After some mixed weeks weather wise it was lovely to see that April 1 didn’t play the fool with the Penrith parkrun volunteers and participants.
The morning was slightly chilly but dry and even warm in the sun. The improving weather can always be seen in the increasing number of shorts and T-shirts on show, as opposed to multiple layers including hats and gloves.
This week saw 37 volunteers including an impressive nine pacers supporting the 244 participants who walked and ran around the Frenchfield site.
This week saw Ellie Anderson from Kilmarnock Harriers home as the first female home in 20:49, her first run at Penrith. She was followed by regular Penrith and Eden runner Nicola King who completed her fastest time of the year.
For the males, it was regular first placer Harry Lancaster in 15:55, his fastest run of 2023 at Penrith, the good conditions suiting him and others with 31 Personal Bests across the field. Getting a PB when you are running what parkrun calls a “milestone”, for example, 50, 100 or 250 runs is always special and for Emma Bower, completing her 100th run, she managed just that in also achieving a PB, clearly having a balloon tied to her didn’t prove to be too much of a hindrance!
Her dad Garry, a regular parkrunner and pacer was helping those people who aimed to get around in about 25 minutes today and he clearly inspired a few, as there was a real cluster of PBs in the runners around him.
With pacers spread across times from 22 to 34 minutes lots of people benefitted from the “pull-push” effect of having a person to chase or follow.
At the start of every event during the run brief the cry always goes up asking if there are new runners, new to Penrith and where our visitors have come from.
At this event this meant people joining us from places including Oldham, Sunderland, Edinburgh, Kilmarnock, and for some international flavour, Munich.
Carrie and Rich Kembleton who were visiting family locally are regular parkrunners in Germany, and Carrie who is recovering from injury, was today taking part in parkwalk – the initiative to encourage walkers to take part at parkrun.
In the spirit of parkrun not only being a welcoming UK family, the international aspect of how parkrun is now a global phenomenon was highlighted by the fact that Penrith regular, Fiona Tidbury, had in fact already met Carrie and Rich at their local event in Germany, by dint of when visiting her daughter Lizzie and partner Tom in Germany, and taking part in parkrun whilst there had been introduced to them!
Sometimes it really is a small world and parkrun is a fabulous way to meet friends new and old not only from across the country but the world!
If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer or come along to walk or run, come down next Saturday for some Easter fun, ready to go at 9am at Frenchfield.
