Adam Bird - My Personal Blog

On the 30th September 2023 I ran the Ally Pally parkrun which was the 516th event held at the venue, my 148th parkrun and 76th different course I'd attended. When I asked my friend Reaso if he wanted me to pick up his son George for this week's parkrun he asked where I was heading. "Ally Pally", I said. And that was the end of that. The next ten minutes was spent listening at how steep the hill was up towards the Alexandra Palace and how drunken darts fans roll down it after a day on the beer watching the arrows. He explained how steep it was and how close he'd come to having a coronary and wouldn't wish running up it on his worst enemy. I had, as always done my research. I'd also seen the Ally Pally on television enough times and so knew that grounds of the parkrun would be the hillier variety. But the graphic picture that Reaso had painted put a nervous fear into me and I drove towards north London on Saturday morning with deep regret! Hills and I don...

On the 23rd September 2023 I ran the Harrow Lodge parkrun which was the 469th event held at the venue, my 147th parkrun and 75th different course I'd attended. Harrow Lodge has been on my to-do list for some time. For over a year it had been top of my NENDY list, which if you've been paying attention means Nearest Event Not Done Yet. After I'd completed my Thurrock parkrun , Harrow Lodge took the NENDY crown and has remained ever since. This weekend was also my 75th different parkrun event milestone and so it seemed a logical place to celebrate and kill two birds with one stone. I was joined this weekend by Reaso and his son George who hadn't quite been put off by his first and last visit to a parkrun event, namely Whinlatter Forest back in April. Having had the experience of visiting multiple different parkrun events I've grown accustomed to arriving at a parkrun venue and being surprised by the contrast of the park with its nearby surroundings. Particularly in L...

On the 16th September 2023 I ran the Banstead Woods parkrun which was the 781st event held at the venue, my 146th parkrun and 74th different course I'd attended. Parkrun of course started at Bushy park in 2004 and it wasn't until 2007 when it was joined by a second event at Wimbledon Common. But both events were still known as time-trials and the idea of 'parkrun' was still some way off. Six months after Wimbledon Common started a third time trial event started at Banstead Wood before further events popped up in Leeds, Richmond and Brighton. Before much longer there were ten time-trial events dotted across the country and parkrun was born. In my quest to complete all of the parkrun events inside of the M25, I'd pretty much completed the southern section with Nonsuch , Riddlesdown and Roundshaw Downs all being ticked off in the last twelve months or so leaving Banstead Woods and Lloyd as my only gaps. With good weather over the last few weeks it was a perfect time...

On the 9th September 2023 I ran the Alton Water parkrun which was the 97th event held at the venue, my 145th parkrun and 73rd different course I'd attended. Another week, another parkrun venue and another passenger alongside me on my parkrun journey. This week was the turn of my niece Layla who has started lodging with us in our spare room. Jokingly I suggested that as condition of her lodging with us, she needed to come parkrun with me each week. But her enthusiasm caught me by surprise. In fact, it was her that instigated the conversation this week with an "Uncle Adam, I might come parkrun with you this week". Having gone on to explain that she really didn't have to if she didn't want to, and that we were going to be getting up early and that we were going to be driving quite far. I also explained that it was going to be very hot and nobody was forcing here to do anything she didn't want to. She remained steadfast and was to my great surprise that when I wa...

On the 2nd September 2023 I ran the Mole Valley parkrun which was the 220th event held at the venue, my 144th parkrun and 72nd different course I'd attended. Occasionally I manage to convince a friend to run parkrun with me and as a result my friend Mark has inadvertently become a parkrun tourist. But with his work schedule, my football schedule and our holidays we've not managed to run together since Bevendean Down back in June. Knowing this date was coming up in the diary I saved Mole Valley for this very occasion. Mark prefers a one lap course and I knew it was going to be a gorgeous venue so if you are going to run, why not run in the best locations? Upon arriving at Denbies estate where the Mole Valley course is located you are immediately struck by how scenic the surroundings are.  The house at the end of the drive to the estate is imposing and reminded me of a scene out of a mobster movie with a house at the end of a tree lined driveway. Just like Squerreys Winery , Mo...