welcome to the newsletter
In this week’s newsletter Alzheimer’s Research UK share a moving story, there’s another invitation to become a Vitality Face, Run Group ask why you run, James Saunders thinks big and I spent a morning with some running legends.
Earlier this morning a group of us got together to have a run around the Bushy parkrun course and celebrate publication of the brilliant photo-book, ‘parkrun - A Celebration’. The eagle-eyed amongst you may notice a couple of true running legends tucked amongst our group of every-day runners?
Photo: Bushy parkrunner David Noble
I’d never noticed this before but there’s clearly an inverse relationship between physical stature and running prowess… the two vertically challenged chaps third and fourth from the right happen to be non-other than Bruce Fordyce (sporting a rather fetching knee brace) and Ron Hill. Bruce is the Country Manager for parkrun South Africa and has won the Comrades Ultra Marathon nine times. Many of you may not be familiar with Comrades; basically it’s their version of the London Marathon but over twice as far. Bruce’s PB is 5 hours and 24 minutes (set in 1986) which equates to 5:48 per mile; for 56 very hot and hilly miles. Ron on the other hand is well-known for being one of Great Britain’s finest ever marathoners. In 1970 he ran 2:09:28 for the marathon (a time that still ranks 11th on the UK’s all-time list) or to put that in context, 15:20 parkrun pace for eight-and-a-bit parkruns. Later in the day we were joined by Dave Moorcroft whose 13:00 5,000m PB has all the context it needs and double Olympian / Commonwealth medallist Liz Yelling. Quite some group. Between us (I like to use ‘us’ in these situations) ‘we’ had several world records, major championship appearances, all kinds of medals and nine consecutive victories at the World’s biggest ultra marathon.
The thing that brought us all together however was a love of running. Neither Ron nor Bruce compete at an elite level any more but actually that was never really why either of them ever ran. Getting out on a blustery morning for three ten-minute-miles and having a good-old chat in the open air is all any of us needed. And in that setting we were all absolutely equal. We were all runners.
Happy running,
Tom
P.S. You can read about junior parkrun’s superstar Run Directors in this week’s junior parkrun newsletter here.
alzheimer’s at 39: Chris’ story
My friends didn’t believe me when I told them I had Alzheimer’s disease. At the age of 39, it just doesn’t make sense to people. I’m ex-army, I’ve travelled the world and I’m fighting fit – how can I have something like that? We still think of Alzheimer’s as a bit of forgetfulness as we get older. The truth is far worse.
My family has been hit hard by Alzheimer’s disease. I carry a rare genetic mutation which I inherited from my dad, and it means I’ll develop Alzheimer’s at a very young age. Dad died aged 42. He was in hospital so long I don’t really remember him. His sister, my aunt, died at 41 as she inherited the faulty gene too. Although only 400 families have what we have, the disease hits us in the same way it does when people get Alzheimer’s later in life. Our memories will leave us, we lose the ability to do day-to-day things and end up needing lots of care.
I’m one of four kids, and we all had a 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene from Dad. My two sisters avoided it, and my brother and I got it. He’s 43 now, having been diagnosed in 2006. He’s in a care home, can’t move and has to be fed through a tube. He can’t speak but can raise a smile sometimes.
Although I know what’ll happen to me in the coming years, I wanted to do something to fight back against the disease. It’s simple for me, you have to hit the enemy directly, so I’ve taken on a challenge to help support research.
Next month I’ll set off on a 16,000-mile sponsored cycle ride around North America. It’s going to take me a year to do it, but I hope giving one of my good years to this challenge will help give many more good years to people with dementia.
A cure may come too late for me, but it will help my kids. We’ve got man to the moon, so we’ll get to the answers if we put enough into it. I hope what I’m doing will help inspire parkrunners to support Alzheimer’s Research UK. Alzheimer’s disease is our biggest enemy, but research is our most powerful weapon.
To find out more about Chris, his challenge, his family’s story and about inherited Alzheimer’s disease, visit www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/chris
faces of Vitality Run Series
Richard closes in on his goal to reach his personal best time, and shares some tips on how you can achieve yours as well as when you should taper your training before a big race.
Meanwhile Paul ruminates on the time, effort and commitment it takes to keep fit, and questions when a fit lifestyle becomes an obsession.
Congratulations to Claire and Simon who both completed the Vitality North London Half Marathon over the weekend and share their experiences, the highs and lows, plus how to prepare, what to expect and the lessons they learnt from their momentous achievement.
Keep an eye on what the other Faces of Vitality have been up to: Louise and Lawrence
Want to become a face?
Step up your next running challenge by becoming the Face of the Vitality Run Hackney Half Marathon!
Vitality are looking for a parkrunner, local to Hackney, who wants to step up to a half marathon challenge and complete the Vitality Run Hackney Half Marathon on the 10th of May 2015. To help you along your training journey we will provide you with:
- On-going training support including a personalised training plan and training day
- A GPS running device to track your progress
- £50 Sweatshop voucher for new trainers
- A full Vitality Run Series kit
- Free entry into the Vitality Run Hackney Half Marathon
In return, the Vitality Run Series will follow you through a weekly blog and photography updates. We want to share your story to inspire others to step up to the challenge.
How to enter
Tell us why you should be the Face of the Vitality Run Hackney Half Marathon by emailing us at Vitality.Events@pruhealth.co.uk by midday on Tuesday the 24th of March 2015. Please answer each question below (minimum 100 words for each question):
1. Why did you choose to be a ‘Face of Vitality’?
2. What is your motivation behind running?
3. What is the most rewarding goal you have achieved and why?
Make sure you include a landscape image of you participating in a sport/healthy lifestyle action, your parkrun Athlete ID and the best form of contact.
Winners will be shortlisted on Tuesday the 24th of March and will be required to undertake a short telephone interview. Our Vitality Face of Run Hackney will be announced on the 27th of March 2015! T&Cs apply.
why do you run?
Why do you run? Who do you run with? How does running fit in with your wider lifestyle? At Run Group we are asking questions like this in our current survey and we would love to hear from as many parkrunners as possible. The survey can be found here.
The purpose of the survey is to understand what motivates and influences both current runners and those who might run in the future. We want to hear about your attitudes towards fitness, why you choose to run (or not) and how you fit it all into your busy lives. Run Group's vision is to get more people running more often, so getting feedback from the growing community of parkrunners will be very helpful.
The results of this survey will help us identify the current trends in running participation and help inform our forthcoming national running market report. The report will be shared with parkrun and other Run Group partners at the end of April, and will be available on the Run Group website.
As a thank you for your time, we are offering all respondents the opportunity to enter a prize draw to win up to £200 of Amazon vouchers. The survey closes at 11pm on Monday the 23rd of March. If you would like to share your thoughts, please go to the survey.
parkrun population
Here are this week’s summary statistics for parkrun UK (including junior parkrun)
Number of runners - 64,437
Number of volunteers - 5,511
Number of first timers - 8,741
Number of PBs - 17,086
feedback from the field
Let us know if you have an interesting parkrun related fact, happening or comment that you would like to share with all parkrunners
Hi parkrun UK
Skipton parkrun has links with Parys parkrun in South Africa. Photos of their inaugural parkrun on the 8th of November 2014 showed many people running barefoot. Wages are low so affording a pair of trainers is impossible. Skipton parkrunners donated over 40 pairs of shoes and one of our runners, Carol Senior, took a suitcase full of shoes when she went to South Africa in February to visit her sister. A few weeks ago the shoes arrived in Johannesburg from where they were transported to Parys by South African trail runner, Lisa De Speville. So far about half of the trainers have been 're-homed' and we have photos of people in their new shoes. We have more shoes to send but need a friendly airline!
Regards,
Paul Norman
Hi parkrun UK
Wow! What an amazing time we had last week at the 100th Colchester Castle parkrun. Nearly 400 runners turned up in purple, black, yellow and red to celebrate. It was my 13th parkrun and it was amazing. parkrun boosts confidence, brings communities together and suits people of all ages, weights, shapes and sizes. Everyone whistles, claps and cheers as you come through the finish line and there's always a crowd waiting for the last person to finish. It's amazing, the more you go, the more you want to keep going!
Regards,
Debbie Brand
Photo: Neil Wray
Hi parkrun UK
I am currently recovering from having an ACL reconstruction in my left knee and I can't run (or do much really) which is rather isolating. This week, Penny Hill, a member of my club Roundhay Runners and fellow parkrunner, got up early to drive me to Roundhay parkrun where I was able to volunteer. I even took my own chair! It was great to feel part of the community and at the same time be able to celebrate another Roundhay Runner, Julie Oldfield, achieving her 100th parkrun. Thanks for helping me keep a positive outlook on my long road back to fitness.
Regards,
Ann Chivers
Hi parkrun UK
I run at Tollcross parkrun and was genuinely surprised, humbled and delighted to receive the February monthly prize, thank you so much Sweatshop! Your continued support is very much appreciated by all us parkrunners up and down the country. I must also praise the family and community spirit that has been created by the Tollcross parkrun team; David, Stuart, Ross, Katy, Chris and Emma. Saturday mornings are now a run with friends and I feel so lucky to be part of it. This is what parkrun is all about - togetherness. I'm 14 away from my 50 t-shirt, which I know that I will wear with pride. Thank you parkrun.
Regards,
Ken Eccleson
Hi parkrun UK
In September 2014 I was not a runner but in October I decided to run for charity and started exercising every day. I started my first parkrun at the beginning of November but couldn't do more than the first 100 yards. It was a really horrible feeling and I was so disappointed but I was determined to complete the run the following week and I did. In my 14 parkruns I have achieved a PB 10 times and I have just completed my first half marathon in less than two hours raising £300 for charity. Thanks to Braunstone parkrun!
Regards,
Elisa Whittlestone
Hi parkrun UK
Saturday without parkrun is like a Sunday without a roast! My home parkrun is Watergrove where I have attended almost all of the runs. I never imagined that I would get so much enjoyment from running 5k. Each week I look forward to running with new people. There is a great family feeling to parkrun; everybody supports each other and enjoys the success when a new PB is achieved, or we welcome another first timer. Thank you parkrun. Thank you for last week, thank you for this week, and thank you for next week.
Regards,
Ian Wroe
Hi parkrun UK
Gabriela is my niece, and came out to support me at Ipswich parkrun a few weeks ago. It makes it very worthwhile, knowing how inspiring parkrun is!
Regards,
Shaun Copple
Hi parkrun UK
Saturday saw Yeovil Montacute celebrating ‘Pi Day’ – with the date and time bringing up the magical time at which the date and time match up with the first 10 digits of pi, 3.141592653 – 3/14/15, meaning that when Sam Pollard crossed the line in 26:52 and as the run started at exactly 09:00:01 he finished at 3/14/15/9/26/53 – the Core Team would have bought him a pie in the Café had we known!
Regards,
Martin Chaffey
parkrunner of the week
Name: Liz Cooper
Club: Love Running Tuesday Nighters
Age: 45
Home parkrun: Medina I.O.W. parkrun
Occupation: French Tutor
Number of runs: 55
Favourite volunteer role: Barcode Scanning
What do you do at parkruns: I volunteered most Saturdays when my husband and two boys started parkrunning in 2011. They finally persuaded me to have a go myself at the end of 2013, firstly power-walking and gradually working up to the slow run I can now manage! I try to volunteer at least once every ten runs, and have written a couple of sections for the weekly report.
How has parkrun changed your running: I had never run any sort of distance before parkrun and considered myself only capable of short burst activities like netball or Zumba. I still find it very hard, but have taken ten minutes off my time and am running during the week as well. I'm much fitter and have lost weight.
What do you like about parkrun: I love that it's a healthy, wholesome activity that the whole family can do together. We have met some really decent, lovely people through parkrun, and I look forward to running, laughing and chatting with my friends every week. I also love that it gets us up and out on a Saturday morning, exercise done, then we can relax and enjoy some downtime afterwards.
Most memorable or funniest parkrun moment: I cried with pride when my husband and sons crossed the line together for the 100th time in March 2014! I was also chuffed to bits on the 7th of February this year when I reached both 50 runs and 50 volunteering stints. I was presented with a handmade headband with '50' on by our super-talented resident hatmaker!
parkrun corner
In the middle of March 2013, there were almost 25,000 parkrunners at a parkrun event somewhere in the world. A year later in 2014, there were 65,000 plodding around a park! Last weekend, over 100,000 parkrunners were running at one of our events. Wow! It won’t be long until parkrun is the breaking the record for being the biggest running event in the world each and every week. This is phenomenal and yet it’s amazing to meet runners who’ve never heard of parkrun. In honesty, that baffles me. Still.
However, the word is spreading. Not only are my pre-parkrun friends discovering parkrun (many of whom thought I’d been brainwashed into some strange cult when I used to spout constantly about the event we all love (they’ve now realised I hadn’t been… or maybe they’ve been brainwashed too) but also my neighbours are going to start attending parkrun too. Where will it end?
In five years time when we could well have several million registered parkrunners in many more countries across the globe, we won’t be able to walk down the road without bumping into someone wearing a parkrun ICE wristband! Post-parkrun friends are having babies and counting down the months until they can take their son or daughter to a junior parkrun. We’ll have as many junior parkruns in the country as 5k parkruns, maybe more, and the streets will be full of 4 to 14 year olds being active during the week as well as at weekends.
In 10 years time, could everyone be talking about parkrun and its impact on communities and the health of the nation and nations around the world? Will parkrun be the catalyst for change in a reversal of the statistics we read today regarding a lack of physical activity, high obesity rates and communities divided? Who knows!
James Saunders, Southampton Juniors parkrun Event Director and parkrun UK Ambassador
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reminders
barcode reminder
Barcodes are used at all our events to record your result. Please collect and print your barcode here. No barcode, no result!
all questions answered
Do you have a question about parkrun? How do I collect my club t-shirt? How do I get my barcode? All your questions are answered on our brand new support site
volunteering at parkrun
Every parkrun event relies on volunteers and in 2014 alone over 50,000 of you came forwards and supported your local event. Volunteering is a wonderful way to make friends, feel great and have fun. If that sounds like it's for you then please contact your local event team for more details.
cancellations
For cancellations please check your event’s news page for the most up to date information.
upcoming anniversaries
March
Canterbury parkrun 21st
Concord parkrun 21st
Eglinton parkrun 21st
Kingston parkrun 21st
Mulbarton parkrun 21st
Netley Abbey parkrun 21st
Sedgefield parkrun 21st
Bangor parkrun 28th
Cross Flatts parkrun 28th
Ecos parkrun 28th
Llyn Llech Owain parkrun 28th
Newport parkrun 28th
Ormskirk parkrun 28th
Princes parkrun 28th
Reigate Priory parkrun 28th
Shorne Woods parkrun 28th
Harrow Lodge junior parkrun 29th
Newport junior parkrun 29th
April
Basildon parkrun 4th
Beeston parkrun 4th
Bushy junior parkrun 4th
Colchester Castle parkrun 4th
Forest Rec parkrun 4th
Huddersfield parkrun 4th
Hull parkrun 4th
Keswick parkrun 4th
Parke parkrun 4th
Poole parkrun 4th
Porthcawl parkrun 4th
Woodley junior parkrun 5th
Chippenham parkrun 11th
Dulwich parkrun 11th
Enniskillen parkrun 11th
Graves parkrun 11th
Huntingdon parkrun 11th
Maidstone parkrun 11th
Peter Pan parkrun 11th
Pymmes parkrun 11th
Strathclyde parkrun 11th
Barking and Dagenham junior parkrun 12th
children at parkrun
Children under the age of eleven must be accompanied at all times by a parent, guardian or appropriate adult of the parent's choice. It must also be ensured that children place themselves appropriately at the start so as to prevent a situation where they are being repeatedly overtaken. This is to ensure the safety of your child.
official charity partner
our sponsors
Helping people be the best they can be
For 40 years, Sweatshop the award winning running store, has been helping runners find the perfect products for their individual needs. Find your closest store at sweatshop.co.uk
Health insurance that rewards you for living well.
Vitality is insurance that rewards you for being healthy. It's there to protect you when things go wrong unexpectedly but it's also there to help you lead a healthier life - meaning you don't have to claim to be able to benefit. If you keep well, then you're less likely to claim. That means it costs us less to look after you. We think that if we're saving money, you should benefit from that. So as you get healthier, we offer you discounts to encourage you to be healthy, rewards to keep you motivated and to help you rest and relax, and cashback so you've got more money to spend on doing things you love. Find out more about Vitality
our supporters
Inspiring runners of all levels
For information on all events organised by the London Marathon, please visit london-marathon.co.uk
Delivering your results earlier
For information on the company powering the mobile messaging, please visit aql.com
Connecting parkrunners everywhere
For information on the mobile communications company, please visit three.co.uk
the parkrun show
You can download your copy of the parkrun show here. (iTunes)
The parkrun show is the audible roundup of the "goings on" of everything that caught the teams eye from the weekend in parkrunworld.
Brought to you by Marathon Talk.