You never regret a parkrun ever. FACT.
I’m so happy I made it out on this lovely sparkling morning, and was reunited with lovely sparkling parkrun people and the joy of winter sunshine. Hurrah! It was reyt good. And the thing is, it nearly didn’t happen, and if it hadn’t, that would have been properly sad. Still, all’s well eh?
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You’d think I’d know this by now, but it was a very close call for me as whether or not I’d be parkrunning today, to parkwalk or not to parkwalk, that was very much the question. Yesterday I had a complete tantrum-throwing pity party. It was a fairly ineffectual tantrum as I was on my own, and much like the tree that falls in the forest unseen, it’s quite hard to have a tantrum without an audience, but I did my best. I have been in excruciating pain of late, and it really compromises what I can do. Objectively, I’m more mobile than I was a year ago, and it was always going to be a tough week after adventuring so far afield last Saturday for lovely Trentham Gardens parkrun, I am learning I can do stuff up to a point but adventures have consequences. I had been recovering ok from my excursion to Stoke last week, but then I had a stumble over a kerb, both literally and figuratively, and it seems to have set me back quite a bit. I’m back to not being able to put weight through my foot, and that sets off my other symptoms and it’s all just completely crap. I try to be positive, but living with pain is not just disabling but exhausting. I dealt with this like a proper grown up by crying a lot, not bothering to get dressed or shower all day and ate most of a fresh loaf of bread and butter, which didn’t particularly help, and in fact probably made things worse, but comfort eating is my coping strategy, inadequate as it is, and be fair, there are worse things to self medicate with than fresh bread, it’s just I can’t get hold of them. Anyway, that Sainsbury’s walnut cob is pretty spectacular.
Then it was parkrun eve. Ice was all around. I’m nervous about ice at the best of times, and I wasn’t sure how my foot would hold up to driving, I do have an automatic, but even so. I clearly wouldn’t be going far afield. Lots of parkruns were being cancelled because of ice, and it was unclear what would happen locally. Hmmm. I did some parkrun related research. Oh look, Concord is having its event number 555. In case you aren’t aware dear reader, this is one of the 5k running challenges event numbers for something called the Nelson Index. I don’t even have the 5k running challenges app because I don’t have a smart phone, and labour under the delusion it’s not a challenge I’m particularly bothered about. But then again, a rare Nelson on my doorstep? Rude not to go. Oh, and the Nelson challenge is basically involves completing runs at events where the event number is a multiple of 111′ I don’t know how many you need to complete the challenge – there’s only ever been one 888 at Bushy parkrun so it would be harsh if you had to have all of them. It’s called the Nelson either because the ‘slang term “Nelson” applied to team or individual scores of 111 or multiples of. It has been ascribed to referring to Nelson’s 3 major naval victories (won, won, won) or more popularly to him being injured in battle from a musket ball shot in his right arm, resulting in surgical emergencies and him then apparently only having one eye, one leg and one arm. 111. The problem with that story is that there isn’t proof that he lost a leg, only that he lost an arm and his eyesight in one eye!’ Who knows, anyway, Nelson it is. And it seems that much as I don’t really care about such challenges, actually I clearly do, because the prospect of one on my doorstep was an irresistible lure. Worth not only getting up and dressed for, but maybe putting an actual bra on too. Oh giddy days! I mean, it would be ouchy, but probably doable if I just walked on the heel and side of my foot and used my stick. I have a wood pigeon that visits daily that only seems to be able to use one of its legs, and that gets on with stuff. It is also inelegant getting around, but hey, it’s still doing its pigeon thing admirably. I would channel my inner wood pigeon. Yeah, yeah they have a tendency to crash land into trees and fly into windows and things, but mostly they get up again. I’ll be that, but with less window crashing, hopefully.
But then there was ice! Ice, ice everywhere. Would it be dancing on ice, or would it be a cancellation casualty of the weather? Concord tends to keep radio silence. For whatever reason they don’t fill in the volunteer roster in advance, and the social media channels are generally quite, though splutter into life for big events like Christmas Day. This is a parkrun I’ve done a couple of Christmas Days (2018 and with a unicorn in 2017) and odd other occasions to meet up with friends. I’m not aware of it cancelling often at all, but it’s always a risk at this time of year. Having said that, looked like Hillsborough parkrun was very confident about going ahead, they had volunteer course gritters tooled up and ready to tackle the icier patches en route before the event. I decided I would venture to Concord and if it was cancelled I could always just go for a walk there on my own, people do take exercise on a Saturday morning even without a parkrun apparently, worth a try, or alternatively, if time allowed, head back to Hillsborough. Yep, that would be a plan. Always good to have a plan. A plan and a cup of tea is even better though. Speaking of which, I might just check out the status of my kettle, probably about time to check it’s still serviceable. A cup of tea solves everything after all. Apart from murder mystery dramas, but that’s a minor detail. A cup of tea definitely makes everything better, which is splendid.
Great cup of tea. Thanks for asking. Now, where was I?
Oh yes, up early, COLD and frosty morning. I peered out. Hmm, everything looked white, but it was sort of dry white. I noticed a car drive up my road and park up apparently without incident so decided I’d give it a whirl. I had real time communication with a fellow parkrunner who was heading darn sarf for the Running Show at Birmingham. He had to negotiate freezing fog which sounded horrific, but did make it to Babbs Mill parkrun so all’s well. Yeah, I should be grand just heading over to the other side of Sheffield.
First though, scrape the car, took a while. But success and on my way. The drive turned out to be fine. No traffic and not really any challenging conditions particularly either. It was blooming freezing, below freezing in fact, but dry cold so I didn’t encounter any ice. I still wasn’t sure if Concord would be able to go ahead, locally Millhouses and Rother Valley had both cancelled. Endcliffe was keen to go ahead and potentially welcome their 250,000 finisher, which is pretty cool to be fair.
As I approached the Concord Leisure Centre I was hugely cheered by the site of distant cow bobble hats, and glimpses of fluorescent Lycra flashing around. Ooh, this was looking most promising. If the event had cancelled I’d expect to see disappointed tourists driving away in search of another parkrun, this was looking more like game on. Better yet, as I pulled into the carpark, familiar faces. Yay, the Sheffield Olympic park junior parkrun volunteers were represented in force. It was just lovely to see friendly faces. I had no idea in advance if I would see anyone I knew, but hurrah, so many people from parkruns past had gravitated here. It seems a great many of us who ‘don’t really do the challenges’ had collectively done a ‘but oh look!’ and here we were! What’s more, for those of us who don’t really do challenges, it seems Hillsborough parkrun is on for event number 444 next week, well, basically rude not to.
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Hello lovely parkrun people!
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Parked up, delighted by familiar faces and ecstatic to see this parkrun was very much going ahead, I wended my way to the start area. Oh wow, it’s true my foot was very ouchy and legs very wobbly but oh I’d forgotten how lovely the setting for Concord parkrun can be. With bright winter sunshine piercing the frosty air it looked absolutely stunning. Christmas card perfect. There was a great buzz of people arriving, and I was quite giddy with seeing all these people I hadn’t seen for ages and ages and ages. One I hadn’t seen for at least a fortnight, and I was quite pleased I’d resisted the temptation of wearing her gifted new llama leggings (which are genuinely AMAZING) today. I’d thought about putting them on because they are lovely and soft and warm and colourful, but decided against as I am supposed to be saving them for a collective tourist jaunt in a few weeks time when we will have matchy matchy outfits. It would have been embarrassing to have been caught breaking ranks early, however great the temptation, but it was indeed splendid to have the unexpected joy of another reunion AND we’ll probably get to do it all again at Hillsborough parkrun next week! parkrun keeps on giving!
First stop the pop up sign, and choreographing photos. I do love a parkrun pop up sign, it’s sort of the parkrun equivalent of the water coolers so ubiquitous in Americans’ offices or the queue for the loo in a British one. It was where everybody hung out, and greetings were exchanged, new friends made and old friends became reacquainted with one another, hurrah! We all took turns photographing each other, and some photo bombing probably occurred, but that’s fun too! Mandatory photos taken and posed for by all. There were some 71 first timers at Concord today, and the number of finishers at 182 was more than double their usual average number of finishers which is 75.1. Nelson brought some, cancellation brought others and happenstance and a sunny day more still. Good to see people posing with a bit of energy and enthusiasm, it saddens me when people stand there rigid and solemn faced like they have to stay immobile for a Victorian pinhole camera or something. Couldn’t help noticing a fair few were posing the other side of the sign for the also obligatory, or at the very least irresistible for some, (s)Tart photos. #simplepleasures
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The park looked gorgeous, but the bright sunshine made it hard to really capture it. Still, I thought I’d show willing and snapped some shots of gathering parkrunners and lovely trees and winter sunshine. If you squint a bit and use your imagination, you’ll get the general ambience of it all ok I think.
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I don’t think there was a first timers’ welcome as such, but then I was wandering about trying – and failing – to take the perfect photo. However, after a little bit, the RD gathered us all together for a lovely welcome and briefing. Acknowledging the event number, giving a cheer of acknowledgement to Rose who had a balloon for her arbitrary 200th parkrun. We were reminded to stay safe, and advised there were some extra marshals out and about to keep an eye on things.
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Good news for me, two parkwalkers, and a cheery tailwalker too. The field of runners quickly disappeared over the horizon, with the pale blue parkwalkers following on behind. Me and the tail were quite significantly further back. I felt a bit bad really as I was definitely struggling and maybe shouldn’t have attempted the parkrun, but then again I was here now. It hurt. It hurt a lot. But I’m so glad I went. The tailwalker was very patient and we spent a great deal of time sharing running stories and trying to work out how we knew each other. Must have seen each other at a parkrun somewhere, most puzzling…
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The park looked lovely, the frost coating everything like sparkly fairy dust. There was a bright mist which gave everything a magical, mysterious hue. It also seemed exceptional calm, quiet and peaceful. I’m not sure if it really was quieter than normal, but there didn’t seem to be many people around.
As we walked around we met some lovely marshals, some of whom you pass more than once. One of whom had his very own corner apparently, but has resisted the impulse to have a special flag erected in the spot, or to have a plaque or at very least get the corner named after him. The issue is that were this to happen, he would feel unable to ever be absent again. Fair point, it’s still his corner, and referred to as such, the bench dedication or whatever can come later. All the marshals were in good spirits despite the cold. One was definitely dancing about, my tailwalking companion reckoned it was to keep warm, but maybe she just likes to dance like no-one is watching, parkrun can bring that out in people.
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The way the course is set up, you do get lapped as a slower participant, but there are also two sections where you get to see other runners coming charging towards you. This is less scary and more fun than you might imagine. If you get lucky you might even see someone you know, but even if you don’t it’s just nice to pass one another and get the sense of being part of a group event. Runners in the mist look even more athletic and lovely than they normally do. Silhouetted against the winter sun they were almost other worldly.
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I struggled a bit when we were being overtaken as we had to move to the side of the path and the camber wasn’t great for my foot, but I hobbled onwards. All participants were courteous and encouraging. It’s a two lap course, so we passed the finish funnel as some were coming in at the end of their parkruns.
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For the second lap we had the route to ourselves, me and the tailwalker. There were very few other people about, apart from aforementioned good natured marshals. The space was stunning. I have never really taken the time to appreciate this route, coming for Christmas Day doing the parkrun and disappearing off typically. It was quite a privilege to take time walking it.
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so we walked and talked and oohed and aahed. We were slightly discombobulated by a breathless runner in search of his wife. He’d finished his parkrun and returned on the course to meet her but met up with us as the tail of the event without having found her. I hope by now they are safely reunited. We hadn’t seen her, I don’t think we saw another soul.
Then we were at the finish!
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and it was as I had my token scanned, I recognised a fellow regular volunteer from Sheffield Olympic Legacy park junior parkrun, and then me and the tailwalker had a ‘duh’ moment and realised it was there we must have met before! Small parkrun world and all that.
And that was that, parkrun concluded. I’m so glad I went. Physically it took its toll, my foot does feel like it’s been crushed by a mallet and my body like it’s been hit by a truck, but mentally I feel lighter, which is especially novel after polishing off all those carbs yesterday. I didn’t stay for breakfast as needed to get home and rest up, but for the record there are good facilities in the leisure centre with loos and cafe and good companions too no doubt.
Another lovely parkrun, with a bonus challenge as well as happy accidents of parkrun paths crossing. A grand day out indeed.
If the mood takes you, you can read all my parkrun related posts here. Or not. It’s up to you. You’ll need to scroll down for older entries though. Reading is not compulsory.
Otherwise, same time next week? parkrun near you? Stay warm and safe til then if you can.
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Running Scared 