I was delighted to be on the start line for the first ever Edinburgh parkrun last Saturday. It was a momentous occasion filled with expectation and excitement as 204 runners lined up at the start. It was even more special as I went under 20 minutes for the first time in at least 4 years. Special thanks go to Donald Reid who was the inspiration behind this new parkrun. Also thanks to the whole volunteer team for their excellent organisation and to Gary and Mitch for looking after me.

An amazing piece in the Sunday Herald (One of the Scottish broadsheets) featured Glasgow and Edinburgh parkrun's rather prominently: "Get fit for race to winter": http://www.heraldscotland.com/life-style/travel-outdoors/get-fit-for-race-to-winter-1.926948

 

The Nike + parkrun challenge will come to a close this Saturday. Well done all of you that have participated and we hope you’ve have enjoyed the chance to race other parkrunners around the UK.

It’s no coincidence that the challenge finishes this Saturday - the day of the Nike + Human Race. This global event will see runners across the world participating in a 10 K run of their choice. There are a number of Nike events taking place on Saturday around the world. In the UK there will be a women’s only run taking part in Victoria Park, East London. 

Nike is also encouraging all Nike Plus runners to join in the day by completing their own 10 K wherever they are. So for those of you Nike Plus users; either part of the challenge or not, why not use parkrun as your venue for your 10 K. If you have not already registered you can still join in at www.nikeplus.com . Please check your events website to see if they are helping you to complete the course twice! 

Back to the parkrun challenge. As of Wednesday morning it appears that Leeds and Gorleston Cliffs are in close running to take this honour. There is still 4 days to go though and everything to run for so keep clocking up those KM’s. Here are the results so far:

Leeds - 563Km
Gorleston Cliffs - 539Km
Heaton Park - 352Km
Cardiff - 301Km
Brighton & Hove - 283Km
Richmond Park - 281KmBushy Park - 150Km
Bramhall Park - 143Km
Bushy Park - 150Km
Glasgow - 136Km
Albert Park - 109Km
Basingstoke - 90Km
Reading - 60Km
Black Park - 50Km
Edinburgh - 41Km
Bedfont Lakes - 18Km
Bromley - 9Km

That’s a total of over 3275Km’s. Good luck to all of you that are running the challenge, planning on taking part in the Human Race or just planning your usual Saturday morning parkrun.

 

Brighton and Hove parkrun is inviting everyone to the 2nd Anniversary event on October 31st 2009. To celebrate this important date we will be holding a Halloween themed fancy-dress competition for all participants and a 'bring and share' breakfast.

Congratulations to Rita O’Regan who was Brighton & Hove parkruns 10,000 runner across the line.

 

This year Halloween falls on a Saturday (31^st October) - which means we'll be having a fun-family-fright-fest at Bedfont Lakes parkrun!

We're encouraging as much fancy dress as possible - come dressed as a ghastly ghoul, a scary skeleton, an evil witch or even dress your dog as the devil!!

And don't forget your Halloween face paint too!

Plus - bake and bring some scary Halloween cakes and eat them only if you dare!

Spot prize for best outfit.

Lots of laughs guaranteed!

So - join in the fun!

 

Everyone is invited to celebrate "Hallowe'en parkrun” at Black Park on the 31^st October which will kick off at the usual time and set the pattern for the day.

 

 

This Saturday sees the introduction of barcode registration. We are hoping that the registration process will be much simpler and that our results will be more accurate. However, with the introduction of a new system we need more marshals. Please drop Andy an email if you can help: alberthelpers@parkrun.com

 

Congratulations to Paul Cooke who has just completed 50 runs at age 13 joining his father in the 50 club.

 

A couple of weeks ago our event director at the only Danish parkrun, Jonathan Sydenham, found he was having difficulty running at his usual level.

Deciding that he better check this out, he found himself facing a pretty serious medical situation. I’ll let Jonathan continue the story from here.

"It wasn't till the second day when they did one of those scans (they pour a radioactive dye into your veins and push you through a large polo mint that hums busily) that they really identified what was wrong - a series of pulmonary thromboses, but small ones. (The big ones tend to be fatal)."

"I think everyone else was more worried than I was. To be honest I felt like a complete fraud when I first went in: I sat there on my bed in the Acute Observation ward, fully clothed, reading my book, surrounded by people who were quite obviously suffering v badly or even dying. And I felt fine. OK, a bit of chest pain and not enough breath to actually run down the hospital corridor, but you know, OK."

"The next day I had a most fascinating heart scan, this time using an advanced ultrasound probe. I was able to follow everything on the display. You could see the valves working and everything. From one angle my heart seemed full of fairly lively aliens. I remarked on this. "Yes, actually we weren't going to tell you that", they said"

"Everyone in the outside world kept telling me I'd need to rest and take things easy. But not the medical staff or specialists. Nope. A minimum of 5 x 30 minutes a week of cardio exercise like running. Preferably more. The more I challenge my lungs and heart the quicker they'll repair. (Up to a point).”

My wife's jaw dropped when she heard this. “But what if he gets out of breath?" The cardio nurse gave her that cardio nurse look. "In that case he'll just have to take a walk break, won't he?"

We wish Jonathan a speedy recovery and his wife Elizabet plenty of patience...

 

There is just over a week to go until the inaugural Finsbury parkrun. We are delighted to introduce the first North London parkrun. If you would like to help at this event please email email finsburyHelpers@parkrun.com

For those looking forward to running the first run on the 31st October please remember the Finsbury parkrun will be using barcode registration at the end of the event to record your position. Please print and bring your barcode with you on the day. There is a link to your barcode in the weekly newsletter.

If you have any queries you can contact event director Stuart Moakes on FinsburyDirector@parkrun.com

 

We need your help! If anyone is interested in assisting at the following venues then please drop Anita an email:

·         Greenwich parkrun

·         Portsmouth parkrun

·         Swindon parkrun

 

Name: Charlotte Elms

Age: 10

Home parkrun: Bedfont Lakes

Occupation and pastimes: Year 6 - Plays hockey for Ashford and does ballet and tap.

No of runs: 7

How has parkrun changed your running: Ran at school but wanted more of a challenge and something for pre-season hockey training. Now runs every week and loves the atmosphere and support that she gets from the volunteers and adult runners at Bedfont.

No of times volunteered: None yet but since starting she has inspired her 7 year old sister Lily to help out the adult volunteers to give out tokens.

What do you do at parkruns: Run to the best of my ability.

 What do you like about parkrun: That it is a great way of keeping fit and gets me out in the fresh air on a Saturday morning.

Most memorable or Funniest parkrun moment: Receiving a monthly prize for running in all events in August, seeing my sister volunteer with a marshal vest that comes down to her ankles.

Anything else: My twin brother started the week before me and we now enjoy running together and trying to improve our times. The volunteers and runners at Bedfont are like one big happy family and people always encourage and help both me and my brother. I can't wait for Saturday mornings (whatever the weather!!)

 Here is a picture of  Charlotte with event director Heather Martingell.

 

The challenge really took off last week when everybody realised what it's about. Have a look at the 43 brave runners who have publically stated their target time to reach before the final bank holiday weekend in May next year: www.parkrun.com/results/challenges.aspx  

It appears to be quite effective an incentive, with 8 of them pulling off new PBs at the weekend, and 2 have already beaten their target times. Actually a certain Mr Paul Sinton-Hewitt broke his target on Saturday. As I said a couple of Crispy Corner's back, his target was quite puny (we all know he can run much faster), but he pleaded old age. Well anyway you'll be pleased to know I took the law into my own hands and set him a brand new, rather more challenging target. He's not happy. I have quite some way to go at the moment, but ran faster than I have for exactly 1 year, so I'm pleased - the gym work seems to be paying off.

Anyone still up for the challenge, please let me know (same email address as always - see below).

Are you aged 40-59 yrs or over 80 yrs? – we need your help! Research into appetite changes with age

Researchers at Imperial College are currently recruiting volunteers who are interested in taking part in an new exciting study. We need healthy volunteers of any ages, but especially older adults (80 years +) and middle aged adults (40-59 yrs). If you take part you will be asked to come to Hammersmith Hospital, NW London to attend 2 study sessions (lasting about 4 hours), 1 week apart and have blood samples taken. You will be asked to come without having eaten overnight, but we will provide food during the test. We will give you any travel expenses and compensation for your time and inconvenience.

 

Malnutrition in later years of life may be related to changes in appetite control, which means that older people are more likely to have a reduced appetite. Appetite is partly controlled by a series of hormones released by the gut, which either make you feel hungry or full. As we age, it appears that the release of these appetite hormones may be altered, and the ones that make you feel full get released more. To try and find out why this happens, we are running this study to see whether gut appetite hormones are altered in healthy older adults prior to or after eating, compared to healthy younger adults.

 

If would like further information about taking part, please don’t hesitate to contact Charlotte Moss.

 

Email: Charlotte.Moss08@imperial.ac.uk

Phone: 07588851564

parkrun on tour photos have slowed down to a trickle as the main holiday season has finished. Nevertheless, if you're going anywhere exotic (or even not so exotic) remember to give your parkrun club t-shirt a holiday too and send us its holiday snaps. A couple more this week of Mark who ran 85 miles across Scotland (sounds like a pleasant stroll). The new address for the parkrun on tour page is www.parkrun.org.uk/parkrunontour.aspx

 

 

Cheers and happy running

Crispy