A return to ParkRun on Saturday morning. Blimey it’s been a while. Injuries, work, Forest, more injuries - all have kept me away, on and off for the past year or so. I bloody miss ParkRun.
There was a most splendid autumnal feel to Castle Park in Sunny Colch just ahead of the 9 am start time for the race that isn’t a race. It looked and smelt like autumn. We’re past the Goose Fair Weather stage of the season and rapidly approaching crappy Christmas Advent calendar time.
For once I felt very chilled and relaxed ahead of ParkRun. I have a love hate relationship with ParkRun. I think everyone has a love-hate relationship. The hatred is throughout the entire duration of the 5 km course, but then you bloody love it once you’ve finished.
But I was remarkably chilled this morning. Like a dick I’ve decided to run everywhere rather than cycle. Let’s see how long that one lasts, Jase. I ran the 7 km from Weird Wiv over to the half town, half city.
This all meant that the pre-ParkRun adrenaline had already been well spent. Today was not going to be a day for a PB.
I started in the middle pack compared to my usual position in the front few rows. Let’s just take it easy and see where this gets us.
I was marked for pretty much the entire race by a very young ginger kid. We’re talking primary school age here. Fair play for the enthusiasm, but primary school ginger kids tend to run in a rather anarchic fashion, zigzagging in and out when you’re least expecting them to.
The final few kilometres had some flat-footed beast of a fella pounding down behind me. I made it my mission for him not to catch me.
Mission completed.
I was bunched in a little towards the close but I still managed a lame sprint finish. I had an OCD pleasing position of 100 in the race that isn’t a race.
As expected this was no ParkRun for personal achievements. My official race time was bang on 26 minutes. I would hope to run somewhere between 22 and 23 if I run box fresh. I was seventh in my age cat, where usually I’m around third.
I ran on to the pool, put in the lengths, and then ran back to Weird Wiv. Thirteen miles in total. Like I say, let’s see how long that one lasts.
