Me and my Parkruns

kenGoing back to about February this year I joined the Parkrun team at Cross Flatts Park. Here is my story.

Parkruns are all over the country; ones in Leeds are Cross Flatts, Roundhay Park, Temple Newsam Park and Hyde Park.

They all start on Saturday morning at 9am local time. If I’ve not remembered any more in Leeds, my apologies.

The parkruns are all organised by volunteers, who marshal and collate information afterwards to give you a placing and time.

Someone told me there are also Parkruns in Oz and New Zealand.

If you do a Park Run, leave a note in comments below and tell us how you started.

The Runs was to help me to lose weight and be fitter than I usually am.

My best time is 44 minutes and worst 51 minutes. Quite often will look at my stop watch on final 200 yards or so, and run that to try and keep under a certain time. Sometimes it works, sometimes like last week went over the 50 minutes by 6 seconds when I wanted to be under that.

Despite puling a calf muscle, hamstring, going and getting the biggest blister my Podiatrist has ever seen, I continue to do the runs.1 (18)

Well I say do run. I usually run about a mile and walk the remaining 2 miles.

I remember my first run, when Nikky walked round with me to show me the route. It took some time to remember, which for others may have been easy, but not me, as I have early onset Dementia.

The race is 5k or 3.1 Miles. This is the same for every park run.

1 (57)Twice instead of cutting in to finish, carried on and did nearly 6k (3 laps) instead of 2 and a half, and had to back track.

Once I cut a corner for which I was posted last (which was fair enough) instead of third from last.

My friend pointed out the mistake. Today, I still don’t know where I went wrong.

Anyway next run, Amanda who on Marshal Duty, walked the last mile with me to make sure I did not go off piste again. Thanks Amanda.

The Marshals are now aware I might go off track and look out for me.

I’m on I believe, my 29th run this weekend. Looking forward to my 50th run t-shirt. If I complete all my runs, should be about March next year.1 (19)

Had some fun with the runs and not so fun. When a gentleman high on booze decided to run alongside of me as he could not catch up with others. Told him to give me space, whereupon he slung his bag of beer onto my damaged knee. Ouch. He got a few verbals. He waited with his polish mates to confront me on next lap. Walking towards them, I suddenly speeded up and run past them. Ha Ha.

Couple of weeks after that same group, high five me at bottom of park and offered me a can of beer. I said no thanks got some water, and ran past them.

We also get many runners coming from other groups paying us a visit.

I remember Lucy, Nicola and baby Poppy coming from another Parkrun and had a coffee in the café afterwards. Where I took some photos.

Going to take photos of all our half and full Marathon winners, to go on slide show at annual Parkrun party and Facebook.

So Thanks for all your help, to Amanda, Jeny, Phil, Dianne, Karen, Betty, Christine, Nikky (laf) and many more, too many to go through them all.

One Reply to “Me and my Parkruns”

  1. Diane Mckenna mentioned you in a comment. Diane wrote: “I have read your story Kenneth Ingram I wasn’t aware of your dementia. You are a hero anyway always there at Parkrun. It doesn’t matter how fast you are – you are always faster than your sofa!!! See you tomorrow xx” Reply to this email to comment on this link.facebook
    Diane Mckenna mentioned you in a comment.
    Diane wrote: “I have read your story Kenneth Ingram I wasn’t aware of your dementia. You are a hero anyway always there at Parkrun. It doesn’t matter how fast you are – you are always faster than your sofa!!! See you tomorrow xx”

    Jess wrote:
    Very good! Who knew you were so fit! I don’t think I could run that far!

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