I’m not joking when I tell you that Hackney Marshes parkrun was ABBAsolutely Awesome! I’m really happy that we made it to this venue, especially when you hear how some people got on on their parkrun day. There was a particularly disgruntled post by someone who’d gone to Royston Vasey parkrun and had a terrible time, as that one is a local parkrun just for local people apparently. Hackney Marshes is of course a local parkrun for local people too, but also very welcoming of first timers it seems, so good shout. We truly were having the time of our lives this weekend with Londonshire adventures!
Thoughtful regulars too, see how that guy is trying to tiptoe past unseen? I think he’s trying to get to the communal yoga mat the team put out for you so you can have a pre-parkrun stretch if the mood takes you.
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I’d been a bit apprehensive about this weekend. It was going to be a whole night away in Londonshire, and last time I had such an adventure it wiped me out entirely. For a whole week afterwards I was barely functioning. I’m better than I was for sure, but my health feels precarious. I have very little stamina and it doesn’t take much exertion to knock me out for several days following. Going away for an ABBA voyager dance off AND a parkrun seemed crazy, but then again, an opportunity too good to miss. I decided the only fair thing to do was to come clean with my co-conspirator and party planner. Wasn’t sure if I’d make it through the night. Fortunately dear reader, she was awesome. Pointing out it wouldn’t matter one bit if I popped my clogs at an ABBA concert, in fact what an awesome way to go. She’s trained in care work so wouldn’t be remotely phased and would (obvs waiting til the concert had concluded to avoid ruining it for everyone else) spring into trouble shooting capable action to sort stuff. Also, she’s pretty canny, I would abbasolutely have given consent for her to try to blag some comp VIP tickets to go back another time to help her recover from this trauma. I’m not quite sure how a backstage pass would work with avatars, but worth a punt. And as for giving up the ghost at parkrun, I know for an actual fact someone would have the wit to scan my barcode and that would be splendid too. I’d probably make the parkrun blog, and would posthumously use this performative death to manipulate more parkrunners donning fancy dress, and indeed ABBA Voyager concert goers as well. Not many had made the effort, I was shocked. I would say ‘each to their own’ but really? Point is, transparency paid, it was going to be a road trip from Sheffield darn south, a decadent afternoon, overdoing the blue eyeshadow, trot to the ABBA Arena – my it was windy. And wet. So much wetness, falling from sky, or more accurately slamming into us from the side. Then, security checks passed, into to the mosh pit to throw some moves, singalonga like nobody was watching, which they weren’t, or they were, they didn’t care, then sashey back to the hotel for cheap prosecco and debrief with just one more sleep to new parkrun day. All went well, we had a fABBAlous time, well worth any physical damage to be experienced over the coming days. The thing is, whilst it’s possible to do many things alone, it’s just harder. I can get a spider out the bath these days, but it will take several goes. Same with opening prosecco, I can manage, but it’s just so much more fun with a buddy to open it for you and share the fun. So it is with an ABBA Voyager outing, you could go on your own, of course you could, but having a co-adventurer is double the fun. It’s a boon if your companion happens to be an epic Dancing Queen too, the appreciation was mutual!
Also, I now have a smartphone. Yes, I know, it’s taken a while. I have been threatening this for some time, but now at last the deed is done! This means finally I can take decent photos and pay for things like a grown up by waving my smart phone over contactless machines. I suppose it is good to have finally joined the digital age and access treats such as whatsapp and the 5k running app. Unfortunately, I still don’t really know how to use it, and my failing eyesight and fat fingers combo gives some communications a significant element of surprise, oh well, keeps everyone on their toes and adds novelty to the most mundane of exchanges, so where’s the problem? Talking of the element of surprise, my Google phone can do some things by magic, like this animation, it just appeared. I am amazed and slightly spooked by it’s capabilities, much like with the ABBA thing. Not going to give any spoilers, but would recommend, it was a hoot. Mind you, helps that we are both outstandingly cool dancers. Not blowing my own trumpet or anything, but if the fuse on the gig had gone and the avatars vapourised, we could totally have stepped in, stepped up and stepped out to save the day, nobody would have known the difference at all.
Oh look my camera can do magic edit things. Who knew? I’m loving having this new toy more than I should. No way am I playing this cool. Out of character as that is I know. Still wearing the wrist band and the eye make up. Partly because I want to, and partly because it turns out using permanent marker pens to do your eye shadow isn’t as clever an idea as you first thought.
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And new parkrun day came!
To be completely honest, Hackney Marshes was the parkrun destination of choice, purely because of proximity to where we were staying. I knew nothing about it at all. Good news though, another friend lives really near and then an ambassadorial friend gave it the thumbs up too, saying it has amazing London views. That’s good then, shame to come all the way to Londonshire and not see them. Another potential consideration, only it wasn’t was that it rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and rained and then rained some more on parkrun eve. A good many parkruns had to cancel due to waterlogged fields or actual flooding. Some of the photos of cancelled parkrun venues were quite something to behold. Even if someone had been bold enough to try to erect a finish funnel, they’d have been swept away by a rising tide of flood water. Edenbrook Country parkrun being a case in point. Some, apparently, did gamely brave a (not)parkrun but this was made possibly only by the loan of floatation devices and lane dividers courtesy of the local swimming pool/ leisure centre. Good shout. I guess you’d have to have brought along your own wetsuit and snorkel, which is fair enough. They had lifeguards rather than volunteers too. Core teams think of everything 😉
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Considering there is a potential clue in the name Hackney Marshes we were lucky that there was no potential parkrun cancellation angst to wrestle with for us. Better yet, my EWFM and parkrun buddy came to meet me and my ABBA twin in our hotel foyer, so we were gathering like children around the Pied Piper to go in procession to our parkrun of choice. Except that it’s really more Paul Sinton-Hewitt (PSH) that the Pied Piper who brings us all together. Did you know he completed his Freyne parkrun this weekend by the way. That’s his 250th different parkrun destination. Paul Sinton-Hewitt that is, not the Pied Piper, not least because the Pied Piper is a fictional character, and even if he was real, he would be dead by now as that story first emerged in the middle ages accordingtowikipedieasoitmustbetrue. Oh and unlike the children being taken off never to be seen again in some sinister kidnap, we would be joyfully joining the throng at Hackney Marshes parkrun where you’d be insane not to return week after week thereafter. Oh, and we wouldn’t be in procession, we’d all be in the same car, fitting in nicely once the back seats had been cleared of all the doggy paraphernalia and assorted life accessories that had gathered within like a prepper in the making, but who hadn’t quite got around to digging their bunker. All backseats of cars are the same over time. It’s like sand dune succession, landscapes evolve. Fact. So pretty much identical to people heeding the Pied Piper’s call apart from those minor tweaks, and also very much like excited friends gathering in anticipation of visiting a new parkrun, which is way more fun to be fair, and much more to be recommended. Besides, we are probably a bit past being referred to as children, but that’s ok, because you are never too old for a parkrun.
I hadn’t done any real research into Hackney Marshes parkrun, but have now, so do save you the arduous task of clicking on the Hackney Marshes parkrun website, the official blah de blah reads as follows:
Course Description: The course consists of an out and back around Hackney Marshes. From the start on the East Marsh do a clockwise loop of the marsh following the edge of the football pitches. After the third right turn head along the grass to the bridge that goes over the River Lea leading to the main North and South Marshes. Turn right when over the bridge and head along the tarmac path for 1300m before taking a sharp left turn onto the North Marsh. Head south around the edge of the North Marsh keeping the football pitches on your right for 900m until you get to the end of a set of 7 pitches; veer left and then turn right to re-join the tarmac path towards the start/finish. When you reach the bridge to the East Marsh turn left and then reverse your original route round the East Marsh to the finish.
The course has spectacular views of the Olympic site and a lovely stretch following the River Lea navigation channel. It is a flat course, the vast majority of which is run on grass, with the start/finish section located on the East Marsh just a short 5 minute walk from the car park that services Hackney Marshes centre.
Facilities: Toilets are available in the Hackney Marshes Centre 400m from the start.
Location of start: The course starts near the Hackney Marshes Centre in the southeast corner of the main marsh, just next to eastern most end of Homerton Road, before the junction with the A12. The centre is a large and distinctive rust coloured building, with full shower and changing facilities on site. The start line is located next to the football pitches on the East Marsh, just over the River Lea and a 400m walk from the Hackney Marshes Centre. The postcode for finding the Hackney Marches Centre is E9 5PF.
Post Run Coffee: Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee at the Hackney Marshes Centre – we look forward to seeing you there!
And it looks like this:
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So a tadpole drawn in the style of Picasso or other Cubist painter basically. They should just say that at the run briefing really, and then everyone would be totally clued up about where to go. Another way of thinking of it, is as a lollipop with a dislocated neck, does that help at all? Personally, I just follow everyone else and go where the marshals tell me, that works too.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, hotel foyer. Checked out, into car, and on our way using the postcode advised. It was a short drive. The destination on our satnav was a bit before the park, but we used our skill and judgement to work this out and avoided parking in someone’s driveway, in favour of going to the actual park. There was a staggering amount of parking available, and this being London, also excellent public transport options by the look of things. The main issue that presented itself to us was which of the many car parking spaces to choose. We then went into the huge rust coloured building where, joy of joys – there were loos aplenty for precautionary pee purposes, phew.
We were less confident about where to go to find the start. However, we espied other parkrunners, who impressively were wearing 500 parkrun milestone tees, and they’d already asked someone for directions, we threw our lot in with them, and followed them through trees, over a bridge, and through to a clearing with football fields where we could see the volunteer team in a high vis huddle. We had made it, we were here! So exciting!
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It’s always a good feeling to have arrived in good time at a new parkrun, we’d made it, hurrah! But there were more delights to follow. My EWFM parkrun buddy had already volunteered to tailwalk, so collected her high vis and kudos, and my ABBA twin was up for an impromptu volunteering bout, the previous night’s whirling, twirling, bopping and popping having taken its toll, she was warmly welcomed and given a cheer spot near to the bridge we’d just passed. What’s more, she hadn’t got her barcode with her, but no problemo! You can find a friend’s barcode – or indeed a barcodeless stranger’s barcode – on the 5k app if you have a smartphone. Gamechanger. High vises donned, the next task was to take a multitude of photos, obviously. I’m really enjoying my new smartphone’s camera, it is so good, but as a consequence I do have to take a great many photos. Even I am hoping the novelty wears off soon, as it’s impossible to choose which ones to include.
Here we go though, your starters for ten:
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But wait there’s more. We obviously had to chat to the 500 milestone runners, but guess what? You can’t guess? Don’t worry I’ll tell you, they’d only been to the ABBA concert the night before as well, and were down from Leeds, so practically my parkrun neighbours. This called for a photo for sure:
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But wait, there was still more. I had Red Ted with me, as I do on most parkrun occasions, unless I’ve accidentally left him in the car or at home or he’s visiting friends or something. Turns out, that having a bear companion isn’t odd at all, they have one too! Only their bear is more media savvy having his own instagram and FAcebook page. He went to ABBA Voyager with them apparently, it wasn’t really Red Ted’s thing so he stayed back at the hotel. I am ashamed to say I can’t remember their bear’s name, but it was something very cute, like Bumble or something equally adorable. He wasn’t at the parkrun, sleeping off the excesses of last night I dare say, but we got to meet him virtually, so that was a win. Here they are together, #newfriends.
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Just goes to show how easy it is to find something in common with parkrun compatriots! You just need to start talking and you are bound to find connections aplenty! It was very exciting! If ever I have a hypnotist do any regression therapy with me, I’ll try to remember to ask if I can pay them a bit extra so that they have time to dig down and find out the name of the bear so you can find him too. He looks very sweet does he not? Would be money well spent I’m sure.
So after we’d swapped bear stories, and ABBA stories, and got high vis, and done lots of picture posing and taking, it was time for the first timers’ welcome, which was delivered with grace and enthusiasm by the lovely Run Director for the day. She had a clip board in front of her and the London skyline behind. There were quite a few first timers, I wondered if numbers had been boosted by other ABBA goers or people displaced by flooding. Apparently, a whole month’s rain fell in one day on parkrun ever. Honestly, I can believe it.
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Then after a short interlude, there was the actual Run Briefing, also delivered by the Run Director, who was gamely standing atop a collapsible chair. Clearly someone who lives life on the knife edge, and doesn’t mind flying in the face of a risk assessment. There were pacers – reusing now redundant high vis which was a good plan. There were also a number of bespoke signs indicating the start of the parkrun. Apparently they usually have a flag, but it blew over, hence the chair. Plus, presumably, once the parkrunners are awf, there is a bit of a break before the front runners make it back round the field, so those on the finish funnel area can take it in turns to have a bit of a sit down in this interlude. Either that, or they can play a particularly rubbish game of musical chairs if they feel bored enough to have to make their own entertainment during this short lived lull.
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After the usual thanks and shout outs, and a warning to look out for Colin’s Lake at the turnaround point (it’s Colin’s marshal spot, and a lake had appeared, so he got to name it, and named it after himself, well I’d have done the same frankly, it’s fair enough) and it was awf!
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Yay! Love a good start!
The field raced ahead, and soon were looping out of sight around the first of the football pitches. You did get the most fantastic views as promised. There were no football matches taking place this Saturday as the pitches were waterlogged, but normally there are loads. Today you got the full spectacle of the thread of parkrunners, flying round the perimeter of the field like bunting made of lycra and dreams. A vision of loveliness and athleticism indeed!
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The views are amazing, those skyscrapers are impressive, though that one that seems to be missing a whole floor apart from a teeny bit at the side holding up all the storeys above is rather alarming. Not gonna lie, would very much NOT want to live above that.
By the time we came back round the field to the finish/start area most of the parkrunners had disappeared out of sight, but not to worry, I was with the tailwalker who by happy happenstance and pre parkrun plottery was my lovely parkrun buddy and EWFM. I mean really, what were the chances! Never alone at a parkrun indeed. We got to wave at the volunteer crew as we passed them, and next we were safely waved over the bridge by my ABBA twin, who was doing excellent work cheering, directionally pointing and indeed taking photographs of parkrun participants. I say parkrun participants, but her particular speciality is barkrun participants, and she did very well indeed in that respect. We were crossing out just as the first finishers were coming in. I was able to take some pics of those using my new smartphone. Did I mention I have finally got myself a smartphone. Oh I did? Are you sure? It takes lovely photos – did I mention that? Oh. Well, good that you were paying attention, but would hate for you not to have known.
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Over the bridge and a right, waved round by cheery marshals. At this stage of the parkrun we were in a contraflow with lots of parkrunners now homeward bound. It was nice to see them, though I was a bit daunted about how fast they were compared to my slow progress. Still, spirits were high, and parkrunners friendly. I snapped some pictures as we made our way along the path. The path was actually pretty good, a few slippery bits, but considering the rain a great surface. We were alongside the River Lea. Although obviously I have no idea how high the water lever usually is, you could tell the muddy waters were waaaaaaaaaaaaay higher than usual, I guess that water has to go somewhere. The pacers were going at cracking speed and no doubt encouraging others to new pbs or at the very least the desire for a new set of lungs.
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You can’t really get lost without falling into the river, so there weren’t that many marshals along the way. However, we came across a little family of them clustering together to try to steady parkrunners coming back from the fieldy bit back onto the main river path via an extra squelchy mud fest. I got distracted by the high vis and returning parkrunners and nearly went wrong, taking a little diversion to snap some more photos before being encouraged, coaxed, shepherded and shooed back on track by my attentive tailwalker. She has form with shooing, and is particularly good at shooing hens, so corralling a waywood parkrunner left her completely unphased. What a star. She at least had been concentrating during the description of the route during the run briefing! I can report that there was no faceplanting in the mud or sinking below the surface of the slurry of mud on their watch. The parkrunners went out, and the parkrunner returned, each and every one. As far as I know the high vis heroes managed to stay upright too – sometimes precariously so, but upright nevertheless. Weeble like, they wobbled, but they didn’t fall down!
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Me and my parkrun buddy now had the riverside path to ourselves for quite a stretch. Other parkrunners were all on their way back, and we’d passed the contraflow section. It was a good opportunity to appreciate the spring blossom, look out for the green screeching parakeets and put the world to right. Well, we made a start on putting the world to rights, there is still a way to go for that to be fair. The willows over the river were amazing, and the wildlife habitat was just brilliant. Everywhere you looked they seemed to have created a microhabitat. That might be an area of stumps, or a fenced off insect house, all very impressive. Granted, this is a flood plain, but even so, it blows my mind that there is this vast green space in the middle of London, and that it is being managed as an oasis for wildlife alongside a multitude of football pitches and yes a parkrun. Shared spaces like this are beyond price. The backdrop of the London skyline is an extraordinary juxtaposition. This really is a proper lovely parkrun. I mean, all parkruns are perfect in their own way, but I’m glad we picked this one for this weekend, we were winning at parkrun life!
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After a bit, MUCH EXCITEMENT. We espied what had to be Colin! He of the Lake! This would also signify the turnaround point, subject to negotiating the sploshing section without falling in. Despite his wait, he was in good spirits, and up for some pond posing and parkrun posing all of which had to be done. It was all very jolly and satisfactory. I like the picture with the reflections best, but you can choose your own. Sort of like the Lady of the Lake if the Lady was called Colin and the Lake was a pimped up puddle. I think they should make this a permanent feature of the course, it added a certain panache to parkrun proceedings.
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We scurried on by past Colin of the Lake, and onwards beside yet more football pitches. There are lots. There was a little trail of yellow arrows in the ground to follow, like breadcrumbs through a wood and we only had one moment of hesitancy when we looked behind us for reassurance from Colin. He was coming along behind us plucking arrows from the ground like so many swords from a stone (or is that a different story), and gestured for us to veer left. I’ve checked about the swords by the way. I couldn’t bear to think of you having to do that yourself. I’ve found out that ‘Excalibur was for from the Lady of the Lake. The Sword in the Stone (that Chooses the King) is a different sword. It’s typically called Caliburn to differentiate it from Excalibur, but that fails miserably as Caliburn is simply the Latin for Excalibur. But in any case, they are two seperate swords.’ So now we know, and our lives are immeasurably the richer for it. Immeasurably as in too small to measure rather than too big, but every little helps as the advertising professionals would have us believe, so parkrunpedia prevails.
After a bit, we found ourselves back at the quagmire of peril, where there was still a team of high vis heroes to see us safely through. My tailwalking buddy did a somewhat melodramatic slalem, but regained her balance if not entirely her dignity and lived to faceplant in the mud another day. We were gathering quite a merry troop to accompany us by this point, and parkrun was all the merrier for it. The outstanding directional pointing also prevented us from continuing straight onwards and into the river. Excellent work all round, all the volunteer marshals were absolutely on point today, as no doubt they are every parkrun day to be fair, but good to have it on the record all the same.
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Retracing our earlier steps, we were soon back on the bridge where my ABBA twin was ready to cheer us in, accompanied by Red Ted who was her support crew just as she was ours.
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We were back at the start, but not yet at the finish. The tailwalker and I were however the last parkrunners standing, with no-one else apparently completing the final reverse lap of the football pitches. I was a bit crestfallen and in honesty felt a bit bad about keeping so many people waiting, my incapacity isn’t visible, so I do worry what people think and fear the perception that I’m just messing about (even though up to a point that’s still an acceptable approach to a parkrun, and parkwalk is very much a thing). I feel self conscious about being so slow. I can have a jiggle for a certain length of time, and then I’m broken and get ever slower. Still, whatever demons were running amok in my head, the volunteer team were cheery and unhurried. Apart from calling out to us to make sure we were going the right way, they seemed pretty chilled. We realised there were some batons marking the way, and my parkrun buddy rang the RD to see if it would be helpful if we collected them on our way. It would, so we did. Discovering in the process these are absolutely not just random parkrun batons, but ACTUAL light sabers, which had to be tested, obvs, so we did. Very fine they were too!
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Then ‘suddenly’ there was the finish funnel, still up in all its glory, and the full team beaming to welcome us in. It was with grace and enthusiasm we were welcomed in, timed and scanned and cheered with as much enthusiasm as the first finishers I’m sure, which was quite a lot, in case that isn’t immediately clear.
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Hi vis were surrendered and thanks and goodbyes exchanged, and that was that. A wander back to the centre for a pit stop. There is a cafe there, but weirdly, very little seating, so although a couple of people had lingered for coffee, there wasn’t a huge gathering. You could get coffee, chips and croissants, snacks, friendly and personable. We opted for a quick coffee and catch up before going our separate ways.
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and that was that. Shame, it had been properly lovely.
Hackney Marshes had one more surprise to offer up. More emotional support animals, this time courtesy of the groundperson’s minimobile, which is a bit like the batmobile put together on a budget. My companions thought the animals looked like they’d been garrotted and the whole thing was rather macabre oh well, life would be dull if we all thought the same about everything. I think they’d been saved, and as soon as the sun comes out and they dry off a bit, they’ll be just dandy once again, with a whole new lease of life.
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Time to head back oop north, with memories of giddy days in Londonshire and a particularly fine time hot footing it round Hackney Marshes. Making a splash in the Abba Arena and on Hackney Marshes both!
Oh, and we even remembered some occasion selfies, without which, it would have been as if nothing had happened! That’s Charley with the Hackney Marshes sign by the way. Bears aplenty today!
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But things did happen, and fun was had and all was good in the world. What’s more, we can do it all again next week! Hurrah!
Thanks again lovely Hackney Marshes parkrun people, you have a wonderful inclusive parkrun vibe, and a glorious location with the most excellent backdrop to boot. You made us so welcome. Hope to come back again one day and see you in a different season. You are stars.
Thanks for sticking with me dear reader, hope our parkrun paths cross sometime soon, but in the meantime you could always browse through all my parkrun related posts here. Or not. It’s up to you. You’ll need to scroll down for older entries though. 🙂
Running Scared 