Tag: parkrun tourist

Crystal Palace parkrun plus a couple of local ones in January

Away from the WDW recaps for a bit and back to parkrun! Since getting home, I had a couple of local weekends with Dad, first to Jersey Farm for Dad’s 400th parkrun (he chose the location) and then the following week at Oaklands College.

Jersey Farm

Jersey Farm was glorious sunshine (yes I should have worn sunglasses!), and it was lovely that some of the OH ladies turned up to celebrate with Dad too, although he was off to football later so we didn’t hang around for too long after.

Oaklands College

I hadn’t been to Oaklands College for ages and when we arrived we thought the first timers welcome was going on and that the rest of the runners must have been around the corner, but no, there were only 49 people taking part. There was a lot of mud and the ground was still so rutted so I am not surprised. Rory came along too so it was good to catch up. Newly acquired Wonky Bear Poddington also came along with me for his first parkrun.

Crystal Palace

Then the first weekend in February I was off to Crystal Palace parkrun with Branka. We are both steadily making a dent on the Lon-done events, so a new London event means leaving a bit earlier now. For me this was a train just before 7am from St Albans, meeting Branka on the train. We went into London Bridge, and then changed to an overground train that went to Crystal Palace station.

It was forecast to be quite rainy, but it wasn’t too bad when we came out of the station. It was about a half a mile walk, but the station is right next to the park, so after a kind dog walker showed us the way, it was very straightforward.

Pop up fence fun

There’s lots of construction work happening in the park at the moment, so there were loads of fences up (some with fun artwork depicting various construction vehicles)- the pop up was attached to a fence but the name was facing inwards so we had fun poking our phones through the fence trying to get some photos.

All the cool artwork plus Poddington seeing the course maps

Rory was also going to travel there, and as we met up with him closer to the start line, we found a second pop up mounted on a fence but facing outwards!

The star/finish area is along an avenue of trees- this would be gorgeous in the summer, but didn’t provide much shelter from the rain. They had the finish area at one end, with a tarpaulin that they tried to fold over to keep bags and tops dry. I have a plastic bag inside my rucksack so I took it out and put my rucksack in it to try and keep the contents dry- it’s a fairly waterproof bag but it was raining pretty hard at times. The first timers welcome was at the finish area too, and they even had a large print out of the two main courses that they use. They were a really friendly team and seemed keen to chat to find out where people had come from. It’s a big event (388 people that day) but felt like part of the community.

The course is two laps, although they are not quite identical as in the first lap you do an extra “dog leg” (the little loop on the lower left of the map). On this day each lap was almost two separate sections- the lower section where you started and finished was muddy and slippery (I am not sure if the construction in the park was making it worse, as it should have been tarmac paths but they were really muddy too), and then the upper section (you ran up a short slope to get there) was fairly dry paths. I wished I had my trail shoes on- I’d worn old road shoes so they didn’t have good grip at all- especially on the slope to get back down to the lower level again I really could have done with better soles. Someone next to me slipped over on one of the slopes, so I took it very gently.

Photos of the course- you can see some of the big puddles on the pavements as well as the slope leading to the upper part of the course

There were lots of points in the course where you saw other runners which I always like- as each lap had a narrow two way section as well as parts like the dog leg. It was definitely a friendly event, and the rain even eased off as we ran.

There’s definitely a lot to see in the park too- the huge TV aerial, a blue plaque commemorating a Bob Marley concert, a swimming pool, a dinosaur trail (sadly they were all covered up due to the renovations), a maze… the list goes on.

After we finished we had a quick chat and changed into dry jumpers before heading back to the train. Branka had some errands to run, and I had decided to go to Angel to get some vegan pastries and visit Bird and Blend, so we said our goodbyes. Rory was getting the same train as me (as I went on the overground to Highbury and Islington) so we had a lovely chat on the train before he got off at his stop. I’d packed a cereal bar in my bag so I had that on the train as I was getting quite hungry by that point.

parkfaff- British Patagonia for the best vegan pastries, Bird and Blend for a matcha and a cereal bar on the train (plus the token sorting tubs)

I then had a very wet walk along Upper Street to get my pastries (to take home rather than eat on the train) and matcha before walking down to St Pancras and getting the train back. I was still home before lunch time and it was a morning well spent, although it was only when I got home that I realised how wet and cold my feet were!

Onto the stats- that was my 437th parkrun and my 148th different event. At the time it was the 37th out of 65 London events (but of course that can change).

Up next is more touring- a London one (which I went to yesterday) and some more plans coming.

Ticking off more of date bingo at Clermont Waterfront parkrun

The beginning of January for me was spent in Florida, ahead of the Walt Disney World marathon weekend (which was a 5k on the Thursday, 10k on the Friday, half marathon on the Saturday and a marathon on the Sunday- more on that in later posts), and so I didn’t get to a parkrun on New Years Day. However, on the 3rd Andy said he’d drive me out to Clermont (it’s a good 50 min drive from the WDW area). The parkrun begins at 7:30am so it’s an early start to get there in time (especially as I like to go to the toilets and walk along to the lake to look at the view).

The sunrise was around 7:20 so as I got to the lake I was treated to the sun coming up- the sky was so orange just before although it wasn’t captured that well in the photos. I was wondering if I’d need a jacket at first (Florida was having a cold front just before we arrived and on NYD there was a thin frost on the car first thing, although it would warm up once the sun was out), but I was fine in t-shirt and shorts even before I started running. It was funny seeing the locals wrapped up in thick joggers and hoodies (with hoods up!) when I was just there in minimal layers!

The sun shining through the trees and moss made it look as if the trees were glowing with fire- it was so beautiful.

This was my 4th time at this parkrun, and my third doing this route (as once they were on the alternative route away from the lake)- I didn’t even listen to the first timers welcome (I did on my third visit!) because it’s such a simple route- out and back along the lake. (If you were visiting, the car park is right by the start, in that as you turn in to the car park you can see the parkrun teardrop flag and all the flags in the finish funnel. You need to exit the car park and cross the road to get to the start but it couldn’t be any closer).

Going back to the course, there is a small section where the paths leads you away from the lake a bit, but it’s clearly marked with signs, and it’s a fairly busy parkrun (150 people this time) so there is someone in sight to follow. There is a turnaround point clearly shown with a cone (and sometimes a marshal) but it’s really very easy, so rather than listen to the welcome I went along the little boardwalk to the edge of the lake to watch the sun come up. The main briefing was prompt and friendly, and then we were off!

This was a few days ahead of the big run challenge and I hadn’t run since the Wednesday before, so I was mindful of taking it easy. I was keen to do a few runs ahead of the challenge to acclimatise a little, as of course Florida is a lot more humid and a lot warmer than any of the training runs, and so I was quite pleased to finish in 30:51 as I felt like I was running quite gently and stopping to take photos (I paused for a while to take a photo of that bird (bottom right in the picture above).

By the time I finished (around 8am) the sun was properly up- such a contrast to when I first arrived. As it’s out and back you get to see everyone on the other side of the path too, and it added to my anticipation of the following weekend as I saw so many Run Disney shirts being worn by parkrunners.

I didn’t hang about too much after finishing- a few quick photos and then I headed back to the car, very relieved that I wasn’t dripping in sweat (after doing this course in the summer and having sweat pour out of every single pore) and happy that I felt like I managed the much warmer weather OK.

They often have a photographer there (although I’ve not looked up the photos from this event yet) and I noticed on the bench by the finish area that they have a special volunteer bib for the photographer to wear, which I thought was a lovely touch. It’s a very scenic parkrun by the water, and it’s so nice that they value the photographer role so much.

I’d seen a recommendation for the vegan bagels and toppings at Jeff’s Bagel Run, and after going there earlier in our trip we found that there was a branch on our way back from parkrun, so we stopped to pick up some bagels for breakfast once back at our hotel.

As I’d been there before, of course there is no Voronoi update, but happily when I looked on the 5k app I had filled in a date bingo slot and if I had missed it it would be a few years before the 3rd would fall on a Saturday again, so hooray!

On the Monday following this parkrun, Andy and I did a run together of about 3-4 miles around a lake by our hotel, but then it was strictly no more running until the WDW marathon weekend began! Although of course there was plenty of walking around theme parks in the meantime.

So, up next will probably be my race recaps- you have been warned!

parkruns of 2025

I don’t always manage to do these posts but I really enjoy looking back over a year of parkrunning to see where I have visited and who I’ve seen.

Stats:

47 parkruns in 2025

26 new events visited

2 new countries visited

2 new special days attended

v100 achieved

Single-ton at Panshanger

2025 was the year I managed most parkruns- 47 in a year (beating 46 in 2024, 2022 and 2019). At the start of the year I was on 386 parkruns, and finished the year on 433. I visited 26 new events in 2025 (and revisited many as well). I celebrated my arbitrary 400th, my V100 and my single ton at Panshanger.

I did some touring alone, and toured with family and friends. I managed to visit parkruns when I was nearby for a trip or weekend away, as well as doing lots of London tourism.

Here are a few highlights:

Local events: Panshanger in the snow, Oaklands College and Stanborough in the sunshine.

Oaklands College and Stanborough both launched and I have enjoyed running at both of them. I can now run to either Panshanger or Stanborough from home as they are a couple of miles away which is the perfect parkrun sandwich distance. I achieved my single-ton at Panshanger (100 times at the same event).

Touring with my family (my dad, brother and mum)

I did lots more touring with my dad, occasionally my brother, and sometimes my mum came along too (here she is at Jubilee, Bedford).

Meet ups with Jan and Rory, plus my favourite marshal spot at Birchwood juniors.

I toured and met up with friends (Jan in Peacehaven in Brighton- she used to run with the OH ladies/ Rory a fellow WMN listened who is often the RD at Harrow Lodge and an excellent fountain of parkrun touring knowledge). I also volunteered at juniors a fair bit, achieving my V100 in March.

I celebrated my 400th (arbitrary) parkrun at Victoria Dock and was so happy that some friends came to join me.

400th! And Ascension Day in Sweden, as well as visiting Finland on that same trip.

I also had a fantastic trip to Finland and Sweden, and completed my first non UK special event of Ascension Day in May 2025.

As well as those events, I went back to Japan and visited two new events there, and revisited Clermont in Florida.

Solo touring in Japan, Germany, USA as well as solo local trips to Panshanger and Stevenage.

Later in the year I completed another special event, this time Unity Day in Germany. Branka and Holly were at Rheinpark with me, and then I was at Lousberg by myself.

It was the year of the Cowells for sure, with Holly celebrating hers in Preston Park (Brighton), Branka at Egham Orbit and then my dad at Stanborough! 100 locations all around!

All the Cowells plus one of many London trips (Dulwich) and Unity Day at Rheinpark.

New events visited in 2025:

Oaklands College, Tooting Common, Thames Path Woolwich, Battersea, Walthamstow, Peacehaven, Dulwich, North Walsham, Victoria Dock, Hackney Marshes, Ben’s Yard Ely, Tokoinranta, Haga, Beckton, Jubilee Bedford, Egham Orbit, Harrow Lodge, Peckham Rye, Rheinpark, Lousberg, Wakehurst, Stanborough, Shibamata koen kadan, Sunshine Beach, Brockwell, Raphael.

New countries visited:

Finland, Sweden.

Countries visited:

USA, Japan, Germany.

So, what’s next?

Well, my 150th different event will be fairly soon (as I am on 147 events). Definitely some more London tourism, particularly on the train. I should get to the arbitrary milestone of 450 parkruns at some point (currently on 433), and there are various friends celebrations that I’m hoping to attend as well. But mainly what I am looking forward to is more of the same- more parkrunning with friends and family, more visiting new locations and more fun on Saturday mornings.

What are you looking forward to about parkrunning next year? Any exciting milestones or arbitraries coming up?

Raphael parkrun

For the final parkrun of 2025, some tourism was on the cards. Dad was free, as were Branka and Holly, and after finding that Harrow Lodge was a relatively straightforward journey before, we headed over to that area again, this time for Raphael parkrun.

(If you look on a map, Raphael, Harrow Lodge and Ingrebourne Hill are sort of stacked on top of each other, towards the east of the M25).

It was a frosty day, and after Dad picked me up at around 7:35 we arrived to park before 8:30. Holly and Branka arrived separately, confusingly in a car park with the same name as ours, but actually a different one (Lodge Farm- I am not sure which one we parked in as I pinned it on the map rather than using the postcode).

Our view as we entered the park- really pretty. I love seeing personalised marshal spots, and Rory let me know that Awtar was a regular volunteer who sadly passed away, so they have this corner to remember them.

We jogged to the toilets which were at the very opposite end of the park, which ended up being about a mile in total (plus waiting in the queue), so only just got back in time to hear the end of the first timers welcome and then people were lining up to start. Be aware if you are going as to their location! We did hear the main briefing which was very well listened to. I was very surprised to hear the park being pronounced as “Ray- fell” as I had been saying it like the turtle/artist.

It’s a very narrow start, so people were maybe just two abreast on the path, which meant it was quite stop-start when we did get going. This does not bother me at all but I think if you were going for a fast time you’d need to place yourself accordingly- I ran with Holly and it took us a bit of time overtaking walkers to settle in to our pace. As there are people lapping you and passing in the opposite direction you do need to be aware and keep to one side (I think they said to keep left but basically follow what they say).

It was a lovely park though with some variety as you ran around- the part by the lake was pretty, and you could see other points of the course which I always enjoy. You can see above how narrow it is though and how many times you are passing others. Dad ran ahead and Branka was a bit behind so we got to see each other on an out and back bit.

A beautiful day for running!

Once finished we got some pop up photos and then agreed to head to a Tesco (guaranteed toilets and a warm cafe) for some parkfaffing. I had a slight fail here, as I didn’t have the best phone reception, and ended up putting a different one in the maps so Dad and I arrived at a Tesco that had no cafe, oops. It had a Costa opposite so we warmed up in there while Branka and Holly went to the actual Tesco!

Anyway, despite the slight parkfaff fail on my part it was a fantastic way to round off 2025.

The before and after:

A very satisfying chunk of the map filled in. I shall now have to go to Ingrebourne Hill in 2026 to complete that set of 3.

Stats:

parkrun 433, and location 147. I had no idea I was that close to 150! A definite goal for 2026.

As this one counts towards Lon-done I have now completed 37 of 66 (currently). I’ve been hovering around that 50% mark but again will aim to do a few more next year and close in a bit on that.

Brockwell parkrun, Herne Hill

It was time for some more London parkrun tourism with Branka, and this one was going to fill a nice hole in our Voronoi maps. Brockwell parkrun is very close to Herne Hill station, which is on the Thameslink line, so I headed to St Albans to get on a direct train from there, meeting Branka at Herne Hill station.

You can pretty much see the park from the station, so we just had to walk into the park and locate the start, which was very simple. It was great to walk through the park so early- we could see lots of the central London skyline from the park, and on our way to the toilets saw the team wheeling their kit up to the start.

It was very windy so we had to hold the pop up while we took photos, but thankfully after what felt like a week of rain, the morning was fairly bright.

We left our bags on a bench inside a sort of shelter (it looked like an old concrete bus stop but it couldn’t have been as it was a traffic-free park), listened to the first timers welcome and then it was time to head down to the start line. They seemed to have a bit of trouble with people chatting during the run brief, even with their speaker system set up (and some people shouting “quiet!” to try to help), but we could just about hear the warnings against funnel ducking and the reminder to keep right rather than the more common left. They mentioned that they had received complaints from members of the public using the park at the same time, and so the compromise was to ensure that the parkrunners kept to the right so that some of the paths were clear for others.

After a few milestone announcements we realised that everyone was moving and the parkrun had started.

It’s pretty much a two lap course, with a little bit of extra in the first lap, and it’s undulating for sure. It is all on tarmac paths which was partly why we had chosen it (so many local runs to me are muddy and we just fancied finishing a parkrun without muddy socks). It was a really pretty park with lots to see on the way around, although I found the circular nature meant I totally lost my bearings. At one point on the first lap I noticed a lovely carved frog bench, and so on the second lap I got my phone out ready to take a photo, but I was so early I kept thinking I’d missed it.

The finish is pretty tough too, as you think all the hills are done but the short section into the finish funnel slopes uphill too. I was happy when I could stop!

The team had moved the pop up to the top of the hill (by the finish) rather than by the start line, so I got a few photos there as there was a lovely backdrop of London behind, plus some nice autumn colours and even a hint of blue sky.

We walked back to the station and popped into a bakery (there are plenty of very posh looking bakeries and cafes near the station) but nothing was labelled vegan and so I said to Branka that I’d get out the train at Kings Cross and head up to Angel to visit British Patagonia (a bakery and cafe that does the most amazing vegan pastries)- Branka decided to come too so we headed straight there. Angel also houses a Bird and Blend, so of course we popped in there on our way past. I had a matcha latte because I need some caffeine after I stop running.

We got the pastries to go, so luckily I had a cereal bar in my bag which I could have with my matcha for breakfast, and then I had pistachio pastry when I got home. Oh my goodness me they are delicious. (Top tip- they sometimes have bags of mixed pastries that are close to their sell-by date- I got one this time to pop in the freezer but they are always a good deal- the one I got had 3 or 4 pastries and was about £7).

Onto the map update:

It was very pleasing because after going to Dulwich and Peckham Rye, I had a little gap in the map, but going to Brockwell filled that one in. We didn’t get our results through until about 10:30 pm, and my placing was quite different to my token number, so I imagine the poor team had a few things to sort (even though they reminded people in the briefing not to funnel duck…).

That was parkrun 429 and location 146. Obviously with more events, Lon-DONE is one of those where the goal gets ever bigger, but this of course helped and was my 36th London event (out of 66 currently).

It does remind me that apart from getting up early (my St Albans train was about 7:15am) it can be really easy to do some London train tourism.

Up next? Well, who knows basically. I am not keen on making big plans at this time of year in case bad weather means loads of cancellations, although the peas do have a trip pencilled in for before the end of the year.