Our first time at Evesham Parkrun to tick off some challenges in the 5K App. Here is information if you are thinking of doing the same. Including information about the Evesham Parkrun course, how it is as a Jeffer and their stats.
About Evesham Parkrun
Takes place close to Hampton Ferry, Evesham. This is not far from Evesham Leisure Centre who have a range activities if you are travelling and want to make a day of it. Otherwise there’s some great parks with good play areas too.
Pacers are usually there the first Saturday of the month.
Boat Lane (by Hampton Ferry), Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 4BP.
Post parkrun coffee in Raphael’s Restaurant, Boat Lane, Evesham, WR11 4BP
Finding Evesham Parkrun
We found the parking fairly easily. This was on a field which was fine because it wasn’t wet. The road to drive down to it is fairly narrow though and two way but looks like a one-way. Alternatively there are local pay for parking carparks.
From where we parked, it was obvious as to where to go just because so many people were heading that way in running kits. If we arrived late I am not so sure it would be completely obvious. The walk is roughly ¼ a mile from parking to the start.
Toilet Facilities
There are toilet facilities available at the Viaduct Meadow. This is about half a mile away from the start. The toilets were fairly good, with low toilets for children and a changing mat. There are also separate disabled toilets – however, I am unsure whether these are changing places. The toilet block was clean and free.
First Timers
Also there are very clear signs about where to go if you are a first timer at the start; plus also where to scan at the end. The person giving the first timers briefing was very friendly. However, he didn’t seem to notice the guy putting his hand up right by him when he asked if there were any questions.
There were a variety of different Pacers and the briefing did mention them – alas they did not say what times were available.
Evesham Parkrun Course
Evesham Parkrun consists of two flat laps! They are a clockwise loop alongside the beautiful river Avon. With a mixture of running on grass and paths. The course is very obvious and well marshalled. There are two sections of the route where two way running occurs – under the Abbey Bridge and over the Fish Refuge Bridge. Runners are asked to stick to the left, particularly at these points.
Personally I found the description of the route over-complicated and confusing. The most important thing to note is that there are three lines of cones. After the first lap head in-between the second and third (facing in the direction of the start) line to go on to the second loop. When finishing go through the first and second line – carrying right on until you are past the finish sign.
Evesham Parkrun Stats
The week we attended there were 178 participants ranging from 19.40-49.14. Of those 108 were through in under 30 minutes. There are an average 134.8 finishers per week, with an average finish time of 29:37. The female course record was 17.09 and the male 16.13. The age graded record was 90.2%.
Our Experience of Evesham Parkrun
We went along to Evesham Parkrun when it was Pacers Week. There was myself (Jeffing), our speedy teen, and our youngest (teen) and my husband. It was our first time visiting the course and we ticked off quite a few challenges in the 5K app.
Speedy Experience
Our older of the two teens isn’t a front of Parkrun kind of speed (yet) but can run 5k in a reasonably fast time. He found, quite like I did, that people were “all over the place” and not really sticking to the left (or even the right) making it difficult to overtake them.
However, at the points where runners pass each other heading in two different directions they did keep to the appropriate side. There was one point when I heard the pacer guiding people over too.
Experience of Jeffing
When we first set off it happened pretty quickly so I was possibly too near the front that I would have liked to be. This meant that initially I didn’t think I was going to be able to Jeff my intended 30:30 ratio and ended up running for at least a minute. However, once I settled in I was able to move to the side and carry on throughout with the ratio.
For most of my Parkrun experience I was behind the 31 minute pacer. He wasn’t totally accurate I think he went off too fast. This made it hard for me as it felt like it was hard work and that surely I was going faster. Unfortunately I had changed the settings on my watch and couldn’t figure out the time whilst still going.
However, overall he was pretty spot on. His finishing result was seconds over the 31 but that’s because he was trying to encourage me at the end. This is because I always sprint finish and know I can only do it so far – so was still doing my 30 second walk right up until near the end.
Other Teen and Husband
This is a nice flat course and I am pleased to say that our youngest got a sub 30 Parkrun for the first time in a long time!
Parkrun Tourism Challenges at Evesham
Parkrun made the 5K App remove some of its challenges because it was worried that too many people would turn up. Personally I think that this is more the bigger locations and people travelling really far. You can manual add back some of those missing challenges and Evesham isn’t far from our house. Therefore we did attend on a week that was a Prime Number Event (347).
Evesham also gave me my E for both the Alphabeteer and Old MacDonald challenges. The Cowell Club is to run at over 100 different locations and Freyne Club is 250 – this brought me up to 12!
Other Parkruns Nearby to Evesham Parkrun
Tewkesbury (11.1m), Worcester (11.5m), Stratford-Upon-Avon (12.7m), Cheltenham (13.3m), King George V Playing Field (14.5m) and Worcester Pitchcroft (17.5m), Gloucester North (18.7m)
What is Parkrun?
For those not familiar Parkrun is a timed 5Km fun event suitable for all (within reason, and where possible). They have recently tried to make it more inclusive by adding Park Walkers. It is every Saturday and run by volunteers.
Register for your free barcode and have it scanned every time you go. You can see how you progress your 5K in general, and by each Parkrun location. There are some rules such as for running with dogs and under 11s – find out more, including how to register, at Parkrun.org.
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Should Children Do Parkrun? Our boys have been running for the last 6 years on and off with no problems at present. They are now 14 and 15 years old.