Parkrun News Saturday 31 January 2026
21 runners and volunteers at 7 venues makes it a steady turnout for our 5k members.
Lisa Walton can celebrate her new age grading PB of 61.04% if not her actual PB time which she just missed by 2 seconds when she finished in 27.28 at Alvaston parkrun on Saturday. It’s only a matter of time for that new 5k PB!
Black Rocks was the venue of choice for 8 MAC’s with Ian Watson again leading the team home in 11th place with fellow Ian, Pitkin next in in 30th place in 22.50. Both Ian’s achieved higher than 70% age grading which the author believes qualifies oneself as a proper runner. Gary Jones was third MAC in a time of 22.59 with young Stanley Flitter next in 24.34. David Bowden in the prime of athletic life, needs to put a lot more effort in with his 26.10 not even making a 50% age grading. Another youngster putting in some effort was Finley Flitter finishing in 27.15 for 96th place and bringing up the MAC rear was Paul Cruise with a time of 34.01 for 189th position. Simon Flitter did an excellent job of barcode scanning.
Our Cardiff based young athlete, Oscar Szabo had another great run finishing in 20.40 for 85th place at Cardiff, whilst our often Cambridgeshire based more senior athlete, Christine Howard ran at Milton Country and recorded yet another great time of 23.40 finishing 4th female, 28th overall with this weeks MAC highest age grading score of 75.49%
At our other local parkrun venue, Monsal Trail, Sarah Witham also achieved a 70% plus age grading with a time of 23.12 for 40th place. Andy Mellor was I’m sure an excellent RD whilst Paul Clark surely nailed the timekeeping role.
Kalle and Cherry stayed local at Sheffield Castle parkrun which I don’t have any fond memories of. 3 hilly loops on tarmac is not the most enticing of Sheffield’s 7 venues. Just completing the run is the achievement,
Sherwood Pines conversely is a fantastic one lap parkrun set in acres of Sherwood forest , ran on lovely slightly undulating woodland trails where the sun always shines and birds continually sing. Greg Hopkinson had a little jog around in 22.43 for 24th place whilst Roy and Sarah Austin who are regular visitors to this Nottinghamshire beauty spot, made up the numbers finishing in times of 28.13 and 36.47.
Parkrun tourist of the week is Dennis Holmes at Gadebridge parkrun in Hemel Hempstead which is a 2 lap figure of 8 that may be nice to run in summer but was a bit of a mudbath on Saturday. Dennis “ran” 28.45 for 49th place.
Well done everyone.
