to (park)run or not to (park)run

Week two of the Parkrun started badly. The weather was great, perfect conditions, I arrived a little later than planned, I never warm up anyway, so is that a problem?
Two of my new beginner group were there....hoping to beat them but hey who knows.

Start.....breathing rubbish, legs tighten, suddenly the tingle of pins and needles, the calf cramps and running on feet that I don't think belong to me. Still..... got to keep going, have a time to beat from the previous week, just a few seconds will do. Run, walk, run, walk, all have gone past me except one that I know of, try hard to keep running, think my feet are still there, end of first lap, oh boy lapped by 6 this week. (2 lap courses are so much fun...sometimes - encouragement and despondency in equal measure)

Finish......eventually, finally remember to stop watch, still under 5k (more corners cut)and watch shows 41.55, but I did let it run, so slower, but....hey ho room for improvement at least.

Wait for results to go up on web...wait.....wait....results up.....where am I.....there is a gap and an "Unknown" in the position where my name should be.

I realise my running was rubbish, but even the results didn't want to recognise me.

Email sent to the "race crew"......frustration follows....re-read emails sent.....read as very angry and unforgiving....ooops, not the intention, send apologetic email and plead for result.
It took a while but hey I exist once more and according to their figures, not that much slower.
Avoid next weeks run due to perceived tiredness and aches and pains, but trundle along to support my beginners, who manage to run the whole 5k, well done them.

Week 4 managed to shave another 23 seconds off the first week (according to my watch anyway) and the time on the results near enough matches mine, and still my beginners are running the whole 5k while I am still struggling to run/walk.

I think it all seems to be coming together slowly, but feels painfully slow at times.

Parkruns rule....fabulous way to test out your 5k times if you have no other way to measure. And so much less pressured than a race you pay for. I think I shall be doing a fair few of these, and maybe (to make up for my outburst of frustration and anger) I need to also volunteer at a few.

Meanwhile....keep on training and maintain the pint of water first thing in the morning, with a 5 min calf stretch routine, I'm sure that is helping.