Park Run Excitement!

With just a week to go to Dublin Marathon my motivation and enthusiasm for running has been running low in recent weeks hence the lack of blogging!

However, yesterday I got some enthusiasm back after I did my first ever park run at Fell Foot Park, Newby Bridge which was also it's first park run!

When I woke up it was a wet and dreary morning and I very nearly decided not to bother!  My thoughts were along the lines of "What's the point in getting wet for 3 miles".

However, I gave myself a good talking to and got in the car before I could change my mind. 

Newby Bridge is about a 25 minute drive from where I live.  I arrived early at around 8.25am but I am pleased I did as already the car park was very nearly full.  If I had left it much later I would have struggled to park.

Luckily by the time I got there the rain had stopped and I had a wander down to the start line feeling stupidly nervous for what was supposed to be a fun 5K run.

I was surprised how many "serious" runners were about and also surprised how many avid park run fans were there - those who travel around doing different park runs each week!  Locals were definitely in the minority but what a fantastic turn-out for the first park run here!

I managed to locate some friends from the tri club and we stood and passed the time of day until 9am.

Just as the start of the race was announced the heavens opened!  It was too late to put my waterproof on, so off I set in my T shirt!

There was a bit of a bottleneck initially as over 200 runners tried to negotiate narrow tracks and paths but the field soon opened out making it easier!

The route was well marked out and was mainly on grass with a couple of hills thrown in for good measure!  With being wet the grass was slippery and by the second lap slightly muddy!

The route was very scenic going along the shores of the lake and around a field.

I thoroughly enjoyed the friendliness and camaraderie that surrounded the event and felt quite emotional cheering in other runners once I had finished. I witnessed varying emotions coming from a range of runners from very young children, to the elderly and larger runners! What a fantastic inclusive event which encourages everyone to get out of bed on a Saturday morning and enjoy running!

I finished in 27:43.  As this is my first officially time 5K event I have nothing to compare this with but considering the weather and the undulations on the course I am happy with this and because it is my first it is also a PB.

I was even happier when I got an email from Park run confirming my time:

"You finished in 105th place and were the 32nd female out of a field of 247 parkrunners and you came 5th in your age category VW45-49"

This has really spurred me on to do more Park Runs in the future!

Just the small matter of getting a marathon out the way first!