We headed to Isabel Trail parkrun to gain an “I” for the parkrun Alphabeteer challenge. Now I just need to get an M in the UK and a Z elsewhere. There is no X. It also went towards the Old MacDonald challenge, The West Midlands Region challenge and some other personal ones I have made up – including the “Pinkoddy” challenge! That is simply doing a parkrun that starts with each letter in Pinkoddy – I just have a second d to get!
UK I parkruns
In the UK there are 5 I parkruns. There is Isabel Trail, Irchester Country, Itchen Valley Country, Ifield Mill Pond and Ipswich. Isabel Trail is our nearest and one we could do without needing to book an overnight stay/or getting up ridiculously early.
There I met Wendy who was completing her Alphabeteer challenge. She was signing the first timers briefing!
Isabel Trail, Doxey Road, Stafford, ST16 2TT
Facilities
There is free parking and toilets at Stafford Rugby Football Club. There is then a short walk to the start. It is also accessible by bus, train and on foot.
The McDonald’s is so close that you could actually just cut off the route to go to it.
Isabel Trail parkrun Course
The Course is a one lap out and a back. Check if it is on the A Course because the alternative course is 4 laps around the rugby field. Dogs are not allowed on the alternative course.
They have double sided km markers with motivational messages on.
My Experience as a Jeffer at Isabel Trail parkrun
Isabel Trail parkrun is known as being quite fast but it was also quite crowded. This was even given that Bushy parkrun had their 1,000 event with over 6,000 participants at the same time. As the start is quite narrow it was slow for me in the middle to start. Everyone was spread out along the path so there wasn’t really any scope to overtake and I felt it would be really awkward to stop and walk.
Therefore, I ended up straight running for 2.75km before switching to Jeffing. By half way I had also taken longer than 15 minutes so knew Jeffing would be more effective for me.
Jeffing
There was some well-meaning encouragement once I started Jeffing. Also there was a lady who I was doing a great yo-yo pace with. But at around 4k she just took off like a rocket and left for me for dust!
Sprint Finish
At the end a man with an under 11, who I had been running next to when I was continuous running, caught up. He was motivating the under 11. Then my speedy teen came and told me that I should sprint from the bridge. The boy was also told to start sprinting and as I passed him I encouraged him along. In fact I may have been a bit shouty in his ear and apologised for that. But either way the young man certainly did a very respectful sprint!
My watch was actually paused a little while after I finished on a time of 28:55. However, the results page has me recorded at 29:05. Obviously it doesn’t matter but I think it may have been a new age grading. Fingers crossed it is a sign that I am getting better and can repeat it!
Isabel Trail parkrun Stats Event 202
There were 266 participants. 143 male, 115 female and 8 unscanned. There were 43 PBs, 6 people who did their very first parkrun and a further 66 tourists to Isabel Trail parkrun.
Results ranged from 17:17 (Ryan Ashforth, SM25-29) to 55:56. 153 people finished in sub 30. The average finish time by that event was 29:54.
Maureen Dargavel (VW65-69) achieved the highest age grading, 87.34%, with a time of 23:34. This was also a new PB!
Other parkrun tourism reviews by a Jeffer
Do visit Mum of Three World – where I originally discovered parkrun