There was a festive feeling at Penrith’s Frenchfield on Christmas Eve as people started arriving for parkrun.
Christmas songs were playing and there were many elves and Santas who had decided to take an hour off from their toy making and delivery duties later in the day.
Christmas Eve is a day for excitement and anticipation, and so it was appropriate that Andrew Richardson made sure that all the tourist runners were welcomed and clear about the course, milestones celebrated, volunteers thanked, pacers introduced and lastly advised that there was a gift for everyone at the end – a delicious traybake.
David Appleyard is an early convert to Parkrun, ran for the first time at Penrith, having run at 77 different venues during his parkrun participation. This was his 669th! Visiting from Middlesbrough with his friend Mark Rogers who has only completed a mere 337 but visited 93 different venues, clearly parkrun tourists.
Many parkrunners are on the tourist trail and another milestone was achieved by Clare Regan. Clare and husband David are also parkrun tourists currently aiming to complete the parkrun alphabet. Which means running at 26 different parkruns beginning with each letter of the alphabet.
However, this was Clare’s 100th and she wanted to complete this milestone at her home course. Her husband David has some catching up to do having only completed 79.
Penrith is a very inclusive parkrun with juniors enjoying running with seniors. One young runner, Eleanor Todd completed her 50th run. She has a way to go to match David’s achievement, but she has time on her side. Eleanor loves being cheered on by the marshals’ and other participants. Well done Eleanor.
On Christmas Eve, 277 people completed the Penrith parkrun and all the results can be found at https://www.parkrun.org.uk/penrith/results/
Each one hopefully feeling good at the end of it, maybe because they got a PB or achieved a milestone or ticked off one of the tourist run lists, or, like the writer, were just happy to get round and enjoy it.
The run/walk couldn’t happen without the 30-plus volunteers (some of whom arrive at 7.30am to set everything up) who provide a safe and motivating environment for those who want to participate.
As a participant the thing I love most about the volunteers is that they are as enthusiastic in their support of the first person to the last person over the line. My one wish would be for those who finish early is, that after they have had their tokens scanned, for them to come along to the channel to the finish line and spend a few minutes cheering on those who come behind.
The traybakes were a lovely treat at the end of another thoroughly enjoyable and successful event. Well done again to everyone who took part.
