Among the many things that have fallen foul of COVID-19 has been the weekly opportunity to run at parkrun. Now with my sons football, often I couldn’t make it on a Saturday morning but when I did make it down, it wouldn’t feel like I’d been away. However, I know for many people the community that parkrun brings is even more key so I have been so pleased my home parkrun has worked hard to keep that community going.
There was understandable concern that some people would still congregate and run their local parkrun, breaking social distancing rules. Therfore Pocket parkrun set up a weekly Virtual parkrun. Each week you use your one allocated exercise slot to run 5km. You submit your time on the facebook page and Sunday evening, results are published. Obviously every course is different but it gives that little piece of community fun to keep it all going.
From my front door I have to be careful not to fall foul of one of the key rules (do not use any of the parkrun route) as I live so close. However, I have now found a nice quiet run that takes me down past Little Barford Power Station. It’s a flat, straight and quiet road so has been perfect for some quick times, even if I haven’t quite hit my PB.
What’s more, the past two weeks I have been able to take my eldest on his bike. He gets some experience of riding on an active road, and I get a pace setter. Win, win!
Obviously everyone is waiting for all this to be over but it has given a nice distraction. Have you been doing a virtual parkrun each week and if so, what have you named yours?
I really miss my parkrun fix as well. Can’t wait to get back