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.
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.
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