First up, a big shout out to the 5K parkrunner app, and the google Chrome running challenges extension, as I love both of these for keeping track of challenges but also just total number of parkruns completed. I could spend ages looking at the map.
Of course I had plenty of revisits too including one of my fave events of Hove Prom in Brighton.
So, a belated 2024 recap. I completed 16 new parkrun events in 2024, which is in line with previous high years- those early years of touring were easier as I was visiting events in Herts, whereas now it is more reliant on a weekend somewhere else or travelling a bit further .
(For interest the numbers are 14 in 2023, 14 in 2022, 5 in 2021, 3 in 2020, 16 in 2019, 17 in 2018, 22 in 2017, 10 in 2016, 2 in 2015, 1 in 2014 and 1 in 2013- my first event)
I did 46 parkruns in the year which equals my highest years of 2019 and 2022. I don’t think I will ever get the 50 as we’re always going to have a weekend in a non-parkrun country at some point each year. I volunteered 21 times- mostly at junior parkrun but with a few 5k events thrown in there too.
Notable achievements- Stay in Beds challenge completed (all the parkruns in Bedfordshire)- achieved at Great Denham last April
350th parkrun- celebrated at Lee on the Solent in March
German flag claimed- at Dietenbach in May:
(This had been a long time coming because we went to Berlin in 2018, and were meant to be flying out there on the Friday night, but our flight was cancelled and we travelled on the Sunday instead, so of course I couldn’t parkrun then. This trip was combined with a trip to the Europa-Park theme park so we were close by)
Japan flag claimed- at Futakotamagawa in August:
(We had three Saturdays in Japan but due to travelling and logistics I managed one while I was out there, but it was perfect and I am very proud of myself for navigating the trains on my way there by myself as I am not the best at navigating and get very anxious- not helped by an earthquake warning on our phones the night before…)
Single-ton (100 run/walks at the same location) achieved at Panshanger on their 10th birthday:
Deciding to make a dent in Lon-done after having visited lots of London events – in 2024 I went to Hampstead Heath, Pymmes, Gladstone, Harrow, Southall, Wormwood Scrubs, Osterley and Morden which (I think?) all count towards Lon-done. Getting into more tourism with Branka and Holly has been great fun too, as well as tourism with my dad.
National Trust parkruns are excellent for post-parkrun parkfaffing too- a scone and a pot of tea? Perfect.
I’ve also had a lovely time volunteering at Birchwood Juniors since they launched. I feel like it is my volunteering home now as I know more of the team.
Basic total stats at the end of 2024 – 386 parkruns completed, 96 volunteer occasions, 121 different events overall
So what next for 2025? More tourism of course! V100 is on the cards soon, and later on I’ll be celebrating my (arbitrary) 400th parkrun! Oaklands College launched in January so I’m looking forward to revisiting that event (I think I could run there from my parents too so that will be something good to explore as I like a parkrun sandwich). I am also hoping for a new flag, or at least a new event outside of the UK, but we shall see how plans go for that as nothing has been properly arranged yet.
What are you looking forward to in 2025?
