Month: June 2026

Welwyn 10k 2026

This has turned into one of my favourite races and this year didn’t disappoint. It’s a 10k that was originally located in Welwyn village, but in recent years has relocated to Panshanger Park. It was forecast to be very hot and that combined with the hilly route meant that it would be a definite run for fun race, rather than any sort of fast time attempt.

Parking was free until 12:00 which was a great touch, and it is one of those low key local races where you just pick up your number from a gazebo on the morning of the race. I got there at about 8:45 for the 9:30 start, and that was fine as there was no queue to get my number and I could take my time sorting it out (I packed my race clips so I could use those rather than safety pins), meet up with club mates and acclimatise to the heat. They had a tarpaulin of trust (just like at parkrun) so I left my rucksack there rather than in the car so I could get it as soon as I finished (the walk to the car park wasn’t far, even though I was in the overflow bit, but I wanted to hang about after finishing), and this meant I had my water with me until the start as well.

Pre-race photos

We tried to find somewhere to stand in the shade before the start, but there wasn’t much about, although at times there were a few clouds in the sky which helped a little. It wasn’t long before we were off though.

The start line and then views from the course

For anyone that remembers the alternative “cow” route at Panshanger parkrun (this was when the cows were new and not used to runners- we had to run a different route whereas now you just run past the cows) the big hill at the start is part of the 10k route. It is so steep! I had already decided I’d mainly walk the hills and water stations (there were two, at 3.5 and 8.5k) and I think that was a very good idea.

I ran with a couple of club mates (Fiona and Caroline) and this was great as we reminded each other to have regular walk breaks, and of course chatted our way around as per my favourite way to run a race.

Beautiful wildflowers and lots of the park mid-race

In a previous year the course had started in the centre of the park, whereas now it started by the parkrun start, and so I had misremembered some of the route (mixing the old and new routes together)- I had thought we would be running up the long hill you run down at the end of parkrun, so Fiona (who had not done it before) was very relieved when I was wrong! A bit like the parkrun route, the hills were pretty much out the way in the first half, with the second half being more of the perimeter of the park before finishing on a downhill. Some of it was shady but a lot of the route was through the fields so there was no shade at these points and it was just so hot. I took loads of photos as it was one of those perfect looking summer days with the sky filled with white fluffy clouds.

The map of the route

We struggled at one point as we were going to walk at the second water station, and we kept thinking it would be around the corner (we had miles on our watches and were not always paying attention to the huge km markers) so kept on going- when we realised it was further than we had anticipated we decided to walk towards the water station and this was OK but we agreed at the finish we would have found the finish more comfortable had we walked sooner.

Nicola handing out the medals

At the finish our lovely friend Nicola was handing out medals, and then there was an extra water station (which was also available for people before they started running)- I got my bag and headed to the coffee van as this was one of the best things about the race- Planted Coffee Co (an all vegan coffee van) was in the park at the finish and of course I had been thinking about my iced drink of choice. (There was an ice cream van too- in fact at the start we had stood in front of two people with race numbers eating an ice cream! I like their style!)

The medals were wooden ones with pictures of the iron age pigs that live in the park (although I’ve not seen them this year as they are now in a different part of the park- at some point I’m going to have a run there to see if I can find them).

Iced blueberry matcha and the cute pig medal!

I got my iced blueberry matcha and then sat in the shade for a bit while others queued at the ice cream van. I then wandered over to the finish line to chat to my friend and cheer in the final runners-just like at parkrun they had two tail walkers who were encouraging the last few people in and the finish line atmosphere was really friendly. All in all, a fantastic event and one that I’ll definitely do again.

Then it was time to head home, shower and try to keep as cool as possible for the rest of the day!

Catford parkrun- another London event visited

After various touring and home commitments, Branka, Holly and I were all free to tour on the same Saturday, so it was off to visit another London parkrun for us. At least at this time of year, getting a 7am train isn’t too bad as it’s light when you leave home.

We have quite a few to visit in south-east London, and some of these are relatively easy with a train to London Bridge and then a different train from there, so we met at London Bridge to travel together on the second train.

Catford parkrun confusingly is in Mountsfield Park, and the closest train station is Hither Green- it must have been one of the earlier parkruns with the previous naming convention. Anyway, the walk from the station was very simple and not far (about half a mile). It was forecast to be a bit rainy, but we were quite lucky as it stayed dry on our walk there, only raining as we started parkrun and then easing off again after we had finished.

First timer welcome and the bandstand at the start

We arrived a little before the first timers welcome, so we took some pop up photos and left our bags under the bandstand (as it seemed that was the done thing)- at least they would be sheltered if it poured! The welcome was great- the guy enthusiastically informed us that part of the course went around a place that “famously” (?) Charlton Athletic had used for one year, in something like 1927. I like the personal touches and it was good to hear a bit about the local area.

Pop up pic and a few photos from the run

Even at 8:45, there didn’t seem to be many people about at all, but it was close to lots of residential areas and seemed like the sort of parkrun where people appeared at five to nine, as when the RD was doing the briefing it suddenly got very busy.

The course was three laps, but the third lap was a bit shorter than the first two.

I ran with Holly and we both got slightly confused at different points- the paths were quite meandering so it wasn’t easy to keep your bearings and so before our third lap I had forgotten how many times we’d gone past one point, and as we came up to the shorter section of the final lap Holly was thinking we had to do a bigger loop before finishing (I checked my watch to see our distance but handily as they had pacers we could also follow that person in to the finish). The park was varied, with exercise equipment, fields, small wooded areas and some allotments, plus lots of friendly marshals (and people with instruments cheering us on too). We were not in any danger of getting lost as there were loads of cones as well as plenty of marshals, but of course when it’s laps you need to keep count!

At one point I had a deja-vu feeling as it reminded me so much of a section of Brockwell parkrun (and weirdly Branka said it reminded her of it too)- there was part of a path where you ran close to the gates to exit the park, and you were running down at that point and then had to turn and run up- it was just so similar to how I remember that small section in Brockwell too.

After finishing I enjoyed a vegan cookie (as someone was celebrating their 100th and had kindly provided them) and we sheltered under the bandstand for a bit as the rain got a bit heavier. Then it was time for a final pop up photo and a walk back to the station.

Post parkrun pop up pic/ Poddington came along and I remembered to take a photo/ vegan cookies at the finish!

There was a little cafe in the park that looked quite cool- it was in a converted shipping container (although possibly you had to sit outside)- however there is a Leon at London Bridge so we decided to head back there on the train to get breakfast in a more sheltered place.

Parkfaff from Leon (I had the vegan breakfast sandwich, hash browns and tea)/ the cafe in the park/ matcha from B&B and the sun coming out at Borough market

The trains on that line were pretty frequent so we didn’t need to wait long to get back to London Bridge, and then we had a lovely parkfaff chatting about all things (including some more tourism coming up). I was going to head to B&B on my way home, as I was getting a different train back, so after Branka and Holly got their train back, I walked around to get some tea and the sun even came out on my walk back!

Voronoi update:

That was parkrun 454, location 158, and currently 41/65 in my (very long term) Lon-done project. Weirdly my progress towards that challenge and the newly named Explorer 250 are both on 63%

Up next? Probably a few local ones but maybe another London one at the end of the month, we shall see.