Cardiff parkrun – Return But on The Actual Course

We headed to Cardiff parkrun as a family. Our one son has ran the course before, two of us have run the alternative Cardiff parkrun course, and the youngest two have never been to this event before.

Blackweir, Taff Trail, Cardiff, CF14 3AT

How Cardiff parkrun Differed from the Last Time we Visited

Main Course as Opposed to Alternative

When we attended Cardiff parkrun before it was on the alternate course – which is 2 laps and a bit further away. The actual course for Cardiff parkrun is right next to the big Tesco Extra.

It is also accessible by bicycle and there were a lot of people travelling by bike when we arrived. In fact lots of the volunteers repeatedly had to tell people to clear the path and make way for bikes.

Numbers

When we went before not only did we do the alternative course, but it was also New Year’s Day. That meant a big difference in numbers – previously there were 572 – whereas this time there was 936!

The course is for road shoes, but we ended up having to go on the muddy grass to move over for the other park users before it started (mainly for this reason and just the huge numbers). Admittedly other people also went on the mud to overtake too.

Briefing

The briefing was a lot quieter however- and there were volunteers holding “quiet” signs. Obviously there were a few people talking but it was much easier to understand what was being said today. Including milestones and the importance of keeping right.

Getting into position just wasn’t possible and we really had to just start wherever we could get in a gap.

Thin out and Finish

The alternative course is two laps and this was just one – although it’s a bit of an out and back so there was a small amount of time when the fast runners were heading in the opposite direction and the keeping right was even more important. In saying that it was really about using your initiative too – as the public didn’t stay to one side.

Although it probably thins out a lot more than the alternative course, the finish funnels felt more spread out and easier on the alternative course.

My Family Cardiff parkrun Stats

Coming back from injury, and having to start too far at the back, our son came in 80^th position, with a time of 20:19. He initially went out with his brother, lost him, then slowed to wait for him. Next he decided that he wasn’t going to find him so decided to just run on ahead and finish.

Youngest got his passion back and finished in a respectable time of sub 26, not far ahead of his dad. Both his dad, and myself, got Cardiff parkrun course PBs. It felt very overwhelming the sheer amount of people overtaking in the last 1km or so and I gave up and walked about 3 or 4 times. I had run the first 3km in 15 minutes 49 too! Just thinking about the fact people had finished already tired me out!

Finally, our son who doesn’t regularly do parkrun got a new parkrun PB of 22m 34s – beating his previous time of 23m 07s which he achieved back in the summer of 2017! Plus this was faster than our youngest son’s PB – putting him back as second fastest runner in the family!

Cardiff parkrun Stats Event 812

936 people came to Cardiff parkrun. There were 484 males, 388 females and 64 unscanned. An incredible 47 people did their first ever parkrun. These included a variety of ages including those from junior up to 75-79!!

Plus there were a further 130 tourists and 108 PBs were achieved. Big thanks to the 51 hi-vis heroes!

Parkrun is such an inspirational community and it is great to be able to exercise alongside those with all abilities. Today’s results had two young individuals really stand out to me in the JM11-14 category, both achieving times of sub18! In fact the one won’t be long before he gets sub 17 I don’t doubt.

Sub Times

• Just the first finisher was sub 16.
• 9 finishers were sub 17. (Ten in total).
• 13 more people recorded a sub 18 time (with a further two unscanned). (25 in total).
• 17 more people recorded a sub 19 time (with a further two unscanned) (44 in total).
• 23 more people recorded a sub 20 time (67 in total).

A total of 574 people crossed the finish funnel in under 30 minutes:

• 107 Under 21 Total
• 147 Under 22 Total
• 184 Under 23 Total
• 238 Under 24 Total
• 291 Under 25 Total
• 350 Under 26 Total
• 407 Under 27 Total
• 465 Under 28 Total
• 526 Under 29 Total

Over 60s

With such a big group there is a lot more over 60s. 68 males and 30 females.

They covered such incredible times from 19:08 through to 1:03:53.

With 45 males and 2 females over 60 achieving it in a time of less than 30 minutes. Making up over 8% of sub 30 runners (scanned).

Males

In the VM60-64 age category times ranged between 19:08-34:58 for the 37 runners. Although the latter has a PB of 19:52 and has their club down as “South Wales Police.”

• 5 were finished in Sub 22. This included Jonathan Pollinger!
• A further 9 in sub 27.
• 6 more sub 28.
• And another 8 in sub 30.
  • Giving a total of 28 sub 30s in this category.

In the VM65-69 age category times ranged between 20:30-40:34 for the 18 runners.

• 1 finished sub 21
• A further 2 finished in under 23 minutes
• Another couple under 25 minutes
• 3 more under 26
• One more under 27
• Another under 28
• 2 more under 29.
  • Giving a total of 12 sub 30 runners.

In the VM70-74 age category times ranged between 23:07-42:09 for the 9 runners.

• 2 sub 24
• 1 sub 26
• 2 sub 27
  • Giving a total of 5 sub 30 runners.

There were 3 VM75-79 in times ranging 32:14-39:55.

One VM80-84 in a time of 46:16.

Females

• In the VW60-64 age category times ranged between 29:14-58:41 for the 17 runners
  • One sub 30.
• In the VW65-69 age category times ranged between 25:55-1:03:53 for the 7 runners.
  • Total of 1 sub 30
• 1 VW70-74 in 46:17.
• There were 4 VW75-79 in times ranging 34:48-1:03:39
• One VW80-84 in a time of 49:08.

Cardiff parkrun is not on this week due to St. David’s Day run using both Bute Park and Pontcanna Fields.

Other parkruns in Wales we have done though are:

• Barry Island parkrun
• Cwmbran parkrun
• Cycle Route 43, Ystalyfera parkrun
• Grangemoor parkrun
• Llanishen Park parkrun
• Pontypool parkrun
• Rogiet parkrun
• Severn Bridge parkrun
• Y Promenad parkrun