28 members were out and about at 12 different venues with a couple of “new to” MAC’s added to our ever growing list. I must create a challenge to see if we can complete all of the UK parkruns between us! (there are something like 900 active senior parkruns in the UK and over 2,000 worldwide).
There is actually a “Postcode challenge” whereby completing 1 parkrun in each of the 124 different UK postcodes is the aim. This is perhaps more feasible as we do have members who have ticked off Cornwall and the Shetland Islands for us, so that’s the tricky ones ticked off already.
Back to this week. Misha and Gav were enjoying the mud at Ashbourne whilst Laura Bassett led the whole squad in at Black Rocks with a PB of 21.59. Just about everyone grabbed a “volunteer credit” with no less than 4 MAC token sorters for the 234 finish tokens.
Christine Howard was at the aptly named Franks Field parkrun which she says is more like a cross country course and where off road shoes would be preferable to road although her time of 22.28 which gives her the tremendous 79.53% age grading shows that shoe choice did not slow her down that much.
Rob and Beccy had a steady tootle around the very undulating Gedling parkrun staying local for the big match in the afternoon where there the Magpies were entertaining that other huge team, Walsall. (Result 0-0, that must have been exciting!)
The serious athletes and Jon Tyson were to be found at Monsal Trail where Ben Meakin ran an excellent 18.29 for 3rd place with Oscar Szabo and Andy Mellor also having good runs. Alice Cundy was sole lady finishing in 22.37 whilst Jon had another good run finishing in 23.39 and 33rd spot.
David Bowden added Norwich to our list of venues and ran a pretty quick 20.45 for 56th place.
Harry Holmes was fastest MAC of the day up at Pavilion Gardens where a 17.35 earned him first finisher.
Paul Clark and Malcolm Betts were our duo at Rother Valley where Paul finished 33rd in 20.45 whilst Malcolm was 130th in 25.50
Sarah Witham smashed it at Sandall Park with a 23.39 that grabbed her first lady finisher spot and 29th overall.
Not a new venue to Sally Owen, Shrewsbury parkrun was her chosen venue this Saturday where she ran 27.28 for 277th place out of a field of 622 finishers.
Finally, Dennis Holmes completed his NENDY parkrun over at Vicar Water, near Mansfield where a problem with the safety of the normal A course meant the first running of their B route. Previous visitors to VIcar Water will no doubt remember that the A course finishes with a long uphill section in the latter stages of the run. This B route avoids all of that hill BUT adds in a different hill that is shorter but steeper and has to be completed twice! Other than Lyme Park this maybe is the steepest incline Dennis has ever experienced in parkrun in over 200 different venues. Needless to say the finish time reflected this.
Well done to everyone who ran or volunteered. Sorry I don’t mention everyone individually but this report is already far too long. If i have missed you or you spot errors then please comment below and I will edit later.
REMEMBER, Christmas Day is an extra parkrun day in the UK so you only have to wait until Thursday to get your next fix of parkrun!
