The last Penrith parkrun of the year dawned dull, cold and grey but 225 happy runners braved the weather to tramp the soggy and potentially icy circuit.
The temperature was low enough to close the tarmac part of the route by the River Eamont, extending the straight run to the bridge from the river (I really hate that part of the course).
Following the introductions from Andrew Richardson we set off. I found it cold enough to wear my rain jacket for the first time on a parkrun and I wasn’t going to break any records this morning due to the weight gained from chocolates, mince pies and Christmas puddings.
Coming round the back straight the snow-topped slopes of Cross Fell and the Dun fells were visible ahead. They had disappeared under a steadily lowering pall of rain cloud by the time I started the second circuit, accompanied by a light patter of rain.
The ground underfoot was as soggy as it had been for the last few weeks. It turned out to be a good run, though: you warm up soon enough and the falling rain becomes barely noticeable.
It doesn’t really matter what the weather is like as it’s always good to get out for a morning run and it is definitely easier running with others, even a couple of hundred others. And there’s something special about doing it in the cold and the wind and the rain, something of an invigorating achievement. It certainly wakes you up.
There were visitors from all over the country and as far afield as the United States. Harry Lancaster stormed in at 16:23 as the first male past the finish line followed by Isabella Sharrock, the first female and a Jesmond Jogger, at 19:56, a personal best.
There were 20 other personal bests and 23 Penrith first-timers. Simon Knell, an Eden Runner, who achieved his 300th park run last week, ran his 53rd parkrun of the year, one short of the Grand Slam. Never mind, there’s always next year, starting on Monday with the New Year’s Day run.
Thanks are due, as always, to the wonderful team of volunteers, sensibly snug and warm in their hi-vis jackets. There’s no parkrun without them.
