August, month of summer holidays and, if we’re lucky, sunshine, is also the month where more people visit other parkruns than at any other time of year. So it was a bright dry morning as 221 people, 42 of them new to Penrith, ran, jogged or walked their way round the two laps of Frenchfield on Saturday.
Among those new to our course were Fiona and John, veterans of over 100 Parkruns each, members of Southend Flyers running club and here sampling the delights of Cumbria. Also here were Kim and Gavin from near Chelmsford (was Essex empty this weekend?), who had brought children and grandparents up for a week, but didn’t want to miss out on their weekly fix.
However these efforts paled in comparison to the couple from Nepal, who had driven down from Skye on Friday night, and were then heading over to Dublin on Sunday as part of their three week odyssey across Britain. What they thought of our comparatively puny mountains they were far too polite to mention.
As well as our travelling friends, many of our regulars were in celebratory mood this week. Bea Fallows achieved her 100th parkrun, while Shawn Silson claimed his 200th, all the more remarkable since every single one has been run after he suffered a heart attack and had a pacemaker fitted. Not necessarily the recommended route to parkrun stardom, but what a fantastic effort.
Our 30 volunteers, including three pacers running at set speeds, yesterday witnessed Johnny Cox pushed all the way by John Battrick at the front of the field, Johnny finally coming out on top in 15:53 to John’s 16:10.
Rose Gilldaley led the women home in an impressive 21:12, with Karen Bridge second in 21:29. These are quick times by serious athletes, but just as impressive are the folk getting personal bests in 30, 40, 50 minutes and beyond.
That’s the real joy of parkrun, you run at your own pace and share the experience with others doing exactly the same. Come on down to Frenchfield any Saturday morning at 9am and find out what you can do.
REPORT: Tim Openshaw
