Inaugural runs: Oak Hill parkrun (27 August 2011)

Today, in North London, a new parkrun was born. For parkrun tourists, new parkruns hold a certain charm. For starters, they're new, so by definition will add to the all-important parkrun tally. But they also increase the chances of crossing paths with other tourists, offering up the possibility of chatting to other parkrunners in the grip of the same addiction.

Oak Hill parkrun did not disappoint. At least five other tourists turned out to sample its slightly undulating, three lap course.

• Mark A Jennings (84 runs at 45 different venues) and Paul Freyne (85 runs at 43 different venues) have been parkrun hopping for a while, and can tell tales of parkruns from the length and breadth of Britain.
  
• Ron Hill (87 runs at 29 different venues) started his journey at about the same time as me, in an attempt to add spice to his pursuit of his 100 club shirt.
  
• Danny Norman (222 runs at 16 venues) has four and a half years' worth of parkruns under his belt, and regularly places in the top ten at Bushy. I suspect he is a member of the elite group of nomads looking to win as many different parkruns as possible. To date, he has won seven different events and come second at another four.
  
• Timothy Williams (60 runs at 12 different venues) is showing the early signs of addiction, and may yet rise meteorically through the ranks.

I had been considering a break from my hunt for new parkruns, as I've pretty much exhausted the ones within easy reach, but talking to other tourists has inspired me. Now all I need is a plan.