We happened to be down in Brighton for the same weekend as the marathon this year, although this was not planned- it just coincided with going to a gig (Idlewild) and celebrating Andy’s birthday. Our hotel was closest to Hove Prom parkrun, but that was off due to all the fencing and vans driving around setting up the finish area (the marathon starts in Preston park and finishes on the seafront and the 10k starts on the seafront, the kids races were in Preston Park so it was happening all around).
I had an enjoyable run along the seafront on Friday morning and could see that there was no way a parkrun could have taken place there as it was really narrow in places with so many people working to construct the race village. The beach huts that are behind the pop up sign were already behind barriers (with no public entry allowed) and more and more barriers/ fencing/ infrastructure was being added all the time.
My Friday run to Hove including some of the marathon fencing being put up and some soot sprites!
I did briefly look at some other parkruns along the coast such as Shoreham or Worthing (as I got the bus out to Peacehaven on a previous trip and that was fairly easy), but our hotel was 11am check out time and from what I could see the bus journey would have been about 45 mins so I didn’t really have enough time for the journey back, so I opted for my 10th visit to Preston Park as this was the closest to me of the other parkruns.
They had warned that it would be busy because the marathon starts in the park, so the paths were also lined with fencing and lots of tents were being set up on the grass in the centre of the park too. I’d seen that Brooks would be there with the opportunity to try on trainers for the parkrun – I wear their shoes anyway but I would have been interested to try a different model, but when I looked my size was already sold out and this was probably a good thing as I did have to hurry back to the hotel after.
Handily there were signs from the station directing you to the park as that is where the marathon started/ all the fencing around the park- this part of the photo is the u-turn section of the course if you know it
It was super busy when I arrived, with so many marathon runners or supporters out to do their parkrun the day before. I got chatting to one woman from Australia who was doing her first parkrun abroad and was about to pace 4 hours for the marathon the following day, and another person who was here supporting others who were running it. It added to the atmosphere and I felt very excited for the people doing the marathon.
I had seen on social media that they were doing “the real double funnel” (rather than the original double funnel)- their post explained it clearly with a visual, but basically when you finish there were two funnels side by side, and you could either choose which one or at busy times you might be directed into a specific one. Your token would not match your actual finish position, but by the magic of some maths your time would be correct by the time the results were through. This was explained in the first timers welcome as well (carried out by Mark Brocklehurst of With Me Now fame)- it seemed simple enough and I was intregued to see how it would go.
Preston Park have always had self seeding whenever I’ve been there (signs on the path with estimated finish times)- they asked people to do that and mentioned that did not have pacers today because that caused congestion and as the course was narrower people would have to slow down.
Briefing from the balcony/ running through the “finish” arch/ running past all the fencing and the Brooks tent set up
They had also said they needed to start very promptly as there were kids races happening in the park that morning too, so it was a quick main briefing and then we were off, although it was very stop-start-walk-jog-stop etc for a fair bit- until I was past the u-turn really (which I did not mind at all- I was there for a parkrun and not any sort of time). I do find the logistics of these events really interesting so I enjoyed looking at everything being set up (didn’t enjoy the tannoy system being tested as it was very on- off and kept making me jump), plus seeing all the club tops from everywhere really reminded me of what a big event it was.
Finish token and the big screen and HERO lettering as part of the marathon set up– lots of people were having their photos taken by the letters
As I finished I chose the right hand funnel, and I was only in the funnel for the amount of time it took for me to walk through it. The last double funnel I was in I must have waited for a good 5 minutes while other funnels emptied, and often at Preston park I’ve been in the funnel for a while, but this was so speedy. My token was in the 700’s whereas I heard a person who chose the left hand side say they had two hundred and something, so definintely more people chose the same side as me. I ended up in the results as number 521, so no relation to the token I was given, but the time was pretty much the same as my Garmin time so I am impressed with it. It was a busy morning and I finished with lots of other people, so I am guessing this is fairly indicative of how it usually goes vs the traditional double funnel.
As I didn’t have too long I headed off as soon as I had scanned (via a lovely bakery as it’s right by the park) and then it was back to the hotel for a quick shower and some porridge before checking out.
It was a fab few days and of course it’s always good to fit in a parkrun while somewhere else.
No voronoi update so another photo from my run by the pier and a matcha on the beach
Hopefully on another trip to Brighton I can get to a new (to me) event. Closer to home we’ve got a parkrun in Harpenden now (Rothampsted parkrun) so I shall be heading there fairly soon, and probably a few times so I can go there when various friends (and family) want to visit it. What luxury to have a new event so close!
