For the last three months most of my parkruns have been with my kids (one child each week).
I had a quick look at my recent times and before today I had only done two fast parkruns since the start of November (3 months), and none since the start of December (2 months).
I have been asking the kids all week whether they fancied today's parkrun and both had been pretty sure they didn't. The covering of snow this morning did nothing to change their minds!
So as I turned up at parkrun in the snow this morning I was able to think about a parkrun just for me. I could have agreed to run with my brother and mate as the three of us jogged to the start area this morning, but I didn't - I was going to be selfish!
I thought about an acceptable time to aim for and thought under 18:36 (sub 6 minute miles) would be very good given the slush underfoot. Thinking of a target time just for me - how very selfish!
I started quickly but sensibly, certainly slower than a flat out run. After a couple of minutes I caught another member of my running club, I could have slowed and run with him but I didn't - I was being selfish!
After about two thirds of a lap I caught another running mate. I could have slowed to stay with him, I gave encouragement, but I didn't slow - I was being selfish!
I was now in 4th. First was off in the distance, but I kept 2nd and 3rd well within reach. Almost racing, at parkrun(!), so, so selfish!
Half-way in a surprisingly comfortable 9:07.
At the end of the first half of the second lap I was still in 4th. With a narrow section to come (due to 2 way parkrun traffic) I decided to put in a spurt to take me past the two in front. That was really selfish!
Another runner came from further back to take second from me less than a minute later, but now it was all about time for me. Could I get that sub 18:36?
With about 50 metres to go I heard the pounding of feet and troubled breathing of a would-be overtaker. Oh no I thought (quite selfishly!), you are not having MY third place. I upped my pace with the extreme (not!) acceleration of a slug (old man!). But somehow managed to hold off the teenage whippersnapper and hold on to third.
I had run my parkrun, on my own, as I had wanted, at my pace, been completely selfish and had loved every minute of it. And I managed to thrash my target with a time of 18:12.
It just goes to show how many different ways you can use parkrun for your enjoyment.
I might be selfish, but just once in a while it's nice to have a parkrun just for me. Oh how selfish!
Saturday, 9 February 2013
Friday, 8 February 2013
parkrun registration stats this week 8th February 2013
There is still a little time for new registrations this week, but at the time of writing and compared to the figures in my post this time last week....
Totalling up new registrations across parkrun globally, shows that parkrun has attracted a further 5,284 registrations in a week, 860 more than at the same time last week.
This takes the total number of global parkrun registrations (according to my official source page on the parkrun website) up to 439,521 (up from 434,237). That is a growth in total registrations of over 1.2% in a week.
As far as I am aware, there is just 1 new parkrun starting this weekend:
Lake Macquarie (AKA Lake Mac) parkrun in Australia - welcome on board.
Malahide parkrun remains at the top of the charts in the number of new registrations category this week with 127 new registrations in the week. Malahide parkrun has only been going for about 3 months and already it is the 47th largest parkrun by number of registrations.
9 different parkrun events have added 50 or more new registrants this weekand they are:
No great surprises in the "largest parkrun in the world" category this week, where it is still the same top 5:
Wimbledon Common parkrun has now become the 5th parkrun with over 10,000 registered runners!
And at the other end of the spectrum, but just as worthy of a mention we have:
There are also two other parkrun events listed but with no registered runners at present:
Again the top three of these appear to be new parkrun events showing up in the new registrations page for the first time. Always great to see some new events on the horizon.
Totalling up new registrations across parkrun globally, shows that parkrun has attracted a further 5,284 registrations in a week, 860 more than at the same time last week.
This takes the total number of global parkrun registrations (according to my official source page on the parkrun website) up to 439,521 (up from 434,237). That is a growth in total registrations of over 1.2% in a week.
As far as I am aware, there is just 1 new parkrun starting this weekend:
Lake Macquarie (AKA Lake Mac) parkrun in Australia - welcome on board.
Malahide parkrun remains at the top of the charts in the number of new registrations category this week with 127 new registrations in the week. Malahide parkrun has only been going for about 3 months and already it is the 47th largest parkrun by number of registrations.
9 different parkrun events have added 50 or more new registrants this weekand they are:
| Event | Total | This week |
| Malahide parkrun | 2676 | 127 |
| Newy parkrun | 2707 | 99 |
| South Bank parkrun | 923 | 92 |
| Nahoon Point parkrun | 2440 | 83 |
| Lake Mac parkrun | 123 | 81 |
| Telford parkrun | 168 | 69 |
| New Farm parkrun | 4588 | 66 |
| Cheltenham parkrun | 235 | 57 |
| Carlisle parkrun | 431 | 55 |
No great surprises in the "largest parkrun in the world" category this week, where it is still the same top 5:
| Event | Total |
| Bushy parkrun | 21519 |
| Glasgow parkrun | 12792 |
| Leeds parkrun | 11572 |
| Brighton & Hove parkrun | 10366 |
| Wimbledon Common parkrun | 10018 |
Wimbledon Common parkrun has now become the 5th parkrun with over 10,000 registered runners!
And at the other end of the spectrum, but just as worthy of a mention we have:
| Event | Total |
| Wallace parkrun, Lisburn | 1 |
| Delamere parkrun | 17 |
| Tuggeranong parkrun | 19 |
| Thetford parkrun | 49 |
| Scunthorpe parkrun | 56 |
There are also two other parkrun events listed but with no registered runners at present:
| Hackworth parkrun |
| Llyn Llech Owain parkrun |
Again the top three of these appear to be new parkrun events showing up in the new registrations page for the first time. Always great to see some new events on the horizon.
On this day in parkrun history...8th February
Well I was going to write a post about the number of parkrunners that took part on one 8th February parkrunday from some time over the last 8 years or so.
However, it turns out that there has never been an 8th February parkrun, which was quite a surprise.
My maths is a little shaky these days and I can't quite remember what the calculation was for how many years it takes for every date to have appeared on each day of the week. I think the start date has some bearing on this too. But I suspect it is something like 13 years at worst before all combinations of dates and Saturdays have occurred.
So I'm afraid I can't give you any parkrun stats for the 8th February just yet.
Something to look forward to though, next year the 8th February will be Saturday and make its parkrunday debut.
I really do need to get out more!
If you want to read more pointless parkrun stats, why not check out some more of the parkrunfans blog!
However, it turns out that there has never been an 8th February parkrun, which was quite a surprise.
My maths is a little shaky these days and I can't quite remember what the calculation was for how many years it takes for every date to have appeared on each day of the week. I think the start date has some bearing on this too. But I suspect it is something like 13 years at worst before all combinations of dates and Saturdays have occurred.
So I'm afraid I can't give you any parkrun stats for the 8th February just yet.
Something to look forward to though, next year the 8th February will be Saturday and make its parkrunday debut.
I really do need to get out more!
If you want to read more pointless parkrun stats, why not check out some more of the parkrunfans blog!
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
parkrun stats of the week...2nd February 2013
The parkrun statistics of note for this week are:
196 parkrun events run (up 53 on last week, equalling the most ever one one parkrunday!)
26,296 runners (up 10,594 on last week)
Great to see the levels return towards the recent highs.
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 134.1 (up 24 on last week!).
18 events recorded a new record attendance this week, as follows:
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
Amager Faelled 146 28/08/2010
And in the UK it's:
Gorleston 156 19/03/2011
The highest attendance this week was 919 at Bushy Park.
The lowest attendance this week was 8 at Vejen parkrun.
16 new male course records set this week (12 more than last week!). The men finally managed to beat the women this week!:
7 new female course records set this week (the same as last week):
72 runners (up 28 on last week) ran times under 17 minutes this week. This is the highest number of 17 minuters that I have seen whilst I have been looking at the weekly stats.
9 of these runners (up 5 on last week) ran under 16 minutes!
The fastest parkrunner in the World was Thomas Payne running 15:01 at Dulwich parkrun. So close to the first sub-15 minute parkrun for a few weeks.
The fastest 9 were as follows:
The top age grade performance this week was:
The fastest (valid) freedom run on the "most recent 100" list at the moment is (still):
196 parkrun events run (up 53 on last week, equalling the most ever one one parkrunday!)
26,296 runners (up 10,594 on last week)
Great to see the levels return towards the recent highs.
The average number of runners per parkrun event run was: 134.1 (up 24 on last week!).
18 events recorded a new record attendance this week, as follows:
| Event | Record Attendance | |
| Barnstaple | 75 | |
| Carlisle | 117 | |
| Chelmsford Central | 87 | |
| Claisebrook Cove | 124 | |
| Cornwall Park | 116 | |
| Coventry | 389 | |
| Crystal Palace | 127 | |
| Edinburgh | 393 | |
| Ginninderra | 120 | |
| Gladstone | 77 | |
| Hillsborough | 172 | |
| Lower Hutt | 137 | |
| Mile End | 108 | |
| North Lakes | 99 | |
| Queens | 85 | |
| Temple Newsam | 257 | |
| Wolverhampton | 103 | |
| Wynnum | 135 |
The longest standing parkrun attendance record is:
Amager Faelled 146 28/08/2010
And in the UK it's:
Gorleston 156 19/03/2011
The highest attendance this week was 919 at Bushy Park.
The lowest attendance this week was 8 at Vejen parkrun.
16 new male course records set this week (12 more than last week!). The men finally managed to beat the women this week!:
| Athlete | Time | |
| Chelmsford Central | Malcolm MUIR | 17:00 |
| Hillsborough | Robert BAKER | 17:02 |
| Temple Newsam | Leon FOSTER | 17:21 |
| Wolverhampton | David SMITH | 16:25 |
| Wimpole Estate | Paul MAKOWSKI | 18:39 |
| Congleton | Marc HARTLEY | 15:55 |
| Torrens | Jacob COCKS | 15:08 |
| Mansfield | Stuart KING | 15:51 |
| Southend | Ben PAVIOUR | 16:22 |
| Kirra | Caine WARBURTON | 16:01 |
| Dulwich | Thomas PAYN | 15:01 |
| Wynnum | Werner BOTHA | 16:23 |
| Inverness | Donnie MACDONALD | 16:44 |
| Livonia | Thomas PREISS | 18:10 |
| Oxford | Steven NAYLOR | 16:09 |
| Worsley Woods | John BROWN | 16:19 |
7 new female course records set this week (the same as last week):
| Event | Athlete | Time |
72 runners (up 28 on last week) ran times under 17 minutes this week. This is the highest number of 17 minuters that I have seen whilst I have been looking at the weekly stats.
9 of these runners (up 5 on last week) ran under 16 minutes!
The fastest parkrunner in the World was Thomas Payne running 15:01 at Dulwich parkrun. So close to the first sub-15 minute parkrun for a few weeks.
The fastest 9 were as follows:
| Event | Athlete | Time | |
| Dulwich | Thomas PAYN | 15:01 | |
| Torrens | Jacob COCKS | 15:08 | |
| Heaton Park | Bruno LIMA | 15:26 | |
| Bushy Park | Nathan WHITE | 15:33 | |
| Cardiff | Stephen PATERSON | 15:44 | |
| Cardiff | Graham BREEN | 15:48 | |
| Mansfield | Stuart KING | 15:51 | |
| Valentines | James CONNOR | 15:55 | |
| Congleton | Marc HARTLEY | 15:55 |
The top age grade performance this week was:
| Event | Athlete | Time | Age Group | Age Grade | |
| Torrens | Maureen MOYLE | 19:42 | VW55-59 | 93.15% |
The fastest (valid) freedom run on the "most recent 100" list at the moment is (still):
| Runner | Date | Location | Run Time |
| Jonathan WILLIAMS | 26/01/2013 | Glasgow | 19:54 |
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