Gunpowder parkrun - event 573

On the 30th March 2024 I ran the Gunpowder parkrun which was the 573rd event held at the venue, my 176th parkrun and 100th different course I'd attended.

If you'd have said to me in 2014 after my first parkrun that I'd do it again another 175 times, and that I'd run at 100 different parkrun venues I would have laughed at you. The truth was, I didn't like running and I still can't say that I do all these runs later!

There's a secret sauce in the parkrun enterprise that keeps me coming back and whatever it is, whether it's the accessible nature of the event - that irrespective of ability everyone is welcome, or the fact that the volunteers are so helpful and supportive.

For my 100th different parkrun venue I wanted to celebrate by running at an iconic venue and/or running with as many friends and family as possible. Due to the Easter Weekend and other plans coming up we wasn't able to get to an iconic venue, think Severn Bridge, Woolacombe Dunes or Fountains Abbey. So instead I had to run at a local event and hope my friends and family answered my call to arms.

Due to having ran at all my reasonably close events I struggled with finding a local appropriate course that would be enjoyable by everyone without the travelling distance. Until I remembered Gunpowder which allowed me the opportunity of seeing my 100th venue with a bang! As well as being easy to get to and flat on tarmac paths.

I was joined by both Andrews who have been consistent companions this year to date, as well as brother-in-law Richard who is now a Cyclopark regular and Layla who was aiming to run her third different event. More surprisingly I was also joined by Oliver, number one son who enjoys not enjoying all the things that I enjoy. He was only with us as it was a get out of jail free card, or payment for getting out of being grounded for another week!

Weather has been getting progressively better in the last few weeks and this morning promised a lovely spring day with blue skies and the sun in the sky making the grounds greener and more vibrant. Richard spoke to the event director and I was given a shout at the race briefing and a cheer, which I appreciated but felt awkward at as I never know quite how to react.

Nevertheless we were walked around to the start from the meeting area and turned back around facing the way we came all ready to go. We'd lost Foordy and Richard, so Reaso, Oliver, Layla and I started off together but as it was fairly congested I concentrated on making my way through into some space where I could settle down and find my rhythm.

Reaso said before the run that we could try for a PB and he would look to try and pace me along. But I wasn't sure I liked the pressure so just tried to run my usual 'run whatever, until the end' ethos.

The course, two clockwise laps around the country park was all on firm paths and was flat, aside from a few small rise and falls that are always more perceptible the flatter the rest of the course is. The path meanders it's way around the perimeter of the park and as a result of the easy nature of the course no marshalls are actively employed on the route which saved my breathe a little from saying 'thank you marshall' as I pass by

Half way around the first lap Oliver overtook me and disappeared into the distance, albeit not so far that I couldn't see him and Reaso caught up to run alongside me where he stayed for most of the next lap. As we started the last kilometer I fell back a little way and I could see him cajoling me to speed up. Apparently after four km we was bang on track for a decent shot at setting a new PB, but it wasn't quite to be. The last kilometer seemed to last forever! 

It was also a kilometer too far for Oliver whose valiant attempt at a speedy first lap sapped him of all his energy. He fell back and walked the last part of the course. We even overtook ButLayla who was keeping the tailwalkers company, but despite a sprint finish I finished just short.

I came home in 112th place out of a field of 276 participants in a time of 26:50.

I may record all of my times and finishing positions on these posts and I do care about them, but are secondary to taking part in the event itself. They are a measure of my improvement over time and everytime I post I'm proud to have them recorded. But each event holds a different memory and none of them are time related. It's a view, or a feeling, a sensation of freedom and enjoying the outdoors all encapsulated in a list of 100 different places names. So thank you to each one of those listed below and here is to the next 100!

· Great Lines

· Bexley

· Hastings

· Shorne Woods

· Cyclopark

· Maidstone River Park

· Dartford Heath

· Ashford

· Bear Creek Greenbelt

· Malling

· Uckfield

· Dartford

· Foots Cray Meadows

· Sittingbourne

· Orpington

· Queen Elizabeth

· Greenwich

· Mote Park

· Swanley

· Lullingstone

· Warszawa-Praga

· Hoblingwell

· Thurrock

· Jersey Farm

· Monsal Trail

· Squerryes Winery

· East Grinstead

· Pegwell Bay

· Nonsuch

· Folkestone

· Kingdom

· The Leas

· Walmer and Deal Seafront

· Bushy Park

· Charlton

· Bedgebury Pinetum

· Canterbury

· Royal Tunbridge Wells

· Whitstable

· Tonbridge

· Margate

· Victoria Dock

· Billericay

· Sutcliffe

· Mile End

· Bromley

· Peckham Rye

· Lordship Recreation Ground

· Southwark

· York

· Raphael

· Hackney Marshes

· Whinlatter Forest

· South Norwood

· Ifield Mill Pond

· Milton Keynes

· Roundshaw Downs

· Dunstable Downs

· Bedfont Lakes

· Leavesden Country

· Thames Path, Woolwich

· Bethlem Royal Hospital

· Bevendean Down

· Canons Park

· Riddlesdown

· Aldenham

· Edenbrook Country

· Stockley Country

· Eastbourne

· Woodbank

· Southall

· Mole Valley

· Alton Water

· Banstead Woods

· Harrow Lodge

· Ally Pally

· Church Mead

· Hilly Fields

· Dulwich

· Rendlesham Forest

· Erddig

· Finsbury Park

· Valentines

· Hockley Woods

· Sunny Hill

· Chalkwell Beach

· Basildon

· Catford

· Barking

· Hove Promenade

· Cassiobury

· Brentwood

· Wollaton Hall

· Southend

· Dover Waterfront

· Heaton Park

· Tilgate

· Beckton

· Pymmes

· Gunpowder