After a week on holiday and a few great runs, it was time to head home. However, we’re stopping over at my sister in law en-route so another tourist visit was on the cards. Last time we stayed here I checked out Rothwell with my brother in laws. Luckily though they live almost equidistant between there and Temple Newsam so a small persuasion saw us head towards the edge of Leeds.
Now I’ve wanted to try this parkrun for a while. Last year we brought the kids over to the farm there just after the run had finished. There were definite pangs of envy as I saw all the runners tucking into coffee and cake in the tea room. It also has the added benefit of being another ‘T’ parkrun. Technically I knocked this off my Alphabet Challenge last week at The Pastures in Alnwick. However, to me that feels more like a ‘P’!!
After a quick first timers briefing, and a gazumping on furthest travelled it was time to get going. To start you head up hill a bit and then have a long downhill section. Unfortunately at the back of your mind you know this will have to be done in reverse at some point! Sure enough, having reached the M1 it was time to start climbing. Now for locals, hills are an occupational hazard but for someone whose home parkrun measures at 4m climbed on my watch, any incline wipes me out! That said after all the runs I have managed in last week on holidays, I did find it a bit easier and even overtook a few people (can only assume they too were tourists!).
It was then time for another trip back down and up the hill before crossing the line. Time was 22:37 which was a little slower than last week at The Pastures but given the hills I was ok with that. Brother in law #1 was about 30s ahead of me and I had just about regained my breath to cheer home brother in law #2 who had brought his dog for a first parkrun.
Given proximity to my in-laws I am sure I’ll be back at some point but all being well, my next outing will be back home for the first time in a couple of months!
Some random facts from today’s run.
- 10th different parkrun run
- 29th parkrun in total
- Knocked 37 off of parkrun Bingo (22/60)