First parkrun as a tourist

[rmnsuk]

We are in newbury for the weekend 'cos my partner is going up in a plane to do aerobatics!!!

I was a bit disappointed to miss parkrun, so looked on the 'net to find the nearest one. Turns out to be the newbury parkrun at greenham common.

I gets to the industrial estate to find the road coned off and while I was thinking I'd have to go back another chap draws up along side me and basically said "follow me". We went off and used another entrance. I parked the car and headed off with 2 minutes to go. When I got to the start the front runners had started and my watch hadn't locked in to GPS, so I put it on timer and headed out. It was the longest 5k I've ever run (!) on chalk and flint trail, but I was ready for that and took trail shoes. The last 1k was a gentle but very very long uphill struggle, made easier because I was running alongside Machine Man who just wouldn't give up. I now know what his superpower is I sprinted the last 100 yards and finished so pooped I had to sit down before I could go to the barcode readers. 31:09 wasn't a PB, but it was better than I expected and great under the circumstances.

Well done to all the volunteers at newbury parkrun who did an awesome job, and to machine man, and to the chap who let me follow him to the car park.

[Hidden]

Sounds hard work. Not done any trail running yet myself. Been keeping to the roads so far. 31.09 seems a very respectable time from what i can gather (as a non graduate, trainee runner type... )

Also, wow! Plane acrobatics?!

[aliboo70]

i just had a plane doing aerobatics above my house an hr ago! sounds exciting!

well done on your parkrun tourism! you made it round in a great time despite the problems getting there! i'm going to try one nr yeovil in the next few weeks, good to try something new sometimes

[agedsnailspace Graduate]

Don't you just love parkrun and how it can make complete strangers so much more approachable and helpful! I needed someone like your chap the first (and only) time I tried to be a tourist a Milton Keynes parkrun. Never did find the start... (but saw the runners all disappearing into the distance over a bridge).

[poppypug Graduate]

Well done ! Brilliant time too xxx

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Wow that sounds like a challenging Parkrun and a good time too!! Well done for being a parkrun tourist it can be quite daunting but in my experience everyone has always been lovely ( so far!!!)