Gullible's Travels: Parkrun Tourism Part 08

Sunday, December 29, 2024

Parkrun Tourism Part 08 - 2024, January to March

All over the place. January-December 2024.

So much tourism this year I have broken this post into three chapters:

My 2024 parkrun roundup:

50 parkruns in total.
15 volunteer credits (30 for Mary).
27 different events in total.
21 new events for me (23 for Mary).
Fastest: Salento 28:22
Most visited: Salento 17.
4 foreign countries: Italy, Germany, Austria, Scotland.

In 2024 we have definitely moved to mostly deliberate tourism mixed in with a couple of opportunistic "since we are here" occasions.

We reached a number of parkrun milestones:

50 volunteering at Salento on 15/07/2024 (Mark)
250th parkrun at St Andrew's on 04/11/2024 (Mark)
200th parkrun at Penrith on 02/12/2024 (Mary)

And achieved a number of 5K app challenges:

Namely at Lancaster on 13/01/2024 (Mark)
Palindrome (second) at Blackpool on 03/02/2024 (Mark)
Staying Alive at Great Notley on 27/06/2024 (Mark)
Parkrun Obsessive (Gold) 50 parkruns in a year on 28/12/2024 (Mark and Mary)

January to March Tourism:

Lancaster
Millom
Blackpool [Rock and Blues Festival]
Linwood (Mary)
Agnew
Kingsway [visiting the Patient Family]
Maryport Prom
Jesmond Dean

Lancaster 13/01/2024 31:22 [139 / 212].

A trip to Lancaster parkrun driving down the M6 from home, celebrating their 8th birthday - there was cake! The friendliest parkrun we have been to in the UK with people who seemed genuinely interested to talk to you.

Great crowd and volunteers and Mary enjoyed the company of Andrea the parkwalker on the second lap.

Hilly two-lapper partly on tarmac and partly through lovely woods with mud, tree roots, etc.

Cafe afterwards just beside the course for drinks, food and free WiFi!

Millom 20/01/2024 29:40 [96 / 165].

We had planned to go to Millom parkrun for their 300th event. Another early start from home. Turned out to be a very wise choice as most of our local ones were cancelled due to ice.

Windy but at least it pushed us on for about half the course.

Five laps round a sports field on a great surface, more interesting than expected due to its irregular shape. The RD briefing included the classic "If you get lost on this course you shouldn't be allowed out on your own!"

Lots of tourists including a huge crowd from Carlisle. With thanks to all the volunteers and especially the two cheerful marshals out on the windiest corner of the course.

Blackpool 03/02/2024 30:03 [124 / 246].

In Blackpool for the UK Blues Festival 2024. Blackpool parkrun on the Saturday was a no-brainer; next year we will have to go for the next nearest.

The request went out to wear green to show support for Macmillan Cancer Support. No rain so not too muddy.

Lovely flat course with combination of tarmac paths through the park and a circuit of a small lake through trees.

Linwood 11/02/2024 28:58 [74 / 139].

Doing one that I did on my own back in 2017 before Mary started parkwalking. We are doing repeats so she can catch up and get us in sync. This time we were joined by SIL Sandra for whom this is a relatively local parkrun.

Mary sporting her hearts leggings for Valentine's Day.

Normally I am paparazzo for Mary but this time the course photographer caught me in grimacing action.

Two laps partly tarmac but largely through woods.

Very enjoyable, bit overcast and grey day but at least no rain.

Agnew 17/02/2024 28:40 [30 / 57].

A Friday night trip to Stranraer for Agnew parkrun calling in on friends in Galloway for afternoon tea to break the journey. We stayed in a local B&B overlooking the park so no distance to travel in the morning! Proper dreich day but would otherwise be very scenic.

We also picked this because Mary needs an "A" for the Namely challenge (attend a parkrun starting with every letter of your name); Mary needs four "A"s.

Seafront with Ailsa Craig in the background (underneath the mist).

Three laps along the seafront, pier and round a pond.

Kingsway 02/03/2024 29:44 [156 / 278].

We were visiting friends in Gloucestershire with the plan of completing more sections of the Thames Path (eleven down, four to go). Lots of rain made us look at the flood map which scuppered our plan for the next stage of the Thames Path walk, west of Oxford.

We were always planning Kingsway.

And the prize for the wettest ever underfoot goes to ... Kingsway parkrun. The RD described this as their "water feature". No way round it, you just had to embrace the wet and run through it!

Three laps in a sort of figure of eight; thanks goodness for the marshalls.

Maryport Prom 09/03/2024 29:51 [47 / 70].

Ticking off another Cumbrian parkrun at Maryport Prom parkrun. Do-able from home with a 55 minute drive along the A66 and turn off through Cockermouth, an easy run at that time on a Saturday morning.

Not the most scenic and a serious headwind today.

Two out and backs along the promenade, one short then one long.

Jesmond Dene 23/03/2024 32:03 [189 / 274].

The lovely and hilly Jesmond Dene parkrun today. Completing the parkrun alphabet for Mary's sister and helping towards our second alphabet. There were a lots of tourist there also collecting a "J" for their alphabet. When the RD asked for first timers a forest of hands went up! They also assured the newcomers that parkrun is not a cult (Oh yes it is!); it’s not addictive (Oh yes it is)!