To cancel or not to cancel!
That has been the question on many of our event directors' lips of late. As I write this the snow is softly drifting past my window and already I am thinking about what the conditions might be for parkrunners this Saturday. Last week eleven events had to cancel. This included our newest events Newcastle and Milton Keynes. The decision to cancel is not taken lightly but where we feel that the runners or volunteers are placed in additional danger, then we are obliged to review the event taking place.
If 11 events cancelled then 15 events went ahead and some of these in the most inhospitable conditions. Well done to you all for an incredible feat. For those of you who did run, it was exhilarating. Jogging around a snow packed course with the pressure removed in crisp and cold conditions must rate near the top of my memorable runs in the past few years.
Please pay attention to your events (news) website for up-to-date information on the cancellation of your event. All events are due to run and where they decide to cancel they will post a news item.
Lucozade Sport Fuelling Your Future Running
Following on from the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon competition last year, we'd like to continue to share our race calendar with you by offering places to the Silverstone Half Marathon and Reading Half Marathon; we've two pairs for each event, complete with sports nutrition in our Race Day Essentials bag for each runner. All you have to do is email me (parkrun@fasttrackagency.com) with your name, daytime phone number and nominated friends, putting either SILVERSTONE HALF MARATHON or READING HALF MARATHON in the subject box; entries will close at 12pm on Tuesday 19th January with winners notified by 12pm on Wednesday 27th January.
Congratulations go to Andrew Meskell and Alex Threlkeld who won places in next month's Sussex Beacon Half Marathon - Good Luck!
Look forward to hearing from you - Edd
New marathon podcast
Interested in doing a marathon? Want to know what's going on in the world of marathons? Leeds parkrun founder, friend and general fitness fanatic Tom Williams is working with some of the leading sports people in the UK to bring you this new podcast.
The podcast is free and released every Wednesday either via iTunes or direct through our website (www.marathontalk.com) although primarily aimed at those who are interested in marathons. We will be putting something in there for all runners. There will be interviews with interesting people from the world of running, discussions about training, race reviews, news items and various other features.
"Interested people should go to www.marathontalk.com for further information."
Episode One will be available on Wednesday the 13th of January. And you can link to it here: http://www.facebook.com/n/?pages%2FMarathon-Talk%2F417481080651&mid=1b0f812G2769c477G47ca295G4c
Event News
We have had some great feedback from the events:
The January 2nd run at Woodbank parkrun was held in a snow storm and was a great success. So far we have never had rain during one of our events. Considering our close vicinity to Manchester and the amount of rain we usually get throughout the year, this is quite astonishing. No doubt we will now get a deluge this week. Come prepared...
Roundshaw Downs parkrun invites you to become a fan of their Facebook page. www.facebook.com/rdparkrun
Happy Birthday to Bushy Race Director - Ray Coward who turned 65 last Saturday.
Congratulations to Tom Fallon who ran his 100th Brighton and Hove parkrun. That means he has missed only 16 Brighton and Hove parkruns.
Richard Ward catches Rachael Elliot in the most wins category - 55 apiece.
No surprises then! There were no new age category records nor were there any new course records this week. Rob Downs wins at Woodbank for the first time.
Drop me an email (paul@parkrun.com) if you have an interesting parkrun related fact, happening or comment that you would like to share with all parkrunners.
Feedback from the field
Hi Guys,
A big thank you for all your hard work over the last year. It is appreciated. Another great event today despite the weather! Happy Christmas to all at parkrun. All the best for 2010.
Cheers.
Mike and Maggie
Thank you for your mail.
We, all runners will always respect for the decision of the coordinator- in the summer, spring and autumn (and no-snow winter) we enjoy in the park so it means our parkrun will be affected by the nature too- we know that. I just simply wanted to say my appreciation for your reminder-mail.
Even some local parkruns may be cancelled; we all look forward to getting together soon!
Takenoko
Hello,
I completed my first park run last week, and found the event extremely friendly, welcoming, and actually better organised than some running events I have paid entry fees for. How lovely also to then receive an email wishing my Happy Birthday - Thank you!
I shall be doing more parkruns, snow allowing!
Kind regards
Carly
Thanks very much for my fabulous new trainers!
when I started running, just over 2 years ago, at the grand age of 48, if someone had told me that not only would I still be running 2 years later but also I would be enjoying it and winning PRIZES, I would have said that they were bonkers! But here I am at 50 running regularly, a club member, having completed 3 marathons and still improving my times.
I did my first parkrun just over a year ago and although I enjoyed it I did not like the thought of getting up early on a Saturday morning (on a day off work!) to drive to Banstead. Then when Roundshaw Downs was first mentioned I thought again about it and have become a convert not really missing my lie in on a Saturday and even arranging my summer holiday so that I only missed one week! I have brought along friends and family to share what I think is a great experience and am forever boring people at work with the joys of parkrun.
Most Saturdays I either run or volunteer except on the odd occasion when I am out of London and my favorite runs have been with my disabled son who I encouraged to come along and join the fun when he is not away at University. Alex gets so much out of his run too and I really think that it is helping him in many ways not just his fitness (although that is important too!)
So thanks again, I have been for my shoes and am looking forwards to breaking them in and using them for this year's VLM where I am hoping to reduce my time again
Annette
Hi all
I have just spotted this message and i am very pleased, thank you very much.
I think that parkrun has really helped with my training because I can measure my performance regularly. This has been a big help recently as I have been doing my assessment tests for the parachute regiment and passed the final test in December. I will still be attending the run regularly until I receive my recruitment date and would just like to thank all the team for their hard work, and the sponsers for supporting such a great event.
Cheers
Adam
Dear All,
I would like to say a huge thank-you to you and the Edinburgh parkrun heroes for the fantastic start to 2010 - new running shoes, FREE!
They selected me for the December award and I went into Sweatshop after last week's event.
Well done on securing such excellent sponsorship (please pass on my thanks to your Sweatshop contacts) and thank you for organising such a great event.
Best regards,
Andrew McLeod
parkrunner of the week
Name: Geoff Kinlen
Club: Epsom Oddballs RC
Age: 61
Home parkrun: Banstead Woods parkrun
Occupation: Semi-retired Contact Lens Optician. Walking, eating & skiing
Number of Runs: 61
Number of times volunteered: 29
What do you do at parkruns: Timing, Discs and Results
How has parkrun changed your running: Given me the opportunity to help as well as run which I enjoy just as much as running.
What do you like about parkrun: Mainly meeting friends on a Saturday morning, the atmosphere at Banstead Woods has to be experienced. It's not about beating others, more about beating your own PB.
Most memorable or funniest parkrun moment: It's not funny but I can't forget it either. Running with new runners and then a month later not being able to stay with their pace.
Anything else: I hope the future of parkrun retains the "free to run" principle and that commercial pressures never influence the direction of this unique event.
Happy Running!
Paul from parkrun
Crispy Corner
Ongoing Weather Chaos
With a record number of event cancellations at the weekend, it's worth reminding everybody to please take special care if your event does take place - if the conditions are icy, it's probably not the week to go chasing a new PB. Please also check your event's news page to see if may have been cancelled.
Barcodes
Please, please help the volunteers who run your event by always taking your barcode with you.
Reminders
Barcode Reminder
- Barcodes are used at all our events.Please collect and print your barcode here.
New Events
- Milton Keynes parkrun starts 16th January
- Newcastle parkrun starts 16th January
- Cambridge parkrun starts 30th January