This time last year, I ran my first parkrun. In the 51 Saturdays that followed, I ran 50 parkruns, each at a different venue, bringing my 2011 parkrun tally to 51 parkruns, 50 venues.
By the end, the relentless pursuit of new parkrun courses was taking its toll, and so to make sure that I continued to enjoy each and every parkrun that I visited, I decided to take part in the special New Year’s Day parkruns, repeating Bushy and Riddlesdown and breaking my nomadic streak.
But it turns out that in doing so, I find myself on a different type of streak. Because with Bedford (Fortnight Flo), Bushy (the world), Riddlesdown (blog7t) and Bromley (@zoecakes75 and @runningthetube), I am now on a streak of four parkruns with ‘athoner/blogger/parkrunner company, and I could make that a streak of five if Fortnight Flo and Jovial Gnome are game to join me at the new St Albans parkrun next week.
So, virtual community, will you invite me to your parkruns? I promise you it’s not a big commitment. A ‘hello’ at the beginning or a ‘goodbye’ at the end is really all that’s called for, though if you run your 5kms in anything between 28mins and 34mins, I’m happy to chat on the way round.
- Recovering from injury and in need of a slow and steady pacer? Insert Clever Running Pun Here will vouch for my services.
- Need an excuse to get to a parkrun for the first time? @Disjointedtales, @fortnightflo, @fairweatherrun or @zoecakes75 may offer up a reference.
- Want to show a soft-southerner what a real parkrun looks like? Follow in the footsteps of @knittingpenguin and @the_magathon and show off your northern hills.
- Also a bit of a parkrun tourist? Share your top tips like @jovialgnome?
Because, by this time next year, I would like to have earned my parkrun 100 club t-shirt and experienced the joy of parkrun volunteering. And a spot of company on the way would be great.
abradypus 
I’d love a parkrun here in Ashford and we’ve even got the perfect venue for it. I haven’t got the dedication to organise it myself though, just hope someone does one day.
I will certainly be with you for St. Albans, really looking forward to adding another one to the list and seeing you again – anything or any new ones within 100 miles of Boston and I’m game!
If you ever find yourself in the vicinity of the Middlesbrough or Durham (or even Sunderland/Newcastle parkruns at a push) I’d be happy to join you on a run round the course (and breakfast afterwards)
You missed a point…..
“Loves parkrun but needs the discipline of meeting someone to get out of bed on a Saturday and get there like @fairweatherrun”
How about Gunnersbury or Wormwood scrubs sometime soon?
You put shame to my tally of 30 parkruns, 2 venues! I’d be delighted to run Vally Park with you again, coffee and sesame snaps on me – we have a new *posh* cafe 🙂
If I ever get to the point where I am able to complete a Parkrun I’ll invite you up to mine, once I discover my local one and am sure I can run/jog/hobble around it LOL
*When* you get to that point, it will be my pleasure.
Definately in need of committing…Good Luck!
Lovely to see you this morning and thanks to your consistent pace I got a PB 🙂
What a good idea 🙂 … Not even sure if there is a local (Derby/Nottingham) one but I’ll be checking.
http://www.parkrun.org.uk/colwick/home
Come back to the Cambridge parkrun! It is the 2nd anniversary of the Cambridge parkrun this month so should be a good turnout and hopefully lots of cake!
Cake sounds good 🙂
I can certainly vouch for the benefits of hiring abradypus for your local parkrun. I had an awesome pace while I was running with Louise before I was scuppered by the Leverhulme hill (which I will conquer one day).
Pingback: A Grump of athoners « Fortnightflo's Blog
am up for a parkrun on the 28th of Jan if you like?
OH, how I wish, wish, WISH I could come to a Park Run! It would mean I would be in your country! And I could meet many of you in person! It would be such a fun thing… someday 🙂