Manor Field parkrun – Celebrating Their 7 Years With Pacers

We headed to Manor Field parkrun, Whittlesey because we were off to see a family member ahead of their birthday. So what a pleasant surprise we had to discover that they were also celebrating their 7^th birthday!

Manor Field (Manor Leisure Centre), Station Road, Whittlesey, Cambs, PE7 1UA

Manor Field parkrun Facilities

At Manor Field parkrun has both car parking and toilet facilities. Although note that the toilet is in the block near the finish (which you can see from the carpark/start/first timers briefing and NOT in the leisure centre. Although the lady in the leisure centre was really polite when we asked her about the facilities.

There is also an outdoor children’s play area, outdoor skate park and an indoor heated swimming pool.

Manor Field parkrun Course

Well it is one small lap of a field and then three big ones. Mostly on grass and part goes through a little wooded bit. It is described as flat but there is definitely some small inclines.

I am sure it is a beautiful course, and there’s a nice description on the page – but (see below) I was just trying to follow the people in front and not die! At one point I had no-one immediately to follow and wasn’t sure where to go, but lost only a few seconds as I slowed down for people who knew the way. This is because I had gone too fast at the start, have no sense of the obvious and had overheated!

Pacer Week

It was pacer week and I have been hoping to slowly get down to a 25 minute 5k pace. Which has always seemed like something quite impossible. Unfortunately there wasn’t a 25 minute pacer to even try so I (probably somewhat foolishly) attempted to run with the 24 minute pacer.

To be honest I think even my husband was impressed with how long I managed to hang on. My lungs felt like they were going to burst. But soon enough I had to let the 24 minute pacer disappear into the distance and was overtaken by both my youngest son and husband.

There were a few times when I walked, still trying to recover and eventually the 26 minute pacer did go past me (encouraging me as he did so). Thank you so much to Dan (24 mins) and Ben (26 mins) for volunteering to pacer – it is really appreciated.

My Experience

Personally I felt this was a really nice parkrun. My husband also commented the same. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. No-one seemed to be annoyed that I went out too fast and then they had to go round me either!!!

Unfortunately Tikiboo Fitness are having some problems and there was a nice bit of shared love for them at the first timers briefing.

My time was not helped by the fact that one of our other son’s had gone to a different parkrun and was after his barcode. He messaged me and sent me a Snap because he forgot that it came up on my watch. He did it in 19:24 so as you can imagine I was still dying (trying to run).

Manor Field parkrun Stats

• 107 participants. Of these 58 were male and 49 female. First female was a JW10 in 25:32. Second female was 27:08. Annoyingly my highest gender finish position is 3 and I am sure I could have got this time if I hadn’t have been silly and started too fast. Well done to the lady that did.
• Both first finishers (in each gender) were also the highest age graders.
• In the end I was 5^th in my gender!
• Times ranged from 19:40-1:01:08.

• 54 participants crossed in a time of 30 minutes or less. This may have been due to a very keen volunteer who did the first timers briefing, 30 minute pacer AND run report!
• Thank you to a total of 33 hi-vis heroes – of which we all thanked at the start thanks to the youngster helping with the briefing! Although I applaud all those volunteering to obtain their DofE it was good to see someone even younger helping out just for the good of the community.
• There were 4 people doing their first ever parkrun and a further 15 first time tourists to Manor Field. I recall they came from March, Cambridge and Nottinghamshire among other places, and of course ourselves.
• Well done to those returning, and especially the 10 whom got PBs.

The nearest parkrun we have done is Yarborough Leisure Centre parkrun

Also visit these other bloggers who cover parkrun: Sarah at Mum of Three World, Jackie at Never Imitate and Chrissy at It’s Me Chrissy J