On the day before the clocks went forward, 242 runners, joggers and walkers assembled at Frenchfields for the 343rd Penrith parkrun, perhaps hoping time might favour them with a subtle shift towards their goals.
Certainly the weather was on their side, a beautiful warm and sunny morning with little wind meant that spirits were high at the start line.
This week Jamie Coates lead the field home in an impressive 18:46, closely followed by William Knaggs in a new personal best of 19:08 and Nick Toone completed the top three, in 19:34. Rose Gilldaley was the first female home, 5th overall in 19:48, close to her best too.
Overall this week there were 45 personal bests and 43 running for the first time at Penrith. One of these was Jenny Slee who, in response to a recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, decided to resurrect her career to help with both the mental and physical aspects of the disease.
Here’s to many more parkruns Jenny! In the same vein, Shona and Sarah, who represent 5k Your Way – helping people with, or affected by, cancer – were making their monthly visit to Penrith. It’s a reminder that exercise can play such an important part in all our lives, especially when shared with others.
I wonder if Freya Kindle felt the same as she crossed the line for the first time ever, accompanying her grandmother, Julia King, who was completing her 250th!
There may have been a little inter-generational sprint finish to the line, cheered on by several other family members.
Another Penrith regular, David Wills, was completing his 50th run, welcomed home by some of the 30 plus volunteers who make this weekly gathering possible.
Without them none of this could happen. Perhaps the time is right for you to start a parkrun career, so why not pop down and join the fun every Saturday morning?
