Hazelwood parkrun - event 282

On the 6th June 2025 I ran the Hazelwood parkrun which was the 282nd event held at the venue, my 239th parkrun and 157th different course I'd attended.

The beauty of parkrun tourism is the variety and the imbalance of expectations Vs reality. With over 2,000 parkruns across the world the variety part is easy to understand, but the expectation Vs reality element is far more nuances.

Without YouTube or social media photography the only way of knowing what a parkrun course might be like is by reading the description on the course website. Some descriptions are reasonably detailed whilst others are brief, even a single line in some cases. 

'An out and back route along the nation cycle route as far as the red postbox and back' course descriptions can be that simple and so as someone who is about to visit you don't know the running surface, the terrain, whether it's flat or hilly or somewhere in-between.

So you're left to your own imagination as to what to expect. And sometimes when you run the course expecting one thing and experiencing something completely different once you've visited isn't uncommon.

Reading Hazelwood parkruns description of two and a bit laps around the rugby pitches didn't immediately spark an interest in me. Or any intrigue and of I am quite honest I expected it to be rather dull.

Never judge a book by it's cover, isn't that what we teach our youngsters?

The rugby pitches are actually professional grade sports facilities and Hazelwood is the name of the complex in which the London Irish rugby team use as their training ground.

Walking into the building and seeing the London Irish badge and sporting decals around the place was actually quite inspiring, even if rugby isn't my sport of choice.

The course, what once sounded dull and inspiring grew an additional allure and I wanted to get going and explore the surroundings.

The first half loop was around the perimeter of the two closest rugby pitches to the clubhouse which ran crossways as you came through the entrance. 

We walked to the start which was in the far left corner of the second pitch and so a small loop follower by two longer ones meant passing the clubhouse three times. On the fourth you entered the finish funnel which was conveniently located outside the cafe/bar.

The two longer laps took you past the rugby pitches completely and out of the Hazelwood complex into a neighbouring field which was accessed via an open gate. Participants had to take a full lap around the perimeter of this field.before.comong back into the complex again via the same.gate you left.

With multiple laps and pinch points at the gate it was one of those social runs with people visible all around the course. With fairly small.numbers it also.mesnt that you had loads of space around you.

As I'm running around the course, in my own head and discussing my own thoughts to myself I repeated them conversation that I quite often have with myself. The one about running in a unique location, a location is never have visited had it not been for my parkrun journey.

It struck me, as I laughed to myself. Not bad for someone who doesn't like running. And the further around the course I ran the more an idea was forming in my head about a book, 'The Reluctant Parkrunner', which I started to compose in my mind and construct a narrative.

Before I could conclude the first chapter, I crossed the finish line. I came 99th put of a field of 151 participants in a time of 30.18. But despite me finishing, having my barcode scanned, having a pee and a look along the walls of the social.club I kept mentally writing notes and scribbling down ideas.

Whether they leave my head and make it onto paper is another thing altogether.