Pontypool parkrun – The Full Ponty Challenge with Inclines

We headed to Pontypool parkrun to tick off another event on The Full Ponty Challenge. To add to Pontefract parkrun and now just have Pontypridd and the most recently added Pont Y Bala.

It also happened to be event 484 – which I did not realise but is an Even Composite Number. It is composed of two distinct Prime Numbers multiplied together.

Pontypool parkrun sign

Pontypool parkrun, Trosnant House, Trosnant St, Pontypool NP4 8AT, South Wales

Facilities at Pontypool parkrun

Pontypool boasts plenty of FREE parking, toilets, play area, skatepark, and café including a dog café (which sells dog treats too). Plus a local McDonald’s!

Pontypool parkrun playarea

Everywhere is really clearly sign posted/marked out and there were lots of helpful volunteers.

Pontypool parkrun Course

The Pontypool parkrun course is all on tarmac path. It is described as relatively flat – and for the most part I guess that is very true. It describes it as having ONE short sharp climb and a few turns. I guess if you are super fit this may be how you would describe the course!

Pontypool parkrun course flat bits

For me, there were two short sharp climbs and one much bigger on each lap! My legs were not happy with me – and on the second lap of the bigger climb I did actually give up and walk! Of course there are many other parkruns with much bigger hills and you can clearly see the top from the bottom, but for the less fit of us I just wanted to warn you!

My own problem was I couldn’t understand where the finish was (I should wear glasses). The person in front of me had slowed down and I didn’t know how close the finish was.

Pontypool parkrun finishing area

There was another small incline before running around the Pontypool Rugby Football Club enclosure and I walked until my husband caught up. But literally it was around until you were pretty much back where you started – instead of turning right out of the park like on the first lap!

Our Experience

Briefings

We hadn’t thought about it before but everyone says that parkrun starts at 9 o’clock but if you are a first timer and arrive at 9 you aren’t going to know what to do usually! But at Pontypool parkrun the first timers briefing happened at 9!

Lovely parkrun volunteer doing the first timers briefing at Pontypool parkrun

Then there was a bit of a false start after the main briefing but then we were off!

Friendly

Pontypool parkrun is the friendliest parkrun my husband says he has ever been to. This is out of 55 locations. Not only did other did volunteers and other participants speak to him, but also the general public acknowledged him too. We think it is important to say good morning or thank you to them whilst we are either going around them or running towards them.

Likewise, I would agree that it was indeed very friendly. Wearing Tikiboo clothing, and generally running in very little in cold weather tends to encourage people to talk to me anyway. However, it was a cold start to the day and I did start the run in my hoodie. As I threw it at a tree a very nice volunteer offered to take it to the finish. Here he hung it up on a chair and when I finished he was scanning. Not only that but he remembered who I was to tell me that it was there!

Pinkoddy at Pontypool parkrun

Community is what is important in parkrun. This week I spoke to a mother and son at the start and when they finished. Plus a really lovely lady said that she couldn’t catch up with me. That she had kept me in her sights though and had got a PB! Then I took some photos of her by the sign. Signs were at the start and finish. The finish it was easier to get better pictures.

Results

Potentially I could have got a PB if I had known I was so close to the end. A volunteer said I could next time! Not bad seeing as I had walked twice! Our youngest started really fast and then hurt his legs (but still continued) and I got in front of my husband on the downhill just before the finish (then waited for him, and then sprinted off when I could actually tell where the finish was.

Fortieth overall, fifth in my gender and first in my age category.

Other Pontypool parkrun Stats

There was 114 participants – 51 who did it in sub 30. The average finish time overall as an event was 29:17 at that point.

There were 4 people who were very new to parkrun, with a further 23 people whose first time it was to Pontypool. 14 people achieved Pontypool parkrun PBs!

Pontypool parkrun stats and volunteers

Iwan may have been our first finisher in an impressive 18:58, but his age grade wasn’t quite as high as Peter Sowerby’s 76.70% – the latter also achieved his 50th parkrun milestone.

Over 60s

There were 4 others in Peter Sowerby’s age category (VM60-64) – but he was the only one achieving a sub 30 (it was actually 21:06, but his Pontypool parkrun PB is 20:50).

We had two people in the VM65-69 and one of these were also sub 30.

A total of 15 over 60s at Pontypool parkrun, making up just over 13% of participants. The sub 30 over 60s made up just under 4% of the sub 30 runners!

  • VM60-64 = 4 (1 sub 30)
  • VM65-69 = 2 (1 sub 30)
  • VM70-74 = 1
  • VM75-79 = 1
  • VW60-64 = 2
  • VW65-69 = 4
  • VW 75-79 = 1 (who was actually volunteering and her Pontypool parkrun PB is 31:42).
Pontypool parkrun bench

Other nearby parkruns we have been to include Cwmbran (3m); Rogiet (13.3m) and Llanishen Park (13.8m)

1 thought on “Pontypool parkrun – The Full Ponty Challenge with Inclines”

  1. How lovely that it was so friendly! I’ve never known a first timers’ briefing start at 9. We always do the first timers’ briefing at 8:50 at ours and aim to be there before then when we are doing tourism.
    Peter Sowerby’s time is incredible!

    Reply

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