How to Run Your First Parkrun Event (And Get Your Kids Involved Too!)
This is a guest post by blogger and fitness enthusiast Jane Grates about a subject I’ve long wanted to cover on this blog – the Parkrun phenomenon. Here’s her take:
Any parent will tell you that once you have children, everything about your life changes: and dramatically so. Routines that you once had set in stone get upended, things that you took for granted get challenged, and most importantly, having any sort of possession over your time gets extremely compromised.
It’s no wonder, then, that a lot of parents will admit that their health and their own personal needs all fall to the wayside once children enter the picture.
As parents, we know how important it is to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine, but many of us will admit that we feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do it all.
We feel overbooked and overburdened, and we’d rather choose to do things with our family than spend our discretionary income on ourselves.
What’s a parent to do, then? We know that we need to take good care ourselves — that we should try to care for our own health needs, just as we do for our children — but in the interest of saving time and money, how can we solve this puzzle of too little time and not enough money?
Fortunately, there’s an answer: the global phenomenon known as parkrun.
Parkrun has become a global phenomenon with runs organised across the world and in every major UK town and city.
What Is Parkrun?
Started in the UK, parkrun is a series of free races on Saturday morning, typically about 5k (3.1 miles) in length, that are open to the entire community. There are even free 2k children’s races, called junior parkrun, for the littlest members of your family, aged 4-14. The commitment to either race is minimal, and fortunately, it’s free of charge, too!
Before you say “but I’m not a runner!”, fear not. Let me assure you: parkrun is open to anyone and everyone. You could run it, walk it, run-walk it, or walk-run it; whatever you can do, just do. Assuming you can get medical clearance from your practitioner, you can safely train to participate in a parkrun event.
Conveniently, there are oodles of “couch to 5k” programs available online — many without cost — that you can use to structure your training. For your children, after talking to their pediatrician and getting their blessing, they, too, can safely train to participate in a 2k event. Even better — and here’s the best part about parkrun — you and your children can train together, making it a family affair.
Below, I’ll describe in detail some guidelines to help you and your children train for your first parkrun event.
How to Run Your First Ever Parkrun
Neil says: I love the rush of running with other people. Science has shown that you’ll run faster and harder when you’re with other people. So there really is no excuse not to get involved. Here’s Jane’s take on how to run your first ever parkrun.
Get the medical “ok” first.
Just as I said earlier, before you do anything, it’s imperative that you first talk to your doctor and be sure that it’s ok for you to participate in an exercise program.
If you aren’t already in the habit of getting a physical each year, this will be a great time to start. Chances are your child already goes to the paediatrician once a year for his/her “well child” exam, but again, if not, this is a great time to start.
Take it slowly.
If you haven’t been running or walking regularly, or in a long time, be sure to take things slowly, for both you and your children. Don’t assume that you will effortlessly be able to hit paces and distances that you did as you were younger.
Put your pride aside, and just do things slowly at first. Your children may be more inclined to go full throttle right out of the gate, and that’s ok; that’s part of being children, right? You can gently remind your kids to pace themselves so they can complete the distance and their training.
Wear comfortable clothing.
It’s a no-brainer, but as a gentle reminder, be sure that you and your kids are both wearing comfortable clothing when you’re training together to complete your respective parkrun events.
Your shoes will be especially important, so you may want to consider going to a specialist running store where you and your kids will be fitted for running/walking shoes.
Remember: it’s supposed to be fun!
We all hear stories and see videos online of parents completely losing it at their kids’ soccer matches, yelling at the coaches and refs on the sidelines, and just taking something that’s supposed to be fun waaaaaaaaay too seriously.
Don’t be that parent. Remember that training for, and participating in, your first parkrun event — for both you and your kids — is supposed to be fun. Keep your expectations low, have your main goal be completing the event, and in the process, revel in all the wonderful memories that you can make alongside your children as you all better yourselves and your health together.
A running buggy is a great way to get young kids interested in parkrun. We did over a dozen together like this.
Conclusions: Your First Parkrun Event is More Achievable Than you Think
Getting fit with your children isn’t an impossible task, and in fact, it can actually be a ton of fun. The parkrun events are wonderful opportunities for you and your children to do something together and work collaboratively toward achieving your long-term health goals, and best of all, it’ll be a ton of fun!
Your kids will more likely think of it as “playtime” than “exercise,” and it’s a good reminder for you to do the same.
Have fun out there, and enjoy the process.
Jane
P.S. If you’re into the idea of fitness and being a better Dad, check out A Father’s Mission (Amazon)
