Chilly autumn weather fails to deter Wormwood Scrubs Parkrunners

Parkrun 228 - October 17

It was 10 degrees and overcast on Wormwood Scrubs this morning with an 8 knot northerly wind. That didn't stop 63 runners turning out for the parkrun including 13 first timers! The course was all decked out with extra flags as Thames Valley Harriers prepared to host the South of England Cross Country Relays.

Andrea Broughton was Run Director, calling out James Malcolm's 200th parkrun! James brought along his excellent millionaire shortbread to mark Marion's recent centenary parkrun. Rob Ferguson was also present and we all wish him well for his marathon in Abingdon on 18 October!

Gideon Reid of Serpentine RC set the pace from the start and finished in a new PB of 18:09! Simon Rolfe was second in 18:25 and James Spender was third in 19:33, equalling his PB of July 2013.

Unfortunately we had a some technical issues with the barcode reader to begin with so if you finished 4th please let the event office know so we can reinstate you!

Bianca Hollis was Leading Lady with 23:07, Katie Ayling of Ealing Eagles set a new PB of 23:18 and Rebecca Johnstone of Ravensourt Park Runners ran 24:26.

On an age-graded basis First Timer Martin Milward visiting from Cambridge scored 75.69%, Gideon Reid 73.55% and James Spender 70.33%.

There was a grand total of 13 new PBs today: Gideon Reid (18:09), Martin Bower (21:39 - 46 seconds improved from last week), Katie Ayling (23:18), Lars Gunnar Kalven from Norway (21:11), Andrew Arthur (21:26), Peter Boyce (22:09), John Williams (23:39), Dan Knightley (22:10), Alex Fleming-Brown (23:24), Jess Rosenwald (25:21), Karen Svendsen from Norway (25:22), Amanda Shakespeare (31:06) and Max Coelho (25:16). Very well done everyone!

Thank you to all the volunteers who came forward to fill the roster this week: Andrea BROUGHTON, Peter JORDAN, Simon MADDISON, Barbara MADDISON, James SPENDER and Paul TAYLOR.

Special thanks to Rob Ferguson for sorting out the timings!

Happy running and look forward to seeing you next week!

James

Parkrun 227 - October 10

The Scrubs welcomed us with hazy sunshine, autumnal colours, glistening dew, a breath of easterly wind and some soft going. Or, to put it like RAF Northolt:
10/10 07:50 EGWU 100750Z 06002KT 9999 SCT015 BKN050 10/09 Q1021 WHT NOSIG

Run Director Rob Ferguson was in a good spirits, so much so that he was persuaded to expand on his description of the course for our ten registered first timers and warn us not to fall in the pot holes.

We had 53 runners romping round the park this week and found ourselves pursuing an Irishman with Trinity written on his back. He was already out of sight when we turned at the top half-hoping he'd gone the wrong way but Kirstie Tew's pre-event setup left nothing to the imagination.

Apparently our Anonymous Irishman normally track runs with Thames Valley Harriers and came along to try out the field. He must have finished a minute faster than next best in 18:54 but we don't know because he neglected to bring a barcode and joins the other 8 Unknown times on the results.

James Spender was second, in 19:54, followed by Colm Doherty in 20:33 and Archie Thomas with 20:52. Leading Lady with her second First place of 2015 was Camilla West of Ealing Eagles with a 21:59 and followed by a pair of first-timers, fellow Eagle Katie Ayling (24:38) and Rosemary Leiper of Metro Aberdeen RRC on 25:00. Rosemary was visiting from her regular Aberdeen parkrun to score highest on an age-graded basis with a stonking 74.40%. We had a trinity of PBs from 11th-placed Peter Boyce (22:25), 12th-placed Martin Bower (22:26) and 13th-placed Dan Knightley (22:36). Well done, guys!

Many thanks to all our volunteers: Andrea BROUGHTON, Marion BRYDSON, Fraser BRYDSON, Kathryn DOBSON, Robert FERGUSON, Peter JORDAN, James SPENDER, Paul TAYLOR, Kirstie TEW.
Kathryn Dobson acted as visiting barcode scanner. Andrea Broughton was flat out on her back enjoying the sun after four days training and some hard time-keeping but needed no encouragement to join us for the tea and flapjack. Fraser Brydson could be seen modelling the "aubergine" volunteer t-shirt and pouring tea with Marion.

We rely on volunteers and next week's roster has only two names on, so if you'd like to get involved in volunteering at the Wormwood Scrubs parkrun, please email wormwoodscrubshelpers@parkrun.com

Have a great week and hope to see you again next Saturday when there's a chance of seeing James Malcolm's 1000th parkrun kilometre!

James