Gone are the days when New Year's Day was a hungover write off, sacrificed unto the cause of downing multiple tequilas in a dubious establishment to toast the first hours of the oncoming year. New Year's Day is now the day of The Double, the only day of the year when one can record two … Continue reading Greenwich and Bexley parkruns
Tag: parkrun tourism
Alvaston parkrun
One of the many good things about parkrun is that it gives you an excuse to hop on a train and visit friends in far flung glamorous locations (like Derby) whom you have not seen for far too long. You shouldn't need an excuse, of course, but as we get older, busier and less prone … Continue reading Alvaston parkrun
Weekend in Belfast
I've found it hard to get back into the swing of training after the cancelled triathlon. I had the rest of this month earmarked for relaxation and self congratulation but now I find myself with another six weeks of triathlon training with no spare time, no budget for open water swimming and an increasingly fraying … Continue reading Weekend in Belfast
Southwark/Osterley/Shorne Woods parkruns
All the triathlon prep and stress has meant I've got a bit behind with my parkrun write ups so I am just going to write a quick paragraph on each of the above. I will probably have to revisit them all and give them a proper review when I have time! Southwark This parkrun would … Continue reading Southwark/Osterley/Shorne Woods parkruns
Zielona Gora parkrun
Friday 5th July 2019 To think that three years ago I thought going to Chelmsford for the sake of a parkrun was excessive! This week I packed my bags and headed to sunny Poland to visit the parkrun tourist Mecca of Zielona Gora, one of only four parkruns to start with the letter Z. Since … Continue reading Zielona Gora parkrun
Mole Valley parkrun
As scenic parkrun locations go, you can't do much better than a Surrey vineyard in the shadows of Box Hill. Mole Valley lies a mile from Dorking station, in the midst of Denbies Wine Estate, the largest vineyard in England, 265 sprawling acres amongst the leafy Surrey Hills, adjacent to the North Downs Way. It … Continue reading Mole Valley parkrun
Malahide parkrun
Some of my friends are obsessed with The Cure in the same way that I am obsessed with parkrun. They spend thousands of pounds visiting weird and wonderful locations, hours on Facebook discussing the peaks and pitfalls of various sets, and spend time outdoors getting sunburnt or soaked. One friend, Gary, even keeps a spreadsheet … Continue reading Malahide parkrun
Clair parkrun
Clair - in Haywards Heath - is a parkrun that rarely seems to get much attention from parkrun tourists, perhaps it's because it's so close to Brighton that people think if they've gone all that way, they might as well go to the seaside. Or perhaps it's because it has four and a half laps. … Continue reading Clair parkrun
Kettering parkrun
The highlight of my childhood visits to my grandparents' house in Kettering was always a trip to Wicksteed Park. Sailing down the bumpy slide in the children's playground, losing your lunch on the lurching Pirate Ship and of course the terrifyingly precarious Pinfari rollercoaster. In the interim years, I've visited much bigger and fancier rides, … Continue reading Kettering parkrun
Raphael parkrun
This weekend parkrun tourism took me all the way to the glamorous suburb of Romford (it's not actually glamorous) to meet my long standing internet crush, the lovely Victoria, and her equally lovely friend Sarah. This is another parkrun that has been hovering near the top of my to-do list for a while. Raphael Park … Continue reading Raphael parkrun
Wendover Woods parkrun
The Christmas Cow Fest (a convention of Cow Cowl clad tourists) took place this weekend at the relatively new Wendover Woods parkrun in Buckinghamshire. As I was at work on Friday, I could only take part in the parkrun section of the festivities and not the drinks the night before, which by the look of … Continue reading Wendover Woods parkrun
Fleetwood Promenade parkrun
The places you end up supporting a non league football team. Blackpool, for instance. What a place. It reminds me of those video games I used to play before I started spending all my time running, where you roam a town filled with non-playable characters, simulated humans who slowly and purposelessly roam the streets with … Continue reading Fleetwood Promenade parkrun
Southend parkrun
Southend parkrun comes under the heading of "parkruns I have been meaning to go to for ages but keep getting thwarted by engineering works on the Gospel Oak to Barking line". This weekend was my last real opportunity to do it before it gets too cold for this nonsense, so I was relieved to see … Continue reading Southend parkrun
Hasenheide parkrun
I am now a multinational parkrun tourist! Last weekend I was in Berlin to see my favourite band, mesh. You will recall that this is the same band that I followed to Bradford, so at least they've upped their game on the glamorous locations. Berlin is home to the new-ish parkrun of Hasenheide, in the … Continue reading Hasenheide parkrun
parkrun du Bois de Boulogne
I have spent the last week on holiday in France. Last Thursday I did my hilliest 5k ever in the mountains of the Cantal region of France where my uncle lives. My route consisted of 2km of rocky trail and 3km of roads. The first 2km were extremely wet and uneven - it rained heavily … Continue reading parkrun du Bois de Boulogne
Bradford parkrun
When I heard my favourite band, mesh, were playing the Infest festival in Bradford, my first thought was "I wonder if I can combine this with a parkrun?" Bradford, you see, hosts a rather infamous parkrun with a "Teeny Tiny Hill", complete with sign, that you have to run up three times. I have never … Continue reading Bradford parkrun
Gladstone parkrun
Last time I went to Hampstead Heath parkrun, I spotted on their page that the nearest alternative parkrun was one I'd never heard of, Gladstone parkrun. The parkrun website informed me that this park is situated in Dollis Hill, a part of London that I have never set foot in, despite it being only ten … Continue reading Gladstone parkrun
parkrun Tourism parts 1-20
As I mentioned yesterday, Victoria Dock was my 20th parkrun venue and I am now an official parkrun Tourist. My first parkrun was Finsbury Park on 4th March 2017 and I did it twice before thinking that I might like to try one that was slightly less challenging on the hill front - so off … Continue reading parkrun Tourism parts 1-20
Richmond parkrun
Seven months ago, I said: and I must admit that this bold statement was at the forefront of my mind as I struggled around Richmond Desert, sorry, I mean Richmond Park this morning. With the temperature hitting 33 degrees, my body informed me that running was unavailable and walking was the only available substitute. Therefore … Continue reading Richmond parkrun
Hadleigh parkrun
I have been wanting to visit this Hadleigh parkrun ever since I went on a history walk up to the castle last summer. It looked like a mountainous beast of a parkrun, with a hill to put Finsbury Park to shame (the course boasts double the elevation overall, and an 18% gradient in several places). … Continue reading Hadleigh parkrun