Penrith’s Winter Droving may have been cancelled and it was a hot topic at the town’s parkrun this morning but more than 352 people ran, jogged or walked round the 5k route at Frenchfield and were not blown off course in cold, bright but fairly still conditions.
As ever, the volunteers turned up in good time to set up in preparation. Many of these volunteers fulfil a variety of roles. Paul Wilson and Petrina Cassell help to litter pick before the event, both write reports and are regular pacers.
Tim and Helen Openshaw are also reporters and marshal when injured. Tim has a niggling hamstring and was marshalling at The Split.
He said that parkrun is a necessity even when injured and I agree with this. I am suffering from tendinitis and get my parkrun fix by volunteering.
Today I did a number of different tasks including litter picking, run directing, barcode scanning and of course, writing this report as well as cheering on and encouraging the parkrunners.
A regular barcode scanner, Emma Watson was one of today’s timekeepers. Emma was sporting a very smart new haircut but soon put on a hat against the chill!
Today we welcomed visitors from Falkirk, Cambridge, Livingstone and as far away as North Queensland who came with the Becks to take part in their first ever parkrun.
Mike McKeon, from Livingstone was at Frenchfield bright and early. He has driven past on the A66 many times and decided that today was the day to take on a nice, flat parkrun.
parkrun likes to celebrate and today we celebrated Mickey ‘Pizza’ Mallen, from Kirkby Thore, reaching 100 parkruns, and his 50th at Penrith.
We also gave Grace a cheer as she will be 12 tomorrow and was running her first parkrun.
People run parkrun for many reasons and on the last Saturday of every month Sarah and Shiona from 5K Your Way come to Frenchfield to support people who are dealing with cancer, so they were here in their distinctive blue T-shirts and hoodies.
Alison Walker, who was diagnosed with MS eight years ago and has not run consistently since her diagnosis, recently decided that as she was about to turn 50, it was time to get back in shape and she is now running regularly.
It has helped her to lose a lot of weight and she has returned to fitness! Such an inspiration….well done, Alison! It is lovely to see you looking so well.
Also running today was Douglas Gilldaley who first came to PenrithpParkrun in a sling as a baby, carried by his mum six or seven years ago.
As a toddler, he would, sometimes, reluctantly, walk one or two laps. Today, he was rightly very proud of himself as he achieved a new PB, running alongside his dad.
It won’t be long, surely, before he is challenging big sister, Rose who was first lady home!
If you would like to come and undertake one of the many volunteering roles or take part please visit https://www.parkrun.org.uk/penrith/ where you will also find a full list of participants, results and volunteers.
