The View From The Other Side

Today was my first day seeing a race from the other side. The side of the kind people that give up their time to put on such fantastic events and give us runners something to look forward to!

I decided I wanted to be involved in the running of events and helping people get into sports and now I am an official fully fledged Sports Maker.... well after today and doing my bit I am!

After my first Park Run last week and the fact I can't run at the moment due to my ankle still not being 100% I volunteered to marshall at Park Run. Turning up to the field I wondered where was the field? It was totally covered in fog! So much for the 27 degrees we were promised today. I soon found some of the organizers James, Sally & Richard and started to help set out the start & finish markers, whilst chatting away it was apparent that the event has been growing and growing with a record number of 176 runners turning up to one event.

After setting out the markers a quick check was done to see if a marshall was needed on the far end of the field to show people the way as in all honesty you could barely see a meter in front of you. I was then paired up with a nice lady called Sharon who was also injured and helping out whilst her friend and daughter ran the course. High Vis jackets at the ready and off we went a short walk to the point we would spend the next hour standing.

We were stood a couple of feet away from each other so able to have a natter in between the runners coming through. Sharon placed herself at the top of the hill in the wood and I was positioned just out side of the wood directing the runners to the right although I knew 99% of them would know where they were going I felt really important none the less.

I've always found marshalls funny on runs, you get some that just stand there like they want to be anywhere else in the world at the point, then you get some that are really amazing clapping and cheering you with words of support. I wasn't sure how I was going to be but knew I would smile at everyone and hope for the best. It wasn't long before we saw the first runner and boy was he going some! It was amazing.. one of the things I really enjoyed was seeing the people at the front the quick ones as I'm usually able to see their backs then they disappear! The thought crossed my mind whether he needed or even wanted a clap and a well done as he seemed to be a pro, it didn't matter much anyway he was past me like a bolt of lightning and  that was that!

It was near on two minutes later that the next runner came by we couldn't believe how far in front the leader was.. saying that the next 30 or so runners looked just as good. I half thought about slipping one of them my barcode so I could get a sub 20 minute finish!  I will say one thing though they looked terrible, flob swinging everywhere! and thats when I realised I really do not push myself hard enough especially on the shorter distances. I look picture perfect (well sort of ) at the end these people look like they are about to collapse but hey if thats what gets you a sub 27 minute 5k I'm in!! So watch this space!

The rest of the runners were brilliant too each one thanked me for ..well just being there I guess... I was clapping, cheering, saying well done, telling people not far to go now. Although I know some of these things may have seemed condescending to some runners who have ran the course like 100 times over. The children running with parents did amazing and always said thank you on their way past. One thing I love about park run is no matter how fast or how slow you are whether it be an 18minute finish or 45 minute finish..it's a finish and the marshalls are still there for you.

Job done and I had a brilliant time, alot of work goes into putting on events like this and more so the bigger events and I really respect the fact that they should be acknowledged now for the hardwork.

Bring on the flob and hopefully some pbs at future park runs.

My First Park Run

I found out about Park Run through people's statuses on facebook saying they got park run pbs. I wondered if it was a silly question to ask what a park run is incase it's just someone running around a park.

Turns out that's just what it is but organized by volunteers that runs every Saturday morning at 9am and it's a measured and timed 5k course. I got registered and printed my barcode to take with me everytime I run, then I didn't run. A few times I said I was going to go and never did. I either had other things to do or didn't want it to interfere with my long run on a Saturday.

I finally decided to run Park Run this weekend and as I was volunteering as a marshall next Saturday for my sports maker course I thought I'd best run it first!

I'm very lucky that my local park run is only a mile drive from my house and although it said the race starts at 9am I got there at 8am to make sure I got a parking space and established where the runners meet. Sitting in the car I was really nervous, I felt exactly like I did at Blymhill for my first 10k and couldn't understand why.  I have attended a few of my races on my own now much bigger events/races and with no one I knew. It then dawned on me that this would be my first 5k race. I have run 5ks as often as I eat in training but never ran in an event against other people. The fact all my training so far has in all honesty focused on distance rather than speed I was terrified the race would start and I would be left standing! My 11.30 minute miles were not going to do me much good here....so I made a decision....

I decided to go back home! What??? Exactly it took me 10 minutes to convince myself this was nothing different to what I have done before, why was I so scared of taking part in my local community park run of 3 miles!?

I bit the bullet and left the car I ventured out onto the field that we start in and soon started speaking to a nice lady who explained she runs every other week alternating with her husband as they have small children. Already I was beginning to feel more at ease I just needed some slow looking people to turn up so I wouldn't be last. I made my way to where the group of runners were forming and there were hundreds of people, not what I was expecting at all for a local Saturday run.

I met another nice lady who runs there regularly with her son and grandson who was in fact running his 10th park run and would be receiving a junior T shirt. Everything seemed so well run and organized. I was told the race starts with a lap around the perimeter of the field then into the woods for two laps and back out onto the field to the finish.

Easy Peasy....

We were off! I was running and I wasn't being left behind, I nestled in quite nicely with a pack running around 10.30 min miles and knew I could maintain it as my fastest 5k is 29mins 4 seconds. I desparatley wanted to beat this but very cruelly at just over 1 mile in the woods were there were tree roots and stones ( after all it was a trail run) I slipped trying to dodge a muddy puddle and rolled my left ankle straight round on itself so all my weight was leaning over it, I heard a pop then tried not to be sick! Oh it was agony I was walking like a limping dog holding my poorly foot in the air. Then made the biggest mistake ever... I put my foot down and tried to run and ran to the end. Yes silly I know!

I finished in 30 minutes 43 seconds not bad considering what had happened. I was given my finish token and promptly took it to the desk to get that scanned for my time and then my park run ID card scanned. I wanted to stay and meet the lady I had spoken to at the start but was in so much pain with my ankle and if I'm honest trying not to cry. I hobbled to the car and lucky for me it was only 1 mile to get home as I could barely use the clutch without being in agony.

Closer inspection at home shows my ankle had ballooned and bruised, I know the drill so RICE was needed, my ice pack helped and some anti inflammatory gel. A tubey elastic bandage kept on overnight and today seems a bit better. Still bruised and swollen but I can put a little bit of weight on it. I'm just pleased this happened on the start of my planned two weeks off!

Final results -

Finish Position       130 out of 176
Finish Time           30 minutes 43 seconds
Age Grading         48.18%
Gender Position    35
Finished 2nd in my category.