I was up before eight this morning and feeling quite fresh. When I went to bed last night I told myself that if, by some miracle, I was up early enough I could go and have a stroll around my local parkrun.
I had fed the animals and, after a bit of a search, had located my parkrun barcode. I left the house at half eight and was pulling into the car park at Babbs Mill, securing the last space less than five minutes later.
I ambled over to the start and while waiting one of the officials asked “Is anybody walking and want to earn a volunteer credit?”. Why not, I thought and raised my hand. I was given a blue vest emblazoned with ‘parkwalker’ on the back. Asking what my duties were I was told just to walk the course and show people that parkrun was inclusive and catered for all abilities. I was told not to run at any time and I assured her that that was an impossibility.
I hung around at the back and after a brief countdown we were off, all one hundred and seventy one of us.
I slowly made my way up the pack and settled into some sort of a rhythm. I greeted the Marshalls as I passed and thanked them for coming out to support the event.
After 1.4km I was lapped by two guys one on which came first in a time of 19:07. A steady trickle of runners came past me before I branched off to start my second lap whilst they raced for the finish.
I finished my park walk in 152nd place in a time, according to my watch of 45:50 but was given an official time of 46:10.
Best of all, I had finished and the knee was not complaining too much at all.
I had also earned another volunteer credit for, basically, wearing a blue vest – bonus !
This was my first parkrun / parkwalk for more than fifteen months and I’m really glad that I woke up early and made the effort.
Looking back at previous events, I was quicker than some where I was tail walker (last one around) and slower than when I was in my prime, race walking.
I may have to make the effort on a Saturday morning and do a few more parkwalks.