Welcome to this week's newsletter
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My highest ever parkrun finish
In the early days of parkrun, when we were much smaller and I had more control over Bushy, I once tried to finish on the podium. This particular event was a special event (either Christmas or New Year) and because of this we ran it in the reverse direction. I stood 20 meters ahead of the start and addressed the small group of runners. After the announcements and with very little warning I shouted GO and turned and dashed off in the direction of the finish. Cheating? Well, yes actually. Danny would give me such a hard time if he knew. Fortunately he doesn't read parkrun newsletters. |
| I didn't succeed in getting a podium that time but this weekend I did! What do they say? “You've got to buy a ticket to ride the bus!” or “you snooze, you lose!” I took advantage of the fact there was a new parkrun starting to go down and meet the folks and run the first event. The Greenwich team put on a great show for us. It was a small start, which is how we like it as this helps our volunteers get to grips with everything without the stress of a large event, but this event has great promise. I understand from Roger that Swindon was run like clockwork and that everyone had a great first event. Well done to both events. |
| David Rowe and Kirsty Bangham also took advantage of the situation to lay down their marks and create their own course records. Well done to them. I played second fiddle to David but I'm not going to go so far as to tell you our times. If you really want to know these then go to the website. I don't think Mr Mottram and Ms Wootton have anything to worry about though! |
| On a different note, I am in my second week of parkrun employment and can report that I have been very busy. In the last 10 days I met with The Lincolnshire Sport Partnership, Sandwell Leisure Trust, Birmingham City Council, UK Athletics and Sport England and I am delighted to say that we are being taken seriously. People are starting to feel confident about our ability to rollout more parkruns across the country. We have a great deal of support where it really matters and this is very encouraging. This is not always the case as we have found to our dismay with certain authorities. Fortunately, with parkrun Freedom, anyone can now do a parkrun at any time that suits. |
parkrun need you!
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We have a few new parkrun events ‘COMING SOON' that need some support and volunteers to help get off the ground.
If you can assist at any of these events then please drop anita@parkrun.com an email:
- Hackney Marshes parkrun
- Stirling parkrun
- Medway parkrun
- Eastleigh parkrun
- Birmingham parkrun
- Havant parkrun
- Hull parkrun
- Kingston parkrun (Surrey)
- Old Deer parkrun (Richmond upon Thames)
Plus we are short of volunteer at our newly established Greenwich parkrun. Please email Colin at greenwichhelpers@parkrun.com if you can help.
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Win a case of new Lucozade Sport Lite – the official sports drink of parkrun
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Launched just a few weeks ago, Lucozade Sport Lite is our new low calorie sports drink. With just 50 calories in each bottle, it contains the right amount of fluid and electrolytes you need to stay hydrated when you run. Ideal for your parkrun or lower intensity training sessions, we'd like to offer you the chance to win one of 25 cases of Lucozade Sport Lite to help you the next time you head out the door.
To win a case, simply email us, naming one of the two new refreshing flavours; make sure you include your name, delivery address and a contact number.
Entries close at 12pm on Tuesday 16th March with winners notified by 5pm on Wednesday 17th March. For more information, head to www.lucozade.com/sport. |
| Good Luck! |
| Edd |
Call for parkrunners to volunteer at VLM
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Any parkrunner who wishes to volunteer at the start of the Virgin London Marathon, please contact Richard Carter at rich_the_runner@hotmail.com
You need to be at Blackheath for 7.30 am and will be finished soon after 10 am, when you can go to watch the greatest Marathon in the World. You will get some goodies for your efforts and the knowledge that you have played an important part in the running of the race. |
| The race, if you didn't already know, is on Sunday 25th April and you will need to make your way to Blackheath by bike or train preferably, using cars is difficult because of the road closures in the area due to the Marathon. |
| Last year we had quite a few parkrunners volunteer and we would like to make a big impression again this year. |
Event News
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| We have had some great feedback from the events: |
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There were 965 new registrations and a record 3,947 finishers at parkrun last Saturday. |
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We also had record attendances at:
- Leeds Hyde Park 236
- Gorleston 64
- Heaton Park 185
- Coventry 131
- Cambridge 93
- and solid starts for Swindon 30 and Greenwich 18
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Top age grade across all parkruns: Ian David Stewart at Edinburgh parkrun with 90%
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The following course records were broken last Saturday:
Gents
- Coventry: James Griggs - 16:41, Coventry Godiva Harriers
- Frimley Lodge: Ryan Brookling - 17:22
- Greenwich: David Rowe - 21:16, Ranelagh Harriers
Ladies
- Swindon: Chris Reade - 17:45, Swindon Harriers
- Cambridge: Nicki Davis - 20:20, WaldenTri
- Edinburgh: Sarah Inglis - 16:37, Lothian RC
- Geenwich: Kirsty Bangham - 26:16, Ranelagh Harriers
- Newcastle: Justina Heslop - 16:32, Clapham Chasers RC
- South Manchester: Mollie Williams - 20:43, Stockport Harriers & AC
- Swindon: Grace Elson - 19:30
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Check out this video from Glasgow parkrun |
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
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Hi Paul,
You mentioned that many parkrunners will be competing in the London Marathon this year, and some information about the marathon for your newsletter would go down well.
Our senior physiotherapist, Rory Brown, has prepared this article which may be of interest.
Kind regards,
Charlie
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Hi Paul
As a Basingstoke parkrun regular, I just wanted to say thank you for the hard work you do and also to the Newcastle parkrun team. My husband and I went ‘up North' to stay with friends last weekend and I had been looking forward to trying the Newcastle parkrun for weeks. Robin wasn't very impressed at being dragged out of bed at 8am on a Saturday to find heavy snow falling in Craghead but our friends had assured us that would mean heavy rain down the hill in Newcastle!
They were not wrong, the course was heavily flooded in places and a little bit cross country style but I thoroughly enjoyed it and ran my quickest parkrun since October 2009! The guys standing in the pouring rain holding the gates open for us runners were great, giving thumbs up and words of encouragement despite the conditions. Please pass on my thanks to Niyc and the team.
We returned to Craghead muddy and soaking wet to be welcomed with bacon rolls and mugs of tea before heading over to Durham for a day out. Unfortunately we only manage to visit our friends once a year or so but I will definitely be back on the Newcastle parkrun start line next time we visit. They have both signed up so next time I might be able to drag them along as well!
Keep up the good work and all the best with your new full-time parkrun job!
Louise |
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Hello Paul
My name is Marco Giannini; Events Officer at the Christie Hospital in Manchester and a member of the South MAnchester parkrun.
I work within the Sporting Events Team here at the Christie ( christies.org ), and we have this year been nominated as the official local charity for both the Great Manchester Run on the 16th May and also the Jane Tomlinson Pennine Lancs 10K on the 11th July in Blackburn.
I was wondering, as all places for the GMR and London Marathon are now taken, if you would promote the Pennine Lancs 10K through parkrun so to encourage the other parkrunners to register for the event and hopefully join 'Team Christie'.
Kind Regards
Marco Giannini |
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Hi
Just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent event. My son & the rest of the Scottish Junior Triathlon Squad entered their 1st ever Park run in Edinburgh on Saturday. After a hard cycle (to replicate a brick session), they all ran well - 9 in top 10.
I just wanted to say what a well organised event - email with time/position later the same day. Great website - and FREE!!!! I organise events myself & know what is involved. I also have become disillusioned at the cost of many sporting events these days & feel strongly that they should not be profit making.
Well done to all the team involved & long may they continue. I am sure my son will be doing another one very soon to improve on his time.
kind regards
Jude |
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Many thanks to the Frimley Lodge team for an excellent event this morning.
First time runner and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, will be back for more!
Kindest regards,
Richard |
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Hi All
On a cold wet and dreary Saturday morning I set off on my bike for my home park run in Sunderland.Today was my 11th run and like the previous 10 I thoughly enjoyed it.
Ive never thanked all the volunteers through these pages,so now I'd like to put that to right. I'd also like to thank the Lucozade sport girl for staying out in the wet and cold offering advice for all different running events and distances.
Many Thanks
Michael Sherriff |
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Paul, can you please pass this on to the event organisers at Leeds.
Both myself and Steve J Morris, both regulars at Bushy Park and 100 club members, ran the Leeds parkrun on Saturday 6th March. We did this because we were in the Leeds area for a football match in the afternoon and thought it would be a great idea to experience another event.
We would both like to express our thanks and gratitude to the organisers, volunteers and fellow runners who greeted us both with warmth and friendliness. They made us feel welcomed, took us on a warm up run around the course to familiarise us with its twists, turns and hills (too many of them), invited to their local café post race for refreshments and after we enquired about requiring a shower, directed us to the local university gym where we were again greeted like old friends.
It was as though they appreciated that runners from other events wanted to join them.
parkrun, what an event, great people, great volunteers, great friends.
Many thanks
Kevin Walling, parkrunner. |
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parkrunner of the week
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Name: Christiane Lowry
Club: No club
Age: 33 (although polite people whom I like to call friends tell me I look younger)
Home parkrun: Glasgow parkrun
Occupation: Laboritory assistant
Number of Runs: 9
Number of times volunteered: 11 (it makes me feel better when I'm lazy and not running)
What do you do at parkruns: I'm not fussy so I'll do anything that needs done on the volunteer roster! (although it is good being involved at the finish to see everyone crossing the finish line).
How has parkrun changed your running: parkrun motivated me and helped me train for a marathon last year , which in turn helped me raise over £1,100 for MacMillan Cancer Support so I should really be thanking p!
What do you like about parkrun: Everyone is really friendly and there is always someone to offer you encouragement when you are struggling up the nasty hill in Pollok Park. I believe some people prefer to describe the hill as "undulating" rather than "nasty"...
Most memorable or funniest parkrun moment: I don't want to put people off volunteering as it is a really worthwhile thing to do but my most memorable moment is probably the horrible sick feeling that I got last week volunteering when there was a bit of a problem with the numbers at the finish! After a few moments of panic Eleanor the numbers assistant and myself got it sorted which is probably why I was nominated for parkrunner of the week this week so in an Oscars style I'd like to share my parkrunner of the week status with Eleanor!
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| Crispy Corner |
Trivia questions
Who currently holds the British 5000m record? Who was the last non-African to hold the world 5000m record? (Answers below) |
Thanks from our research friends in Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust at Charing Cross Hospital
Bridget asked us to pass on the following: The study on the use of tape on achilles pain is now getting closer to completion. The data collection has now finished and we are examining the results. We would like to thank all those who volunteered to take part in the study; without all of your generosity it would not be possible. Thank you!
We hope to let you know their results when they publish. |
Crispy Challenge
Congratulations to Joanne Bourne, who became the 6th parkrunner to beat her Crispy Challenge target (see www.parkrun.com/results/Challenge.aspx). Only twelve Saturdays to go before the end of the challenge – last run is 29th May. |
Not just for Saturday
It's been great to see so many people recording parkrun Freedom times (see www.parkrun.com/results/Freedom.aspx). In case you missed last week's announcement, you can now keep a record of running any of our courses outside of the normal Saturday morning parkruns. To record your run time, just visit the link in this or the results email. While these runs will not count towards points competitions or parkrun club memberships, we hope this new feature will help you to keep track of your training progress. At the moment they will show up on the special Freedom results page as above, and on each athlete's main personal results page. In future months we are hoping to add new features so stay tuned. |
Answers from above
Both David Moorcroft; he set his world record of 13:00.41 in 1982, (broken in 85 by Saïd Aouita, who went on to become the first runner to break the 13 minute barrier with 12:58.39 in 87), David's performance is still (almost 28 years later) the British record. Why the sports trivia? Well many thanks to Caroline Wood for sharing a photo of her in a parkrun 50 Club T-shirt with David. Have a look at the parkrun on tour page (www.parkrun.org.uk/parkrunontour.aspx). Also see more parkrun shirts on skiing holidays (including one of Ray & Ann – Bushy Park stalwarts).
Cheers & Happy Running
Crispy |
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