My 50th parkrun @ the 200th parkrun @ Stratford-upon-Avon

[Katnap]

Long time no post Katnap!

True. I've been lurking and commenting but not finding time to add to any HU community. But by chance, the NYD double parkrun put me on target for completing my 50th at the same time as the 200th parkrun held at Stratford-upon-Avon! 🎉👏👏👏🏃🏃🏃🐱🎉

The day started early as the cat wanted feeding at 4:30 am. And we volunteer for setup so that means putting out signs and cones, getting the finish funnel set. I also brought some food for our free café. Yeah. You read right. We ask for donations to keep next week's parkrunners in tea, coffee, cake, fruit, biscuits, etc.

Did any of you join me virtually today? Thank you to those that did! Sandie1961 was there physically. Thanks for coming Sandie 👍😁👍

Our numbers were swollen by tourism as some parkruns in the area had been cancelled which I think added to the atmosphere of the occasion. Conditions were a bit slippery underfoot due to frost but otherwise dry with a muddy section if you went off the tarmac path. Narrow paths and a bigger turnout made for a slow start but by marshal point 2 (aka Lock Turn) the throng started to spread and open. It was never going to be a quick run so I took it easy.

Tailchaser, Sandia1961, and Shake-and-run went for coffee and cake at the pantry and I joined them about half an hour later.

I only got time to post this evening after a day of tooing and froing.

Hope you all had a great day! And thanks for reading!

🎉🐱 New Year's Katnap 🐱🎉

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

Congratulations on your 50th run and 200th at Stratford Katnap, and how brilliant that Sandie1961 was able to join you too. I was running virtually with you today, which was good because all my real running buddies abandoned me for other events.

You aren’t going to know which shirt to wear next week - red or purple?. You should be very proud to wear both of them.

Congratulations 🥳😸👏👏

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

A difficult but pleasant decision! Thanks Dexy5 😁😁😁

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Now there’s a Saturday morning decision to make - do we both wear the same shirt or not!!! C25k group commitments mean that won’t be an issue at home for a bit 😿 but we’ll be sneaking in a bit of tourism in that time 😻

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to TailChaser]

It’s good to wear a parkrun shirt on tourism, apricot in our case, but if I didn’t have that I’d probably go for the 50 shirt. So many shirts to choose from now with all the race shirts, and more to follow this year.

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

I will have an apricot by the time we next meet (as long as they still have some stock 😂) 😁

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to TailChaser]

😍

[Katnap Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

I've been timetabled out of a few of the Saturday runs so I will get a few more than the previous C25K sessions. 👍😁👍

[Oldfloss Administrator in reply to TailChaser]

Howard and Hilda, style, or maybe you are not old enough to remember them...

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

Howard and Hilda! I remember them! But I was probably too young to get some of the humour...

[Windoze Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Theres only one colour in Warwickshire! Green & Red! Cmon you Striders!! 🤣🤣🤣 #runningclubbants

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Windoze]

I'm sticking to the bottle for this month!

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon]

Congratulations again! As I have been abandoned by my OH, it was great to have a social meet up and to run Stratford again. To the next time 😃

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Sandie1961]

Fantastic sprint speed Sandie! Is that from your JRS training?

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Haha, I wish! I’ve only done JRS about 3 times. Hate it!

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Sandie1961]

You're just naturally gifted clearly! 😁

[Sandie1961 Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

😂🤣😂

[BaddieThePirate]

Whoop whoop. That's a lot of Parkruns and a really nice colour t-shirt you are now entitled to. And red ones go faster. Works for cars, presume it works for runners too 👍😀

[Katnap Marathon in reply to BaddieThePirate]

When I wear it I'll find out if I go faster!

[TailChaser Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Tattoo fast???!!

[Katnap Marathon in reply to TailChaser]

Possibly! Definitely achievable 😁

[JonathanP 10 Miles]

Congratulations Katnap - what with running, volunteering and contributing supplies, you certainly made the most of your 50th! That red t-shirt will look great on you!

[Katnap Marathon in reply to JonathanP]

Thanks JP! Hopefully get to see you at a PR VRB meet down your way. 👍😁👍

[JonathanP 10 Miles in reply to Katnap]

That would be great - not sure if you're aware that the Portsmouth/Southsea crew (the usual suspects !) do have one planned for 15 Feb at QE country park near Petersfield? Quite a distance for you, but you would of course be very welcome.😀

[Papillon17 Half Marathon]

Congratulations and well done did a first Park Run down south.

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Papillon17]

Yes! Recently caught up with your post. Fantastic job by the Pap!

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Wasn’t happy but a benchmark put down

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Papillon17]

You have to start somewhere and getting a time you feel you can improve on is an incentive for training. 😁

[Papillon17 Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Well sure there is plenty of room for improvement

[lexi6 10 Miles]

Congratulations Katnap on your 50th parkrun. 🙂

[Katnap Marathon in reply to lexi6]

lexi6! Great to hear from you! Thank you! 😁

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Congratulations on your 50th Parkrun - fab acheivement!🙂

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Ta! A double celebration and I knew the other 2x parkrunners also running their 50th milestone 😁😁😁

[Windoze Half Marathon]

Awesome my good man! Keep up the good work!! 💪💪😎😎

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Windoze]

🎉🐱🎉 back to taking on the C25K newbies now!

[Windoze Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Hero! 💪how many you got this time?

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Windoze]

Over a dozen! 😁

[Windoze Half Marathon in reply to Katnap]

Nice! You thinking of doing your lvl 1 coaching quals? Surely SAC would sponsor it?

Youd make a good coach oh wise and beardie one 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Windoze]

One day maybe...

[Oldfloss Administrator]

Fabulous run...congratulations, what a great morning you and everyone had... ! x

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Oldfloss]

👍😁👍

[Anneep]

Hi Katnap, we haven’t spoken on here before, but felt I had to comment, first to say well done, and second to say that I touristed in Stratford-upon-Avon on 4th January, on the way to see family in the midlands. I was inspired by someone on here who had written a run report from a tourist perspective and I did the same! The run was lovely and a beautiful area too!

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Anneep]

Awesome! The oddest part of the circuit is running through the carpark bays. It's not unusual to get a car parked overnight that we all have to run around!

Feel free to visit again or maybe try other nearby parkruns eg. Warwick, Leamington Spa, Arrow Valley...

[Anneep in reply to Katnap]

Yes, a poor guy stacked it when I ran through there but he bounced up again like nothing had happened! There was also a man in a wheelchair near there who was cheering and encouraging people as they went past, very lovely to see. I saw him in the town later and wanted to say thank you but he was talking to someone. I’m sure I’ll do some more!

[Katnap Marathon in reply to Anneep]

Keep running! Keep smiling! 👍😁👍