Birkenhead parkrun – Event 18 – 2024

I’m one third of the way through 2024, I’ve not missed a single parkrunday yet (despite the suggestion that I couldn’t do that) and I’m thoroughly enjoying seeing so many different parks, meeting event teams and runners and seeing more of parkrun in the UK.

Birkenhead is my 18th parkrun in 2024, and the 21st run in my current tourist streak. I’ve driven more than 2000 miles which has taken more than 43 hours. My Cowell Club challenge is up to 87 different events and I’m up to 271 parkruns.

A not too early start with a stop off to pick up Graham led to us following Graham’s written instructions on how to get there and ended up in the wrong half of the park. Luckily a wander and a glimpse of a pink tabard led us to the right place. Graham’s directions seldom fail us.

Myself, Graham and Luna in the right half of the park

Birkenhead is the 2nd parkrun recently I’ve been to where the named parkrun “Start” sign was not at the start, but at the finish… Bizarre. I spotted it on the first lap

Those who know Luna, know how excited she gets before a parkrun, I have to pick her up for first timer welcomes and pre-run announcements to stop her barking like this.

Birkenhead was Luna’s 99th parkrun, so next week she’ll qualify for, well, something. I’m not sure what, but it’s an achievement worth celebrating.

The field at Birkenhead is big, it seems to have spiked recently and there were over 700 people there as I stood at the back of the pack. Unfortunately this meant that never mind being unable to hear the pre-run briefing, I didn’t even hear “GO” so the first inkling I had was when the heads in front of me started bobbing and the pack moved off. Hence why my Strava Time is 8 seconds “faster” than my official parkrun time.

With such a large crowd, Birkenhead’s course was perfect with 3/4 being on big wide roads which are now closed to traffic, and a chance for the field to spread out a bit before the first corner. I believe that corner was a bit congested the first time but that was the only pinch point.

The course is just over two laps of the park with an out and back and then peeling off to the finish. Running around the park was a joy due to both the fabulous weather and the views of largely uninterrupted grass

The course is also relatively flat, the Elevation chart below looks far worse than it is with a climb of approx 10m from the lowest point to the highest point

The run was brilliant though, volunteers were at all of the right points and I especially want to call out the marshal at the start and finish of the Out and Back who was fantastically encouraging

I’m still on a walk/run strategy with a 6 to 1 ratio, but my times continue to tumble with my time at Birkenhead being not only my fastest time of 2024, but also my fastest time since January 2022 (55 parkruns ago)

Given that my times at parkrun since 2016 have gradually got slower and slower, reversing the trend and even heading back towards 40 minutes is making me feel really good.

I’ve no doubt that the extra training in the week with Kim and Alan alongside running parkrun weekly are having a great impact on my fitness and bringing my times down.

We found the sign after the finish

Having done Birkenhead now, Crewe and Chester are the only 2 parkruns left to be completed in the southern half of the North West region, then anything else in the North West Region is in Cumbria.

Just to finish this week’s post off, in 2023 I made the team at Heaton parkrun aware that I was going to embark on this mini adventure, and I got nothing but encouragement from them. While I’ve abandoned them to go gallivanting, they’re crushing it supporting 700, 800, and 900 participants. Duncan, Barbara, Bernie, Damian, Lou, Clare and Paul are those who are constantly there, with a rotating cast of support from many others like Graham, Helen, Vicki, Charlie, Jenn, John, Becky, and Matt. I couldn’t be prouder of everything they’re doing while I watch from afar. I’m looking forward immensely to New Year’s Day 2025 when I will be back and part of the amazing team again, so long as they’ll have me back 😉.

Challenges Progressed

• parkruns completed in 2024 – 18/18 Uk runs available
• Cowell Club – 87th Event out of 100
• North West – 58/76

Next 4 planned parkruns

• 4th May – Bowling park
• 9th May – Amager Faelled (Copenhagen)
• 11th May – Sheffield Castle
• 18th May – Penrith