Parkrun26

Mark goes top!

There is no stopping young Dillon these days, who once again picked up the three bonus point with yet another fantastic sub ten minute parkrun. That moves him up the table to 7th place. Great stuff from Dillon who was joined in the juniors by Evelyn who also put in a good run at Ward End.

Angie and Tomo took a trip to Cofton Park which is a very hilly and grassy course, but despite the challenge is a really beautiful run, although probably best avoided in winter.

Most of the rest of the action was at Brueton where Ann, Mark and Kelly were out with Mark putting in the best run of the day by going just a minute over target and so picking up two bonus points – a result that puts him top of the league! Ann picked up the remaining bonus point as she comes back into form after the hot weather.

George took a trip to Bramhill Parkrun near Stockport and sent us some contrasting photos of the area, while Marg opted for a walk over in Bromyard.

NameTarget4th SeptDiffRun PtsBonusTotal
Mark0:29:070:30:1301:06253661
Angie0:31:360:36:1504:39362460
Ann0:32:520:34:2501:33362056
George0:21:520:28:3506:43361450
Tomo0:27:440:43:4115:57341347
Dillon – J0:09:340:09:4500:11152742
Mag0:33:341:00:0026:26271441
Kelly0:30:340:32:2001:46221638
Claire0:28:49231235
Evelyn – J0:15:450:27:2311:3826935
Liz0:28:4991423
Bee0:36:218614
Seth0:14:085712
Lucy0:55:001111
Cass0:40:0525
Cara0:35:20134
Neil0:27:54123
Isaac0:26:000
G&E0:28:000
Catilin0:50:000
Anne C0:55:000
Laurent0:55:000

Dillon fights back!

Despite a disappointment last week where he smashed his target but didn’t pick up any points, Dillon fought back this week and took the three points by going just 7 seconds over his target. He put in a great time of 9.41 – a time which if he had run at Brueton Juniors would have put him in 15th place out of a field of 129. Given he is at the younger end of the age spectrum that is pretty impressive. Well done Dillon.

There were only two course runners out, namely Ann and G, who picked up the remaining points with G taking two to Ann’s one. G was enjoying the scenery of South Wales at Bryn Bach and followed that with a walk up Pen Y Fal. Ann was out at her usual hunting ground of Brueton. Great stuff as always from the Spann Clan. Not to be left out Ed got in on the sporting action and he and Ann were spotted watching the cricket and looking every bit the part!

The remaining four parkrunners were virtuals undertaken in Tiverton, Devon, where Marg, Mark, Tomo and Angie took a walk following the latest section of the Jon’o’ Groats to Land’s End hike. The four walked from Taunton to Tiverton, avoiding the rain for three days until they attempted a virtual parkrun along the River Exe – where they needed to shelter more than once from torrential rain.

That’s all for this week, other than to leave you with some delightful pictures of Cass, Marcos and Alice at their first day back at school and of course that all important table.

NameTarget29th AugDiffRun PtsBonusTotal
Angie0:31:361:05:0033:24352459
Mark0:29:071:05:0035:53243458
Ann0:32:520:36:4203:50351954
George0:21:520:23:3101:39351449
Tomo0:27:441:05:0037:16331346
Mag0:33:341:05:0031:26261440
Dillon – J0:09:340:09:4100:07142438
Kelly0:30:34211637
Claire0:28:490:35:2906:40231235
Evelyn – J0:15:4525934
Liz0:28:4991423
Bee0:36:218614
Seth0:14:085712
Lucy0:55:001111
Cass0:40:0525
Cara0:35:20134
Neil0:27:54123
Isaac0:26:000
G&E0:28:000
Catilin0:50:000
Anne C0:55:000
Laurent0:55:000

G Clocks 500!

Just a quick update this week as Tomo and I plan to start our Lands End walk again tomorrow but before doing so must mention that last week, 18th August, G clocked up his 500th parkrun which he chose to do over at Brueton. We asked a fellow parkrunner to take a photo but unfortunately he missed out the Brueton sign! That week it was Mark who took the three points, George two and Angie one point.

This week was a bumper week in people going under target and it was Margaret who took the three points by going a whopping 1 minute and 38 seconds under over at Hereford to clock up a very respectable 33.34. Mark also had a great run getting under 30 minutes for the first time in a while and also going 1 minute and 20 under, while young Seth took one point at 42 seconds under. Dillon also had a great run, getting under 10 minutes for the first time on his junior parkrun course and going 35 seconds under. Well done to all those.

All that means that Mark is now only one point behind Angie and Ann gets pushed into third.

NameTarget22nd AugDiffRun PtsBonusTotal
Angie0:31:360:31:5600:20342458
Mark0:30:270:29:07-01:20233457
Ann0:32:520:37:0804:16341852
George0:21:520:31:3809:46341246
Tomo0:27:440:48:3220:48321345
Mag0:35:120:33:34-01:38251439
Kelly0:30:34211637
Evelyn – J0:15:450:18:4703:0225934
Claire0:28:490:30:0501:16221234
Dillon – J0:10:090:09:34-00:35132134
Liz0:28:4991423
Bee0:36:218614
Seth0:14:080:13:26-00:425712
Lucy0:55:001111
Cass0:40:0525
Cara0:35:20134
Neil0:27:54123
Isaac0:26:000
G&E0:28:000
Catilin0:50:000
Anne C0:55:000
Laurent0:55:000

The heat continues!

No let up in the intense heat in either the UK or Europe where it continues to take its toll on the parkrun times. On the first of the month Claire and Dillon battled the heat in France while the rest of us baked over the UK. It was Kelly who took the three points by going 26 seconds under her target and was in fact the only person to run under target over the last two weeks so well done to Kelly. That week Evelyn took two points and Mag one.

This week and it was Mark who took the three points by going just one second over and holding off Kelly who took one point which means he moves into second place. Can he catch Angie?. That is one competition I expect to continue for another few months so watch this space! Marg took two points, running over at the Wyre Forest with Angie, who she managed to outsprint up the last of what were very many hills. She was just 2 seconds over . Ann was also out at Brueton and Lucy took a walk over in Shrewsbury. There will be no Tomo for a couple of weeks as he fell over and has cut his knee, but on the mend now. G was out in London where he is also walking some of the capital ring. This is a circular walk that goes all around London and takes in an enormous diversity of Landscapes. I did some of it while I lived there and might manage to complete it when I have finished the Jon’O’Groats to Lands End walk, which is currently at Taunton in Somerset.

Evelyn was out for the last two weeks at junior parkrun, which included a very good run last week, which she followed up with a trip to Cannon Hill Park this week.

I’ll leave you with a picture of myself with the most expensive haircut I ever had. I was in the USA and paid 250 dollars for it. It lasted one day and went curly the day after when I got caught in the rain but at least I got a photo. I can’t believe it was 11 years ago!

Also decided to give away my running medals this week. Anne Compton found a charity for me that takes the medals and gives them to young kids on sports days or when they have achieved something. Nice idea.

NameTarget8 Aug.DiffRun PtsBonusTotal
Angie0:31:360:35:1903:43322355
Mark0:30:270:30:2800:01212950
Ann0:32:520:37:0304:11321850
Tomo0:27:44311344
George0:21:520:25:3903:47321042
Kelly0:30:3400:31:2100:47201636
Mag0:35:120:35:1400:02231134
Dillon – J0:10:09122133
Claire0:28:49201232
Evelyn – J0:15:450:25:4610:0123932
Liz0:28:4981422
Bee0:36:218614
Seth0:14:084610
Lucy0:55:001:00:0005:001010
Cass0:40:0525
Cara0:35:20134
Neil0:27:54123
Isaac0:26:000
G&E0:28:000
Catilin0:50:000
Anne C0:55:000
Laurent0:55:000

Mark Continues the Chase

Mark is definitely the on form parkrunner at the moment as he picked up six bonus points over the last fortnight, all of them at Brueton. On the 18th he managed to exactly equal his target and was followed by Angie who was just nine second over and so gets two points. Kelly was just over half a minute over her target and so got the single point. Tomo was also out at Brueton, as was Ann, on what was a pretty hot day. Marg and Claire opted for a walk in France, while G was took a trip to Sherwood Pines, which meant that young Evelyn could run at the junior parkrun at Dukeries the following day. As usual some nice pictures from G.

Speaking of G he was in Dunstable Downs this week to celebrate his 33rd Birthday where he put in a very decent run of 25 minutes and took a walk around a place called Totternhoe Knolls, where burned out cars make up the scenery. Plenty of them in Brum G if that’s what you like! Marg was out virtually in Hereford and Lizzie was out in France, where she is visiting Dan’s parents. All of the rest of the action was at Brueton, where the same people took the bonus points, albeit in a different order. Mark took the three at 12 over, Kelly two, and Angie one. Once again Tomo and Ann were out and young Evelyn took to the Malvern parkrun on Sunday.

That’s it for this week, just a quick update. I hope all of you in France and Spain can stay clear of the awful fires. Rain is in very short supply here, but rather than a rain dance Ann and Evelyn have decided to play cricket, because that always brings rain. Really impressed by the over arm technique.

So as we head towards August Angie stays top, Mark has pushed Tomo into third and is now only one point behind Ann in second.

NameTarget25-JulDiffRun PtsBonusTotal
Angie0:31:360:31:5300:17302252
Ann0:32:520:35:2802:36301848
Mark0:30:270:30:3900:12212647
Tomo0:27:440:29:1301:29301343
George0:21:520:25:1003:18301040
Dillon – J0:10:09112132
Claire0:28:49191231
Kelly0:31:000:31:1500:15181230
Mag0:35:120:36:3101:1921829
Evelyn – J0:15:450:25:1709:3221728
Liz0:28:490:42:0813:1981422
Bee0:36:218614
Seth0:14:084610
Lucy0:55:0088
Cass0:40:0525
Cara0:35:20134
Neil0:27:54123
Isaac0:26:000
G&E0:28:000
Catilin0:50:000
Anne C0:55:000
Laurent0:55:000

Mark moves up!

There are so many photos this week that I was spoiled for choice as to what to upload, so thanks for sending them.

Mark picked up most of the points over the last couple of weeks starting on the 4th July, when he got the three points by going just 36 seconds over at Brueton Park. Unusually he was one of only two parkrunners out in Solihull, the other being Ann, who managed to pick up one point despite very hot weather. The only other course runner out that week was G, who took the two points at the Sheep River Parkrun in Canada. Himself and Edd have been on what looks like a really lovely tour of Canada, which on the second half of the trip took in the West of the country including Vancouver and the Rocky Mountain area.

All the other courses on the 4th were virtual. Bern was out in Spain and Marg in Bromyard. Tomo and Angie took a walk as part of their Jon’o’Groats to Land’s End walk, this week walking from Bath to Taunton. This included a stop at Wells, which has a magnificent Cathedral that really can rival Notre Dame or York and took us a bit by surprise. So surprised in fact that we didn’t take any photos so you will have to settle for one of me. There is no point taking more than one, as in an attempt to minimise weight I wore the same tee-shirt all week. We also stayed in Glastonbury which is a bit of an odd place, filled with shops selling witches brews, incense, voodoo dolls and tarot cards. Not something that interests me too much. Our BB was a TV free zone, and the majority of the pubs had signs up saying ‘Football Free Zone.’ Nowt queerer than folk is there?

There was a lot more action this week, not least over in Spain, where the Comptons, Bonelli’s, Belchers and Lyngs have descended on Bern’s place. Claire, Liz and Bern all ran virtually with Liz managing to knock a huge one minute and 36 seconds off her target to pick up the three bonus points. Great stuff from Liz and looks like they are having great fun!

On the course runs Ann, Mark, Tomo and Angie were all out at Brueton in very intense heat, although Mark seemed to be not too much affected as he picked up two bonus points by going just 34 seconds over. That was only two seconds slower than the week before, so well done to him. His points tally over the last two weeks has moved him up the table into fourth place. Kelly was also out in Leamington and young Evelyn was out in Junior parkrun on Sunday accompanied by Ann.

The remaining bonus point went to G for his run over in Canada in the familiar sounding Ambleside parkrun. He put in an excellent time of 22.46 and it’s good to see him coming back to form. He also walked to the parkrun and back again and if my calculations are correct he did about 13 miles. I’m am pleased to report that he and Eddie are safely back from their trip and I’ll leave you with some of their amazing photos.

And one that I forgot last week was a very athletic photo of myself and Marg tackling the hills of Bromyard.

NameTarget11-JulDiffRun PtsBonusTotal
Angie0:31:360:33:3201:56281947
Ann0:32:520:39:2806:36281846
Tomo0:27:440:29:1401:30281341
Mark0:30:270:31:0100:34192039
George0:21:520:22:4600:54271037
Dillon – J0:10:09112132
Claire0:28:490:32:3703:48181230
Mag0:35:1219827
Evelyn – J0:15:450:24:0308:1819726
Kelly0:31:000:33:4702:4716925
Liz0:30:250:28:49-01:3671421
Bee0:36:210:41:5705:368614
Seth0:14:084610
Lucy0:55:0088
Cass0:40:0525
Cara0:35:20134
Neil0:27:54123
Isaac0:26:000
G&E0:28:000
Catilin0:50:000
Anne C0:55:000
Laurent0:55:000

G Doubles up in Canada

G scored another first this week by managing to double in on his trip to Canada with brother Ed. Last Saturday he was in Budapest (which is in Canada) where he put in his best time for a while at 23.13, which was enough to get him one bonus point by going just 1 minute and 21 seconds over target. Today is Canada Day and over there it is chosen as the extra parkrun which G did in the follow up time of 23.17. Remarkably consistent but also it’s great to see him coming back into form after a few niggles. So well done G.

While G and Ed are enjoying Canada the rest of us in Europe were sweltering in the heat. The worst was over by Saturday but nonetheless Kelly was feeling the heat over at Leamington. She put in a great time of 32.44 which includes a very big climb at the end of the course so great stuff from Kelly.

Once again Brueton saw most of the action and there were four of us out with Mark getting the three bonus points by going 22 seconds under to edge closer to that 30 minute barrier. Himself and Tomo were battling it out but he managed to hold him off, so it seems like his new watch is doing its magic. Tomo also put in a good run as did Ann, while Angie took a walk.

And the two points? They went to young Dillon over in France who put in the excellent time of 10.24 on his virtual junior course. That was just 25 seconds over his target, which in the summer heat was a great run. So well done to Dillon. Claire was also out virtually.

There was no Marg his week as she was saving herself for the Bromyard Round the Downs Race. She was joined by Angie and they both completed the 10k course in 1.21 which given the hills and rough terrain it was not bad indeed. It’s a lovely race, so perhaps we can make it a family outing next year.

I forgot to give Evelyn her point for junior parkrun last week as the result is late, so that has been added in now.

NameTarget27-JunDiffRun PtsBonusTotal
Angie0:31:360:44:3713:01261945
Ann0:32:520:36:3303:41261743
Tomo0:27:440:30:4603:02261339
George0:21:520:23:1301:2126733
Dillon – J0:10:090:10:3400:25112132
Mark0:30:490:30:27-00:22171532
Claire0:28:490:53:0024:11171229
Mag0:35:1218826
Evelyn – J0:15:4518725
Kelly0:31:000:32:4401:4415924
Liz0:30:2561117
Bee0:36:216612
Seth0:14:084610
Lucy0:55:0088
Cass0:40:0525
Cara0:35:20134
Neil0:27:54123
Isaac0:26:000
G&E0:28:000
Catilin0:50:000
Anne C0:55:000
Laurent0:55:000

I will leave you with some pictures of G and Ed who so far have visited Saskatoon, Toronto, Edmond and Elk Island taking in the sights, which included a memorial to the great Joni Mitchell. I am now just about to watch the second half of the match, which I sense might be bringing clouds from both sides……

Margaret on Form!

There was no update last week as myself and Tomo were doing the latest leg of our Jon O’ Groats to Land’s End walk which took us along the Cotswolds Way from Chipping Campden to Bath Abbey. It’s a really lovely walk and we had perfect weather for it. We were also joined on a couple of days by Mark. On the Saturday, it was too much to combine it with a parkrun proper, so we settled for a virtual walk over the hills. Kelly and Lucy also opted for virtual walks as did Marg over in Bromyard.

George was further afield in Penrith but the Saturday parkrun was not enough for him and he completed the Windermere marathon on the following day. He has been struggling with a niggly knee recently but that was not enough to stop him and he opted to walk the whole way – and managed to get under 6 hours! Anyone who has run a marathon knows that cracking six hours with a fair bit of running is not that easy, so well done to G on clocking up one more.

Over at Brueton and it was just Ann and Mark who were out, with Mark putting in his fastest run for a while by going 12 seconds under his target to record 30.49 and so pick up two bonus points. Good stuff from Mark. Ann also had a decent run at 33.34.

The rest of the points were won over in France, with Claire having a fantastic run and knocking 41 seconds off her target to record an excellent 28.49. She is clearly on a fitness drive so well done Claire on cracking that 29 minute barrier. The remaining one point was picked up by Dillon in junior parkrun by doing just 38 seconds over his target and to keep under 11 minutes. Well done Dillon.

This week and Brueton was back as the main field of action with five of us out. Tomo, Mark, Kelly, Ann and Ang all put in decent runs with Ann picking up two bonus points for just eleven seconds over target and Mark one point at 24 seconds over. Mark was spurred on by his new watch, which he managed to purchase for the bargain price of £40. It is remarkable how far the technology has come since the brick like Garmin forerunners that did little other than record time and distance. Mark’s model gives a huge range of data, including customised watch faces that he adjusted to read Up the Villa. Hours of fun.

It was good to see that following his efforts in the Windermere Marathon, G managed to run this week in Gadebridge near London, where he put in a very respectable sub 30 minutes. Claire opted for a walk as the heat rages in France and slowly moves to the UK.

No doubts on run of the week though and that went to Margaret, who knocked a whopping 1 minute and 25 seconds off her target over at the Hereford Parkrun, which she completed in 35.12. Great running from Marg.

NameTarget27-JunDiffRun PtsBonusTotal
Angie0:31:360:36:0604:30251944
Ann0:32:520:33:0300:11251742
Tomo0:27:440:29:2301:39251338
George0:21:520:29:2407:3225631
Dillon – J0:10:09101929
Mark0:30:490:31:1300:24161228
Claire0:28:491:00:0031:11161228
Mag0:36:370:35:12-01:2518826
Evelyn – J0:15:4517724
Kelly0:31:000:32:1301:1314923
Liz0:30:2561117
Bee0:36:216612
Seth0:14:084610
Lucy0:55:0088
Cass0:40:0525
Cara0:35:20134
Neil0:27:54123
Isaac0:26:000
G&E0:28:000
Catilin0:50:000
Anne C0:55:000
Laurent0:55:000