My first ever Parkrun was at Penticton, BC, Canada on 8th September 2018. Despite several attempts, it has taken me almost three and a half years to get the opportunity to run it again; between stress fractures, covid, not being in the right place on a Saturday morning ... well let's say a lot of things have gotten in the way.
I arrived here on Tuesday, knowing that this particular parkrun was restarting after yet another Covid break, on my first Saturday here. Surely this was meant to be!
Last night we checked the forecast for 8am (is there ANY other parkrun that starts at this ridiculous hour?): -3C, winds 20 kph gusting to 40kph, wind chill -8C. Whaaaattttt? Could I run in that? Add the fact that I've had a bad stomach and not eaten properly since I arrived but was still managing to drink glasses of Aperol Spritz in quantities not conducive to running 🤔. No. The decision was made before bed last night. I would not run it this weekend. Next weekend may be better.
But then I woke at 6:40. Hmmm. Could I really pass up this opportunity after such a long wait? Did it matter one jot if I couldn't beat my 2018 time?
Decision reversed. Some quick preparation and I found myself driven to the lakeshore. Yes the pavement was clear of snow and ice, but oh my ... there were hardly any runners to be seen! Maybe I shouldn't bother. There would be nowhere to hide. I didn't need to come last this morning!!! But hang on, I had waited so long to redo this course. Big girl pants on please. You can surely do this? If not, you know the day will be full of regret.
So, big girl pants on I opened the door, took a sharp intake of breath, gloves on ... and went and announced myself as a parkrun tourist from the UK, to the small - very small - assembled group! Of course everyone was lovely. I loved it. I was very happy and it was the best start to a beautiful day. I came lower middle of the pack as always, in a field of just 17 runners (and walkers).
I guess I will never totally outrun the gremlins, but I do have slightly more confidence in my chances of beating them into submission.
Oh ... and I beat my previous attempt on this course by just over a minute. Result!!!
(photo is actually Peachland rather than Penticton, but same lake, same mountains)
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linda9389
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It wasn't as bad as forecast I'm sure, but my layers were enough and I even had to ditch the buff for the second lap 😀. We can tolerate more than we imagine!
I will certainly remember it. Not least for not overtaking the lady in front of me ... she led all the way and it seemed rude, in such a small field, especially as a visitor, to attempt to steal the position in the last few metres 🤣
I think you could 🥰. It honestly just seemed churlish (and had she had more in the tank than me, and fought back ... there was nowhere to hide that potential shame 🤣)
Very well done Linda. That’s put our moans about a chilly wind in Southsea into context. Now you’ve done it once, you can do it again next week too. 🏃♀️🇨🇦
The wind was.coming from the side mostly - that makes a big difference! Although rynning on the lakeshore, the wind was coming from the town direction so I reckon we were more sheltered than you Dexy. Feel free to keep moaning 😀
Thanks BB. Funny, but the first three km felt like no effort at all. So flat and straight, there's very little to interrupt your rhythm. Well ... except a group of ducks that had taken over the path ... carnage as we passed (runners in each direction) and the ducks all panicked and flew up into the air amongst us 🤣
How wonderful Linda and I'm so pleased for you that your bravery made permanent memories for you. Brilliant stuff, massive congratulations on the courage you have shown leading up to this 🙌
Well done! So glad that you got to do the parkrun again. Conquering a parkrun in the cold is an invigorating experience! You beat your previous time despite all the obstacles from the previous evening and the weather. Sometimes we have great runs when we least expect it. 👏👏
In Montreal people would arrive at winter parkruns tired, grumpy and pretty quiet. Afterwards at coffee the room would be buzzing. The participants would be excitedly discussing the course, the weather, and how they handled it. The change in energy level from before to after the run was striking. Much more so than in warmer weather. We’ve been cancelled almost two years now due to provincial Covid restrictions.
Wishing you a great trip and another great run next Saturday!! 🙂
I can well imagine that! I was buzzing afterwards - not in a crazy way, but in a truly energised way. I do hope yours start soon, that'ssuch a long time. It looks like Kelowna is still closed next weekend because of 'city restrictions', but I have one more Saturday after that so I won't give up just yet.
We skied at Big White one Easter when my hubby and the kids came too - that was great fun compared to European skiing. But that's all. I'm staying with my 78 year old father so we tend to restrict ourselves to electric bikes and short walks 😀
Gutsy run linda9389; one which will stick in the memory. On my only run in Canada all I could think about was the potential to run into carnivores. I was told, later, that we were way too far south for bears etc…..and the worst I was likely to come across was a coyote…typical tourist!
I would be looking over my shoulder for Mummy Bear! We were “bear trained” by our daughter before we were allowed to visit her for lakeside holidays in Canada ( further North than Windsor!!) for the first time; she did the field work for her PhD in Alaska so she had to know what to do. We may have been slightly overtrained……🙂
It wasn’t a park run Lavender. I was around Windsor Ontario and took an 8k run along a green lane. It wasn’t a holiday visit; just a midweek run for a bit of light relief 🙂
I have ventured further north as far as Algonquin, and have had holidays by the side of woodland surrounded lakes. The bears were there but didn’t appear; a couple of moose and a stray Fisher popping out of the forest was about it…,. But strange things happen to the brain when you are on strange territory by the side of deep dark woods!!
Ha no not at all. It’s just acclimatization and layer choices. I’ve been avoiding the deep freeze runs this year as my fingers just get numb and white in the last year or so. You did awesome!
Oh they do? I won't feel so bad then 😀. It's odd though, because the one twenty minutes away - also on BC - starts at 9am. I guess it may be a city restriction.
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Update to the June HM dilemma 
The view from the other side
