Cannon Hill Park

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/cannon-hill/

With an (extended) family wedding up in Birmingham at the weekend, Hannah and I went straight to the parkrun map to see where we could get our 5k fix from. The obvious choice was Cannon Hill Park. I had never heard of it before being a soft Southerner, but it's a popular park for Hannah's family.

Not surprising as it was a big and beautiful park with plenty of room for a parkrun without having to run a silly number of laps. Nice scenery included well maintained flower beds, a funfair and a big lake with some giant swans gathering menacingly in the distance (they turned out not to be real!).

Pictured: The swans spy something whiter than them!

Not knowing the park we located the run director who was a friendly chap and pointed us to the guy doing the new runners briefing. A fun and theatrical explanation of the route was provided. It sounded dead complicated at that point but I knew I wouldn't be running at the front. The chap who gave us the directions was possibly the only person I encountered with a West Midlands accent by the way, but there was a Villa shirt and a Birmingham City shirt amongst the runners to re-assure me that we had indeed left Sussex.

I lined up on the start line with several gentlemen who were approximately four feet taller than me and it crossed my mind that I may be too far forward. This was confirmed when a guy behind me said to his friend "are you going sub-17 today?" and his friend said "no mate, I am taking it easy today, about 17:30". I held my tongue and just had to go with the flow over the first km (I ran it in about 3:35 to save face). The fast start didn't kill me and I dug deep to run another 4k in a similar fashion. Of course, my 5k always involves starting fast and gradually getting slower so it wasn't disappointing!

The route was reasonably flat. I guess at times we were going over slight inclines or declines but apart from the hill to the finish (how mean was that?!) it felt flat. There were some tight turns here and there but nothing that killed much speed. All on concrete I might add, which for me is ideal. The paths were wide (despite being warned of narrow paths), much wider than I am used to. 

Despite looking complicated on their website it wasn't particularly complicated at all. The field spreads out enough to just follow the chap ahead and with such a fast field it'd take some doing to get ahead of everybody! The marshals were spot on and you'd have to go a bit mad to go the wrong way. I was looking the wrong direction when I got to the lake in the final stretch but just about managed to turn myself around in time!

All in all, I always say it, but an enjoyable run and I got a PB. It was a very fast course. The people were friendly too. I had some banter from a couple of chaps at the end that said my time was disgustingly fast, all said in good jest as expected from a parkrun. I actually hope I can run this one again. Especially as it's now my PB course and the furthest away parkrun that I've done.

Crystal Palace parkrun

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/crystalpalace/

A few of us from Burgess Hill Runners went off to Crystal Palace parkrun as part of a day out that started with a run and finished with Crystal Palace Football Club hammering opponents Newcastle at Selhurst Park. As a Palace fan it always seemed appropriate to me that I’d one day tick this off.

Pictured: The BHR crew at Crystal Palace parkrun

I’m glad that I did as I really enjoyed it. Well, I say I enjoyed it, it goes on the list of parkruns that should’ve been easier than it actually was. It had inclines that weren’t steep but were lengthy and after a fairly quick first lap I didn’t quite have it in the tank to whizz around the second time. Knowing that there is a slight incline before the finish does make you hold back a little bit I think, but I finished it in a respectable time.

For the first time during our parkrun tourism, I messaged the Facebook group for the parkrun before going. It was really nice that they were sort of expecting us and were instantly friendly when we arrived, volunteering us advice about the course and telling us where it started and finished. We lined up at the start with a few friendly people too and one lady had quite a good chat with us prior to the start. Small world, it turned out she was originally from Burgess Hill! My good impression of this parkrun was extended further afterwards when they mentioned us in their run report and also asked me on Facebook whether we’d enjoyed the football.

All in all a really good parkrun and possibly the only one on our ‘tour’ (i.e.: outside of Sussex) that I’ll do again. It was suggested we make the parkrun and football trip an annual event and despite my desire to try out some that I haven’t tried before, I look forward to going back to Crystal Palace parkrun again one day. Maybe I can get under 20 minutes there, but I’ll give the first lap a little more respect next time!

Kings Lynn parkrun

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/kingslynn/

Whilst staying with Hannah's parents in Norfolk it made sense to take part in a parkrun a bit further afield. Despite my previous dislike of flat courses, it did actually feel quite appealing to take part in a nice flat one just after Christmas so we headed off to Kings Lynn.

I'd studied the map on their parkrun homepage and to be honest I was a bit confused as to what the course was but knowing I wouldn't be in first place at any point it didn't really matter! As it happened they had to change the course to their 'B' course anyway due to flooding on one of the paths. On an unfamiliar course it's always quite tricky to pace yourself correctly but that's one of the advantages to a multi-lap race in my opinion. Also, the chap who eventually finished a good 30 seconds ahead of me, seemed to be setting the perfect pace for 80% of my run. He had a lot more in the tank at the end, but following him round that first 80% kept me bang on track. 

It was a bit of a cold rainy day and at first it didn't look like many runners would take part. As we first arrived there seemed to be more marshals than runners but eventually a decent crowd turned up of around 150. 

As expected, the course was very flat but the three laps were quite scenic and the course was enjoyable to run. It was all tamac paths, as advertised, which for me is ideal. There were two points on each of the three laps that you have to do a 'u-turn' which often slows me down but apart from a near slip on the first lap, these didn't take away too much pace and it did transpire to be a nice quick run (I clocked my second fastest ever 5k time).

We didn't get a chance to hang about and socialise at this one partly due to the grotty weather, but the crowd seemed very friendly. As we left we said thanks to a few marshals who still seemed full of the Christmas spirit so if you're ever up in this neck of the woods I recommend this friendly, fast Parkrun. 

It's also worth noting, the last runner would've finished around 9:45am and the results were up and texted through by 10am. Very speedy results indeed!

The Stats - 1st Jan 2015

This is the third of my updates where I try to rank the difficulty of the various Parkruns I've tried. I said i'd do it every three and with the completion of Kings Lynn i'm now at 12 so here is an enthralling start to 2015 for you all.

It's worth noting that a lot of this is based on personal opinion. Also conditions on the day. I've done Horsham twice now, for example, and the muddy conditions made a huge difference second time around. Take some of these stats with a punch of salt. I've tweaked a couple a little bit since last time as well so these could contradict what i've said in the past. I wasn't going to because it makes me seem even more clueless but on the other hand, if I have run them a few more times then it does make sense to update them with my latest theory. Basically I have just moved Hove up a place and adjusted the compensation figure. After a re-visit and new PB I realised Hove was easier than I had given it credit for.

I'll also say that I include my PB mainly just to help benchmark them against each other. They aren't listed to get a pat on the back for my efforts!

So, in order of difficulty, the easiest (in my opinion) first:

1) Preston Park, Brighton - total ascent: 32m - PB: 20.01

2) Hove Park - total ascent: 52m - PB: 19.22 - compensation vs Preston Park: +0.25%

3) Nonsuch Park Course B, Cheam - total ascent: 33m - PB: 20.24 - compensation vs Preston Park: +0.5%

4) The Walks Course B, Kings Lynn - total ascent: 19m - PB: 19.54 - compensation vs Preston Park: +1.5%

5) Horsham - total ascent: 45m - PB: 20.14 - compensation vs Preston Park: +2% (3% when conditions are muddy)

6) Bushy Park, London - total ascent: 21m - PB: 20.19 - compensation vs Preston Park: +2%

7) Richmond Park, London - total ascent: 57m - PB: 20.37 - compensation vs Preston Park: +2%

8) Eastbourne Summer Course - total ascent: 18m - PB: 21.05 - compensation vs Preston Park: +2%

9) Banstead Woods, Surrey - total ascent: 76m - PB: 21.36 - compensation vs Preston Park: + 3%

10) Tilgate Park, Crawley - total ascent: 63m - PB: 20.52 - compensation vs Preston Park: + 4%

11) Clair Park, Haywards Heath - total ascent: 89m - PB: 20.45 - compensation vs Preston Park: + 5.5%

12) Lloyd Park, Croydon - total ascent: 63m - PB: 21.22 - compensation vs Preston Park: +7%

The compensation vs Preston Park (the one I now deem easiest) is based on all conditions being the same. Obviously my PBs don't back up these figures, but this is because they were all run at different times and in different states of mind! I reckon that for each of these runs, if you ran them at your peak fitness with no illnesses in the same weather conditions etc, the figures I have added in red will be a fairly accurate indicator of how much additional time you can expect to add to your 5k for each of the ones on the list. This blurb will never get read so I can literally say anything here. Penguin.

Horsham parkrun

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/horsham/

On Saturday 6th of September a small group of us from Burgess Hill Runners went along to join a parkrun that was special for very different reasons to the long running Bushy Park. Horsham Parkrun was launching its very first parkrun although, as a few observed, you wouldn’t know. If the organisers had had any fears as to whether anyone would turn up, they needn’t have worried as 366 runners showed up to sample what it had to offer. I don’t know whether other ones in the area, such as Tilgate, took a hit or whether Horsham is just going to have a huge pull from the immediate locality, but it was great to see a fledgling event host so many keen runners.

The course is 3 laps of a gently undulating park opposite the train station. Having commuted to Horsham for work for a year, I can say that despite the change of trains at Three Bridges, it does make it a viable option for public transport. The 3 laps were no walk in the park (have I already made that joke before? Probably!) and it was weird how the small inclines seemed to feel so tricky and every lap seemed longer than previous, but it wasn’t the hardest one i’ve sampled. The start of the course was very cramped and I got shoved into a lamp post as everybody eagerly legged it off the start line. Hannah says she had to walk over the start line due to the bottle neck. I won’t whinge, I know the organisers of Parkruns study the various options they have available and I imagine they thought it was better to start there than essentially alongside where the finish funnel would be. 

There was a bit of mixed terrain on this one, with some concrete paths, light trail and grass all of which could be tackled easily in road shoes but may get churned up in the Winter.

For all the difficulties we experienced at the beginning, the rest of the course opened up and allowed for some overtaking. The finish funnel was extremely well organised and despite huge queues, there was a feeling that they were coping well with the numbers. The locals turned out to cheer on the runners which also made for a positive experience. 

I put in a hard effort with this one, although kept in mind that I had a league race the next day. This gave me a time 17 seconds away from a PB. I’d say that this one will always bring me in with a slightly slower time than the likes of Preston Park and Hove.

A great start for this further alternative option and I really hope it thrives.

Pictured: Starting to plot these on a map of South East England. The dots are roughly in the right place (and in BHR colours)!

Bushy Park

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/bushy/

Yet again I’ve been a bit delayed in writing these up but I’m sure you have coped and have found some other things to do with your time. Perhaps things that are even more exciting than my blog? On the 23rd of August, mainly thanks to the logistical overlord Neil, a handful of us (actually it was probably two or three handfuls) from Burgess Hill Runners went to visit Bushy Park in London to try out the Parkrun that started the whole Parkrun explosion. 

First off, as residents of Mid-Sussex, the concept of going to London for a Parkrun seemed a bit like planning a trek in the Andes, but as it happened it wasn’t as long a journey as you might think (many thanks to two of our awesome friends from BHR who drove us there). In fact, at probably an hour’s drive away there are almost certainly Parkruns within Sussex that would take us longer to get to. That in itself was quite an exciting thing to take in for a Parkrun nerd like me, although I appreciate that as a non-driver I am reliant on the kindness of others a bit!

Obviously, being such a long running Parkrun it was absolutely rammed….there were just over 900 runners I think. We’d experienced three hundred and something runners a few times but this was unlike anything we’d seen before. Being a chap that likes to run off quickly at the beginning I tried to push as close to the front as possible but really didn’t make a lot of progress. For the first time ever at a Parkrun, when the race started I had to walk to the start line then sprint as fast as I could to make up the time. It’s not a great way to run and I probably started the run almost burnt out already!

However, although I would’ve liked to have clocked sub-20 there, I knew right away it wasn’t going to happen and settled in to absorb the experience. This Parkrun is just one lap as the park is enormous. It’s a scenic park with a relaxing feel to it and although my heart was pounding like it wanted to get out, it felt like an enjoyable place to be with various wildlife hiding somewhere (I saw the poo, dead giveaway that is!) and some early morning boot campers doing their thing. 

The course is mainly on dusty trail and probably better for road shoes than off-roaders. It was also as flat as a pancake. What did I say before about not enjoying flat, one lap courses? I guess it does have some PB potential versus some of the other ones we’ve done but I never seem to find the flat ones comfortable.

Having been going for 10 years it did have some real boasts though. Firstly, they are obviously very well organised in terms of the race logistics and so that went really well and although the massive finish funnel tricked me into starting my sprint finish a bit too soon, it also made for easy filing at the end. Also, having seen a massive turnover of runners in their many years of existence, the runners were all very receptive to a chit chat and it was great to be approached by a few and asked about, where we’d come from, our local Parkrun and what we thought of Bushy Parkrun. There are a few cafes in the park and we stopped to have a coffee in one before leaving which was great as a post-race social. 

I’m really glad to have ticked this one off as it is such a special Parkrun and it was made all the more enjoyable by my fellow BHR day-trippers. 

Preston Park (Brighton)

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/preston/

Ok, it’s pretty remiss of me but I forgot to post a write up of the Preston Park parkrun I did the other day as I got too giddy with the facts and figures. Today we actually ran the Bushy Parkrun but as Neil has written a superb blog on that I’ll stagger mine for another time. Mine will be comparatively boring of course but got to keep the old blog going!

So yeah, Preston Park. This was the venue for my running training for years. Actually, it’s where running began for me as a hobby to be honest. I tagged along with some colleagues who wanted to get fit and ended up whizzing around like a sort of over excited puppy feeling like I had a basic knack for running. Preston Park was just up the road from where I worked and it’s a park i’ve used multiple times for all sorts of different types of training due to its sexy flat bits and its moody hills! It was a nice feeling to run here for that reason, sort of completed a little circle for me.

It was also a superb Parkrun. To be fair to Preston Park, you rarely have stunning scenery and an easy race all under one roof/lack of roof and this one was one that was more conducive to a decent time than a little look round at paradise. But it’s nice enough there, don’t get me wrong. I felt that the course profile was finally spot on for a decent time and you’ll notice I put it at the top of my list for PB potential. Sure enough in fact, I did my first km in 3:30 (with a little bit of help from starting slightly down hill) although I gradually eased off that pace, partly out of fear I’d run myself into the ground. 

The course is all on tarmac paths and as I say, starts slightly down hill. It finishes gradually uphill but nothing that will make your eyeballs fall out. The only other real obstacle are 3 tight turns (1 on each lap) which turned out to be un-supervised by marshals in favour of a yellow dot on the ground about the size of a postage stamp. I over shot this by some way on the first lap but turned in the correct place afterwards. 

All in all, if you are local and want a PB, this is the place to go to. It’s even easier than Hove!