Happy New Year!
It's been a very cold start to the year with many of our events having to cancel to ensure runner safety. We take your safety very seriously so if the course proposes a risk then the only course of action is to stand down. Fortunately, parkruns take place every week so you only need wait a week for your next fix.
If your event is going to be cancelled then the event director will publish this fact on the events news page. Please make sure you look there before heading off to the event.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thanks all the volunteers and event directors for their dedication and enthusiasm. Keep up the good work.
Every month we award someone from each event in the UK with the Sweatshop Monthly Prize. This prize is awarded at the discretion of the event director and usually embodies the principles of perseverance and personal achievement. I like to read these announcements as the winners' stories help me to remember why parkrun is so great. The Banstead December Award really captured my attention and I thought it poignant that I republish their winners' accomplishment for all to read here:
The December winner of the coveted Banstead Woods Monthly Sweatshop prize is Maria Lawrence.
This prize is awarded to athletes who have shown consistency and improvement at the event.
Maria's first run at Banstead was on 27th June 2009 when she clocked 44:20 minutes with a 35.08% age grading. Maria has completed 23 events since this first visit, hardly missing an event.
Maria ran ten personal bests in her next sixteen runs, to get down to 37:36 by 24th October 2009.
She has really taken to parkrun and looks forward to her Saturday morning runs. Her runs are a real family event with brothers, Steve, Shaun and Matthew all competing.
In December, in wet and cold conditions Maria ran twice and assisted to marshal a dangerous corner on Boxing Day.
On December 12th, Maria ran yet another personal best by a massive 71 seconds to record a time of 36:25 with a 42.70% age-grading.
Maria's achievement embodies exactly what parkrun is all about. Well done Maria, keep up the good work.
Wimbledon Common parkrun 3rd Birthday
Congratulations to Wimbledon Common parkrun on their 3rd Birthday. Just like those of you who celebrate their birthday at Christmas time, the Wimbledon anniversary can sometimes get overlooked. Event Director, Ian Higgins and his faithful group of volunteers made sure that their 157th event was an event to remember. More than 15,000 runs have taken place at Wimbledon Common parkrun covering 76,000km in the process.
Jim Desmond received his 100th Club jacket and tee shirt while he chaperoned his son Kieran to his first Wimbledon Common and his 5th parkrun in a time of 28:53.
All events are using barcodes now
All of the parkrun events have introduced post race registration using barcodes now. Some are moving to a barcode only system soon and so all parkrunners are asked to collect and print their barcode in anticipation of the big switch over.
The use of a barcode to record your run ensures that we attribute the run to you and not to someone with a similar name. It also speeds up the post race registration process which when it is cold is important for you and the volunteer.
After the system is fully introduced, anyone not using the barcode to register will show up as an unknown athlete. This means that your run may not contribute to your club status making it longer for you to reach the 50 and 100 club status. We don't want anyone to be disadvantaged so please collect and remember to bring your barcode.
To collect your barcode, use the link provided in this newsletter or the one in your results email.
Announcing Newcastle and Milton Keynes parkruns
We are delighted to add two new events to the parkrun family. Welcome to Niycola Pidgeon and Gareth Snelson who are our newest event directors responsible for Newcastle and Milton-Keynes parkrun respectively. We wish them and their volunteer teams every success with their first and successive events.
If you would like to get involved in the running of these new parkruns please drop an email to:
Newcastle parkrun: Newcastle Volunteer Coordinator
Milton Keynes: Milton Keynes Volunteer Coordinator
Full details of the events are available on the respective websites:
Newcastle parkrun: course page
Milton Keynes: course page
Event News
We have had the following feedback from the events:
- Glasgow expects to be ON this weekend! After last weeks cancellation we drew up an alternative course off the roads and paths that were slippery. Delighted to say we've just today received permission from Pollok Park managers (who continue to be incredibly supportive and helpful) to use it, so our special 'winter conditions' off-road 5k course is ready to roll. Details at: Glasgow parkrun news page
- Fantastic race at Bushy last week with Andy Baddeley and co. We've not been able to run at all in Bramhall for 2 weeks due to ice still covering the park. This morning we've had 6 inches of snow which has made it more runnable - see photo
Drop me an email if you have an interesting parkrun related fact, happening or comment that you would like to share with all parkrunners.
Feedback from the field
To all parkrun and volunteers,
Thank you for your birthday wishes.
parkrun is the Best Event that has happened for runners in recent years and wish you all the best and a Happy New Year 2010
Regards,
Brian
parkrunner of the week
Name: Andrew 'Kew' Brown
Club: Ranelagh Harriers
Age: Heinz varieties
Home parkrun: The best (Richmond, of course)
Occupation: Unemployed at last! . . . offensively Australian
Number of Runs: 62
Number of times volunteered: Not enough - more than 15 ("Of course, if everyone volunteered, there be no parkrunners" in the words of the immeasurably-missed Stephen Instone)
What do you do at parkruns: Wear my volunteer T-shirt with pride and enjoy the company. Have done most roles: marshal, registration, timer, pacer (RG Active compression calf guards prize last week!), lead bike, rear-gunner (PW does wonders for age-grade graph) - even inadequate substitute for ace photographer Nigel! ?
How has parkrun changed your running: Privileged to run with neighbours for last few years (sociable 6kms round Chiswick and Kew Bridges at 7 a.m., two or three mornings each week). parkrun raised my game from dilettante ( I foolishly ran 7.5 miles each way to my first Bushy Park parkruns in Feb-Mar '07!) to relatively regular runner, and I even joined Ranelagh Harriers; all thanks to Heather's scones and brownies. (Have you seen the Bedfont Lakes recipe pages: Do they find time to run:!)
What do you like about parkrun: Everything - healthy exercise and life-enhancing interaction with a wonderful range of achieving individuals (and dogs) in incomparable surroundings. Where else can you be run into the ground by a former Governor (and Commander in Chief) of Gibraltar, an intrepid reporter (not Tintin, but every bit as boyish), the International Maritime Organisation and your local Council Leader: Proof that the best things in life really are free. Actually, it's down to some seriously hard work by Paul S-H and team, particularly Karen and all the Race Directors who make it happen every Saturday, everywhere , at 9 a.m. (apart from Scotland, I hear; something to do with Friday nights, bless 'em!).
Most memorable or funniest parkrun moment: The weather steals the show (don't tell anyone about the recent succession of gloriously sunny Richmond parkruns!): - is there a unique Richmond Park micro-climate at 9 a.m. on Saturdays: I'm referring to the circular head-wind! - treacherous snow and ice in Jan-Feb this year (and Wiebke's fast recovery from broken ankle: comfortably back in PB territory); - smugly braving worst-ever (in Paul S-H's memory, which no man surpasseth!) Saturday morning 13 December to find a record 217 others running in spite of rain and gales.
Happy Running!
Paul from parkrun
Crispy Corner
Go easy with the ice
As many of you know we reluctantly had to cancel many parkruns over the Christmas period because of hazardous icy conditions. We don't do this lightly, but safety is always our top concern. We always try to give as much notice as possible of an event cancellation (please keep checking your event's news page for latest information); however, as you're all aware conditions can deteriorate overnight, and sometimes we have to make the decision to cancel at the last minute. We can only apologise if this happens.
Even when we do go ahead with a run, we ask all runners to take extra care at this time of year. We try to warn everybody of known hazards on the courses, but ultimately all parkrunners must take responsibility for themselves; anyone who feels uncomfortable with conditions on a particular day, should sit it out. Those running should watch out for black ice (particularly if it might be hidden by a thin layer of snow), and should take care of other runners, particularly on tight corners.
Volunteering
Please consider making volunteering at your local parkrun one of your new year's resolution (your other being to run more of course). All our events are organised by teams of local volunteers, and they are all keen to see new faces getting involved. If you're worried about slipping down in your event's points competition, you needn't fear - we award full points for volunteering to all runners up to three times each year. More information about how to volunteer can be found on your event's volunteer page.
Reminders
New parkrun events
- Milton Keynes parkrun starts 9th January 2010
- Newcastle parkrun starts 9th January 2010
- Cambridge parkrun starts 30th January 2010