My husband and I headed to Irchester Country parkrun to start finalising our second parkrun alphabet. It was quite a last minute decision as the one I had originally planned sounded really muddy. Then someone we know through the Boomerangs said that they might head there so it’s where we ended up. Luckily so did they!
Irchester Country parkrun, Gypsy Lane, Little Irchester, Wellingborough, NN29 7DL
Facilities
Plenty of paid parking or free parking just a km walk away. Toilets, café, play areas and the like all available at the park. The toilets by the car park we used were closed but not sure if open in season when the splash pad opens.
Accessible by bus or train.
Irchester Country parkrun Course
The course is a one-lap out and back. However, instead of just a turn-around-cone there’s like a little loop. Pretty sure this is similar to Cardiff parkrun, who describe it as a frying pan handle.
Described as well surfaced trails. It was very muddy and slippery. However, not the kind of course I would have wanted my barefoot trails on.
Dog friendly.
62m of elevation gain (according to my Apple watch and Strava). Described as up for the first few km and then levels out. Was definitely challenging. My calf went after the first km.
My Experience
We didn’t go to the toilet until after the run, as we had stopped off at the services on the way. For a “letter I~ event I didn’t think it was that busy.
Placed decently near the front but not too much at the front. One of the runners had times written on their hands. This prompted me to speak to the people around me. Of course this included the fact that it was hilly. One of the people later overtook me at one km, saying that I had been doing better at running up the hill than they had. This was the point I think mentally I gave up!
Finishing
Worried I wasn’t going to make it round due to my calf and my ankle a bit, I walked quite a bit. There was a young guy and girl I tried to keep at least within my sights though. He clearly was going much slower than capable. Near the finish I did indeed ask him if his PB was sub 20 – to which he said it was. However, he did stay with the girl he was with as I sprinted to the end ahead of them.
Finished
After we had finished my husband had given me his token to hold for a minute. After he had got his scanned he said that he had it upside down and he wasn’t 68 he was 89.But that was the token I still had! The Run Director was really great and said he could sort it out for us if our results were the wrong way round.
Then a nice lady told me that I was the best dressed one there. That my clothes had help keep her going. Then the one I overtook at the end said well done for finishing in front of her.
We went for a walk back around the course. Actually we were looking for a statue I had seen but couldn’t find it. Someone told us about how someone used to make all the carvings but had sadly passed away.
When we got back to the coffee place the RD told me that he had submitted the results. Fortunately we hadn’t swapped them after all!
Irchester Country parkrun Stats Event 275
- 284 finishers
- 38 helpers
- 17:43-1:03:49
- First lady 11 – 21:23 JW15-17
- 5 – 20 mins or less
- 43 – sub 25
Visit these other bloggers who cover parkrun: Sarah at Mum of Three World, Jackie at Never Imitate and Chrissy at It’s Me Chrissy J115 – sub 30