There are so many running events out there that are available to the general public. These range from the really short to the ridiculously long but, of them all, parkrun must have the best distance to balance being long enough for serious runners, short enough to entice those starting out and just about perfect for everyone in between.
I think we are all well aware of the 3 most common distances for major organised runs. Those being the 10km, half and full marathons. We all see plenty of these advertised all over the country and beyond. These are intriguing, enticing and the mainstay for serious runners, or those going out on a limb for the sake of a challenge. But are these distances really the way to attract new people into running? After all none of them are exactly easy to achieve if you have never run before. They all require significant periods of training, or at least they do if you follow proper advice. Perhaps that is the attraction and maybe that is why they are so popular. But I do often wonder how many people do these for the first time and are put off for life. Or how many people only do these events once a year and don't really get into running in between, because they find that this kind of serious running just isn't for them. That would hardly be surprising with this type of "in at the deep-end" approach. They are just a little too far for many.
There are of course longer organised runs. I'm talking about ultra-marathons. These events are just incredible and certainly not for the beginner. I often read John Kynaston's Ultra Running Diary blog. I once read about him "hitting the wall" at something like 63 miles, only to somehow recover to complete the last 31 miles of a 94 mile run. Incredible, but as I say, certainly not for most of us.
Over the last few years we have also seen events such as the Sport Relief mile take off. Obviously this is a charity event and is concentrating heavily on raising money rather than the distance, but it is also a well chosen distance for younger kids. However, the mile isn't really long enough to be a regular run for most people. You hardly feel like you have started before its over. Its not really quite a distance run.
So we come to the perfectly placed 5km distance of parkrun. Its nowhere near as daunting as a 10km or half marathon, where we are all normally tempted to start our timed distance running. It can be walked in well under an hour if jogging becomes too tough. For the average parkrunner it tends to take somewhere around 25 minutes, with many more finishing between 25 and 40 minutes. For most people 5km is an achievable distance. It is only 3.1 miles after all. Its also important to say that it doesn't matter what time you do it in, there is no cut off time (other than for politeness to the organisers if you are likely to take over an hour say).
You don't even need to train to run a 5km. Of course you can train, but you don't need to. If anything, parkrun (can and probably will) become your training. Most likely, parkrun will make you want to run and to train, if nothing else, just to improve your parkrun PB.
These days there are even iPhone apps to encourage us to run. One of these, the very popular couch to 5km running plan concentrates on getting non-runners up to running the 5km parkrun distance. 5km is clearly a target that people in the know believe is the right distance to aim for to get non-runners running.
The fact that parkrun courses tend to be circular (or similar), and often cover multiple laps, it is normally pretty easy to drop out where you started without completing the course if you find it to be too far. You can always try again the next week.
The parkrun 5km is also challenging enough to attract numerous club runners each week and many of the really decent club runners at that. All over the country we see many, many sub 17 minute runs (and frequently far quicker than that) every week. These are not times to be sniffed at. You can't just turn up and run sub 17 minutes, you have to be a fast runner to do those times. This only goes to show that the parkrun 5km distance is attractive to really decent runners as well as to the rest of us.
Thank you parkrun for choosing 5km, its perfect!
Monday, 5 December 2011
Sunday, 4 December 2011
A personal worst, but I couldn't be happier!
Well somehow I managed it, a parkrun without getting injured!
More than that, I managed to set myself the challenge of not going too fast and I stuck to that too. I had decided to partly jog and partly walk, setting the balance between the two states of relative slowness as felt appropriate during the run. As it turned out I was able to split it roughly 50-50 and it felt great just to have done that. I did feel one very slight twinge during the second lap, but I immediately slowed to a walk for a while and when I sped up to a jog again there were no issues with the dodgy calf.
In the end it took me 38 minutes 40 seconds to finish in 153rd place out of 160 and I really couldn't be happier with that. It's a stepping stone back to fitness. I know I could have done a bit more or gone a little faster without problems, but I'll save that for next week. The great thing is that I am back doing parkrun and as a result I have taken one step closer to that elusive parkrun 50-club t-shirt, which I can't wait to earn.
To be perfectly honest, I don't think I enjoyed it any less than any other parkrun that I have taken part in. Don't get me wrong, I love giving it my all for a really fast time, but I enjoyed it yesterday just the same.
I have to say a huge thank you to the volunteers. I have often experienced their encouragement whilst running towards the front of the pack, but it was great to see that the levels of support were just the same for those at the back. I felt a little embarrassed the first couple of times, especially when I was walking, but I soon realised that I shouldn't. It was genuine encouragement and it helped give me that usual warm feeling of being part of the parkrun community. Thanks again volunteers.
A day on and I am very glad to say that I have had no bad reaction to the walking and jogging, which is great news. So now my attentions turn to parkrun next week. Hopefully I'll get on the bike once or twice this week for fitness purposes. I may even try a jog round the block in the week. The aim now has to be to work towards jogging the whole way if and when the calf is up to that. Whether that is possible next week I shall have to wait and see.
All in all I think I'll need to build my confidence in the calf gradually over the coming weeks and months, but yesterday was certainly a good step in the right direction.
More than that, I managed to set myself the challenge of not going too fast and I stuck to that too. I had decided to partly jog and partly walk, setting the balance between the two states of relative slowness as felt appropriate during the run. As it turned out I was able to split it roughly 50-50 and it felt great just to have done that. I did feel one very slight twinge during the second lap, but I immediately slowed to a walk for a while and when I sped up to a jog again there were no issues with the dodgy calf.
In the end it took me 38 minutes 40 seconds to finish in 153rd place out of 160 and I really couldn't be happier with that. It's a stepping stone back to fitness. I know I could have done a bit more or gone a little faster without problems, but I'll save that for next week. The great thing is that I am back doing parkrun and as a result I have taken one step closer to that elusive parkrun 50-club t-shirt, which I can't wait to earn.
To be perfectly honest, I don't think I enjoyed it any less than any other parkrun that I have taken part in. Don't get me wrong, I love giving it my all for a really fast time, but I enjoyed it yesterday just the same.
I have to say a huge thank you to the volunteers. I have often experienced their encouragement whilst running towards the front of the pack, but it was great to see that the levels of support were just the same for those at the back. I felt a little embarrassed the first couple of times, especially when I was walking, but I soon realised that I shouldn't. It was genuine encouragement and it helped give me that usual warm feeling of being part of the parkrun community. Thanks again volunteers.
A day on and I am very glad to say that I have had no bad reaction to the walking and jogging, which is great news. So now my attentions turn to parkrun next week. Hopefully I'll get on the bike once or twice this week for fitness purposes. I may even try a jog round the block in the week. The aim now has to be to work towards jogging the whole way if and when the calf is up to that. Whether that is possible next week I shall have to wait and see.
All in all I think I'll need to build my confidence in the calf gradually over the coming weeks and months, but yesterday was certainly a good step in the right direction.
Friday, 2 December 2011
To parkrun, or not to parkrun (tomorrow)? That is the question...
To parkrun, or not to parkrun (tomorrow)? That is the question...
And the very simple answer would have to be "not". But things aren't really as simple as that.
On Wednesday I had my session of pain with the physio and my calf is still very sore. On Wednesday evening I fell ill, have been in bed since and still feel pretty bad and dehydrated. So common sense tells me that running at parkrun would again be a bad idea. However, as I was reminded last week you don't have to run at parkrun.
I discussed my return to parkrun with my physio on Wednesday and told him that my intention was to return to parkrun this Saturday and try to mostly walk with a bit of jogging. He agreed that this should be safe. If anything he was saying that I should try to progress a bit more quickly than the 1 minute walk 1 minute jog (at walking pace) that I was suggesting. So in theory that was what I wanted to do tomorrow.
I suppose the sickness has changed things a bit. But the way I am progressing today, I expect to feel fine by tomorrow morning.
The parkrun 50-club t-shirt is also still there on the horizon, just five runs away, which is another big tempting factor. I saw what they looked like last week and can't wait to earn my own. How can I claim to be a "parkrunfan" if I don't even have the t-shirt?
If I do my parkrun tomorrow I think it is safe to say that I will beat my recent all-time slowest time of 33:14, set when pacing my friend Mike round at the spooky Halloween run. By beat I of course mean "run slower than".
All in all I think I should be up to a part walk, part jog at parkrun tomorrow. The fresh air will no doubt do me good after being in my bed for most of the last 36 hours!
And the very simple answer would have to be "not". But things aren't really as simple as that.
On Wednesday I had my session of pain with the physio and my calf is still very sore. On Wednesday evening I fell ill, have been in bed since and still feel pretty bad and dehydrated. So common sense tells me that running at parkrun would again be a bad idea. However, as I was reminded last week you don't have to run at parkrun.
I discussed my return to parkrun with my physio on Wednesday and told him that my intention was to return to parkrun this Saturday and try to mostly walk with a bit of jogging. He agreed that this should be safe. If anything he was saying that I should try to progress a bit more quickly than the 1 minute walk 1 minute jog (at walking pace) that I was suggesting. So in theory that was what I wanted to do tomorrow.
I suppose the sickness has changed things a bit. But the way I am progressing today, I expect to feel fine by tomorrow morning.
The parkrun 50-club t-shirt is also still there on the horizon, just five runs away, which is another big tempting factor. I saw what they looked like last week and can't wait to earn my own. How can I claim to be a "parkrunfan" if I don't even have the t-shirt?
If I do my parkrun tomorrow I think it is safe to say that I will beat my recent all-time slowest time of 33:14, set when pacing my friend Mike round at the spooky Halloween run. By beat I of course mean "run slower than".
All in all I think I should be up to a part walk, part jog at parkrun tomorrow. The fresh air will no doubt do me good after being in my bed for most of the last 36 hours!
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Physio pain!
Wow, did my physio give me a good going over on my calf yesterday!
Its the first time I have seen him for a few months, probably since August. I was seeing him for at least a couple of months about my ongoing calf strain. In August we had finally reached the point where the strength and flexibility of the calf seemed good and he basically thought he could do no more to help me and it was just a case of more strengthening exercises and a gradual comeback.
Well yesterday it was as if he and my calf were making up for lost time. He did the usual assessment for the first session back and decided that the softly, softly approach was out the window and we were heading into the realm of deep massage!
In my semi-pro footballing days I had a number of persistent injury problems, the worst of which was my right hamstring. Those hamstring strains were often treated by the club physios with deep massage. I had remembered it being a painful experience, but the mind is clever and blocks out memories of extreme pain, as I'm sure mothers of two of more will agree. Not that I am saying that deep massage and childbirth are in the same league. I found childbirth quite painless to be honest!
So the physio set about the massage, nice and gently to start with, before gradually building up to the point where I wouldn't have been surprised to look round (I was lying on my front) and have found a 50 stone man putting all his weight through my calf muscle.
How my leg didn't break I have no idea. More than that, with all the straining against the pain, I have no idea how I didn't let out a little (or big) puff of wind straight in his direction.
Finally he eased off and slowed to a stop. I got off the physio table and found that my pummelled leg was now reduced to hobbling again. Luckily that hasn't lasted, although the calf is still sore. I suppose its bound to be for a day or two. Then the physio happily turned his thoughts to "next time". Oh no, I have another 3 or 4 weeks of this. Thankfully he has given me a week to recover, both physically and mentally.
I left his company with a jovial "see you next week" and I even shook his hand and said thank you as if I had really enjoyed it, when actually I just wanted to cry at the prospect of doing it all again next week!
I can't wait. Not! Lets hope its a slow week.
Its the first time I have seen him for a few months, probably since August. I was seeing him for at least a couple of months about my ongoing calf strain. In August we had finally reached the point where the strength and flexibility of the calf seemed good and he basically thought he could do no more to help me and it was just a case of more strengthening exercises and a gradual comeback.
Well yesterday it was as if he and my calf were making up for lost time. He did the usual assessment for the first session back and decided that the softly, softly approach was out the window and we were heading into the realm of deep massage!
In my semi-pro footballing days I had a number of persistent injury problems, the worst of which was my right hamstring. Those hamstring strains were often treated by the club physios with deep massage. I had remembered it being a painful experience, but the mind is clever and blocks out memories of extreme pain, as I'm sure mothers of two of more will agree. Not that I am saying that deep massage and childbirth are in the same league. I found childbirth quite painless to be honest!
So the physio set about the massage, nice and gently to start with, before gradually building up to the point where I wouldn't have been surprised to look round (I was lying on my front) and have found a 50 stone man putting all his weight through my calf muscle.
How my leg didn't break I have no idea. More than that, with all the straining against the pain, I have no idea how I didn't let out a little (or big) puff of wind straight in his direction.
We briefly discussed a few products that might help with the massage process. One of which was the 66fit Foam Roller that I have since found on Amazon. As follows:
Eventually our friendly conversation turned into a one way stream of him telling me "I'd say sorry, but I wouldn't mean it" and "its not hurting me". This and my will not to cry (too much) finally turned my resistance to pained delirious laughing. I had to let it out somehow.
Eventually our friendly conversation turned into a one way stream of him telling me "I'd say sorry, but I wouldn't mean it" and "its not hurting me". This and my will not to cry (too much) finally turned my resistance to pained delirious laughing. I had to let it out somehow.
Finally he eased off and slowed to a stop. I got off the physio table and found that my pummelled leg was now reduced to hobbling again. Luckily that hasn't lasted, although the calf is still sore. I suppose its bound to be for a day or two. Then the physio happily turned his thoughts to "next time". Oh no, I have another 3 or 4 weeks of this. Thankfully he has given me a week to recover, both physically and mentally.
I left his company with a jovial "see you next week" and I even shook his hand and said thank you as if I had really enjoyed it, when actually I just wanted to cry at the prospect of doing it all again next week!
I can't wait. Not! Lets hope its a slow week.
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