parkrun poser

Happy new year everyone!

If, like me, you enjoyed a lazy and calorie filled few days over the festive season, the first parkrun of the new year couldn’t come soon enough - and what better way to get back in the groove than the short trip to Endcliffe Park with my daughter Katie.

Today’s event also provided an opportunity for me christen my new parkrun shirt and wristband -  Christmas presents from Katie - no excuses now for forgetting my barcode!

To be honest I felt quite resplendent in my new gear - almost like a proper athlete you might say. “If you can’t play, dress up..” - which reminds me of a holiday my wife and I enjoyed back in the early 2000s with another family when our kids were young. One day Ashley (the guy) and I decided to play some tennis. Ashley had all the gear - white shirt, shorts and socks (top brands), all beautifully pressed, a brand new racket and new balls (tennis balls you understand..). 

I remember thinking he must be a pretty good player which made me feel quite nervous - was I about to be thoroughly embarrassed and beaten up on the tennis court? So imagine my surprise when we started playing that he could barely hit the ball over the net, let alone maintain a decent rally. 6-0, 6-2 was the final score (in my favour of course) and bare in mind I am certainly no Roger Federer. To his credit Ashley did see the funny side of it when we shook hands at the end. It was a bit like that classic 2 Ronnies squash sketch - if you’ve not seen it click on the Youtube link below and you’ll see what I mean - hopefully it will make you laugh.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIOMECj0iQ0

We lost touch with Ashley and his wife Jane when we moved to Sheffield. I wonder if he is still playing tennis - maybe he’s given up and is now a regular parkrunner like me - whatever he’s doing I hope he’s happy and active.

Laura greeted me at the start with her beaming smile and sprained ankle which meant she was volunteering today rather than running. I actually felt quite good today - that run on the treadmill during the week may have had something to do with it - or maybe it was the new parkrun shirt which improved my aerodynamics. Perhaps it was a combination of the two. 

After the run Katie and I enjoyed a coffee and vegetarian breakfast in the cafe (minimal calories!) talking about everything and nothing, and listening to the buzz of the many and varied conversations taking place between all the other runners - another unique feature of the parkrun experience. That cafe must be doing a roaring trade!

So my parkrun 2018 has begun - 71 and counting - my goal is to get to 100 by the end of the year as well as doing some volunteering shifts along the way.

Until next time, happy parkrunning.

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