Saturday started out by me picking up my Dad and brother and heading to Parkrun. I had been on a lot of runs in the week, and they needed volunteers so I had signed up in the week. This time I was barcode scanning- pretty simple you would think …
For those of you that don’t go to Parkrun, it is such a clever system- on the finishers line is someone with a timer device- they press a button each time someone finishes so it records the time, then at the same time when you finish you are handed a numbered chip, 1 for the 1st finisher and so on, and then you queue up and have your personal barcode- from the Parkrun website– scanned along with the chip so they link your barcode with the time that you finished- later on they must upload the scanners and calibrate them with the timer– it is so clever!
Anyway, they started off by announcing that last week there was a new record for fastest female at any UK Parkrun! Hannah Walker came first in the St Albans one last week, finishing in an amazing 15.55! We gave her a clap even though I don’t think she was there, although with around 200 runners it would be hard to spot everyone.
Then they headed off- the course heads off and then is 3 laps of the lake, so you can’t see most of the runners from the start/finish area, but it was not long before the first person (I keep wanting to say winner, but it is not a race!) was heading back. I liked scanning as it was good to congratulate all the runners- a few first timers asked about how it worked, and one lady pointed out that her friend had “never done anything like this in her life before” which is one of the reasons why it is so great- there are loads of children but also older people giving exercise a go.
My scanner was not very sensitive (it had trouble with laminated barcodes or sweaty ones!)- one lady handed me her barcode and it was wet (I hope from water, but possibly from sweat!)- I tried about 4 times to scan it, but it wouldn’t beep, so I tried stretching it as it was a bit wrinkly, and it ripped totally in half! I was mortified! They can take down the barcode number and link them up later, but luckily the other scanner worked! Phew!
My Dad managed a new pb (23.14- I can only dream of that time!) and my brother did well too.
After that it was a bit of pottering around town, and then some baking.
While wandering around the internet the other day I came across a recipe for Nutella cookies which looked like the easiest thing ever! All you needed was nutella, flour, an egg and some fudge pieces (which I still had from Dr Oetker).
I thought they would spread more when I baked them, but they didn’t.
They are tasty (we shared one just to check quality control purposes of course) but I am not sure they were as gooey as I expected- perhaps I should have made them bigger as then the centres would have been softer.
I also made some more scones- I used the gluten free recipe from the other day, but added in a tsp almond extract (again from my Dr Oetker parcel) and some dried cherries.
They smell wonderful!
As they were cooling all I kept getting was wafts of almond- if only Andy would let me have scones instead of a proper dinner!
Did you have a good weekend?
I wonder if I made the Nutella cookies if the kids would eat them? they eat Nutella mmmm …… but then again they eat tomato sauce but not tomatoes!
They do taste a lot like nutella, but not that gooey 🙂
Nutella cookies…I think I would eat thm in one go! They look fab! 🙂
Ooh your baked goods always look so yum! Love the idea of nutella cookies – online nutella stuffed cookies also look pretty darn delicious! Holy moley 15.55 is speedy gonzalez! That’s half how long it takes me 😉 Oh well, maybe someday…
I know I can’t understand how they run that fast! Something to aim for I suppose!
15:55 is super quick! Someone at my club emailed me the other day to tell me I’d made a mistake when listing his results from Parkrun on the club website – putting him 20 seconds slower, pushing him into 18 minute territory. He was too ashamed to leave it with the mistake! Again, I can only dream of ever being embarrassed by an 18min 5k!
Well done to your Dad for his new PB! 🙂
It sounds like you need to wear gloves when scanning at Park Run to avoid contact with sweaty barcodes from people’s sweaty back pockets! The thing is, you never mind if you’re sweaty too, but if you haven’t been out running it’s horrible!
A lot of people when we were scanning were joking with us “oh, make sure mine comes out as sub 20 mins” etc- I can’t imagine worrying about an 18 min 5k!
Yeah you are right you never mind the sweat when you have been running too, although I have to remind myself that I would be on the other end most weeks!
Nice job on your parkrun volunteering! I had a great weekend, it’s a bank holiday here in Ireland- so still enjoying it! Those scones look nice.
Hope your half marathon went well 🙂
I love the whole idea of Park Runs, it’s such a great way to get people interested in running and volunteering! Those nutella cookies sound good, I’ve made a few cookies with nut butter and eggs and I guess that is similar. I quite fancy baking something with nutella for my birthday at the weekend!
I am not sure it is that similar, as nutella is full of vegetable oil and sugar and whatnot- think the nut butter ones are way healthier!
The Parkrun idea is just fab, I love it more each time I go 🙂 The fact that kids are involved and help out too is just so good- setting them up for a great future.
I always wondered how the scanners worked! I was trying to work in out during one run, but I didn’t realise the token person had a clicker thing! Blimey your dad is quick!
Those brownies look amazing! I may have to try them, if the slutty brownies don’t work (I’m sure my work mates will gladly quality control them for me!).
Yes it took me a few weeks until I realised (it was when I helped I think)- there is a timer person who clicks as you finish, and then another person gives out the tokens in order (they have a number on them, which I didn’t notice at first)- so when you are scanned it will know that, say, you finished 70th, so then they will match that to the 70th click on the timer.
Yes I think with baking the key is to have people to share the goodies with!
Jeeze that is an unbelievable time! I am in awe of anyone sub-20 really. We have a guy who’s a regular and he breezes round in under 18minutes. One time he stopped to tell his young daughter to put her hat back on as it was sunny and he STILL finished sub-18. He looked like he was having a light stroll! He’s such a nice guy though, he goes back for other people and runs with them when he’s done.
Mmmm scones. They’re one of my favourites, especially with loads of jam and cream. Usually Im not a fan of cream but it’s different with scones for some reason!
I just think those front runners are amazing! Some of them do really push themselves though- the guy who finished first this week had a nice long bit of dribble hanging from his mouth- that means you are hanging it all out there!