First Park Run Done

I've been jogging for about nine weeks now and have just been persuaded to complete my first Park Run!

I did it this morning and am feeling good now. (Though my lungs can really feel they've worked whereas they don't usually register).

Also,I thought I'd start this thread to say to anyone else who was baffled as I was they I now know what "race pace" is. I do training runs at varying paces but hadn't known if I was anywhere near a race pace.

Now I know- from straining not to be completely last and to at least keep the other stragglers from the main pack in site that race pace is faster than I would ever run any training! But that I somehow kept it up throughout the 5k and managed a sprint at the end (Motivated quite alot that a Mum was running with her tiny- possibly seven year old- son and I thought a spurt might see me at least beat them-it didn't!).

There was a slight low point when I mistook the 2k marker for the 2 mile marker and got ready to be near the end- then realised I wasn't even half way! I was probably saved from any further disappointment by not knowing the course- and then finding the 4k marker approached more rapidly and then I could see the finishing flag. Phew.

As well as meeting a few people that I knew, and chatting a bit to some other runners, I think it's been worth doing because, nine weeks in, it's pushed me more than I would have pushed myself and gives me confidence that I can go on from here- to the Great North Run.

I hadn't been even going to do the Park Run until I knew for sure I could do 5k at 39 minutes, but a few people said I should just go for it anyway because it would give me confidence and it wouldn't matter if I was last (I was second to last!). still waiting for the times to come up, but it was about 40 mins- which for a two stone overweight plodder like me, feels like a great thing to build on!

Anyone else wondering whether to Park Run I'd say just go for it. Well organised, friendly event, and great to get running with other actual people. I'll be going again next week... (and surely my training runs will now feel amazingly easy...maybe).

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