Hilly Fields parkrun - event 517

On the 14th October 2023 I ran the Hilly Fields parkrun which was the 517th event held at the venue, my 150th parkrun and 78th different course I'd attended.

The last two parkrun events I've been to have involved hills. It's no surprise then that Hilly Fields parkrun also contains them, and was deliberately chosen for that fact. I can only get better at running uphill if I practice doing so. It should also help me when I finally do another flat one, even it's psychological.

Upon arrival it was clear why the park had been given its name. A green space in the middle of a built up area in south east London centered around a field that was made up of a hill. Various paths ran across the space and I headed upwards to the top where the parkrun starts and finishes.

At the summit of the hill is a tarmac path and along its route is a cafe, a play area and a couple of tennis courts. Running from west to east participants start from the western end next to the cafe and head east to the end where the route leaves the tarmac path onto the grass and drops down to the northern half of the hill.

Running clockwise, the route skirts the northern circumference of the park which rises back up to the central tarmac path by the cafe and start line. This first hill is fairly steep towards the top, but short so felt manageble. As it brings you back out to a flat stretch there's plenty of opportunities for recovery.

After a short while, just beyond the tennis courts the route turns left onto the southern part of the park where it drops down a steeper descent and loops back around onto the grass before coming up the second hill of the lap which is the longer, steeper version of the two.

As this is a three lap course each hill has to be completed three times, with six ascents in total making the whole course feel very much like a hill reps session.

After the second hill is taken for the third time, participants turn right at the top instead of left and head back towards the start line but with the finish arriving a hundred yards closer on the left hand side.

I really enjoyed this event, as I seem to for most of the events I've been to. But certainly with this one there's an element of challenge to it and it felt massively rewarding once I'd crossed the finish line. I don't normally like hills, but these felt short enough to be able to tackle them knowing there was a nice downhill to come straight after.

I finished 135th out of a field of 223 participants in a time of 28:13.

I wrote on Facebook afterwards when I shared my Strava post that 150 parkruns was a great achievement for someone who doesn't like running and I meant every word of it. Finishing an event like that yesterday provides the body and the mind with such positivity and feel good feelings that keeps me going back. All week I ask myself why I'd do this and that finish line is exactly why.