun events, with 10 - 15 on average and high 20s as the record.
The national trust do some free timed 10km events
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/trust10-...
Every 4th Sunday of the month but limited locations.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/trust10-...
Every 4th Sunday of the month but limited locations.
I hoping for some advice if I may - I started running again back in Nov at Frimley Park after many years out, and have got my time down from 28.xx to 23.xx whilst at the same time losing some 20lbs in weight. I know I have some 10lbs+ to go, but I really want to concentrate on bring my time down further. There's lots of info out there about training regimes such as couch to 5k, but what I'm looking for is help in improving my fitness, strength and pace. Any pointers please?
Some longer distances, although make sure that you run them a a slow pace and don't increase the distance too quickly, Intervals - important for conditioning you to run at higher speed - and some hills should do the trick.
Oh, and buy this book
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1450470459/ref...
Oh, and buy this book
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1450470459/ref...
smn159 said:
Some longer distances, although make sure that you run them a a slow pace and don't increase the distance too quickly, Intervals - important for conditioning you to run at higher speed - and some hills should do the trick.
Oh, and buy this book
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1450470459/ref...
I used his marathon book and it worked really well. I think I will pick up a copy of this oneOh, and buy this book
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1450470459/ref...
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