Today is exactly three weeks to the day since my left total hip replacement and it also saw my first physio appointment since leaving hospital (on day 4).
Before the operation I had received a physio booklet outlining the exercises that I should carry out both straight after the operation (whilst still in hospital) and ongoing for the weeks after leaving hospital. It also contained plenty of other do's and don'ts plus techniques for things "normos" can do easily such as climbing and descending stairs, going to the toilet and putting your pants on! All useful info I can assure you in my recent situation! It's quite strange getting to the bathroom and then wondering how to physically do what you have always done naturally, but I'll leave that there.
Before I left hospital, the on-site physio team had repeatedly tested my understanding of the exercise routine and I felt well drilled before I left.
Further instructions in the booklet described what I should do regarding walking, both that it should be with two crutches, should start with small distances, but also that the distance should be slowly increased daily.
So here I was, left with a set of exercises to repeat and walking distances to increase daily, plus what is best described as a "runner's brain"! And advantage you would think.....
My "runner's brain" told me that, if I can do these exercises well and comfortably, then I should gradually increase the quantity. So what started out as 5 repetitions of each exercise gradually became 15 of each exercise, with all the exercises repeated as a block 6 times a day. AND what started out as a 100m round trip up the road and back had increased to 600m within a few days, had gradually increased to half a mile 3 times a day and then for the last 3 days, it had increased further to 1 mile each time, 3 times a day. Over that period, my walking speed had increased too, fairly significantly early on, but for the last week it had evened out at very roughly 2 miles an hour, or around half the speed I would usually walk. This was a safe speed and I had no desire to go any faster than this whilst using crutches.
To runners that just sounds like training doesn't it? Gradually increase repetitions. Gradually increase distance. Gradually increase speed.
Today I saw my physio and finally understood the point of all of this!
For years, due to my deteriorating hips, a sub-concious decision to prevent the discomfort of osteo-arthritis, a concious decision to prevent the sharp pain I would sometimes get when my hip got into the wrong alignment, plus the gradual physical changes to my skeleton (yes my skeleton actually adapted itself to prevent pain), my walking gait had become abnormal. To anyone that knows me, I'm sure this has been obvious for many years, and even to myself, when catching a glimpse of myself in a mirror or shop window, it was obvious that I was walking like "the missing link", hunched forward, leaning into the next stride. And it was impossible for me to correct.
This style of walking is not normal, and along with removing the pain, one of the main objectives of the surgeon and the physio team is to return me to a "normal" walking gait. That does not mean back to my normal, but instead to "normal" normal! And this is the point of the physio exercises and the recovery period. Now this might be obvious to everyone else, but as a runner I had missed the subtlety of the old adage of "quality NOT quantity". Today I finally got it!
I have now been given a greater number and variety of exercises. These are to be performed in smaller sets. The idea here is that for each exercise, the first repetition is naturally tentative, the second increases the range of motion and by the 4th and 5th you have probably gone as far as you are going to that time (trying to push the boundary a bit on those last two if possible). Any more are pretty pointless. As my physio said, "this isn't strength training - you are only lifting your own leg!". But there was thing I had spot on, I should be repeating all the exercises as many times a day as I can, without causing too much pain or swelling.
Walking greater distances at greater speeds is also important, but I really do have to "walk before I can run". And in my case I need to learn how to walk properly again first, This is not just a mental thing, I also have to physically teach my muscles, tendons and ligaments to be able to allow and control a different and greater range of motion in all directions. For the last 5 years I have been a runner, when I couldn't really do any other sport any more. This can only be due to the fact that moving my legs in a straight line (front-to-back) didn't hurt (as much) in the same way as lateral movement. But this has also ensured that front-to-back movement is all I can really control, and controlled movement in all other directions now has to be re-learnt.
So, for the next week at least, I will be on a reduced daily walking distance and an increased and more varied set of physio exercises. I'm really pleased that I had my physio appointment today and that my focus has been shifted into the right areas that are really going to have the effects I need to get me back to "normal".
And one thing is for sure, now that I know the exercises that I need to do, as "a runner" I have no problem at all in repeating those exercises over and over again - after all, it's only training!
Showing posts with label parkrun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parkrun. Show all posts
Wednesday, 22 April 2015
Saturday, 18 April 2015
The power of parkrun
What a lovely morning for a parkrun!
Given my current post-op situation I was of course unable to parkrun myself today. I didn't even feel that I was able to volunteer, partly because I wasn't sure if I could stand in one position for long enough to be of any use and also partly due to the volunteer roster already being full.
All that said, I was determined to be there. I've missed the last two, firstly due to being hospital and then last week due to being too immobile to get there. The fact my wife had decided to parkrun herself today, when she normally wouldn't, was also a great reason to be there to cheer her on.
I was in a strange mood yesterday, a bit bored of the things I've been doing (not much) for that last two weeks and I suppose I was feeling ready to up the ante in my recovery (mentally at least), but knowing that I really shouldn't try to do too much too soon.
parkrun this morning was just what I needed!
I was reading Debra Bourne's book "parkrun - more than just a run in the park" yesterday, as I have been for the last few days, and there are (amongst many others) a few truths that I read in that book yesterday about all the benefits of parkrun. Being out in our beautiful park, in the sun, seeing so many familiar faces, cheering on all my friends and countless others that I don't know quite so well, or even at all. The feel good factor was amazing this morning and the perfect lift to start my day.
I had chats with so many of my parkrun friends this morning, all keen to come over and say hello and see how my post-op recovery is progressing. One of my mates even stopped half way through his run to chat to me for at least a minute, completely unconcerned about the detrimental affect on his own parkrun. I really felt that strong caring side of our parkrun community. It was great.
I'm still not sure what I can do, but I felt compelled to volunteer for the next two weeks. I suspect that standing will be comfortable by next week, so I'm sure I'll be fine. By committing, at least I guarantee that I head up to the park for my fix of parkrun awesomeness the next two parkrundays!
I'm really glad I went. parkrun is amazing!
Wednesday, 8 April 2015
Return of the stats - parkrun milestones
Since I was last blogging regularly, back in October 2013, there have been some amazing parkrun milestones. So in case you have missed some of those, here is a quick update....
Weekly finishers in the UK:
Back in October 2013, the highest number of UK parkrun finishers in a single week was 35,518. That was an impressive record, but just 18 months later and the record is now a staggering 61,754 and it has been well over 55,000 every week since January. Given recent yearly trends, I wouldn't be surprised to see a new record in excess of 70,000 within a few weeks as the Spring weather lures out some parkrunners from their Winter hibernation as well as attracting a few that have been waiting for some nicer weather before making their parkrun debut.
Number of events:
There are now 621 registered parkrun locations worldwide.
In the UK we had just over 220 parkrun locations back in October 2013, but we have added nearly another 100 locations in the last 18 months with 319 UK parkrun locations currently.
Registered runners:
When I was last blogging we hadn't yet reached 1 million registered parkrunners and now we have well over 1.5 million people registered with parkrun worldwide.
Total finishers:
There have now been an incredible 6,568,367 parkrun finishers in the UK.
Different runners:
A ridiculous 660,225 different people have now completed at least 1 parkrun in the UK. Just imagine how busy all our events would be if even 25% of those all decided to turn up one week!
Highest attendance record:
As you might expect, Bushy parkrun (the original location and home of parkrun) still holds the record with a massive 1705 runners set on 4th October 2014. Back in October 2013 that record was "just" 1051, so quite an increase! Also, 26 different UK parkrun events now have an attendance record of over 500 and there are 5 more over the 500 mark in Australia.
Non-returning parkrunners:
This isn't a figure I'd like to dwell on, but some 307,088 runners have only ever completed a single, solitary parkrun. I'm hoping a big chunk of those were in recent weeks and will be back soon!
500 club member:
parkrun now has it's very first member of the 500 club. Just a couple of weeks ago, Darren Wood completed his 500th parkrun. Unbelievably, the second highest number of runs is currently 441, so it will be well over a year before we have a second member of the 500 club.
250 club members:
There are now 221 members of the 250 club - the club for parkrunners that have run 250 parkruns or more.
I don't think I'm exactly sticking my neck out to say that "I think parkrun might just be here to stay"!
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
parkrun stats of the week...12th October 2013
The parkrun statistics of note for last weekend are:
- 315 parkrun events run (NEW RECORD - I believe that is now 7 record breaking weeks in a row)
- 45,515 runners
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 144.5
14 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
And in the UK it's:
The highest attendance this week was exactly 850 at Bushy parkrun.
And outside the UK it was 550 at Newy parkrun in Australia.
The lowest attendance this week was just 4 at Durham NC parkrun.
89 runners ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 6 of them under 16 minutes.
The fastest parkrunner in the world last weekend was Jacek Sobas, running 15:41 at Wroclaw parkrun in Poland.
The top age grade performance last weekend was 92.82%, by Ros Tabor, running 21:50 in the VM60-64 category at Southwark parkrun.
And a quick look at a superb junior performance:
Ben Clarke set a new category record at St Albans pakrun, running 17:16 in the JM14 category - very impressive.
Paul Freyne still tops the table of most different parkrun events attended, with 156 different event locations in his 200 parkrun outings. And a special mention for Leon Foster who has run 51 of his 52 parkruns at different parkrun events - amazing parkrun tourism!
- 315 parkrun events run (NEW RECORD - I believe that is now 7 record breaking weeks in a row)
- 45,515 runners
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 144.5
14 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
| Event | Record Attendance | |
| Aberdeen | 240 | |
| Armagh | 87 | |
| Berwick Springs | 126 | |
| Kalgoorlie-Boulder | 91 | |
| Leszno | 94 | |
| Nahoon Point | 611 | |
| Parramatta | 129 | |
| Pennington Flash | 208 | |
| Pontefract | 213 | |
| Pontypridd | 168 | |
| Sewerby | 188 | |
| South Manchester | 347 | |
| Southend | 271 | |
| Victoria | 200 |
| Record Attendance | Record Week | ||
| Amager Faelled | 146 | 28/08/2010 |
And in the UK it's:
| Hackney Marshes | 75 | 21/05/2011 |
The highest attendance this week was exactly 850 at Bushy parkrun.
And outside the UK it was 550 at Newy parkrun in Australia.
The lowest attendance this week was just 4 at Durham NC parkrun.
89 runners ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 6 of them under 16 minutes.
The fastest parkrunner in the world last weekend was Jacek Sobas, running 15:41 at Wroclaw parkrun in Poland.
The top age grade performance last weekend was 92.82%, by Ros Tabor, running 21:50 in the VM60-64 category at Southwark parkrun.
And a quick look at a superb junior performance:
Ben Clarke set a new category record at St Albans pakrun, running 17:16 in the JM14 category - very impressive.
Paul Freyne still tops the table of most different parkrun events attended, with 156 different event locations in his 200 parkrun outings. And a special mention for Leon Foster who has run 51 of his 52 parkruns at different parkrun events - amazing parkrun tourism!
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
parkrun stats of the week...5th October 2013
The parkrun statistics of note for last weekend are:
- 309 parkrun events run (just 1 short of the record from the previous week)
- 48,228 runners (NEW RECORD - Breaking the previous record by nearly 3,000 runners! Amazing!)
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 156 (10 more runners per event than last week).
An incredible total of 37 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
And in the UK it's:
The highest attendance this week was exactly 1011 at Bushy parkrun.
And outside the UK it was 564 at Newy parkrun in Australia.
The lowest attendance this week was just 7 at Durham NC parkrun.
119 runners (2 more than last week) ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 15 of them under 16 minutes. And 2 runners ran under 15 minutes.
The fastest parkrunner in the world this week was Scott Westcott, running 14:23 at Newy parkrun in Australia. Interestingly, this is the new all-time parkrun record for Australia.
The all-time Australian female record was also set on the same day, with Bridey Delaney running 16:35 at Parramatta parkrun.
My favourite stat of the week was from Viv Naylor who ran 22:10 at Mansfield parkrun in the VW70-74 category, achieving an unbelievable 100.45% age grading in the process. Not too many 20 and 30 year olds can run that kind of time, so she is one very impressive lady!
- 309 parkrun events run (just 1 short of the record from the previous week)
- 48,228 runners (NEW RECORD - Breaking the previous record by nearly 3,000 runners! Amazing!)
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 156 (10 more runners per event than last week).
An incredible total of 37 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
| Event | Record Attendance | |
| Alice Holt | 157 | |
| Augustine Heights | 79 | |
| Burgess | 95 | |
| Cairns | 86 | |
| Camperdown | 133 | |
| Catton | 183 | |
| Citypark | 110 | |
| Cornwall Park | 118 | |
| Curl Curl | 141 | |
| Delta | 365 | |
| Dusi | 198 | |
| Ebotse | 208 | |
| Guildford | 256 | |
| Gunnersbury | 310 | |
| Kawana | 210 | |
| Krakow | 64 | |
| Lake Mac | 307 | |
| Launceston | 159 | |
| Leszno | 85 | |
| Longrun Meadow | 201 | |
| Medina I.O.W. | 160 | |
| Mitchelton | 162 | |
| Nahoon Point | 521 | |
| North Beach | 366 | |
| Parramatta | 124 | |
| Poznan | 395 | |
| Roodepoort | 165 | |
| Root 44 | 176 | |
| Rushcliffe | 232 | |
| Sandgate | 270 | |
| South Bank | 408 | |
| Southsea | 277 | |
| St Peters | 299 | |
| Szczecinek | 97 | |
| Tuggeranong | 138 | |
| Warwick | 142 | |
| Wroclaw | 61 |
| Record Attendance | Record Week | ||
| Amager Faelled | 146 | 28/08/2010 |
And in the UK it's:
| Hackney Marshes | 75 | 21/05/2011 |
The highest attendance this week was exactly 1011 at Bushy parkrun.
And outside the UK it was 564 at Newy parkrun in Australia.
The lowest attendance this week was just 7 at Durham NC parkrun.
119 runners (2 more than last week) ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 15 of them under 16 minutes. And 2 runners ran under 15 minutes.
The fastest parkrunner in the world this week was Scott Westcott, running 14:23 at Newy parkrun in Australia. Interestingly, this is the new all-time parkrun record for Australia.
The all-time Australian female record was also set on the same day, with Bridey Delaney running 16:35 at Parramatta parkrun.
My favourite stat of the week was from Viv Naylor who ran 22:10 at Mansfield parkrun in the VW70-74 category, achieving an unbelievable 100.45% age grading in the process. Not too many 20 and 30 year olds can run that kind of time, so she is one very impressive lady!
Friday, 4 October 2013
parkrun stats of the week...28th September 2013
The parkrun statistics of note for last weekend are:
- 310 parkrun events run (NEW RECORD - Breaking the previous record by 7 events!)
- 45,495 runners ((NEW RECORD - Breaking the previous record by over 1000 runners!)
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 146.7.
25 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
And in the UK it's:
The highest attendance this week was exactly 963 at Bushy parkrun.
And outside the UK it was 487 at Newy parkrun in Australia.
The lowest attendance this week was just 5 at Durham NC parkrun.
117 runners ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 19 of them under 16 minutes. And 2 Unknown ATHLETEs ran under 15 minutes at Brighton & Hove parkrun.
- 310 parkrun events run (NEW RECORD - Breaking the previous record by 7 events!)
- 45,495 runners ((NEW RECORD - Breaking the previous record by over 1000 runners!)
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 146.7.
25 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
| Record Attendance | ||
| Ally Pally | 92 | |
| Antrim | 176 | |
| Barnsley | 150 | |
| Canning River | 123 | |
| Darley | 129 | |
| Doncaster | 165 | |
| Fingal Bay | 134 | |
| Frimley Lodge | 466 | |
| Great Lines | 144 | |
| Guildford | 215 | |
| Hanley | 104 | |
| Lake Mac | 264 | |
| Leszno | 77 | |
| Merimbula | 59 | |
| Plymvalley | 151 | |
| Roodepoort | 149 | |
| Root 44 | 168 | |
| Sandon Point | 61 | |
| Shrewsbury | 265 | |
| St Annes | 233 | |
| St Peters | 292 | |
| Toowoomba | 219 | |
| Tuggeranong | 137 | |
| Voortrekker Monument | 216 | |
| York | 239 |
| Record Attendance | Record Week | ||
| Amager Faelled | 146 | 28/08/2010 |
And in the UK it's:
| Hackney Marshes | 75 | 21/05/2011 |
The highest attendance this week was exactly 963 at Bushy parkrun.
And outside the UK it was 487 at Newy parkrun in Australia.
The lowest attendance this week was just 5 at Durham NC parkrun.
117 runners ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 19 of them under 16 minutes. And 2 Unknown ATHLETEs ran under 15 minutes at Brighton & Hove parkrun.
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
9 years of parkrun (birthday) growth
Happy Birthday parkrun, 9 years old today. And to use the line we normally use with nine year olds...."Wow, haven't you grown!".
parkrun birthday weekends over the last 9 years have had the following turnouts:
Sat 2nd October 2004, Bushy parkrun, 13 runners
Sat 8th October 2005, Bushy parkrun, 56 runners
Sat 7th October 2006, Bushy parkrun, 378 runners
Sat 6th October 2007, 4 events, 681 runners
Sat 4th October 2008, 10 events, 1315 runners
Sat 3rd October 2009, 20 events, 2913 runners
Sat 2nd October 2010, 46 events, 5718 runners
Sat 8th October 2011, 95 events, 10179 runners
Sat 6th October 2012, 176 events, 23676 runners
Yet another example of parkrun very roughly doubling in size each and every year, both in number of events and the number of runners (since 2006 at least anyway).
And you can almost be sure that this weekend, 2013 will add a new parkrun birthday edition boasting roughly:
310 events and 45000 runners
Happy Birthday parkrun.
#loveparkrun
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
parkrun stats of the week...21st September 2013
The parkrun statistics of note for last weekend are:
- 299 parkrun events run (breaking the previous record by 2 events!)
- 43,457 runners
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 145.3.
15 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
And in the UK it's:
The highest attendance this week was exactly 899 at Bushy parkrun.
And outside the UK it was 589 at Newy parkrun in Australia.
The lowest attendance this week was just 6 at Vejen parkrun.
94 runners ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 12 of them under 16 minutes.
The fastest parkrun time in the world this week was 15:11 by Thomas Do Canto at Bushy parkrun.
- 299 parkrun events run (breaking the previous record by 2 events!)
- 43,457 runners
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 145.3.
15 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
| Event | Record Attendance | |
| Aveley | 55 | |
| Canning River | 119 | |
| Cheltenham | 247 | |
| Corby | 126 | |
| Hanley | 99 | |
| Lake Mac | 245 | |
| Launceston | 156 | |
| Leszno | 70 | |
| Little Stoke | 239 | |
| Logan River | 188 | |
| Szczecinek | 71 | |
| Tuggeranong | 134 | |
| Warszawa-Praga | 217 | |
| Warwick | 121 | |
| WhitleyBay | 227 |
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
| Record Attendance | Record Week | ||
| Amager Faelled | 146 | 28/08/2010 |
And in the UK it's:
| Hackney Marshes | 75 | 21/05/2011 |
The highest attendance this week was exactly 899 at Bushy parkrun.
And outside the UK it was 589 at Newy parkrun in Australia.
The lowest attendance this week was just 6 at Vejen parkrun.
94 runners ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 12 of them under 16 minutes.
The fastest parkrun time in the world this week was 15:11 by Thomas Do Canto at Bushy parkrun.
Thursday, 19 September 2013
The parkrun tweet that made me sad
A couple of days ago I read a parkrun tweet which made me just a little bit sad.
I won't name the Twitter user that made the tweet and I won't quote the tweet too accurately as I don't want anyone to feel bad about this.
The tweet went something like this....
...I overheard a woman saying to someone "my son won parkrun this weekend", and I said to her "your son didn't win parkrun, because parkrun isn't a race"
To be honest, this is correct really, parkrun isn't officially a race but was this response really necessary or helpful? That woman may have been the most proud she has ever been of her son. No good reason to dent that pride.
I'm certainly not intending to reject the content of that tweet, far from it. It's fair to say that the tweeter has only repeated what parkrun (the organisation) have said themselves. parkrun isn't officially a race. And this in itself is an excellent standpoint for parkrun (the organisation) to have. Simply by stating this, parkrun opens itself up to a far greater proportion of the public. Many people are put off by the idea of a "race", and parkrun therefore gives many more people the chance for regular exercise than any other running event or race.
So really, I'm writing this more to provoke thought and perhaps discussion. Was it really necessary for her to speak up in this way? Did it achieve anything positive? The only positive thing I can come up with is protecting a brand, but I don't think it was worth it in this case.
parkrun is fantastic for making running an inclusive event. No longer do you have to be a club runner, decent runner or anything else, in order to access regular timed, marshalled running events. The parkrun community is amazing. Many of us have made numerous friends at parkrun. parkrun has broken down so many barriers that stop many people from running or exercising in general.
Perhaps, might a better response have been "...your son does parkrun? So do I! Where does he parkrun?". That is more the kind of parkrun inclusivity that we are used to seeing from parkrunners.
So, onto my main point....parkrun is not officially a race, I've said it already, but I'm saying it again. That doesn't mean it can't be a race. A very significant part of what part IS, is that it can be whatever you want it to be....I'll say that again, as it is my main point....parkrun can be whatever you want it to be. And none of us should judge anyone else who treats parkrun differently to ourselves.
parkrun can be....a great way to start the weekend, somewhere to exercise as a family, on your own or with your friends. It can be one of many training sessions a week, it can be your only weekly, fortnightly or monthly exercise. It can be part of a longer run, a training run or speed work. It can be injury recovery, it can be race preparation. And yes, if you want it to be, you can even treat it as a race. There is one caveat to that, and that is as long as you racing it does not detrimentally affect the enjoyment of other parkrunners (other than by "beating" them) or any other park users for that matter.
Racing is not just limited to the fastest few. Their can be little races at the back of the parkrun field just as much as at the front. And so long as no one gets hurt, no problems are caused, and the aftermath is a shake of the hand, a pat on the back or a good discussion on the run and how each other did, then where is the harm in that? I don't think there is anything other than good to come from that. I have seen many "races" throughout the field at parkruns and I have never seen anything other than a positive outcome once the line has been crossed. I, for one, have parkrunners that I now count as my friends, purely and simply due to "racing" each other at parkrun before I even knew them.
On another point....
We have all lived through the last decade or more, where competition has often been considered a bad thing, particularly in our schools. I think we all know that experiencing competition is an important part of life, certainly for kids preparing for "the real world". I also believe that there is a fair chance that one (perhaps many more) of the 5 to 10 year olds that we regularly see enjoying our parkruns will one day go on to be great athletes and perhaps even Olympians. parkrun is a great way to introduce these kids to running and even running (semi-) competitively. Certainly competitively with themselves, their PB, and against the clock, so why not also against their peers? It's a great enviroment to be introduced to this, where the outcome really doesn't matter at all, except to the individual.
If you hear someone say they "won" parkrun, you may not consider it to have been a race, by they might. And as long as it hasn't done them or anyone else any harm, why not congratulate them? For all you know, it may be the only thing they have ever won and may do them more emotional good than any other achievement in their life to date. Why risk taking the shine off someone else's achievement just to say "it's not a race" for little or no benefit.
parkrun is amazing and can be anything you want it to be. That should be the message we all spread.
For me.....
This week I think my parkrun will be about sharing my love of parkrun and exercise with my 9 year old and my 5 year old as we stroll around at their pace.
Next week I will be introducing some of my childhood friends to parkrun and I think we will all be "racing" each other and the clock to some degree.
The following week I will probably be Run Directing, to put something back into our brilliant community event.
Three weeks, three different ways to treat my parkrun.
parkrun can be anything you want it to be!
I won't name the Twitter user that made the tweet and I won't quote the tweet too accurately as I don't want anyone to feel bad about this.
The tweet went something like this....
...I overheard a woman saying to someone "my son won parkrun this weekend", and I said to her "your son didn't win parkrun, because parkrun isn't a race"
To be honest, this is correct really, parkrun isn't officially a race but was this response really necessary or helpful? That woman may have been the most proud she has ever been of her son. No good reason to dent that pride.
I'm certainly not intending to reject the content of that tweet, far from it. It's fair to say that the tweeter has only repeated what parkrun (the organisation) have said themselves. parkrun isn't officially a race. And this in itself is an excellent standpoint for parkrun (the organisation) to have. Simply by stating this, parkrun opens itself up to a far greater proportion of the public. Many people are put off by the idea of a "race", and parkrun therefore gives many more people the chance for regular exercise than any other running event or race.
So really, I'm writing this more to provoke thought and perhaps discussion. Was it really necessary for her to speak up in this way? Did it achieve anything positive? The only positive thing I can come up with is protecting a brand, but I don't think it was worth it in this case.
parkrun is fantastic for making running an inclusive event. No longer do you have to be a club runner, decent runner or anything else, in order to access regular timed, marshalled running events. The parkrun community is amazing. Many of us have made numerous friends at parkrun. parkrun has broken down so many barriers that stop many people from running or exercising in general.
Perhaps, might a better response have been "...your son does parkrun? So do I! Where does he parkrun?". That is more the kind of parkrun inclusivity that we are used to seeing from parkrunners.
So, onto my main point....parkrun is not officially a race, I've said it already, but I'm saying it again. That doesn't mean it can't be a race. A very significant part of what part IS, is that it can be whatever you want it to be....I'll say that again, as it is my main point....parkrun can be whatever you want it to be. And none of us should judge anyone else who treats parkrun differently to ourselves.
parkrun can be....a great way to start the weekend, somewhere to exercise as a family, on your own or with your friends. It can be one of many training sessions a week, it can be your only weekly, fortnightly or monthly exercise. It can be part of a longer run, a training run or speed work. It can be injury recovery, it can be race preparation. And yes, if you want it to be, you can even treat it as a race. There is one caveat to that, and that is as long as you racing it does not detrimentally affect the enjoyment of other parkrunners (other than by "beating" them) or any other park users for that matter.
Racing is not just limited to the fastest few. Their can be little races at the back of the parkrun field just as much as at the front. And so long as no one gets hurt, no problems are caused, and the aftermath is a shake of the hand, a pat on the back or a good discussion on the run and how each other did, then where is the harm in that? I don't think there is anything other than good to come from that. I have seen many "races" throughout the field at parkruns and I have never seen anything other than a positive outcome once the line has been crossed. I, for one, have parkrunners that I now count as my friends, purely and simply due to "racing" each other at parkrun before I even knew them.
On another point....
We have all lived through the last decade or more, where competition has often been considered a bad thing, particularly in our schools. I think we all know that experiencing competition is an important part of life, certainly for kids preparing for "the real world". I also believe that there is a fair chance that one (perhaps many more) of the 5 to 10 year olds that we regularly see enjoying our parkruns will one day go on to be great athletes and perhaps even Olympians. parkrun is a great way to introduce these kids to running and even running (semi-) competitively. Certainly competitively with themselves, their PB, and against the clock, so why not also against their peers? It's a great enviroment to be introduced to this, where the outcome really doesn't matter at all, except to the individual.
If you hear someone say they "won" parkrun, you may not consider it to have been a race, by they might. And as long as it hasn't done them or anyone else any harm, why not congratulate them? For all you know, it may be the only thing they have ever won and may do them more emotional good than any other achievement in their life to date. Why risk taking the shine off someone else's achievement just to say "it's not a race" for little or no benefit.
parkrun is amazing and can be anything you want it to be. That should be the message we all spread.
For me.....
This week I think my parkrun will be about sharing my love of parkrun and exercise with my 9 year old and my 5 year old as we stroll around at their pace.
Next week I will be introducing some of my childhood friends to parkrun and I think we will all be "racing" each other and the clock to some degree.
The following week I will probably be Run Directing, to put something back into our brilliant community event.
Three weeks, three different ways to treat my parkrun.
parkrun can be anything you want it to be!
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
parkrun stats of the week...14th September 2013
The parkrun statistics of note for last weekend are:
- 296 parkrun events run (breaking the previous record by 5 events!)
- 41,066 runners
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 138.7.
17 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
And in the UK it's:
The highest attendance this week was exactly 803 at Bushy parkrun.
The lowest attendance this week was just 7 at both Summerfields and Vejen parkruns.
Impressively, 109 runners ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 17 of them under 16 minutes and 2 under 15 minutes. There are so pretty decent parkrunners about!
The fastest parkrun time in the world this week was 14:45 by Ian Kimpton at St Albans parkrun.
- 296 parkrun events run (breaking the previous record by 5 events!)
- 41,066 runners
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 138.7.
17 parkrun events recorded new record attendances last weekend, as follows:
| Event | Record Attendance | |
| Delta | 339 | |
| Dusi | 178 | |
| Ebotse | 184 | |
| Griffeen | 133 | |
| Hilly Fields | 108 | |
| Mitchelton | 155 | |
| Newbury | 391 | |
| North Beach | 329 | |
| PE Hobie Beach | 344 | |
| Roodepoort | 144 | |
| Uvongo | 159 | |
| Wallace | 113 | |
| Warwick | 104 | |
| Westport | 104 | |
| Woodlands | 172 | |
| Wynnum | 279 | |
| Zary | 80 |
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
| Record Attendance | Record Week | ||
| Amager Faelled | 146 | 28/08/2010 |
And in the UK it's:
| Hackney Marshes | 75 | 21/05/2011 |
The highest attendance this week was exactly 803 at Bushy parkrun.
The lowest attendance this week was just 7 at both Summerfields and Vejen parkruns.
Impressively, 109 runners ran under 17 minutes around the world of parkrun last weekend. 17 of them under 16 minutes and 2 under 15 minutes. There are so pretty decent parkrunners about!
The fastest parkrun time in the world this week was 14:45 by Ian Kimpton at St Albans parkrun.
Saturday, 14 September 2013
My first year running
My first year running, by Stuart McNair
Today is the anniversary (well its actually tomorrow date wise) of us starting to run, a year doesn’t seem that long ago but considering what we’ve done, the new friends we’ve made and the changes in both lifestyle and fitness for us both it has turned into one of the best decisions we’ve made.
Click here to read the rest of Stuart's blog post.
Friday, 13 September 2013
My tip for a parkrun PB tomorrow
This time of year is perfect for going for parkrun PBs in the UK. It's significantly cooler than it was just a few weeks ago and cooler weather allows you to push yourself a bit more without overheating as much.
This is a little tip to help you try to get a PB at parkrun tomorrow.
I have to admit that I won't be using this tip myself tomorrow, as my parkrun PB isn't within my current capabilities, but if you have been running within 30 seconds of your own parkrun PB on recent weekends, then this tip could make the difference for you. Whether you run towards the front, middle or back of the pack t parkrun, as long as there is someone quicker than you, then this simple approach could work for you.
It worked for me when I got my most recent PB. It also worked for a club mate of mine when I suggested he try it a few weeks ago.
The tip:
- If you regularly run at the same parkrun event you will probably recognise quite a few of the regular faces.
- Some of those people will be the ones that tend to beat you by 30 seconds to a minute every single week.
- The idea here is to focus purely on one of those people that you know will beat your current PB.
- Don't be too ambitious, just pick someone you know will beat your PB by 30 seconds to a minute.
- Don't worry about anything else other than sticking on the shoulder of that person for as long as possible.
- If you find that they are going too fast or too slow for your target early on (they may be trying this same technique with someone slightly faster themselves), take a look around and try to find someone else that fits your criteria and try to focus on them instead.
- You now just have to stay with them until at least half way. How hard can that be? The longer you can stay with them the better.
- Remember, you aren't likely to beat your PB by a minute, so expect that sometime in the second half that the person will start to get away from you. Just try to minimise how far they get away - keep them in sight for sure, but try to recover a little bit, saving something for a fast finish.
- When you get within the last 300 metres or so, give it everything you have left. That last minute or so can make all the difference in getting a PB. Try your best to catch up with the person you had been following, but don't expect to catch them. Tell yourself that it is only one more minute of breathlessness and a PB is well worth that discomfort.
I really hope it works for some of you. If it works for you then please do let me know through the parkrunfans blog page on Facebook, or by tweeting me (@parkrunfan).
And if it doesn't work, don't worry. One of the great things about parkrun is that there is always next week.
Good luck if you are trying to get a PB at parkrun tomorrow, but most of all enjoy trying and enjoy your parkrun.
Happy parkrunning.
*** DISCLAIMER - I don't claim to be a running expert, I'm just a parkrunner like you ***
*** If it works for just one of you, I may start to claim to be an expert! ***
This is a little tip to help you try to get a PB at parkrun tomorrow.
I have to admit that I won't be using this tip myself tomorrow, as my parkrun PB isn't within my current capabilities, but if you have been running within 30 seconds of your own parkrun PB on recent weekends, then this tip could make the difference for you. Whether you run towards the front, middle or back of the pack t parkrun, as long as there is someone quicker than you, then this simple approach could work for you.
It worked for me when I got my most recent PB. It also worked for a club mate of mine when I suggested he try it a few weeks ago.
The tip:
- If you regularly run at the same parkrun event you will probably recognise quite a few of the regular faces.
- Some of those people will be the ones that tend to beat you by 30 seconds to a minute every single week.
- The idea here is to focus purely on one of those people that you know will beat your current PB.
- Don't be too ambitious, just pick someone you know will beat your PB by 30 seconds to a minute.
- Don't worry about anything else other than sticking on the shoulder of that person for as long as possible.
- If you find that they are going too fast or too slow for your target early on (they may be trying this same technique with someone slightly faster themselves), take a look around and try to find someone else that fits your criteria and try to focus on them instead.
- You now just have to stay with them until at least half way. How hard can that be? The longer you can stay with them the better.
- Remember, you aren't likely to beat your PB by a minute, so expect that sometime in the second half that the person will start to get away from you. Just try to minimise how far they get away - keep them in sight for sure, but try to recover a little bit, saving something for a fast finish.
- When you get within the last 300 metres or so, give it everything you have left. That last minute or so can make all the difference in getting a PB. Try your best to catch up with the person you had been following, but don't expect to catch them. Tell yourself that it is only one more minute of breathlessness and a PB is well worth that discomfort.
I really hope it works for some of you. If it works for you then please do let me know through the parkrunfans blog page on Facebook, or by tweeting me (@parkrunfan).
And if it doesn't work, don't worry. One of the great things about parkrun is that there is always next week.
Good luck if you are trying to get a PB at parkrun tomorrow, but most of all enjoy trying and enjoy your parkrun.
Happy parkrunning.
*** DISCLAIMER - I don't claim to be a running expert, I'm just a parkrunner like you ***
*** If it works for just one of you, I may start to claim to be an expert! ***
Wednesday, 11 September 2013
Double bubble
It has been a while since I wrote (harped on) about the parkrun doubling effect, so now must be about time.
On a few occasions in the past on this blog I have written about how parkrun seems to roughly double in size (based on various criteria) every year. Well there is good recent evidence that this growth rate is still continuing.
Roughly 9 months ago I wrote a blog post about "parkrun world domination in your lifetime". Have a quick read of that post if you have the time, as it does show that expecting parkrun to keep doubling in size forever is simply not possible (just like story of the grains of wheat on a cheeseboard did for some king whom I can't remember the name of). This growth cannot go on forever, that is unless someone uses parkrun to spread friendships beyond this planet.
I have had a quick look at recent attendances, and the equivalent date last year, and have found that for this period of the year at least attendances are still doubling in attendance numbers.
On a few occasions in the past on this blog I have written about how parkrun seems to roughly double in size (based on various criteria) every year. Well there is good recent evidence that this growth rate is still continuing.
Roughly 9 months ago I wrote a blog post about "parkrun world domination in your lifetime". Have a quick read of that post if you have the time, as it does show that expecting parkrun to keep doubling in size forever is simply not possible (just like story of the grains of wheat on a cheeseboard did for some king whom I can't remember the name of). This growth cannot go on forever, that is unless someone uses parkrun to spread friendships beyond this planet.
I have had a quick look at recent attendances, and the equivalent date last year, and have found that for this period of the year at least attendances are still doubling in attendance numbers.
| 2012 | 2013 | |||
| Date | Attendance | Date | Attendance | Growth |
| 18th August | 21,877 | 17th August | 42,694 | 95% |
| 25th August | 20,113 | 24th August | 39,042 | 94% |
| 1st September | 21,187 | 31st August | 44,351 | 109% |
| 8th September | 24,408 | 7th September | 44,226 | 82% |
Firstly, of course, I must say that this is a very small sample to base statistics on. And secondly, it demonstrates that there is significant fluctuation in the figures each week of each year.
However, it certainly shows that, give or take some fluctuation, the number of people running a parkrun each week this year (over the last 4 parkrundays at least) is pretty much double the number of last year.
To make this coming parkrunday double up on the same weekend last year we need to get 47,034 of us to complete a parkrun. Let's see if we can manage that!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)