Today was our second visit to Victoria Park in Newbury and most enjoyable it was too. Memories from our previous visit were of slippery mud underfoot as this was just prior to its winter shutdown. On reopening the course had been changed and this is what we wanted to check out.
As before, we parked at the shopping centre across the road from the park, the plan being to have breakfast here after the event. Toilets are available either at the shopping centre or in the park – we used the former.
On entering the park we followed other runners making their way along the central path and soon saw where the volunteers were gathering. The pop up was here so we joined the queue to have our photos taken – there were a lot of tourists. Nearby a tarpaulin on the ground was available as a bag drop. I looked around to find the best spot to place my ‘Marshal Bear’, opting for the sign to the finish. There were plenty of signs and cones in place around the course, as well as encouraging marshals of the human variety, to ensure everyone knew what route to take.
Both the first timers briefing and the run director’s briefing were held by the skate park near the start point, just along from the finish funnel. These were easily heard thanks to a megaphone although most people around me were being courteous enough to stay quiet and listen.
Participants were then invited to line up by the start, seeding themselves in the correct place as indicated by clear signs held up by volunteers. As I expected to finish in under 30 minutes, I placed myself a little way back from the 25 to 30 minute sign. There was still a degree of congestion to begin with as I ended up behind some groups who were enjoying lovely chats as they ran in parallel. I couldn’t open up my pace until we reached the football field as paths kept narrowing, making overtaking difficult until the pack spread out.
The course is very different to our previous visit. It starts on a tarmac path that leads to the canal. It then follows this under a road bridge towards the aforementioned football field. Surfaces on this section were a mixture of hardstanding, gravel and grass. Given recent conditions the grass was baked hard so fine for road shoes.
The gate into the football field is a potential pinch point as participants go through it in both directions – this was not an issue for me today. It is then necessary to run around the perimeter of the football pitch twice before exiting and returning towards the park. What was unexpected was that the path around the pitch was tarmac and easily wide enough for both those on their first and second laps of this. Cones divided the faster and slower runners and here there was space for overtaking.
Having left the football field and gone back under the road bridge the route veers right, past a pond, and then around the park. This loop is a mix of tarmac paths and grass. Passing the finish funnel the course must then be run again – a two lapper, each lap including two loops of the football field. Apparently most weeks there will be some participant who doesn’t remember this, finishing short of 5k, so we were exhorted to keep count!
About halfway round my second lap of the park I overtook my son (who was running easy) and then daughter (who had developed a stitch). Son had urged me to overtake his sister, who then decided she was having none of that and managed a sprint finish I did not have the legs left to challenge. Seeing this, son put on a spurt of speed and took her on the line. Parkrun may be a run and not a race but family rivalry still has its place!
329 participants passed through the finish funnel today of which 65 achieved course PBs. The pack was led by Oliver Harse in a time of 17:45. First female was Nikki Moxham in a time of 18:30, also achieving the top age grading of an amazing 94.14%
8 people earned the right to wear a new milestone t-shirt. Congratulations to: Jackie Turner (250); Edwina Mcdowall (100); Thomas Bailey, Martin Barrett, Amber Marino, Carli Nicholls (50); Sarah Morton (25); Lucas Steele (10).
Biggest thanks go to the 25 volunteers without whom parkrun couldn’t happen.
Over our post run breakfast we agreed Victoria Park was well worth visiting and we would like to return. Being a flat course certainly makes it tempting but its twists and turns also provide many points of interest. It proved a friendly and well organised event. Ideally we will be back on a day when conditions underfoot are as good as today.
