Lee-on-the-Solent parkrun - event 405

Lee-on-the-Solent parkrun

On the 25th May 2024 I ran the Lee-on-the-Solent parkrun which was the 405th event held at the venue, my 185th parkrun and 108th different course I'd attended.

After completing my alphabet of parkrun challenge I am now relatively unburdened by where I visit now on a Saturday morning. There are opportunities if I wanted to chasing multiple alphabet's but this is probably a step too far. I mean it would be amazing to visit Japan, Australia and New Zealand in a hunt for parkruns beginning with Y, but not sure my bank balance or long suffering wife would agree.

So my alternative goals now remain as completion of particular geographic areas, Greater London and South East are the first two and cover off majority of the events that I have visited. So when Foordy tells me he wants to run at another parkrun event by the sea I had to weigh up my options.

I wanted to avoid Essex and anywhere via the M25 as I'm using Mum and Dad's car still and have probably racked up a fair bill on the Dartford Crossing. I've done all the Kent Coastal events and all of East Sussex. I've already travelled down the M23 to West Sussex a couple of times this year already and so fancied seeing what else was available.

The South East area contains from what I can see all the events in Hampshire. Southampton, Portsmouth and the surrounding areas including the Isle of Wight have a number of different events to choose from.and so after reading the course descriptions of a few of them I opted for Lee-on-the-Solent.

Stephanie the kids and are popped into Portsmouth and explored Southsea after running Queen Elizabeth two years ago and I thought the area was lovely and so was keen to make a return.

I thought Lee-on-the-Solent would be slightly more picturesque with closer views of the Isle of Wight and I wasn't wrong. We also managed to luck out and picked a day where there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Upon arrival, Foordy disappeared for his obligatory and now customary pre-run poo. Whilst I just sat on the beach, enjoyed the warmth from the sun on my back and relaxed blissfully watching the still as a mill-pond Solent. There were people braving the cold waters for a swim, or paddle boarding all with the backdrop of the Isle of Wight just a stones throw away behind them. I could quite easily have just remained there all morning and forgone the parkrun.

The event starts on the promenade path, right on the beach next to the 'on the water' restaurant and participants head south for the first outward part of a two out and back course.

There were 502 participants on this warm Saturday morning and as a result the start was rather congested. The promenade path isn't particularly wide, four people abreast at the most. But the shingle of the beach next to the path was firm and compacted and so many people spread out across the beach to help things progress and spread out. Arou

A short way from the start was a ramp up to the main road area where there was another building containing more toilets and another restaurant and car park. The ramp up was short and steep and after a few hundred yards droppd back down again. But aside from that the rest of the course was virtually flat. 

Eventually, after approximately a kilometre and a half you reach the turning point which loops you around a cone and heads you back the way you've just come.

With the course being quite narrow and featuring the double out and back the course becomes very interactive with all sorts of people encouraging one another and the mandatory high-fiving of people you know as you past one another.

After reaching the starting point the course continues northwards for the second out and back before returning to the finish which is a little further south on the beach past the 'on the water' restaurant. This second out and back leg features a short section where the promenade path ends abruptly, leading participants on a very short section of compacted shingle. This is  theof course negotiated twice, once in either direction and rejoins the tarmac promenade path which starts again as abruptly as it finished. This little stretch of shingle isn't difficult to run over, but there is a notable change in running surface and does take a little bit of wind out of your sails as you adjust yourself to it.

I finished in 208th place out of a field of 502 participants in a time of 28:10. The course was flat and fast and a faster time can definitely be had. But with the congested start it was a difficult one to make a good getaway. I had a 10k race planned for the day after and so felt no real need to try and fight my way through the pack as I sometimes find myself doing.

This was a run to enjoy,.the scenery, the beach and the weather. I said to Foordy on our drive back. If it wasn't for parkrun I'd never have visited Lee-on-the-Solent in my life, but I'm so glad I have as I've had a great morning out and visited another beautiful part of our treasured coastline.


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