I didn’t oversleep my alarm*, my car did not break down, I did not get stuck in traffic, I did not forget my barcode and I did not lose a foot or break an ankle on the way round.
All of which means that I clocked up a parkrun at my 100th different venue and finally earned my place in the Cowell Club. I’m still grinning.
I arrived disgustingly early, and would have had no trouble finding a place in the free Rugby Club car park… had I read the course page and realised that it existed. Instead, I parked in the pay and display next door before making my way through the puddles to the start.
As is usual at an inaugural, there were lots of familiar touring faces, including James and Teresa (who I met a few weeks ago at the Ashford inaugural), Katie and Trish (who I met last week at Aylesbury), the Burnham Joggers, Running Dan Houghton, Nicola, Steven, Becky, David, Rosemary and King Danny. But the best surprise of all was seeing Zoe and Stephen Wright, who had promised to be there in spirit but who, in the end, were there in body too.
The course is another crumpled lollipop, though unlike Aylesbury, you only get one lick (thank you, Danny, for the phrase). It’s run on a mixture of grass**, tarmac and trail and has a number of narrow sections on which you ignore the marshals’ “Keep Left” instructions at your peril. If you’re after a PB, then you’ll need to start at the front of the pack, because there’s a bottle neck about 200m in, but once you’re through that, it’s pretty much plain sailing.
The finish is by the clubhouse, which has all the facilities you need: toilets, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and plenty of space in which to stand around and chat. Just do the ED a favour and take your shoes off as you go in to keep the mud levels down to a minimum.
All in all, a lovely way to bring up my touring 100. Did I mention that I’m still grinning?
*Though it was close. I didn’t hear it, but fortunately for me, if not for him, my husband did. And I did forget my Garmin, so my run/walk strategy went the way of the pear.
**waterlogged, extremely squishy, fun.
Still grinning.
Congratulations on your Cowell-tastic parkrun this morning – and I love the card!
Aren’t they great? Pride of place on my mantelpiece for the next year.
Congratulations, Louise, from Linda and myself, on attaining rightful membership of this Oh-So-Exclusive Club ! It’s a long, long road innit ?
But .. can you stop ?
CC
Thank you. It’s a very long, but very enjoyable road, and I suspect that momentum will keep me going for a little longer at least.
Congrats, Ton-bridge very appropriate run reach your 100! 🙂
I couldn’t have planned it better if I’d tried.
As was my finishing 100th.
I really couldn’t be more pleased for you, wish now I’d got up silly early and come down! Well done, that’s one hell of an achievement and thanks for being my inspiration on my own journey! The cards are brilliant! 🙂
The inspiration is mutual – clocking up a half-Cowell when you live in the middle of a parkrun desert and work every other Saturday is, to my mind, an even bigger achievement.
That’s so awesome! Congrats! 🙂
Well done you!
Congrats. So pleased and honoured to have done four of those with, yes I did check the list and they there!
Congratulations.
so happy for you!!!! Amazing achievement 🙂 and what a brilliant card
and, like Shaz, very pleased that I was there for a few with you too, am trying to count them quickly, but I think about 6 or 7?
6 or 7 Alma now that’s showing off!
Brilliant! I should get my daughter to make you a badge!
I would treasure it.
A pleasure to STALK you for once! 🙂
So pleased we were able to make it along to help you celebrate – congratulations again!! 🙂
Massive congrats and welcome on in!
Thank you. Still grinning.
As another member (of the club), welcome, and it’s about time, eh? Love the card.
Thank you 🙂 It certainly is about time!
Many congratulations, have you done Fulham palace yet? 101! I haven’t but I’m going to soon.
It’s pencilled in for 30 November…
Argh can’t do that one, I’m sure I’ll see you at a parkrun soon though.
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Whooop whoop!! It was only a matter of time…well done!
Woo woo!! Congratulations!! Absolutely brilliant!!