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 2nd
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
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