Take Me Home Delamere Roads to the (not a) Race that I Love

Delamere 29 June 24

It was my birthday this week and as I moved, rather reluctantly, into a new age group, there was only one thing I wanted to do for my birthday and that was Delamere parkrun .

Since doing Go Ape for my 30th many, many years ago at this beautiful forest,  I've been wanting to come back and explore it a bit more with my favourite running event that is parkrun.

Other than being spoilt for choice with the glut of parkruns in my area, there was nothing stopping me from visiting other than being too lazy to get out of bed early enough on a Saturday morning and make the relatively short hop down the M56 to Delamere but today was the day to do it.  With the wife and the dog safely strapped into the car, we set off around 7.40 on a perfect day for running, warm and a bit drizzly.   

We arrived at around 8.20 behind a group of cyclists and people jogging into the park to be greeted by the perfect location for a parkrun. Bike sheds, big cafe, plentiful toilets and of, course, the beauty of Delamere Forest.

It's huge, according to various website, about 2,500 acres of land with perfectly formed, wide running trails makes this an ideal place to visit for a parkrun, or for my non running wife, enough to roam round with a dog well away from the runners.

For an event that is now very well established, (had it's 500th a couple of weeks ago) it's perfectly organised. There are a load of IKEA type blue bags near the start where you can leave you things (always someone there), the 1st timers briefing is really helpful ( I normally don't bother but after having a look on YouTube before I came, it's worth listening to as you can take a wrong turning if you're at the front of the pack, if you're like me, you won't be there) .  

Unlike a lot of starts, it's very wide and, certainly where I was (albeit relatively near the front) there was no problem with getting stuck behind anyone.  

How to describe the course ?  Very runnable. A rare 1 lapper, not flat, not particularly hilly, but very much up and down.  Absolutely ideal.  You can get a consistent pace and the hills come at exactly the right time to give you a bit of a slap and make you think again before giving way to a down hill to give you your time back.  

It looks like it is on an official 5km trail,  I am not sure if this was here before parkrun started but it's obvious that it is very much tried and tested and seems one of those courses which probably rarely cancels as it is quite shelted from the elements.  

The description of a 'lollypop' is exactly what it is.  You essentially run out to the lake, go around it and run back to the finish. 

Really well designed, really well marshalled and exactly what you'd want a parkrun to be.

Now, the important bit....coffee and butties ?

I finished just under 24 minutes and went straight to the café where there was no queue and I got served straight away.  It took a while but as it says on their website, they cook it fresh so there may be a delay.  As with Crewe last week, I'd rather that than warmed up microwave stuff.  

Has to be said though that by the time I'd eaten, it had got very busy, so less fast runners may be in for a bit more of a wait.  

After the run, I wandered off to find my wife and we enjoyed more of the delights this stunning forest. 

One Top Tip, parking would have been over £7 but if you go to the visitor's centre and tell them you've just done parkrun, they'll let you take a picture of a barcode which reduces the parking down to £3 !  Brucie Bonus.

Not sure there is anything I can add about this run other that it's a gem.  I had very high expectations of it and it ticked every box.

If you're planning on coming, unlike a Tory MP and the election date, it's a safe bet.

Not sure where to next week, possibly one of my other favourites, Lyme Park, not done that for ages.

Perfect parkrun and Peckish Paninis at So Solid Crewe

Crewe 22 June 24 

Well that was a lovely surprise ! 

I used to work in Crewe for many years and had no idea Queen's Park was there.  What a stunning park.  Beautiful grounds, huge lake full of geese and  boating Swans to greet you as you make your way in from the large free car park directly opposite.

Crewe is my NENDY and as I did with Pennington Flash, I was a bit put off by the 3 lapper, as I perceive them to be boring.  Once again (and I really should learn a lesson here) I was very very wrong.  It's a beauty and I am not just talking literally.  

I only decided at around 7.45 this morning to come over to Crewe from Woodbank, so emailed Karen the RD asking if it was ok if I did the Run Report, she emailed back immediately saying she'd was very happy with that so it was off in my car I popped and arrived about 20 minutes or so before kick off.

I wasn't expecting the car park to be as convenient as it was, but it is directly outside the entrance (use the postcode on the Home Page CW2 7SE and it takes you right there).  As soon as you walk into the park, you are met with a picture of splendour.  What a lovely place.  I've said it before but one of the best things of the weekly obsession I (and I guess, you,  if you're reading this) have is discovering these stunning places that you knew nothing about, even if you know the area very well. 

There are sign posts which take you directly to you start, where everyone congregates outside and inside the fabulous (more of that later) Lakeside Cafe where the prominent Crewe parkrun sign stands.  

I said hello to Karen (and the first of many lovely dogs in the park, I just can't help saying hello to all of them) who told me that I could just dump my bag in a wheely cart and they'll take it to the end for you !  A small but fantastic touch that really helps everyone keep their things safe.   

324 people set off today, which like everything else to do with this brilliant event was just about right.  The start is in a perfect place where it is nice and wide so gives you just enough time for the pack to space out a bit before it narrows.  If you are a faster runner and want a good time, it may make sense to place yourself sensibly to avoid getting stuck in the slightly narrower sections.  Has to be said, even if you find yourself behind others, you will not be there for long as it soon widens out again and you have plenty of space to pick up the pace.

Whoever came up with the design of this course is exactly my cup of tea.  It's perfect.  All on tarmac, bits of flat, down and up.  The ups aren't long, but they're steep, but they then give way to some really lovely down hill fast sections.  It's like one of those BMX courses you see in the Olympics, as soon as you're on one gradient it changes to the next.    As ever, I didn't pace it at all and my mile times got progressively slower each mile (7.31, 7,48 and 7.50) but who cares ?  There's always next week.

I find myself saying this at every park I attend, but again the marshals were brilliant.  From the So Solid Crewe on the bridge cheering you on, to the marshal with the Spaniel I am determined to make friends with next time I come who was tail walking, to the Inspirational lady on the hill by the pond, screaming everyone up it, and everyone else, it truly defines what a spectacular thing parkrun is.

Another great thing about a 3 lapper is that you get to see everyone from all abilities and the mutual encouragement from and to each and every athlete adds to what we all love about 9am on a Saturday morning.

As seems to be becoming a regular occurrence every week, I met up with someone I had not seen for years, David Bellairs.  David is one of those people in life you meet who define being 'a good guy'.  I've known him for years and I've witnessed how many people he has helped.  Mostly very discretely, kindly and without taking any credit for it.  One of life's good people and an honour to call him a friend.

We had a number of milestones today with Dan Tynan and Mark Peel running their 100th, Ed Maculey on 200, Harry Tynan celebrating his 13th birthday and Eva Kivlin her 10th this week.  

The Tynan family completed the set with Ben reaching his 10th run, Lisa Wilkinson and Grace Allwood their 50th and Andrew Cotton his 25th volunteer stint.  

Even more incredibly was Paul Dean who was running 4 marathons in 24 hours.  I cannot over emphasis what an achievement this is.  I know how hard one marathon is.  Incredibly effort.  We are not worthy.

Paul Dean is fundraising for Cancer Research UK (justgiving.com)

Well done everyone and get those t-shirts ordered and proudly worn ! 

One of the highlights of every parkrun is  the cafe and coffee afterwards.  I was very lucky today as it is shutting for a few weeks for refurbishment (looked great to me as it is) when I got there there were not that many people waiting to be served and I ordered.  It did take a while for the food to come but, absolutely understandable when you have loads of people descending at the same time, there's only so much they can do.  Food was freshly cooked, delicious and the coffee was great.

Can't fault it, can't fault Crewe, can't fault this perfect parkrun.

Off to Delamere next week for my 48th different event with a bit of luck

The Macc Pack

 

Macclesfield 15 June 2024

 

It’s my third time running at Macclesfield and the second time on the new course.  Now, I’ve no idea if the ‘new’ course is hillier than the old one but as my PB on this is over a minute quicker than the time I ran today, I’ll take it as read that its at least 200 metres hiller and about 1 ½ miles longer.  (Don’t come back with all your jibber jabber  about the parkruns being accurately measured or I shall take my pen home with me)

South Park is a beautiful place, about 1 mile or so out of the town centre with a small free car park and plenty of parking around the local streets, it’s a perfect setting for parkrun (if you are parking in the car park, head out of the exit that leads you to the tennis courts and you’ll see the bandstand which is where the run brief is, as opposed to going past the playground like I did and got a bit lost)

Macc is now very well established, they’re approaching their 5^th birthday, today being #242 and it shows, Tim the RD and his team have everything running perfectly.  Run brief is given from the bandstand on a loudspeaker so everyone can hear and the first timers just in front on the grass.

As with every parkrun, we have to give so much thanks to the brilliant volunteers.  One of the most important roles are the parkwalkers.  These are such an important part of the concept that is parkrun.  Idea is that it is for everyone, you do not have to run it if you don’t want to.  You are more than welcome to turn up and walk round.  It’s your event, you do what’s good for you.  The parkwalkers are there for those that want to do this and really make the whole thing so much better.  (I was quite rightly corrected when I thanked one of the ‘tailwalkers’  they are parkwalkers are rightly proud of it)

Macc is one of the parkruns where you need a bit of local knowledge before deciding what shoes to wear.  Even though most of it is on paths, there’s some grassy bits which may get a bit puddly if the weather decides to do its thing.

Today, however, wasn’t one of those days.  Today was a dry today.  Today was not puddly.  Today was a day to run as a fast as I could and see whether my Duracell batteries would run out before the end.

203 people set out today to take on the upwardly slopey 3 lapper that is Macclesfield parkrun.  It starts off at the top of a hill and straightaway you have a full on run down the grassy bank to a left hand turn.  On the first lap this is a bit narrow but soon enough it spreads out into a mixture of undulating trail, flat paths and a couple of climbs, which you repeat twice and a bit.

It is such a varied course, from the tarmac, the downhills, the sharp turns, and the climbs but the two main hills are just about spaced out enough to let you get your breath back before you have that great downhill charge to the start of the next lap.  It’s hard to think of a better course design.  Don’t make the mistake I made today and ‘kick’ for the end before the end.  When you turn towards what appears to be the finish, you then have to run around the corner, its only about 20 metres or so but when you’ve sprinted past about 4 people only for them to glide past you, you do feel a bit of a tit : )

One of the things I love about parkrun is that it is spread out in so many different places that not only will you see people from local clubs but you’ll also see those from running clubs from ‘back home’.  I’ve been up here for over 20 years but my ‘home’ is the Gnoll parkrun (if you’re ever down in South Wales, pay it a visit, you’ll not be disappointed) so when I saw a chap with a Porthcawl Runners vest, Julian Straker Jones, I, like any self respecting Welshman had to go over to say hello. 

We’d not met before, we live 4 hours apart, but the power of parkrun meant that we were instantly connected.  Talk of home, parkruns around Porthcawl that we’d both done, the best marathon in the world, Marathon Eryri (Snowdon) and the fact that his dad was from Neath, my home town.  I only realised when I was driving home that I forgot to ask his dad’s name as my dad, who knows everyone, probably knows him.  Hope you enjoyed the run Julian

Now.  The local Maccaberies may try to suggest that these are proper hills.  The ‘Upwards Flat Section’ may instil a sense of respect an awe into you Cheshire folk and to those who haven’t ventured further afield may feel likewise.  However, they are those who haven’t had the pleasure, the sense of awe, the fulfilment of all parkrun tourism  of visiting the holy shrine of ‘Up North’ parkrunning, the venue parkrun truly began….Woodbank.     We have proper hills, and proper mud and our coffee and cake are even better than the Tatama Coffee Trailer at the end of the run today  (Very much recommended)

Hidden Gem, a Wedding, Sun, Rain and Old Friends

 

Alderley Park  

8 June 2024

You can so easily drive past this beauty of a parkrun without realising it.  Just off the A34 and head towards the lake and you come across (with the possible exception of Lyme Park ) one of the most beautiful locations in the area for a start of a parkrun.

Today was the 96^th running of Alderley, I’ve ran it 9 times in all weathers and the differing seasons give rise to differing challenges.   I left it till the 5^th event to let the team bed in before I came here and was immediately taken by how well the core team had mastered their brief so early on. 91 runs later, it is smooth as silk. 

Alderley played host to a wedding party today for Sarah and Geoff and boy did they look fantastic in their ‘wedding running gear’ and seemed to be having a lot of fun chatting and laughing with the tail walker making their way around the course.  Here’s hoping tomorrow keep dry and is the start of many many years of wedded running adventures.

One of the great things about parkrun and running in general is the mates you make.  Doesn’t matter what you doing for a living, you can be butcher, baker or a candlestick maker, if you’re a parkun tourist, an ever present, running your 1^st, a volunteer, a walker or your 500^th you’re a parkrunner.

Before lockdown I was running marathons twice a year, clocking up 50 plus miles a week and was ready for Manchester Marathon.  I fell out of the habit of running during lockdown and if it was not for parkrun, after it came back, I’d have probably stopped running completely.  Now with the help of the wonderful Steve Hughes from Bramhall Runners I’ve got back into the groove and instead of training for a marathon, for the first time in my life I’ve training specifically for parkrun and trying to get my slow ass times back down again.

What I have missed though is my mates from Bramhall, which is why it was so lovely to see Richard Hall, Sam Blacow, Sarah Beatie and Adam Bird again today. Ther running community is so special.  You share experiences, Sarah and I are part of the Welshie Crew up here and have proudly ran many races together including the North Wales Half with the brilliant Welsh Dragon medal.   You know when you run, you’ve always got mates, you’ve always got someone you can go for a run with and blast away the blues.  This is one of the thing that makes parkrun so special.  It is so so much more than a run in the park

195 walkers and runners set off this morning for a two lap jaunt around the stunning grounds of Alderley Park by the lake.  The first 200 metre or so take you slightly uphill into the woods  where you turn left and into the woods proper. 

You then have two laps of fun.  This is what parkrun is about, especially on a day like this.  The sun was shining through the trees and the lake looked spectacular.   Perhaps even more importantly the run itself is everything you want on a parkun.  It’s essentially, a trail run, with plenty of ups, plenty of down, plenty of trippy bits, bits of mud and some of the friendliest marshals you’d hope to meet.

I don’t think they have pacers here and you can understand why.  It’d be impossible to do it, it’s such a varied and brilliant course.  I’ve tried and there’s no point.  My advice is to just wing it.  Run like no one’s watching, laugh like no one is listening turn left at the end of the second lap and sprint like a mad thing down hill towards the finish as there’s a brilliant independent coffee van waiting for you at the end.

 

 

Take me Home Woodbank Road to the Place that I Love. A love letter to Woody

 

1 June 2024

Woodbank

Today was my 500th parkrun. I did my first one on the 27th September 2008 and had I not been such a lazy git, I’d be on a lot more. I’ve ran at 46 different locations and 209 times at Woody and always do my landmark runs at Woodbank. This is my home parkrun.

I first ran here on the 19th December 2009 at only the 18th event. Today’s was the 687th. Woodbank is the place where I fell in love with running. Woodbank is the place where I fell in love with parkrun. Woodbank is the place where I can write ridiculously, obviously smug posts on our Facebook page and get absolutely rinsed by people who have known me for about 20 years.

Woodbank is what parkrun is about. The legend that is Mike Thirsk is an example of many who epitomise this. He’s one of my oldest running friends. I met him when I first moved up here over 20 years ago. He, Carole Chadwick and I have had so much fun over the years and you only have to be in Mike’s presence for 5 minutes to realise what a thoroughly lovely man he is. Every week you’ll see him tail walking, chatting to walkers on the course, looking after people and generally ‘being Mike’. One of the nicest, most decent people you’ll ever meet.

Kath Ward and Anthony Ward were some of the folk that originally set up Woodbank, back in the day when we were on the track. These two were the masters of ‘the alternative course’. Be it the ‘dashing through the woods’ or the 10,000 laps of the grass triangle. People like Kath and Tony are the backbone of any running community. Despite handing the reins over to the just as brilliant Stuart Belll and Sarah Russell they continue to put on runs, looking after the running community in the North West and beyond.

I don’t think people realise what work goes on behind the scenes of putting on a parkrun. Stuart, Sarah and the rest of the core team work tirelessly behind the scenes every week ensuring that parkrun is on. It is only weeks like this week when they are close to cancelling as they cannot get enough volunteers do we get a sneak peak into what they’re doing every week. We probably forget that they are volunteers themselves and fit this around their days jobs. Selfless people at the heart of the community. Thank you all.

Today was a beautiful day. It’s the type of day you dream of when its blooming freezing in January and you’re jumping up and down trying to keep warm when the run brief is being given. Turning up, seeing people you’ve known for years, having a pic with people like Paul Plummer (an other incredible man who guide runs with the very fast Helen Judge ) Phil Nixon and David Wood, and just having the freedom to run.

It's easy to take it for granted. ‘It’s only parkrun’, its just ‘a run in the park’ but if Covid taught us anything it is how much we miss something when it is not there. I love parkrun, I love everything about it. How everyone is welcome, how it is it a run, a walk, a jog, or a combination of all 3. It having a coffee and butty after, it’s pacing your mate, it using it as part of a long run, it's smashing it out, its….parkrun.

146 people ran round today, and there were a number of milestones, Ciara O'Keefe, Phil Nixon and Charlotte Atkinson all reached the incredible milestones of 100 and Samantha Morris getting her half Cowell with 50 different events. What an effort ! Each with their own story and achievements. Well done everyone

Thank you to my great friends Carole and Mike for the cheers and coffee and butties after. Forget milestones, forget times. Coffee, butties and great friends. The essence and power of parkrun.

Here’s to the next 500 with apologies to the many people I've missed. You're all amazing x

(How could I forget Susan Holland and Brian Holland. Both 'get my humour' and Brian Holland especially knows how to put me back in my running box. No Hollands ? no parkrun. They're very much my cup of tea)

Pheonix in the Flames

 25 May 2024

 Pheonix parkrun

Ah summer.  We dream about it at 6am in the morning, when we get up in the 2^nd week of January at the start of Spring Marathon training, when it’s freezing cold and raining.  Your first block of running, getting out of the Christmas food and drink habit, the urge to say ‘sod it, Monday I’ll start’ cos it is Monday and your excuses have dried up, besides, you’ve got Helsby (4 Villages) Half coming up and you have do to a long run to remind yourself you still can run.

Well today was one of those beautiful late Spring, early Summer warm mornings.  The birds were singing, Rishi Sunak is still drying out, and the course at Pheonix looked beautiful.

I’m a crap volunteer, I really am.  Today was my 499^th run and until about 6 weeks ago, my volunteering stints were, well, as rare as a week without a Tory defection, until I realised when I was touring around and about to run at Clarence, that you can get a volunteering credit for sitting down on your bum, having a brew, and blabbering on for a bit on your laptop talking about the run you’ve just done !    Perfect for me.  I love blabbering, sitting down, parkrun and coffee so a complete Brucie Bonus.  In the past few weeks I’ve written reports on Clarence, Pennington Flash, Alexandra, Peel, and Bramhall.  All unique, all fab in their own way (you have to try Clarence when it’s wet, flipping brilliant)

I’ve been meaning to come to Pheonix for a while, but having been struck down by the lurgy a couple of weeks ago, I had to delay it.  Woodbank is my home run and Pheonix is my NENDY (Nearest Event Not Yet Done) so was very excited today to make  the shortish trip down the M56 to the fantastic event. 

My sense of direction is notoriously rubbish, so I arrived at the Norton Priory Museum (WA7 1BD) around 8.20 in case I got lost.   However, when I got there, the brilliant parkrun fairies had already put signs up in the carpark pointing you towards parkrun !    Now for a tourist this is a Godsend.     I‘ve been to a few parkruns recently where it’s not very clear when the start is and this is certainly one where you could get lost.  (if you do arrive before the signs either wait for them to arrive or just turn left out of the carpark (not the way you drive in) and its about a 5 minute walk down the path and over a bridge)

The café wasn’t open today and I couldn’t see where the toilets were but as ever the marshals were so helpful and very friendly.  There were tourists from all over the place (including Brisbane) and I even saw a fellow Swansea City fan (YJB) .  Plan was to have a chat after but he was way too quick for me and dropped me within the 1^st mile.  (Hywel Williams maybe ?)  Also had a chat with a lovely couple from Birmingham who epitomised everything about parkrun.   The tourism, the going on holiday and seeing if there is a local parkrun nearby, the pure joy about being out and about the open air, walking and running and volunteering.  Such a brilliant, fantastic thing to do.

Told you I like to babble.

What about the course ?  It’s a bit of a naughty one, a kind of a Venus Fly Trap about it.  On the face of it, looks docile.  All on path running alongside the waterline, 2 ¾ laps.  Jobs a good ‘un.  However, that’s without ‘Graham’s Hill’.  You have to run 3 times up that bugger.  It’s a perfect hill.  Not steep, quite long, just so you can push yourself ready for the lovely fast descent on the other side where you start your second and final lap.

95 of us set off this morning, course is a tiny bit congested when you start off for about 200 yard or so but it soon spaces out.  It really it a cracking course.  The finish it not in the same place as the start but the very kind marshals take your stuff to the end for you (just up the hill a bit)

I say the same about every parkrun I go to.  I loved it.  I’m going back to the Spiritual Home of parkrun next week, the park where Bushy wished it was, Woodbank for my 500^th.  Always do my landmark runs there.  My home run.  Local forward to it being surrounded by some of the nicest people in parkrun world. 

See you all again soon hopefully Pheonix. Nothing you can improve on. 

Stay groovy

John Richards

I love the smell of parkrun in the morning

 

18 May 2024

Bramhall 

The joy of parkrun cannot be underestimated.  I’ve been touring lately and doing run reports in the various places I’ve ran.  In all the reports I write, I always like to talk about what parkrun means to those running, volunteering and organising it.  It’s very easy to forget what we all do on a Saturday morning and it took Covid to fully understand how we miss it when it’s not there.

Like all brilliant things, its an incredibly simple concept that Paul Sinton-Hewitt thought up on the 2^nd October 2004, turn up at your local park with 12 of your mates and have a ‘time trial’ for 5k, rinse and repeat.  Like all brilliant things, slowly and organically, it grew into the wonder that we all enjoy every Saturday morning in 22 countries around the world. 

I’ve ran Bramhall parkrun 110 times, and every now and then have to take a step back to appreciate it’s beauty (and wonder why its Bramhall park but Bramall House ?) .  It really is a gorgeous place to run. 

When we’re struggling up the first hill it’s really easy to miss Bramall Hall on your right with it’s gorgeous gardens, you only will possibly appreciate it when you turn right and catch a glimpse before heading down towards ‘duck poo’ corner and across the two bridges.

Because I’ve ran it (and trained in the park) so many times you forget what a varied course it is, (I always forget the hills and what buggers they are) you forget the muddy bits, the off road bits, the pathed bits, the ‘wuup, mind your footing’ bits.  You do remember which bits of the mud can supportyou , and which will sink you, you do remember the bits on the path where you can try to over take someone, and you always remember (and are reminded by the excellent marshals) to ‘mind yourself’ on the bridge. 

Bramhall parkrun is pretty special in parkrun world as it was (I think) the third parkrun outside of London, after Leeds and Blackweir in Cardiff and as such has an incredible history. 738 events old with only one slight variation in the course.   

It’s the old saying that when something is on your doorstep you fail to appreciate it. I was listening to two tourists today who were talking about how spectacular the park was, how they were looking forward to going into Bramhall village, how friendly everyone was ‘Up North’ and how much they loved the course.

Like I said, I’ve been touring lately and the sheer volume of parkruns in this area is mindblowing. It’s not just that, but it’s the quality of them.  How can you pick a favourite from Lyme, Bramhall, Woodbank Clarence, Peel, Alexander. Bolton , Northwich ?  You can rotate a good 10 or so and still find yourself within 30 minutes maximum of a parkrun. 

Today, to me is what parkrun is about.  Beautiful Spring morning, 466  people running and walking round Bramhall park. 100 of thousands of people worldwide doing the same thing.  For free.  You only have to look at places like France where it’s on hold as they need medical certificates or the US where organised 5k events seem to be stopping it spreading like it should. 

I love parkrun in bleakest, coldest, wettest January.  On a beautiful day in Spring ?.....parkrun refreshes the parts, other events cannot reach

John Richards

 

 

Summer Running Had Me a Blast and Thank you For The Music

 

11 May 2024

Peel

Who switched the heating on ?  I missed my first parkun last week in goodness knows how long  for a bout of the lurgy and all of a sudden, summer has arrived. 

I’ve really got into doing run reports lately, touring round Northwich, Clarence, Alexandra, Pennington Flash etc and as I have said in other reports, we are so lucky in the North West having such a variety of parks on our doorstep.  The muddy banks of Clarence, the Up n Downs of Northwich, the fast and flat speedster in Alexandra to the beauty of the student inspired Peel.

I don’t tend to know much about parkrun politics, so the ‘Bring Back the Cats’ (or something like that ) has passed me by.  What is exciting is how parkrun is expanding, latest is Uganda.  How incredible is that ?  People in different parts of the world brought together by the simple joy of a toodle round a park.  Run, walk, jog, whatever you want to do.  It doesn’t matter.  People from all over the world brought together by a common, simple love of being out in the fresh air

Today was parkrun number 497 and my second run at Peel, first being a cold day in April last year where the grass on the course was a little bit….well…not grass.

Anyone who is visiting Peel for the first time is in for a massive treat.  It really is a hidden gem, 130 events in and the ever incredible marshals have it running like clockwork.  As it is an event closely aligned with the Uni, you can park for free at Irwell Place Car Park, opposite the park (as long as you display your barcode, and leave by 12 I think)  and it is a short trot into the park.  You can have a sneak preview of it by having a look at Nicola Forwood’s youtube run  Running Peel parkrun, Salford, Greater Manchester. parkrun Tourism. Stunning, Fast, Flat 2 lapper. (youtube.com)

When you walk into the park, head towards the massive statue of Joseph Brotherton where you’ll meet the team and is also where the run starts and finishes.  If you’ve not done parkrun before, you’ll be given a first timers briefing (wait till someone says ‘go’, stop when you cross the line that says ‘finish’, take a token, stay in line, get it scanned and drop it in the bucket and go  a brew) before your start your run

481 headed off this morning, the start is a little bit congested, but it very soon spreads out.  The 1^st mile or so in along the beautiful River Irwell and I am glad to say that following Nicola’s comment on the amount of rubbish when she ran it, it seems to have been cleaned up a lot.

You then turn left and head deeper into the park, which gave a welcome relief from the heat, and a downward slope through the trees and passed the Abba/Eurovision music coming from various marshals phones (wonderfully Cheesy) before setting off on your second lap which take you on a slightly higher path) along side the canal again before finally making a dash towards the end and having a lie down on the grass to recover.

No matter where I go for parkrun, irrespective of where in the country, no matter what the course you find the same thing.  Running for free, people doing it for many, varied reasons.  It has become such a mainstay of my Saturday, be it racing it, using it as a long run, or part of a recovery, it is only when you can’t run like last week do you realise how you miss it and what a wonderful event it is.  Peel parkrun ticks every box.  It’s beautiful, its flat, it’s varied and attracts a big field with times ranging from 16 minutes just under 53. 

If you are reading this and you are thinking that parkrun isn’t for you, may I suggest you come along and have a look.  You’ll be surprised.  It caters for everyone, doesn’t matter your age, your fitness, parkrun is ‘all in’.  It is not a race, you will not be last, you will not annoy anyone if you think you will be too slow.  That is not what this wonderful event is about.  I can guarantee, once the parkrun bug bites, that bugger doesn’t let go.

I’m a old veteran of parkrun.  What excites me though is people like my mate Greg, who’s just starting his parkrun journey.  It was his second parkrun today and he smashed his PB of last week by well over a minute.  Well done, waiting for the inevitable day when he strolls past me.

After the run, we went over to the ‘Old Fire Station’ café for a sandwich and a coffee. Really nice, very much recommended (tip, get there early as it gets busy)

Not sure where I’m going to next week, probably my NENDY (Nearest Not Yet Done) at Pheonix. 

Love parkun

 

John Richards A20692

 

 

 

 

 

. parkrun is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.

Alexandra

.  

As I edge ever closer to my 500^th parkrun, and we, as a collective, edge ever closer to the 20th anniversary of Paul Sinton-Hewitt turning up at Bushy Park when he was injured with 13 mates for a ‘5k time trial’ on an October morning.  Little did those pioneers know that this would turn into the best and biggest global running event the world has ever known.

In a world of uncertainty and economic concern, cost of living, unrest through the continent, one thing that is ever presen  is parkrun. It is easy to take it for granted.  I do. I missed it so much during it’s break for the Pandemic.  Turn up on a Saturday morning at your local (or not local if you’re a tourist) park and race, run, walk, pace, be paced, have a laugh, volunteer, for 5 k, be handed a token, get it scanned and hand it back.  Cheer other people in, beat last week’s time, get no where near last week’s time, run your 50^th run and eagerly await the post for the hallowed red top, and then go for a coffee and a bacon butty with your mates.  Or you could be one of the incredible volunteers, time scan, tail walk, be on a dodgy corner, give that last needed bit of encouragement before the home straight.  Every single one an essential part of making the day what it is.  Thank you all.

If we stop and think about it, how incredible is this ?  it’s free, it’s a 5k that costs us nothing.  We get to turn up every Saturday in beautiful parks and have a laugh !  You only have to look at the US to see how hard it is to set up parkuns there as there are many paid 5ks races so there is a lot of opposition, or in France where it has been paused due to the need for medical certificates.  We are so blessed to have this incredible concept and never more so in the North West.

I’ve been touring a bit over the past week few weeks and every park I’ve been to has been so different to each other.  I cobbled together reports on Pennington Flash and Clarence after I ran there.  Pennington a cracking three lapper with beautiful views and big puddles and Clarence, bonkersly brilliant Old School cross country mud.  (Last week was the unofficial home of the North West Woodbank)

Another Brucie Bonus about the abundance of runs in the North West are the variety of flat, fast courses.  Congleton, South Manchester, Stretford and today’s run, Alexandra Park.

Easy to get to, just off the Princess Parkway couple of miles off the M60/M56 and just outside the City Centre and so attracts a big field (537 today)  It’s no wonder as we had the ultimate combo of a flat run and lovely day (plus the post London running surge)

Run starts at the Pavilion in the centre of the park with the wonderfully welcoming marshals explaining to tourists and newbies all about the run and how it works.  (Top tip, it is  the type of course that starts off a tad congested but soon widens out so you may want to position yourself with the time you expect)

It’s a 2 ½ lapper around the park with one tight 180 degree turning point at the top end.  One of the great things about this course is  that you get to see the faster runners going off into the distance and flying past you when they turn off towards the finish.

Once you get past the first 300 metres or so where it can be a bit tight, you have the rest of the run to stretch your legs and really go for it.  Its very much a PB course and not one which is going to accumulate mud to slow you down.   If you are marathon training or just trying to get fit, it is exactly the type of run you’d want to come to every month or so to check your progress. 

One thing I do know is that the marshal team runs like clockwork, there was some concern at the start due to the amount of runners and whether there would be congestion at the end.  It certainly wasn’t a problem when I finished as there was a very long finish tunnel which did the trick. 

Then it was off to the café for a well earned brew.  (After you order it go to the left to get your drink, they don’t always tell you that)

Cannot fault this parkrun.  Think this is my 4^th time here (annoyingly my slowest) and certainly up there with my favourites.

See you in a month.

 

Funnell Duckers, Double Crossers and the Best Barms in parkrun World

 

Funnell Duckers, Double Crossers and the Best Barms in parkrun World

 

13 April 2024

Pennington Flash

Lordy, I love parkrun.

After last week’s fantastic cross country at Clarence parkrun, it was onto the (albeit only slightly) drier jaunt round the stunning ground of Pennington Flash.

The best thing about the fabulous concept that is parkrun is that they come in all shapes and sizes, from the beautiful wonder  that is Lyme Park, to the flatness of Bryn Bach and the glory of the real home of parkrun, Woodbank.

No matter where you go in parkrunland, you’ll find the same thing, genuinely great people out running in beautiful places supported by those people even better, the glorious volunteers.  None more so than at Penny Flash. 

One of the issues sometimes in being a parkrun tourist is turning up a new  parkrun, parking up and not knowing where the start is or sometimes even the place itself. (I’m too lazy to do research).  Not so here.  They had something I’ve never seen before in the 45 different parkruns I’ve ran at….  a parking marshal !  He was great, really friendly, explained where the start was, how you pay for your parking (in the golf bit of the café ) and all about the run. 

No sooner had I began to make my way over to start another chap came over to me and started to chat.  Again, one of the things I love about parkrun is meeting people from all walks of life.  Doesn’t matter what you do for a living, at parkrun, everyone is the same. It’s great, talking about shared experiences of different runs, the good, the bad, hearing about new parkruns.  Even heard talk about ‘bringing back the hats’ (at least that’s what I think was said)

One tip, you do need to arrive at the very latest 10 minutes or so before the start as there’s a good 5 minutes or so walk to the start.

Once you get there, you meet the rest of the volunteers who make a play for being some of nicest, friendliest bunch of people I’ve come across.  In a pretty stacked field, that takes some going.

The first timers briefing was very warm, massive congratulations to the two 1^st timer parkrunning athletes, Maggie and Rachel  who smashed it out of the park.  You two have to come back next week, you’ve got a PB to chase !

Then it was onto the RD Jonathan Dobson’s welcome brief.  I was hoping for a chat with him before the run (caught up with him after) but he was fascinating to watch.  This was a man very much on top of his brief, he ran his team like clockwork.  It’s so easy to take for granted how much work goes into RD’ing an event.  There’s so many balls you have to keep juggling in the air, he was a master at it.

He made all the usual announcements with the warnings and ‘funnel duckers and double crossers’ had me giggling at random parts of the run

130 of us set off on a three lap course.  Now I don’t normally like three lappers and I have to admit it was one of the reasons I’ve taken a while to come here.  I can only say this, please don’t make the same mistake.  The course, at the moment, is so much fun.  Big puddles of water, glorious sploshes of mud, short but naughty up hills and a great down hill at the end of every lap with a really fast finish……All I can say it is places high on the Clarencebox parkrun index of awesomeness if only for the marshals shouts of ‘embrace the water’ on the way round.

I love sausage and egg baps (I’m from the South Wales Valleys and that it definitely  the right way to describe them) and I’ve sampled many across the country of ours.  There may be some debate about parkruns and It’s probably illegal to have a favourite, but Jimminy Cricket, the sausage and egg baps here and by far and away, the best I’ve had anywhere.  (You even have a hot bap to go with it !)

I had so much fun this morning, loved the location, loved the people, loved the run, really loved the food and the coffee.

Stay cool Penny Flash