{"id":34092,"date":"2025-04-16T09:45:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T08:45:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pinkoddy.co.uk\/blog\/?p=34092"},"modified":"2025-04-16T09:45:37","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T08:45:37","slug":"wyre-forest-parkrun-a-personal-best-on-alternative-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pinkoddy.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/04\/16\/wyre-forest-parkrun-a-personal-best-on-alternative-course\/","title":{"rendered":"Wyre Forest parkrun – A Personal Best on Alternative Course"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to choosing a parkrun<\/a> it can be really difficult given some of the factors we have to work around. Obviously we could go to our home parkrun but there\u2019s really only so many times you can run around the same four loops and keep teenage boys motivated. Last week we headed to Wyre Forest parkrun.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Wyre<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Wyre Forest Visitor Centre, Callow Hill, Bewdley, Worcestershire, DY14 9XQ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deciding on Wyre Forest parkrun<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Attending the Wyre Forest parkrun was a bit of a last minute decision. My husband had been ill with food poisoning and so he wasn\u2019t confident how he would feel. He had decided that he would walk wherever we went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This meant that we couldn\u2019t travel too far away as our son needs to be back for work. They also wish to fit in a McDonald\u2019s breakfast too!<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Wyre<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

NENDY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So of course it made sense to look at our NENDY – next event not done yet. Our closest one was an event number I had already covered and was in the planner for the not too distant future. Wyre Forest parkrun was next on the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parkrun Stats and Challenges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There seems to be a great deal of interest in my post on parkrun stats and challenges<\/a>. Interestingly I only wrote it to help out a friend to understand some of it. But also to make sense of a parkrun group. Personally I have lots and lots of \u201cchallenges\u201d but am not \u201cchasing\u201d any. They just help me to narrow down choices but ruling certain things out (sometimes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It did happen to be that not only was Wyre Forest parkrun on an event number I hadn\u2019t done but it was also a Prime Number event. Honestly I don\u2019t think this \u201coverwhelmed\u201d the course in any way that I decided that I was going to pick this event!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Experience of Wyre Forest parkrun<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Note that it is in the Forestry Commission so you do need to pay for parking (early bird if you exit before 10:30am, free for members). Why not explore afterwards or even do the Go Ape! The toilets and a play area are near the parking but there\u2019s a short walk to the run briefing. Note that you will have to walk back “up” here after you have finished your parkrun too.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Wyre<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Volunteers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, I want to give a massive thanks to all the volunteers. Definitely a warm and welcoming event – and I have now visited 65 locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The finish was up a hill from the briefing and some kind volunteers help me find the best position for me to leave our bag of waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately there were only 23 volunteers – which was not enough for the normal course and the alternative had to be used. We contemplated scanning after we had finished but had no real idea of how to do this. Can you just scan for a bit? Like stop before the end – as we were waiting for my husband (and youngest anyway).<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"scanner<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Wyre Forest Alternative Course<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An out and back which is just on the fire trail path (I think that\u2019s what it is called). Definitely no need for trail shoes and hard with sharp rocks. Not ideal for someone in their Vibram Five Fingers! The usual course is apparently more trail but still road shoes are apparently fine unless it\u2019s been really raining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It starts up and there was definitely downs but just felt like a lot of ups! Strava said that my max elevation gain was 156m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Run<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First of all this was a run without music as I use free Spotify and didn\u2019t have any signal. Secondly my speedy son had decided that it was a day for a PB for me. Seeing the hill in front of me, and knowing it was a hilly course I told him it wasn\u2019t!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Off we Go!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So off we go up this hill – staying left as told in the briefing. My speedy son feeling like he was behind me (quite unnerving). He tells me he was by my side the whole time.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Wyre<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Unexpectedly though he tells me to SLOW DOWN! It didn\u2019t even feel like we were going fast! You may recall the last time he decided I was going to get a PB he had his watch in miles and was telling me to speed up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not feeling the greatest (my legs hurt from work the night before) I hadn\u2019t even looked at my watch. Then he made the fatal error of telling me that we were running at 4.5km (my aim is 5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slowing Down<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Honestly it doesn\u2019t matter how fast or slow I start, by 3km, (4km at a push) I will want to give up. Hot, unable to breathe and so on. It is why winter running is easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure enough we slowed.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Wyre<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

A couple of things really didn\u2019t help me mentally (and I did end up walking a few times). One was just before the turning point, near the top of a hill, a man asked me whether there was a diversion. Out of breath I explained and (after thanking me) he just zoomed off. Haha my son was like that wasn\u2019t very helpful. That is probably the first time I gave up and walked. My son trying to encourage me with the fact that it was almost the half way point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then of course there was the man pushing his pushchair. It wasn\u2019t bad enough that it seemed like I should be able to manage better (having no-one I had to push but myself!). But then he dropped a tissue and just left it there. Not caring at all. He knew because he told me it was \u201cjust\u201d a tissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finishing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The finish I thought was a lot further away and my son hadn’t told me to start sprinting as early as he normally does. Then at the finish the cones there really wasn’t room to go round anyone. This guy nips in front of me just before we entered the cones and just slows down. Had to ask him to keep going. Then turns out he didn\u2019t even record his result!!<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"finisher<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

My Strava recorded the course as 4.8km and my son\u2019s watch died at 4km. Personally I am going with the fact that the trees altered the ability for it to record properly as the courses are accurately measured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Stats at Wyre Forest parkrun<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I finished officially in 25:46 – with once again my son letting me finish in front of him. That was behind 11 people over 60!<\/p>\n\n\n\n