Earlier this year, after registering on the parkrun UK website a number of years ago, I finally popped my parkrun cherry at the Walsall Arboretum parkrun. On Saturday, for the first time in a couple of months I was back on the start line at 09:00  This was the 5th time I have completed the 5km course.

I’m not proud to admit that it was also my slowest time, so much for improving.

A few hours after completing the parkrun I was altered to my not so great time by the free text service. According to my detailed results email (how many events provide this service?) I completed the run in 28:28, finished in 116th place, was 29th lady and came 8th in my age category (SW30-34). What a disappointing time!!

I hope that by the end of this year I can get my time down to 25:xx.

I can’t be too disappointed with my time, at least my efforts were 100% jogging and 0% sneaky walking breaks. I hadn’t run in over a week; last time I attempted to run I only managed 10 minutes before having to stop and go home because I felt terrible.

I love the fact that at parkrun there will (nearly) always be a free photographer ready and waiting to get some great ‘action’ shots. On Saturday we were lucky enough to have two photographers; Rocket Ron and MudRunner Sports. Photographs from the event are usually uploaded onto facebook and flickr on the weekend of the run.

So in the weekly parkrun tradition here are a couple of my “action” shots.

[Photo: MudRunner Sports Photography]

I must remember in future that I am taking part in a parkrun event and not running to a funeral! At least the darker colours hide my stomach. I also really need to remember to relax my arms while I am running.

The other massive positive about parkrun is that I am back home by 10:00 and then have the rest of the day to be productive arse about.

Still feeling productive and full of energy, and before I seized up, I decided to drop the unwanted running kit I had wedged into a large plastic postal bag to the Post Office. I had read about a great project called A Mile in Her Shoes and decided that rather than eBaying my excess running kit, I would donate it to this project. Hopefully the kit will arrive at some point this week.