It seems an incredibly long time ago now, December 2019 in fact, since I heard I had been lucky enough to obtain a Chicago marathon place. This ticket has been rolled over, deferred and reclaimed numerous times, but finally, hopefully I will be able to attend the race this year in October. Which means it... Continue Reading →
50 weeks without parkrun
Saturday 14th March 2020 - an uneventful muddy morning at Walthamstow parkrun as I plodded around the 5km route in a leisurely time of 34 minutes, not knowing that this would be the last parkrun I would take part in for quite some time! In all honesty, when that first parkrun was cancelled, I was... Continue Reading →
Brabrand parkrun – my first Danish parkrun!
One of the (many) things I love about parkrun is it's universality. I've run at 18 different parkrun locations now, and each one, despite the many wonderful variations in course and scenery, has exactly the same familiar and welcoming feel. Just turn up with your barcode, and the general process for running, scanning finish tokens... Continue Reading →
Victoria Dock Parkrun, a Huge PB and a Lesson in Mind Over Matter
I was back on the parkrun tourist trail this week for my 95th parkrun. Victoria Dock is just a few miles away from my home run of Walthamstow, and I had heard reports of it being a fast, flat course, ideal for a PB attempt! I had set my parkrun PB of 26:03 a few... Continue Reading →
Bushy parkrun Pilgrimage – June 2019
15th June marked my 90th parkrun, and it was a special one! Probably the number-one must-visit destination for all parkrun tourists is the place where it all began; Bushy parkrun. Way back in October 2004, 13 intrepid runners, led by Paul Sinton-Hewitt, met to take place in a timed 5k run, an event that would... Continue Reading →
Stevenage parkrun – and June run streak day 1!
So the London Marathon is over, I've had a month of easy running to recover, and now it's time to turn my focus towards the second half of the year. This year my summer and autumn training will all be focused towards my next major challenge - the Berlin Marathon on September 29th! With that... Continue Reading →
Cleethorpes parkrun – Easter weekend tourism
When planning a weekend away, one of the first things I now think of is: 'Which new parkrun can I visit?'. I love visiting different parkrun venues, with the comforting familiarity of the system mixed with the chance to discover some beautiful new locations. I'm currently working towards my 'parkrun tourist' challenge, awarded for running... Continue Reading →
New parkrun PB at Hackney Marshes!
Hackney Marshes is my second most regularly visited parkrun venue. Just a few miles from home, with it's dead-flat canal path pavement course, I love to come here whenever I want to try for a fast time, or just need a break from the muddy Walthamstow course. Approaching the peak of my London Marathon training,... Continue Reading →