how to come last at parkrun

I had a fab but cold weekend last fortnight at Riddlesdown parkrun with old buggerlugs and the bowling ball. I decided a few weeks ago there was no reason I shouldn't carry on running if I felt ok so I actually have picked it back up in the last few months of pregnancy. 

I tried running 1.5 miles as a test and nothing fell out so thought I could progress to a 5km run. My pelvis did feel a little bit tired afterwards but was fine after a couple of days. You do have to be really careful when pregnant as your ligaments become all stretchy to allow a baby through your bits (I try not to think about that too much) and obviously you have a lot more weight to support plus your posture is thrown all out of sorts, but apart from all that, running is just fine if you feel comfortable doing it, and have been used to running in the past. 

The folk at parkrun are so friendly. If you have never tried it I urge you to have a go. Every Saturday, 9am. Free. What's not to love. There are parkruns all over the country so no excuses. I think because they are free, weekly events, there is less of the serious, competitive spirit you may find in paid-for 5km races, which makes them damn perfect for families and friends to do. There is a real sense of comradeship and the volunteers are all extremely helpful and welcoming. If you have never run before and want to build up to a 5km I would recommend running a parkrun as a starter for ten. You'll be hooked! 

It's a good job I didn't feel too intimidated at parkrun as I was at the back of the pack. It's a bit of an odd feeling as I'm really quite competitive and when not pregnant/have time/energy (sob!) I'm usually nervously waiting at the start line, ready to press my garmin and try and chase that elusive pb. But in a way it was quite nice trundling around with my husband and toddler at the back of the field, waving to the volunteers and slopping through all the mud left by the faster runners. I forgot how good it feels just to get out of the house and get some fresh air by going for a run. That said, I'm still going to go back and try and beat my time this weekend. You can take the runner out of the race...