Barclay parkrun - event 466

On the 13th September 2025 I ran the Barclay parkrun which was the 466th event held at the venue, my 253rd parkrun and 170th different course I'd attended.

As well as trying to complete all 65 parkruns in Greater London, all 24 in Essex to match the 24 I've done in Kent I thought I'd pay a visit to my 6th event in Hertfordshire to go someway closer to ticking off all 14 parkrun events in the county.

If it all sounds rather obsessive then you are correct and I've made no attempts to shy away from it either. There are plenty worse obsessions and what could be any better for me than running for my health?

Barclay park lies on the outskirts of Hoddesdon, another place that I would never have visited if it hadn't have been for that niche obsession of mine. A short drive north of the M25 in what looked to be a rather affluent commuter town.

Upon arrival I knew straight away that I was going to be in for a tricky morning. The park revealed in its full 3D glory away from YouTube and flat POV camera footage. It was lumpy, bumpy and going to be a challenge as every hill on the course would need to tackled three times, once each on every one of the three challenging laps.

The course starts on the north west side of the park next to the small lake. Taken on the grass, the route heads uphill to the northern perimeter where the tarmac paths is picked up that skirts the park in a clockwise direction. 

What follows is a lap that winds its way in and out of the park, making full use of what is a fairly compacted space. The route dips down and up between the playground and covers off a variety of different surfaces

The course circumnavigates the small lake and helps add a little bit of extra distance to the route, before making it's way around the edge of the park back uphill to it's northern edge where the lap is completed.

On completion of the third lap the course cuts across onto the grass, saving legs as the hill isn't completed for the final time. Instead the finish funnel awaits and even if the course does cut out the worst of the ascent it's still a cheeky uphill finish.

I can imagine that in winter, or after heavy rain the course would be even more challenging as much of the grassy areas would likely be very slippy and muddy.

I finished in 72nd place out of a field of 124 participants in a time of 31:23. I wimped out of the hill on the second lap which didn't do my final time any favours, but a strong first km at 5:45 probably made up for that - swings and roundabouts!