Walthamstow parkrun - event 509

On the 6th July 2024 I ran the Walthamstow parkrun which was the 509th event held at the venue, my 191st parkrun and 113th different course I'd attended.

The last few weeks have been events of contrasts. The week before last was Hadleigh and it's hills followed by the flat route of Brooklands which was accompanied by baking hot weather. This week couldn't have have been any more different.

Standing under a tree with rain coming in, fat drops horizontally towards my face blown by a freezing cold wind I questioned the sanity of my life choices. It was July for goodness sakes and if I didn't know otherwise you could have fooled me for October.

Walthamstow wasn't supposed to be like this. I'd saved it purposely for the summer months. An event all on grass which can get rather muddy during the winter. It was supposed to be green and vibrant, baked hard under a summer sun. But no, it rained biblically and reminded me why I'd saved it for a supposedly summers day.

The home of East17, Walthamstow was another venue in London that I needed to tick off if I wanted to claim LonDone status. It worked out ideal as Hayden had a football tournament and wasn't too far away, just 45 minutes up the A12 and north circular.

Based on recreation ground at the Peter May Sports centre the course takes in three laps of the grounds, all on grass and encompasses the full perimeter of the available green space.

Shaped in a 'U', you'd be forgiven for thinking that the course would be quite simple and looking at the course map it's easy to see why. However their are elements to the course which provide it with interest and gives a challenge for participants whatever the weather.

On the top side of the course you have a hill, which isn't particularly steep, or long, but certainly noticeable when you run up it three times. You also have on one leg of the 'U' a short trail section through a small clump of trees and a small field in which to also circumnavigate.

At the start, whilst contemplating the warmth of the car and how easy it would be to take a drive home via a McDonalds drive through instead of running in the howling wind and rain. I remembered how lucky I was as the number of rainy parkruns I've done across 190 odd different events can be counted on one hand. All the time stationary letting discouraging thoughts enter the mind are all swiftly forgotten once the starters orders are given and the run gets underway.

I finishee in 55th place out of a field of 105 participants in a time of 29:14. The weather and terrain certainly made a difference to the time sheets with a little slippy mud on some.of the corners hinting at what the winter months might look like

Never judge a course by it's route map - there's always much more to it than just a blue line!