We headed to Chippenham parkrun for our youngest’s 200th parkrun. It was event number 496, which is a perfect number! This is a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its proper divisors.
Monkton Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3PA
Facilities at Chippenham parkrun
As well as the below information there is a small children’s play area and basketball court. Obviously next to a leisure centre where you can swim.
Getting there and Parking
Parking is in a multi-storey carpark right by the Olympiad Sports Centre.
As our (then) learner driver was taking us there we found alternate parking which was easier. Although it turned out not to be the easiest, or the cheapest. We paid £1.95 for two hours at Chippenham Union Road. It was a bit of a faff to pay as you had to add a card but then it gave you the option to pay by Google Pay. Luckily we always give ourselves plenty of time.
There really is lots of different carparks you could use though – such as at Emery Gate, Bath Road and Borough Parade.
You can also access it easily by train and you can also get there by bus.
Toilets
Toilets are in the Olympiad Sports Centre. As you go in through the main doors they are to the left of the reception desk, as you are facing.
Course at Chippenham parkrun
The terrain is a mix – with grass, trail and tarmac paths.
It starts and finishes by the river, 25m from the Olympiad Sports Centre. Two anti-clockwise laps of Monkton park (which has one hill that you do twice), and then out along the river followed by two anti-clockwise loops of the river. Finally back along the river path to finish.
Starting position
Jackie, a parkrunner whose home parkrun it is, suggested starting to the left of the path. You just need to be aware that there is a bench not far into the run that you need to navigate, and also trees if you still haven’t managed to join the path.
Before we Started
The Chippenham parkrun sign was difficult to get a photo with, without lots of people in the background – either before or after we had finished.
Although not an official milestone 200 is recognised as an arbitrary one. Our son wasn’t the only person who had their name called out for such an achievement. Plus it was his 50th different parkrun location – his half Cowell (or Cow!)
There was a photo taken of my family due to our son’s milestones and they mentioned his parkrun volunteering. He also volunteers weekly in a non-parkrun role towards his DofE.
Also note, that the scanners were in the basketball courts behind where we had the briefing.
My Experience at Chippenham parkrun
My husband was taking it steady as he has done a lot of running ahead of his first half marathon. As our speedy son is also doing the same half marathon he decided to run slowly too. By this I mean he decided that he was going to help me get a PB!
My Understanding of the Course
Regular readers will know that since he got me a PB at Exmouth parkrun I have been chipping away at it by myself. My understanding of the course was it was 2 laps around one area, two laps around another and then to the finish (with that being further than it looks). But also there was a hill involved! Not being very good at visualising where we are going I could just see the one we walked down from the toilets – thankfully it turned out not to be that one! It didn’t sound like a PB course to me!
Starting
At the start there was a man who gave me a funny look as if I should be a lot further back and it did make me feel a bit nervous! We weren’t even right at the front! I needn’t have worried though as we seem to manage to run and not get in anyone’s way.
So my son tells me not to look at my watch, not to worry about the speed. After the first time up the hill (which my son insists was not a hill) he tells me that we are going too slow! He says his watch says we aren’t even fast enough for a sub30 parkrun! Having worked the night before and just run up a hill I felt defeated. Obviously now trying to get me to go a little faster!
Realising his Watch is Wrong!
It is at this point he realises that his watch is in miles and I have tried to figure out what my watch is saying! By this point I am done but he will not let me walk! Mentally I have nothing left to give and just feel that a walk would help me reset. He tells me it’s all in my mind and I carry on running – although slower now! Indeed we hit the first km in 5:09.
Round we go again, up the hill. At this point I would like to say I am still managing to thank the marshals and tell them to have a good weekend! The second km is only a 5:31 pace and I am trying to do the calculations and being like – no it’s too no good it’s too slow I may as well have a walk now!
Keeping Going
Our son does a great job of running ahead of me but not too far that I feel like he’s run off. But just before 4km I am absolutely done and take a short walk. By this point 22 minutes and 8 seconds have gone by. There was no way I could do the last km fast enough to beat my 26m 13s PB – even if I weren’t already feeling like I was dying!
The Last Km
He still won’t let me give up, saying well we should try and get as close to it as possible. As his mother I know he thinks it is all in my head and that a 4 minute km is STILL possible! Just then my youngest goes flying past! He says well done Mum. I am impressed with how far away from the finish he is sprinting. At this point I did not think any kind of sprinting is possible for me. But somehow, right near the end I hear someone try to overtake us, and I find the energy to move. My son even let me finish before him!
My Time
Officially my time was 27m 14s – which is actually quicker than last time I ran with that son (and that was on a flat course). Amazing how easily I can be disappointed with something I felt so unachievable not even that long ago!
Chippenham parkrun Event 496 Stats
- 243 participants in times between 16:56-55:22. 142 male, 98 female and 3 unknown.
- 13 very first time to parkun and 32 tourists.
- Highest female finisher has the highest age grading (81.54%) finishing in a time of 18:52.
- 33 course PBs
- 8 people finished in under 20 minutes.
- 150 people finished sub 30.
- 27 hi-vis heroes
Over 60s at Chippenham parkrun
32 of the recorded participants at Chippenham parkrun were over 60 this week. Just over 13 percent. Of those 17 finished in less than 30 minutes. Over 53% of the over 60s finished in less than 30 minutes. It is also means that 11% of all those finishing in sub 30 were over 60!
Males
- 14 VM60-64 – 10 sub 30
- 5 VM65-69 – 3 sub 30
- 2 VM70-75 -1 sub 30 (25:22)
Females
- 4 VW60-64 – 2 sub 30
- 4 VW65-69
- 3 VW70-75 – 1 sub 30
Other Nearby parkruns that We have Visited:
- Quakers Walk (8.9m)
- Tetbury Goods Shed (12.4m)
- Lydiard (13.2m)
- Pomphrey Hill (15.8m)
- Wotton (16.2m)
- Thoulstone (16.6m)
Congratulations to you all! It’s definitely not possible to get PBs every time. Some courses are just not PB courses, but it sounds like you did very well.