From Michael Abrams-Cohen…
Michael and Rachel took on the Mount Edgcumbe parkrun – the fifth hardest parkrun in the UK (with a significant net uphill). A challenging trail course akin to a fell race, starting at the bottom of Mount Edgcumbe and winding through the trails up passed the Manor and into the deer park.
Looking like of out of towners, donning our luminous Ilkley Harrier Training tops we trundled up the 4km climb. I aptly forgot to tell Rachel just how hard it was going to be…oops, but Rachel smashed it and finished with her highest parkrun finish of 33rd.
Mike fueled by too much Guinness, upset the locals and finished in first position, after taking the lead on the final descent. There was a tough battle with a 15year old girl donning their Devon County Vest who had the home advantage and was being cheered on by all the volunteers and had led for the first 4km, before I went in to competitive overload and snuck past her just before the finish. Rachel rightly told me off afterwards.
From Alison Bennett…
Parkrun is a great way to enter an event spontaneously when away from home; which is exactly how I found myself in Hamsterley Forest on a bright sunny morning. At the briefing the route was described as having all the ascent in the first half and undulating in the second. The course followed forest tracks and paths much resembling a PECO Cross Country. This is a relatively new venue for parkrun and there wasn’t what could be described as a huge number taking part, but I was still thrilled to be the 8th finisher and 1st lady. It was an unexpected and exciting bonus start to the day!
From Matt Cox…
Dave Foyston and I made the surprisingly short hop over to Fountains Abbey on Saturday to sample what has to be one of the most scenic parkruns anywhere in the UK – especially on a sunny and mild spring morning! With a field of 345 runners, plenty of others had a similar idea and as you can imagine, the start area was busy.
After not running a parkrun since 2013, this was my second in two weeks – I have Dave and the good weather to thank for that! After both running hard in the mid-week EvenSplits 5k at Lawnswood, we were feeling a little weary. Dave was also planning to run the Keighley 10k the next day, and so we agreed an approach of “steady away” was a sensible race plan… That didn’t last long however as despite not going out too hard, we found ourselves towards the sharp end – me in fourth and Dave in fifth or sixth. I tried to stick to plan A, but with the gap between me and third holding level after the first couple of km’s, and feeling fairly comfortable, I decided that if it was worth making the trip over it was also worth putting some effort in now I was here. As we ended the first shorter lap, I pushed on a little and by 3k or so in I had reeled in third place. I sat in behind for a couple of hundred meters to catch my breath and then pushed on past, trying to make sure I went past fast enough so as not to drag the third place runner with me. That tactic seemed to work, and by 4k I’d opened up a few seconds lead, which I managed to hold to finish thirrd in 17.26. Dave followed closely behind to take fifth overall in 18.07.
Fountains is a cracking morning out and a stunning location – especially if the sun is out. There is also a great cafe for coffee and cake afterwards! Highly recommended.