No Oyster Cards here..

I said I'd do it this Easter Weekend and I did.
Bedfont Lakes Parkrun, with the horrendous parking which means arriving 10 minutes early to a full car park isn't good enough.
(I didn't learn from my last experience and was counting on bank holiday traffic!)
Parked at the other carpark, got a bit lost and missed the start as I went around 1/4 of the 2 lap course to meet the real start.
It's a Parkrun so I had the option of looking not like one, but the friendly marshals cheered me on all the same.
Around halfway of the first lap, I overtook my first park runner - a woman in running gear who was walking. Then another minute or so later, I was starting to see a group appear in front of me , at which point I also had to redo my laces. That done, footsteps from the back - a lean person in running shorts and beanie with heels lifting beautifully, and slightly muddy legs - he must've gone on to win the race, I was lucky enough to be overtaken by him and able to spectate.
Lap 2 started with more encouragement from the marshals, and one stepped out to take a photo! Which meant I had to keep going and finish and not sneak off to the carpark.
Life got a bit easier feeling a bit more warmed up, but to be honest, I was tired. It almost felt like the end of the half marathon but this is only a 5k! More encouragement came with further overtakes of a fair few and into the final stretch 'quarter of a mile to go' - called out by the marshal, what is this? I think of 450 yards to go at birdcage walk before the vlm finish - but to get there one needed to negotiate another small puddle....
I finished at 30.46 according to my watch, and a top 100 chip! Whoohoo...first one in a long time.

But but but... Thought my Parkrun barcode was in my Oyster card holder with gym card and everything, but it wasn't. The guy behind me said 'no Oyster cards here' (yes, yes! Bedfont is outside the london zones) - so... This won't be on my record.
Which is fine - need to get up a lit earlier and be in better form to break that 27 minute parkrun barrier - or shall I aim higher and hit Richmond Park with that instead of a confidence booster at a flatter and still muddy course?
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