As always, I hope that everyone is having an amazing week. I can’t believe that it’s December tomorrow. I’m trying not to get too stressed out about the 12 and a bit miles I need to walk at some point today. At the moment, the pavements in Four Oaks are covered in slush, so I need it to warm up ASAP.

The wintry weather in Birmingham meant that Sutton Park parkrun was cancelled. Although I missed catching up with my parkrun family, I had an enjoyable Saturday morning looking through old parkrun photos and reminiscing. I found some good photos of me and some incredibly unflattering photos of me. As I completed my 50th parkrun a couple of weeks ago and finally ‘crossed off’ a long-term running goal, I thought I’d share some of my favourite parkrun photos in a blog post.

I’m a numbers and statistics geek, so I’ve started by summarising some of my parkrun statistics.

It’s taken me a long time to complete 50 parkruns. I’ve always been an inconsistent parkrunner. As I don’t have a car, I’ve had to rely on either public transport, lifts from friends and relatives, or my own two feet. Before Sutton Park parkrun started in August 2018, Walsall Arboretum parkrun was my closest event. I didn’t feel I could ask for a lift to parkrun every Saturday, so I only managed to make it to parkrun a few times a year.

There’s a second reason it’s taken me several years to complete 50 parkruns. If you’ve read any of my previous blog posts, you’ll be aware that I’m what I describe as an injury-prone runner. For example, in both 2014 and 2017, injuries meant that I only managed to complete one parkrun.

Okay, I’ve started to waffle, apologies. I hope that you enjoy looking back at my parkrun journey, and at the photos I managed to track down.

2013: The year I made my parkrun debut

I registered for parkrun several years before I finally plucked up the courage to head to what was then my nearest event; Walsall Arboretum parkrun. I completed my first parkrun on May 25th and loved every second.

My first ever parkrun

[Photo: James Brown]

I think it’s clear that I didn’t put much effort into my first ever parkrun, to be honest, I had no idea how to pace a 5k event. I was scared I’d start off too fast and would have to do the walk of shame. I think it’s fair to say my pacing was all over the place.

What on earth was I wearing?

[Photo: Ron Reynolds]

I’m not sure what’s more offensive; the terrible heel strike or the slightly unusual shorts I was wearing. From what I can remember, the shorts were a TK Maxx bargain that I only wore a few times, including in this photo my friend captured.

The morning I was too speedy for the photographer

[Photo: James Brown]

Thanks for capturing my better side. At least some of the photos from my first few parkruns were respectable, I’ve shared some of my favourite photos in this collage.

A selection of photos from 2013

[Photos: Ron Reynolds]

I’ve no idea why I used to look so grumpy in so many of my early parkrun photos. I was definitely enjoying myself.

2014: The year of the invisible parkrunner

A broken metatarsal and other injury issues meant that I only completed one parkrun. I’ve looked through the 184 photos that were taken that morning and I somehow managed to dodge the camera.

2015: The year my knee issues made an unwelcome appearance

I recovered from my broken metatarsal but started to experience knee pain whenever I ran. I managed to complete four parkruns, but in August I quite possibly turned what was a minor knee niggle into a serious knee injury.

Sprinting towards a knee injury

[Photo: Martin Pearson]

I can remember sprinting towards the finish and feeling a shooting pain in my right knee. The walk back to the carpark wasn’t much fun. I didn’t run again that year.

2016: The year I grabbed myself an unexpected parkrun PB

I only completed three parkruns and after looking back through this blog, I’ve no idea why! Although I ‘DNS’ and ‘DNF’ a couple of local races, I can’t have spent too much time on the injury bench as I managed to complete the London Marathon, the Great Midlands Fun Run, and the Great Birmingham Run.

It looks like I set what is still my parkrun PB in February and then stayed away from parkrun for six months. Slightly strange. Perhaps I struggled to find anyone daft enough to drive me to Walsall Arboretum on a Saturday morning.

I’d probably be faster if I ran with my eyes open

[Photo: Ron Reynolds]

This photo always makes me smile, I love the fact I appear to be running with my eyes closed and I have at least three chins. I still regret selling that purple Lululemon running skort.

2017: The year the wheels most definitely fell off

I started the year with foot and knee niggles and in March my right heel joined in the injury party. I guess as an injury-prone runner it was inevitable I’d get to experience Plantar Fasciitis at some point. So, I spent most of the first half of the year on the injury bench.

In June, I started following a beginners half marathon training plan, two months later I jogged my way around Walsall Arboretum parkrun.

Running in my London Marathon finishers tent

[Photo: Ron Reynolds]

When I first saw this photo, I hated the way I looked so much I actually cried. This was the first and the last time I wore my unflattering XL – I was so slow, there were no other sizes left at the finish – 2016 London Marathon finishers top in public.

2018: The year of more consistent parkrunning and the start of Sutton Park parkrun

At the start of 2018, I set myself the challenge of completing 10 parkruns in under 30 minutes. I managed to maintain my sub-30 minutes ‘streak’ throughout most of the year. I got to experience parkrun tourism for the first time at Didcot parkrun, was introduced to the parkrun alphabet challenge, Sutton Park parkrun started, and I finally plucked up the courage to volunteer.

Looking cooler than I was feeling during Walsall Arboretum parkrun

[Photo: Ron Reynolds]

In July, engineering works meant that I spent a couple of weekends in Wallingford. I got up super early one Saturday morning and caught the bus to Didcot. That morning, I was introduced to parkrun tourism, to the alphabet challenge and to the concept of parkrun challenges.

Thumbs up for a spot of parkrun tourism at Didcot parkrun

[Photo: Lewis Cousins]

A month after I experienced the delights of Didcot, Sutton Park parkrun started, and although work commitments meant that I was unable to take part in the test event, I headed to Sutton Park for the inaugural event. I enjoyed myself so much and wanted other runners to check out Sutton Park parkrun, I wrote about what would become my home parkrun.

The start of Sutton Park parkrun

[Photo: Richard Hill]

A couple of weeks after the inaugural event, I finally plucked up the courage to don the stylish parkrun hi-viz, and I spent an enjoyable hour and a bit supporting 230 parkrunners. I rewarded my bravery with an ice cream.

My first parkrun volunteering experience

[Photo: Peter Heafield]

I think it’s fair to say that I didn’t instantly catch the ‘volunteering bug’. I had fun, but as a runner, I preferred running to volunteering. I suspect this explains why some people rarely volunteer at parkrun.

My ‘2018 parkrun photos’ album contains over 100 photos, approximately half of these are terrible selfies I took when I was volunteering as a marshal. I’ve shared nine of my favourite photos in a collage; the photo in the centre is one of my all-time favourite parkrun photos.

A selection of photos from 2018

[Photos: Ron Reynolds, Peter Heafield and Richard Hill]

Although on a personal level, 2018 was what I’d describe as a year of extreme highs and lows, it was filled with loads of parkrun related positives.

2019: The year I discovered that volunteering is more fun than running

I started the year injured and living and working in Wallingford. A new job meant that I moved back home to Four Oaks in June. From the end of June onwards, I volunteered virtually every Saturday at Sutton Park parkrun. My motto was something along the lines of ‘can’t run, can volunteer’.

I tried out a number of volunteering roles and discovered that while I loved barcode scanning, time keeping felt far too stressful for a Saturday morning. I have hundreds of photos from 2019 so I decided to share a selection of photos I hope captured what parkrun meant (and still means) to me.

“It’s (mainly) all down hill from here…”

Some people have a favourite pair of trainers, in 2019 I had a favourite marshalling location. If you’ve ever completed Sutton Park parkrun, you’ll be aware the course is quite ‘lumpy’ in places. I used to love marshalling in this particular location as I got to tell parkrunners that they had completed the hardest sections of the course.

Runners mingling at the start of Sutton Park parkrun #50

I love this photo as I think it captured what I think parkrun is all about; groups of like-minded people getting together on a Saturday morning and having fun.

Posing with the Sutton Park parkrun selfie board

I’m not sure what’s more concerning in this photo, my incredibly cheesy grin or the state of the water in Longmoor Pool. As a hydrologist I’ll go with the state of the water in Longmoor Pool.

[Photo: Peter Heafield]

Trying to fold away the Start/finish pop up sign 

Some people seem to have the magic touch and can fold away this infamous pop up sign straight away. Other people don’t, I’m not going to name and same the person hiding behind the pop up sign.

A rare photo of me running taken at Kingsbury Water parkrun

In October, Sutton Park parkrun was cancelled because there was another running event in Sutton Park. A group of us headed to Kingsbury Water parkrun and I jogged my way around the course in a far from impressive time.

[Photo: Titan Triathlon]

Sutton Park looking stunning on a chilly November morning

I took this artistic (by my low standards) photo at the end of November. I loved wrapping up warm, wearing my festive bobble hat and volunteering as a marshal.

As I have so many photos from 2019, I’ve shared a few more of the less offensive photos in a collage…

A few more of my favourite photos from 2019

[Photos: Peter Heafield and Daniel Henry]

2020: The year parkrun was put on hold

I started what would turn out to be a surreal year unable to run due to knee and foot issues. This led to me volunteering as a barcode scanner on New Year’s Day. I had barcodes shoved at me, barely any of the runners spoke to me, and it all felt very stressful. I volunteered again three days later, and then work commitments meant that I was unable to volunteer for several weeks.

The calm after the barcode scanning storm on New Year’s Day

[Photo: Peter Heafield]

At the beginning of March, I volunteered as a barcode scanner at Beacon parkrun in Lichfield. I felt like an idiot asking a random parkrunner to take my photo.

A spot of volunteering tourism at Beacon parkrun

As it was International Women’s Day, I also wrote part of the event report for Sutton Park parkrun. I doubt I’ll manage to volunteer at two different parkruns on the same day again.

A week later I volunteered as a tail walker at Sutton Park parkrun. I had a wonderful time chatting my way around the Sutton Park parkrun course. I can remember the C-word (not that C-word!) cropping up quite a few times.

Tail walking at the final Sutton Park parkrun before lockdown

[Photo: Peter Heafield]

Little did I know as I said my goodbyes to the other volunteers that parkrun would end up being cancelled for the rest of the year. Little did I know that parkrun wouldn’t be allowed to restart until July this year. Little did I know that this would be one of the last photos Peter would take at Sutton Park parkrun.

2021: The year of tail walking and my 50th parkrun

History repeated itself and I started the year with a knee injury that left me in constant pain. The announcement of a third lockdown wasn’t the most positive starts to the year, the return of parkrun felt a distant dream.

After a false start and what felt like several weeks of uncertainty, parkrun finally restarted on July 24^th.

Are you ready England? 👏 @coopuk wish you all a warm welcome back to parkrun & a massive well done – we made it! 💙

Here’s to your first volunteer, walk, jog or run back together 🧡
See you in the park! 🌳 @Jennifalconer @Konnie_Huq @VassosA

🌳 #loveparkrun #ItsWhatWeDo pic.twitter.com/UKZ9IptqN7

— parkrun UK (@parkrunUK) July 24, 2021

The Saturday morning parkrun returned was emotional as the pre-event briefing included a special dedication to Peter Heafield. Thanks for all of the amazing memories Peter, thanks for all of the friendly banter and for making me think I’d be late getting to my marshalling position. I promise that I do smile occasionally. We will all miss you enormously.

Sutton Park parkrun #83 dedicated to Peter Heafield

[Photo: Nicola Baker]

Although I enjoyed volunteering as a barcode scanner the first two weeks Sutton Park parkrun returned, I realised that scanning barcodes wasn’t going to help me get closer to my 50^th parkrun. I can’t remember who suggested tail walking, but I tail walked my way to my 50^th parkrun. I know 2021 isn’t over yet, but I’ve shared nine of my favourite tail walking photos from this year in a collage.

A selection of photos from 2021

[Photos: Vicki Hart and Daniel Henry]

As for my 50^th parkrun, I’m not saying that I’m a numbers and statistics geek, but I became a member of the 50 Club and the Volunteer 50 Club at the 100th Sutton Park parkrun.

Thanks to the Sutton Park parkrun core team for putting up with my excessive talking and for sharing one of my more flattering photos

[Photo: Peter Heafield]

What’s next?

After rather selfishly hogging the tail walking volunteering role for so many weeks, I’ve decided to return to a different volunteering role. I’ve actually enjoyed most of the volunteering roles I’ve tried, time keeping was slightly stressful and I don’t fancy the pressure of trying to capture photos of people running, sorry Rob!

I’ve always enjoyed collecting badges and completing challenges, so I’d love to try out a few more volunteering roles. I mean, I love talking so I should probably have a go at giving the first timers briefing.

When I’m able to run again, I want to explore more of the parkruns in the West Midlands.

It took me nine years to complete my 50th parkrun, I’m hoping it doesn’t take me another nine years to complete my 100th parkrun.

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