My first 10 parkruns at 10 different parkruns.

This week I’m writing a slightly different post. It’s all about parkrun, if you haven’t already heard of it it’s where you complete a 5K organized timed run for free and last year I finally completed my first 10, at 10 different locations. This little post is my journey on my first 10 parkruns.

1. Blackpool (32:35)

I actually did my first parkrun all the way back in 2017 in what the most northern parkrun is currently I have done. I got a time of 32:35 and the main reason I did it was to prove a point. You do not need to buy special clothes to do running. So yes, I wore a T-shirt and a pair of black jeans whilst doing this run. I didn’t think it was too bad. The biggest irony of it is since this I have in fact purchased running shoes, a pair of shorts and a running t-shirt.

2. Queen Elizabeth (32:36)

2019, The year where I actually started doing some of them and in January, I completed the rather hilly Queen Elizabeth parkrun, did this in shorts this time.

3. Crissy Field (26:29)

Crissy Field was one that I couldn’t resist and probably my favourite one I have done. Crissy fields is in San Francisco, USA. The course goes along the Crissy Fields before doing a loop around a field within the country park. You have a beautiful view of the golden gate bridge and actual park itself. This parkrun holds my current PB, probably because the course was nice and flat.

4. Cardiff (38:29)

This course was fairly flat and was along a river path before entering Bute park. It’s a nice course and fairly flat. I unfortunately had a problem with my leg halfway around and had to walk the rest. I’d quite like to give this one another go because of it.

5. Woolacombe Dunes (34:20)

Voted the UK’s hardest parkrun, because of family living in Woolacombe I knew the place fairly well and this is another parkrun I’d love to give another go, simply because it is so different and running across the beach was so nice. Featuring a beautiful run along the beach and massive incline up a dune. For any parkrun fans this is bucket list parkrun you should visit.

6. Bushy Park (27:11)

The parkrun where it all started and what a day to go, we went on parkruns 15th anniversary, with an attendance 1838 it certainly is packed. Not that, that’s their record attendance with it being broken on Christmas day 2545 runners!! The course itself around the park is nice and it’s a large space in west London. There can be deer’s about however and in the colder months they can be angry.

7. Somerdale Pavilion (27:11)

A lot of people don’t like this one, However I enjoyed it. It’s like a racetrack as the course is hosted in one big field. As you can see on the map it has a big curly whirly and is two laps. The course can come up funny on Strava showing a different distance because it is only on one field.

8. Didcot (29:08)

Just a local parkrun for me.

9. Salcey forest (30:04)

A very beautiful run through a forest, a few hills and mainly off road. I enjoyed this one. Was a little annoyed I was 5 seconds off getting under 30 minutes.

10. Harcourt Hill (28:33)

Another local one for me, around the Hardcourt Hill Oxford Brookes campus.

That’s a look at my first 10 parkruns, which are all at 10 different places. Your notice I’m not the fastest of the runners and I don’t try to be. Originally, I wasn’t very fond of the idea of doing parkruns every week however like I said I’ve even got running shoes now.

If you’ve never done a parkrun before, pop along. You can find your nearest event here: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/events/events/#geo=4.74/55.05/-2.95

Parkrun is free and is always free, and if you aren’t up for the run one week, why not volunteer as parkrun wouldn’t be able to host these events without them. I’ve volunteered once at Delaware and Raritan Canal parkrun in New Jersey as I was feeling pretty tired by the time we got there (Took almost three hours from our hotel in NY.)

How do I sign up and what do I do when I’m there?

Signing up is simple; do it here https://www.parkrun.org.uk/register/ and then every week bring your barcode with you (you need to print it off mobile barcodes are not accepted in the UK.) and once you’ve completed your run get your barcoded scanned along with your finish token which your given at the end of your run, that’s it. Later check back on your parkrun sites page and your see your result. If you set it up as well you can get your result texted to you.

As mentioned in my previous post I’m doing a special Apple watch blog which you can now view in its own area here.

Also stalk me on Strava if you like and find out instantley when I’ve done a parkrun or some other exercise. https://www.strava.com/athletes/94954

Until next week;

Kyle Wilkinson