Burgess parkrun - event 552

On the 1st February 2025 I ran the Burgess parkrun which was the 552nd event held at the venue, my 222nd parkrun and 140th different course I'd attended.

Last week I missed my first parkrun since the autumn of 2022. Since then I've not been able to attend on three previous occasions as I was away on holiday in countries where parkrun hasn't quite reached. But in terms of choosing not to attend or not being able to attend through injury I've had an incredible streak.

But after my calf injury at Oak Hill parkrun I made the decision to have a week week off to try and recuperate. So instead of running someplace on a Saturday morning I went to Cyclopark and volunteered alongside the other wonderful high-viz heroes and barcode scanned for the very first time.

I've managed to rack up a few volunteer credits here and there on a Saturday, Marshalling and writing run reports, but most of my volunteering experience has taken place on a Sunday morning at Junior parkrun down at the prom with the (reluctant) children.

Volunteering is a great way of participating with parkrun in a number of different roles. There are even roles which enable you to run as well, such as the first-timers briefing or course setup. Quite often some of the speedier runners will finish and then help barcode scan, particularly in well attended venues.

Like at Burgess parkrun, the lady who scanned my token had participated in the run and then gone onto scan, helping the more than 700 people on there way after completing the mandatory 5k.

I knew that Burgess parkrun was a well attended event and had done my research.

Situated near the Old Kent Road and not too far away from the Millwall stadium is Burgess park. Another one of London's green spaces and another venue in which hosts a Saturday morning parkrun event.

Starting at the far eastern end of the park next to the tennis courts the course follows the main artery path through the middle of the park almost to the furthest western end of the park along which feels like a continuous straight line.

The start was busy and congested with lots of people electing to run on the grass either side of the path. But it did eventually spread out, even with the sheer numbers and there was sufficient room to manoeuvre should you need to overtake.

Similar to Chelmsford earlier in the year the park is split into sections, although unlike Chelmsford each section is still part of the same park. The route takes in majority of the park, including the underpass which dips under the road that bisects the park on the western end.

Towards the end of the main pathway the route turns left into another area of the park next to some sports pitches and comes out next to a boating lake which the route navigates it's way around.

With the course being flat and on good tarmac paths you can see why it is so popular. The numbers make it a very social event as well with people in touching distance all the way around the route.

After the lake has been successfully circumnavigated the route rejoins the main artery path, first heading east to the farthest end and the turns 180 Deg back upon itself and retraces it's way back west to the start line.

After coming out of the underpass the route, instead of carrying on to the start turns off left and the finish funnel is on the grass on the right. The last fifty meters or so are on grass and on my visit was wet and really quite squishy so didn't make for particularly sprint finish conditions.

After a gentle run where getting from A-B without issue was the primary focus, coming in 440th out of a field of 726, in a time of 29:29.

I'd made it home without any niggles and a sense of relief that I was back out enjoying the great outdoors on a Saturday morning again!