I seem to have put on some weight, which is annoying. I've put on 10kg in the last few years, which is about 400g a month - barely noticeable, but it'll sneak up on you.

It would explain why my #parkrun times have been getting slower. Time to take a look at diet and try to get some more exercise in my "copious free time", I guess... bah.

#health

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That meme of Poe Dameron from "Rise of Skywalker" where he's saying "Somehow, Palpatine returned" only it's saying "Somehow, lard returned". I'm so clever, ha ha ha...

Lovely #parkrun this morning with Rich. The full English at the Daleside (with fried bread) was even better!

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Two old men in sports kit standing in front of the Colwick parkrun sign. The same old men are now sat in front of a fire with beer and the rugby on.

#Parkrun wasn't feeling particularly good today as born out by a fairly slow time and had to stop to tie a shoe lace. yet mr garmin decided to take a year off my age anyway. only 11 odd years older than i actually am........

Second recovery parkwalk today, at sunny but breezy Cramond. Enjoyed it until the last km when I realised I’d probably overdone it, based on the unpleasant chest pain (don’t worry it’s “normal” for SCAD recovery). Finished a bit demoralised.

At home I realised I might be able to hit 50 parkruns on my 50th birthday so decided to focus on that instead of trying to be faster, and next time I’ll walk a bit slower. Ego suitably chastised.

#parkwalk #parkrun #SCAD #characterBuilding

#ParkRun results are in. Nearly 800 runners this morning and we started quite far back so it was a walking start and took us a while to work out way through the crowd and able to run freely, but still managed to finish under 30 mins, so I'm really pleased with that. I did work for it today but feel like naturally my time is about 28/29, which is about 6 - 10 minutes off what I was running this time last year. Lovely stuff. I also feel clean and fresh and fit and balanced. Viva la Park Run! Huzzah!

2nd #parkrun 2026
1st Freiburg parkrun 2026
My by far slowest - non-walking - parkrun ever. It keeps impressing me how fast the human body can decline (and recover).

Mentally quite ok - few toxic moments this time.

Fire Service College #parkrun
With an actual fake motorway next door 🤷

Stewart #parkrun for us today. It's a lovely park for a walk (or recently, a silent disco) but not my favourite for a parkrun. Too narrow, too hilly, and I'm traumatised from getting lost in the woods on my first attempt there 😅

But it does have all kinds of cool stuff to see, like inquisitive gooses and the occasional wooden sailor man.

#running

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Two geese behind a wire fence, one grey and one white. They've come right up to the fence to see what's what.

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A wooden sculpture of what I first thought was a pirate but actually might be Captain Cook. He's wearing a long tailcoat and holding up binoculars to his face. The sculpture stands in a flat grassy park under a clear blue sky, surrounded by tall trees. There's also a children's playground in the distance.

Since we're in Harrogate for #AireCon today, we thought we'd do the local #parkrun - the volunteers were really friendly, and it was a nice sunny day. Now for breakfast and board game nerding :)

#running #runnersOfMastodon

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A man dressed in black running gear and sunglasses, standing on grass, behind a sign saying "parkrun Harrogate". Behind him are trees and houses.

#ParkRun 116 doooone. Weird week this week, chums, and felt a bit 6's and 7's yesterday and this morning. Didn't go running Tuesday because of kids stuff, then had an interview Thursday so went running in the morning instead of training in the evening, so feel like my routine was a bit upended. However as per, park run fixes all that ails, and I feel reset and good. I'm like a car with very loose tracking. Unless I reset it a couple of times a week I will veer off the path into the unknown dark forest where there are creatures that mean to do me harm. I am metaphorical Frodo. And me and my 'good friend' have gone on holiday to throw a metaphorical ring into a metaphorical volcano. I literally have no idea what I'm talking about. I'm apparently going to a karaoke party tonight, which honestly sounds like hell, but it's for my friends birthday and she's having a bit of a rough go of things at the moment so I am going to be full of vim and vigor. First and last on the dance floor. I will make an effort not to be weird and awkward and will prepare a number of small talk conversations in advance, such as hello how are you for example, and also please tell me about your work and any challenges you've faced where you feel like you've learned something, and also where do you see yourself in five years time. I will then say thank you for your time I will let you know by the end of next week if you've been successful, then move onto the next conversation where I shall ask them if they have photos of any pets or children or architecture they would like to show me. Conversation expert. 😎

Have a great weekend everybody!

#parkrun
#Hastings
Beautiful sunny morning and hundreds at parkrun. Thanks to the volunteers.
And proud of my sister for her Sandringham parkrun today.
Enjoy your running.
#running

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Hundreds of runners waiting to start Hastings parkrun in the sunshine.

Absolutely loving Independence Restoration Day in Lithuania and not just because of the cheeky extra #parkrun at Vingis

The Old Town is charming, the commitment to Ukraine heartening and their distaste for the Russian government upfront and central.

Loved the banner "Putin your day in The Hague is coming" 🥰

I wear this at work. Maybe I shouldn’t, but I genuinely just don’t think about it (or care)

#music #parkrun

At parkrun today, I was marshalling wearing a Scott Lavene t-shirt. My wife just told me that she overheard three young women talking about it at the finish.

“Did you see that marshal’s t-shirt? ‘I chose amphetamines over you’? So cool!”

Down with the kids. I think Scott Lavene would be proud too.

https://youtu.be/N8sAq7EFm4U

#music #parkrun

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The t-shirt in question (photo taken at last year’s EOTR festival). I’m standing with my wife in front of our tent on a sunny morning in early September. Caitlin is grey haired and wearing a blue jumper. I have my arm around her and I’m wearing a baseball cap and reflective sunglasses. The slogan on my shirt is “I chose amphetamines over you”, a Scott Lavene lyric from the song The Ballad of Lynsey.

My birthday was announced in the pre-run brief (unbeknownst to me, as I was already on my spot), so I had about 350 parkrunners wish me Happy Birthday as they ran past me (twice!). Followed this up with a swim in the lake, sauna, cake, champagne and now for the rugby. A lovely day so far!

#parkrun #birthday #old #sauna #ColdWaterSwimming

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A group of parkrun volunteers at my marshalling point, all in shocking pink high viz vests. I’m clapping runners through, and the other volunteers are all pointing at me as the photo is taken. I look a bit sheepish.

After smashing my PB at #parkrun last week, it seemed like a good time to take a week off and volunteer instead.

Ended up on finish tokens for the second time, which mostly involves hanging around here near the finish line and enjoying the early morning sun with a cup of tea until it's almost time for the first runner to finish.

I like being on tokens. It's foolproof. And getting thanked by 300 people in a row is definitely not the worst way to start a Saturday!

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View across a lake in a park, with railings around the edge and a wide path in front. The point of view is from a raised platform next to the path, you can see the accessible ramp entrance sloping up in the bottom left corner, and a few cones ready to be moved into place and create the parkrun finish funnel. To the right of the picture is a clump of trees on an island in the lake, and there's hardly anyone around other than a lone walker and a mother pointing out the wildlife to her small children. The sky is surprisingly blue!

#ParkRun 115 done and DONE! T'were a cold and frosty morn, when all through the park, not a creature was stirring not even a quark. I reckon there was about 700 people this morning - Trish CBA to fight our way through to the front so we started faaaar back, behind the 38 minute pacer. So it was a slow/walking start and we were never going to get a PB. However we managed to get in front of 31 by the end, so although our time might not be world beating, the pace was probably even faster than normal and I really feel like I pushed it today and frankly feel great. I'm in that hallowed phase that is so incredibly hard to get into and is normally the prelude to injury where I feel all the training is paying off. I'm a bit old, a bit short and a bit fat and never going to be one of these beanpole super-runners, but I'm really happy with where I'm at and should remind myself to be grateful. I could always be a bit more of that or a bit less of this or whatever, but actually where I'm at right now is pretty OK, and I know when I was injured it was this point I was so keen to get back to. So I shall celebrate the wins and be thankful. As I give thanks to you, Fediverse dwellers. You are the best of the best of the best, SIR! With honours. 🫡

What a glorious spring morning at #volksgartenparkrun in Düsseldorf! 🌸 The flowers were out in full bloom, cheering on 93 finishers and 20 amazing volunteers at the 274th edition of my home #parkrun. #SpringVibes

#parkrun
#running
#Hastings
Love this mural near the start.

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Large colourful mural depicting the ocean and it's life. There's a message in a bottle to the UK government. The message is Protect the Oceans.

#parkrun under 33 minutes representing progress for the portly peeg. And someone had donated tunnocks teacakes for the end, that's a win

Over two minutes faster today than my last #parkrun at Tooting! Sounds good, but my last one was terrible…

On the road again but loving everything about Poland. Such a brilliant people 🥰 and what a speedy #parkrun

#ParkRun day. Looking forward it? Bit weird. I get like this when I haven't been out with injury or illness for a while. Urgh. Unbearable. Hurrah! I hope you're having a terrific day. You! Are! GORGEOUS! X

#running
#parkrun
#rugby
After a down day yesterday, heading for this as my Saturday:
parkrun with GF and one of her family - always feel better afterwards.
Rugby - 6 Nations two games this afternoon
FA Cup - some football to follow.

Enjoy your running.

@WTL Having posted this today, I seem to have injured my normally good left calf by just walking backwards. All a bit grim, so looks like no #ParkRun this week.

Question for the runners here:

If you could give yourself some advice when you were just starting out to run, what would it be?

I'd tell myself to slow down (pace and KMs).

#Running #RunnersOfMasodon #ParkRun #RunningAdvice

Tried a new #parkrun this morning and went to Graves, in Sheffield. Met someone I knew from work and jogged with them for a little bit, had a really nice breakfast at the cafe afterwards.

The route is described as "undulating". I would have gone with "hilly" myself! Might be a nice one to come back to in the summer.

#running #runnersOfMastodon

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A man in black jogging trousers and jacket standing behind a blue parkrun sign that says "Graves". Behind him is a tree with bare branches, and grassy parkland.

Back to London, pretending everything is normal type #parkrun this morning.

The medication making me feel slightly odd but early days, early days 🤷

Holywell King George V Playing Fields #parkrun very much a park #parkrun if you know what I mean.

I needed the coffee afterwards 🥰

This week, the world lost Jeff Galloway. He was an olympic distance runner, coach, seemingly all-around great guy and general inspiration.

His whole thing was making #running accessible to people like me, and as a beginner I've been following his training plan with a goal of reducing my 5k time to 35mins.

Well, in his honour I decided to put all that training to the test this morning.

Previous #parkrun PB: 36:02.
Today's official time: 33:54!

"He is survived by every person who ever crossed a finish line and thought, 'I didn't think I could do this.'"

I'm most certainly one of them now. RIP Coach Jeff.

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My Garmin watch after finishing the run, showing 34 minutes 6 seconds. I never remember to stop it at the actual finish line but this is close enough!

🏃‍♂️ ⏰ 00:26:31 📏 5 km ⏱️ 5:18 min/km 🛫 100 m+ ❤️‍🔥 172 bpm 🧁 486 kcal

My first dance at the Pendle Parkrun, and the frst time I've seen Alkincoats Park in daylight. Muddy and hilly, but decent time.
🔖 #running #race #parkrun

🔗 https://l.prry.uk/training-log/2026-02-28-pendle-parkrun/

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View across the Colne valley to hills beyond from Alkincoats park at the beginning of Pendle Parkrun

#parkrun
#Hastings
Shock - it wasn't raining !
A bit breezy but a lovely little run.
Thanks volunteers.
Have a good weekend.

@TheBreadmonkey I do use the app. There is a lot of useful data which I'm sure helps a lot of people.
Some of the challenges I think are a minority appeal. Alphabet seems the most popular, and I have met someone who has completed 100 venues. My personal objective is to try and do at least 1 run a month; don't really need an app to check that.
#Parkrun

Any of you parkrunners out there - the 5k app just updated to an official #ParkRun app. With a bunch of new features. 😊🏃‍♀️

Bloods being taken to treatment starting for prostate #cancer in 6 weeks.

In that time...one anal rummage, one noisy MRI scan and a comedy ultrasound probe up the bum for a biopsy whilst a nurse tried to take mind of my rapidly shrinking dignity (amongst other things) by discussing #parkrun

Not sure that's what Paul SH had in mind all those years ago 🤔

Let's see how many #QALYs I can squeeze out.

I grew up in a typical northern colliery town that, like most of those places, has spent the decades since the coal mine closed down just quietly crumbling.

But it's also on the coast, and I have lots of happy memories of growing up with a view of the sea from my bedroom window, walking the dogs along the beach banks, and that one weird neighbour with the goat.

Anyway we were up there visiting family today so got ourselves along to the #parkrun on those very same beach banks.

It was extremely nostalgic, an extremely friendly event, and due to the low attendance numbers it was also by far my best ever finish 😄

#Running #Beach

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Photo of a pebbly beach, taken from the top of the cliffs and looking down. The sky is cloudy and grey but with enough of a hint of blue to bring hope, and the cliffs are full of hardy, windswept grass and bushes.

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A weak sun tries its best to shine through the grey clouds over a beach that stretches away into the distance. In the foreground, a gravelly path leads along the edge of the grassy cliff that the photo was taken from.

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A parkrun finish token with barcode, showing that I finished in position 33. Of course, there were only 40 people, but shush.

Third time volunteering at #parkrun today and I was a mid-course marshal (and in a nod to Back to the Future I was at Lone Bin Corner, renamed after one of the bins was removed).

The hard part was trying to remember if people were on lap two or three and encourage them appropriately but I particularly enjoyed being able to encourage the people who were obviously struggling but still persevering. It was quite humbling watching them succeed and finish.

#parkrun
#running
Do you know that feeling of instant regret when you've just said 'Yes' to something ?
Thankfully I did OK.
parkrun says 38:37 so I'm sticking with my timing of 37:54
Four runs in a week is the most for a long time - onwards and upwards.
Enjoy your running.

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Map and running statistics 5 km in 37 minutes and 54 seconds.

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Pacer bib at parkrun showing 38 minutes.

it's difficult to #parkrun right now anyway for various reasons, but slept until 9:30 today, which is a VERY rare thing. And showing I'm clearly not healthy yet.

Pacer at Ormskirk #parkrun this morning. Lovely lovely people.