Aberdare Parkrun

Genuine Welsh Parkrun sign!

I HEARD on the grapevine that Aberdare had started a new Parkrun and thought that I would check it out, even though I wanted to have another crack at Pontypridd!   The upside of it was Aberdare was closer and easier to get to giving me a whole extra five minutes in bed!

I have been to Aberdare a number of times over the years but never realised they had a park until very recently so I was quite excited about this..even though I have never actually been in there!

There was a really good turnout and talking to runners on the start line it turned out that it wasn't a brand new run.  The previous week was their first  anniversary and this was their 50th run.   I was only one week late for the first anniversary, I was pleased with that.

Aberdare Parkrun start line.   On your marks ...

Starting the run we headed clockwise arond the park and at the back gate took a small detour and got back on course again.   Coming round to the front gate we headed for the lake and where the finish line was.   It was then I spotted it, the imposing hill that took you up to the start line and end of the first lap.

This was quite challenging being both steep and quite long.   It certainly drained your strength but at least once you made it to the top you had a good recovery time before coming round to the hill again.   In total the course is three and three quarter laps.

Aberdate Parkrun in Welsh, think it's going to rain, style.

This is a beautiful park, so much more than I expected and the run director was so welcoming that it was made even more enjoyable.   Now I have two Welsh park runs between which to split my allegiance.

Downland Dash 8km

SATURDAY 22nd JUNE Burgess Hill Runners hosting the West Sussex Fun Run League with their Downland Dash.    The run was a 5 mile course from Downland Community College in Hassocks and attended by all 18 clubs who run the league.

Haywards Heath Harriers Team Photo.

As we lined up at the start it was clear it was going to be a hot day.   There were three distinct parts to the route starting with a run around the school sports fields before being directed out into open fields that run along the foot of the South Downs.   The run was quite difficult with the heat and the fields having very recently been mown with a lot of loose grass underfoot.

There were a lot of obstacles to navigate with a bridge, couple of stiles, kissing gates and single track footpaths.   Pedestrians out for their Saturday walk were rudely awakened by members of 18 running clubs looming towards them.   We managed to get everyone through the small gaps without any major problems, other than a little lost time for the runners.

After the extreme heat running across open fields, the next stage of the run through woodland was extremely welcome.   The trees gave a lot of shade and the opportunity to cool down a little.   This led to the next obstacle as with great trees come great roots which means you have to spend a lot of time keeping an eye on where your feet fall and not end up head down in a bush.   With the recent rain there were also some slippery muddy bits.

Coming out of the woodland and back into open sunshine you could see the finish line.   Running alongside the hedgerows you start checking the distance between you and the runners in front and feeling how much energy you still have in your muscles.   You start the final sprint with the finish line firmly in your sights trying to reduce the gap and overtake other runners.

Made it to the finish line!

  Thanks go to the Burgess Hill runners for an amazing course especially Jay for his sense of humour and little prank at the finish line

Harriers take over Clair Park Run

PARKRUN ORGANISE free weekly 5km timed runs around the world.   They are free to everyone and safe and easy to take part in.   They are held every Saturday at 9am in local parks and attended by 263,937 runners with 23,169 volunteers.   There are 270 junior Parkruns attended by 22,005 under 14s with 4,960 volunteers worldwide.

Saturday 8th June saw the Haywards Heath Harriers take over Clair Park Run.   We took up all of the volunteer roles and anybody free then ran in the event.

I had one of the roles with a stopwatch on the finish line with Marion.   This meant ensuring that by the end of the run everybody had an accurate finish time. So I had the responsibility of all the PB's!   Oh God!!


It was a good day for the event; a little cold but not raining and the set up went really smoothly.   The First Timers and the tourists got their briefing on time and we included the announcements and health and safety information.   Shelagh from Harriers was there running her 200th Park Run which was amazing and worthy of comment, and last week saw Paul running his 250th.

Park Run is amazing. It draws on people of all abilities to take some time out for themselves and just do 5k however they want.   Run, jog, walk or a combination of all of them.

For me the most amazing thing about running is the way it gives you an identity, a sense of belonging and a community.   The two best things I have ever done are marry my wife (wife retching at this point) and start running (in that order).

Future in journalism? Probably not!

IT'S STRANGE when I think back.   When I left school I got into printing and did a four year apprenticeship with Surrey and South East London Newspapers in Redhill.   One of my longest standing friends started at the same time as an apprentice journalist.

With all the changes in the printing world I ended up following a different path after working in many different areas from newspapers and magazines, to commercial and security printing.
 
Then I get asked if I can write a report for the Littlehampton Beach Run which is part of the West Sussex Fun Run League.   I was quite happy to do this and I stepped in to organise the Harriers, get the race numbers together and ensure everybody turned up at the start line.   I even managed to get a team picture.

After writing the short piece I was asked if they could credit it to me.   I thought why not when I have gone to the trouble of doing it and a little acknowledgement is not to be sniffed at. So I agreed and it came out in The Middy with the byline, "Beach report and photos by Michael Parish."   I am very proud of this and feel a greater part of the running community.

After this I offered to do it again and cover the Lindfield Village 10km and this piece was printed along with some other bits under the byline, "Athletics by Michael Parish".   Couldn't believe that when it turned up in print!

My next endeavour is a report on the Worthing 10km which has been submitted along with the Harriers takeover of Clair Park Run this week.   So it's going to be interesting to see if that turns up in print as well.

I think I should be taking this a little more seriously as it could be a new challenge. They say that luck happens when preparation meets opportunity...

Worthing beach front 10km

SUNDAY 2nd JUNE brought the Worthing 10k, one of the largest and friendliest running events in the South-East.   On a hot sunny day the seaside town welcomed 2,500 runners of all abilities to a flat coastal route.   The event attracts the fast elite, first time, club and charity runners raising in excess of £100,000 for local causes.

I didn't plan to take part in this event but a colleague from work had already registered and then discovered he couldn't do it.   He gifted the race pack to me and I am not the sort of person to turn down a freebie.   So instead of running this under my own name I did it as Karl from the Sussex Plodders.   It was good to do as I am also a Plodder.   I may take this up as my aka!   This was the first event I have run where the race bib actually has your name on it. Just my luck that on this occasion it was someone elses!

On a very hot Sunday morning Haywards Heath Harriers contributed four members who ran the coastal route on fully closed roads.   It began on the promenade alongside the shingle before crossing onto the main road and then running on the main road parallel to the sea.   The route then turned into residential roads at Sea Lane and Amberley Drive at 5k before the parallel run with the sea back to the start line.

The runners were grateful to many local residents who had the ingenuity to place their garden sprinklers out in the road.    Runners had the opportunity to run through a blissful cold spray that was very welcome and a reprieve from the heat.   It was short-lived though as the water very quickly dried.   Refreshing nonetheless.

It was great to see the finish line with the crowds cheering us on to collect our medals and the opportunity of a quick ice cream before the journey home.   Worthing 10k is a great run for first timers because of it’s level course with only one small hill on Amberley Drive.   The local crowds cheering everybody on were amazing.

Harriers were:  Robin English 00:39:42; Chris Glanfield 00:50:29; Marion Hemsworth 00:56:29; Michael Parish 01:02:00.