My husband and I headed to Valentines parkrun on Valentine’s Day. What a romantic way for my husband to become an alphabeteer! We knew it would be a popular one given the name and date so booked a hotel. A few days beforehand someone reversed into my car and therefore we made the decision to get a train there.
Valentines Park, Ilford, IG2 6EA
Facilities at Valentines parkrun
There’s usually plenty of parking but we used public transport as knew it would be crazy. Likewise there was a problem with the ladies’ toilet so it was a port aloo. We knew about this and so went in the hotel before and after. Spoons is also not far away – surprising there was no queue for the toilet afterwards.
The park also has play areas.
Bags are normally left in the well – but there was no way this was going to accommodate everyone’s things either. Again we risked just leaving everything in the hotel.
Valentines parkrun Course
Never has there been a truer time where you just follow the person in front. In fact we really didn’t have much option but to just keep moving forward! The only options really were did you want to go on the grass – or as some front runners did, go on the edge of the bridge?!
It is really two laps and a bit heading back to the start, which is near the Valentines Park Café. We had to stop before it turned back that way. We were told this was the finishing funnel – but some people did decide to overtake here. Most of us just laughed it off knowing we weren’t going to get a good time anyway!
My Valentines parkrun Experience on Valentine’s Day
The hotel was really easy to get to from Ilford train station. Then the park was a short walk away from there. Everyone was really polite and despite the hotel being cheap it was perfect for our needs.
Not wanting to take anything with us we left extra layers and our waters in the hotel. This meant we possibly left later than we probably should have.
The Valentines parkrun Sign
When we arrived we were directed straight to the queue for the sign. This was around 8:30am. It was really nice chatting to people in the queue that we hadn’t met before. However, the queue didn’t seem to be moving. That is when I realised there was only one sign. But what I believe happened was it got confusing where the queue went and had split. There were just SO many people there! It made sense to just stay and hope in the queue as opposed to just waiting in the crowd!
Flynn Unfolded
Now for those not familiar Flynn is an incredible young man. Not only is he a really fast runner (even though he’s running holding a phone and chatting the whole time) and polite with it (always saying excuse me and remembering his manners BUT he also likes Crocs and LEGO! So obviously I am a MASSIVE fan!
Alphabet
So Flynn is doing the parkrun Alphabet but trying to come first for each letter. When it was the week of the National Running Show I had an agonising choice of going to Oaklands parkrun to see him or not. It was going to absolutely destroy my longest tourist streak AND miss out on an event 11 for my Wilson Index. So I had decided not to go. Plus, as I say, I am a massive fan so worried I might be a bit scary lol!
This week he was due to do Q. My NENDY is a Q but I told him to enjoy his Q but that I was joining the masses at Valentines parkrun.
The Crowds
So there I am standing in this line for the sign and there’s literally a couple of thousand people around us. Looking around I am surprised to not recognise anyone! But then someone asks if this is the queue for the sign? Like all legit like. When I look up there’s Flynn with this bunch of roses!
Knowing Who I am
Surprised he didn’t get his brother to film my reaction! Honestly can’t remember if I just pounced on the poor chap or if he gave me a hug! Did introduce him to my husband and get some photos! My husband said he probably had no idea who I was – but he said he did. Obviously we had a chat where he told me he was going to run with his bunch of roses and then give them out afterwards.
Other Fans
Obviously there were other fans there. Including what seemed like the lady in the queue behind me. As when someone asked who he was she explained. Then when I was in the finish funnel (the actual funnel) loads of people stopped moving forwards as they stopped to try and get his photo.
My Actual Run
It never was going to be a PB. We started quite far back and then I remembered that I am claustrophobic. People started just kind of shuffling forward and panic really set in. Luckily my husband stayed with me the whole time. Once we finally started moving a massive bottle neck appeared – made worse because some people had cut around a building. We literally just had to stop and wait until they had gone.
Think it was about twenty minutes before we got to what I would call run. However, that was short lived and we had to slow or stop again. It was a great opportunity to talk people and congratulate those with milestones/birthdays etc that were visible.
Front Runners
Some front runners, as I say, went around the edge of the bridge. We did see Flynn overtaking us. Personally I had said that I didn’t want to go on the grass and get my trainers dirty seeing as we weren’t going to get anywhere fast.
Afterwards
Once we finally finished and got scanned we headed back to the hotel. There wasn’t really much time before our 11 o’clock check out now. Hands up we decided to skip the shower and head back for the queue for the sign.
Breakfast
Once back at the park we saw some people we knew and they said the queue was still massive. Naively I thought we would have time to get breakfast and then return to the queue. However, breakfast finally arrived at 12:30 and the sign was gone at 12.
Valentine parkrun Stats on Valentine’s Day 2026
Thank you to the 66 volunteers who did an amazing job to make this happen. Results were even out by bedtime! I finished in position 1260. Official time of 49m 30s. My watch was stopped at the “finish funnel queue” at a time of 33:22 and Strava called it 29:49 moving time.
- 2,333 participants ranging between 17:03-1:34:09.
- This is the UK’s 6th largest ever attendance. The first non-Bushy parkrun.
- First female in 19:47
- 32 sub 20
- 18 PBs
- 25 very first parkrun
- 1663 further tourists
- 5 people with the surname Valentine
Victoria Dock parkrun (4.9m), Thames Path, Woolwich parkrun (4.9m)
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