Category: Exercise

Another week taking it easy at Jesmond Dene!

It wasn’t as damp as forecast, which was a bonus.

Next week is unplanned again (because January) but it may very well be another run round the Dene.

One of those winter Saturdays where you don’t know where you’re going until 8am!

By that point, Newbiggin was one of three realistic options locally who had announced they were still on following the course check. We went with it because it sounded the safest bet in terms of staying upright. Quite a few friends had the same idea so it was a nice morning out!

No idea where we’re going next week either (January parkrunning is generally more relaxing if you DON’T plan it), but at least it should be better weather! (I hope.)

This was both my first ever birthday parkrun and my 50th run at Jesmond Dene!

We knew the snow was coming, but it wasn’t forecast to arrive until this afternoon – so it was a bit of a surprise when the first flakes fell from the sky a minute or two after we set off from home. A minute or two after that, the ground was whitening; by the time we got to the end of the road, I was anxiously checking my phone every couple of minutes to see if Jesmond Dene (who had already declared themselves on at 8:10am, five minutes before the snow arrived) had changed their minds!

Thankfully, we arrived to find the briefing in full swing (with lots of safety warnings, naturally) and I got a birthday shoutout! The Dene was so beautiful in the snow. Geth and I took it super easy for a 34ish minute finish on a special day.

Days like this make me so, so grateful to the volunteers who put events on in these conditions and make the tough decisions about whether to go ahead or not. Lots of local parkruns had to cancel at the last minute today.

Next week is unplanned as the winter weather is forecast to continue – so it’ll depend on which ones are on.

Ticked off an Edinburgh NENDY this morning! Meadowmill isn’t the prettiest parkrun or the easiest underfoot, but it has a lovely friendly vibe.

NYD parkrun up next this coming Thursday (though there may be a race before that).

My second year doing a Christmas Day parkrun!

After last year (featuring a less-than-straightforward drive back from Edinburgh parkrun) I wanted to avoid driving on Christmas morning, but did want to do a parkrun if possible and still make it back in good time for French toast with the family. There is only one way to achieve this if you’re staying in Morningside (which is a bit of a parkrun black hole in Edinburgh terms): a nearly ten-mile parkrun sandwich to Holyrood and back. I certainly needed to spend Christmas Day replenishing some calories after that!

I’ll be parkrunning again in a couple of days, but no idea where yet!

We were in the beautiful Dene this last weekend to celebrate Geth’s 250th parkrun!

Lovely morning and he got lots of congratulations due to the sash. New t-shirt incoming in the new year (we can match again).

Not sure where we’ll be next Saturday but it’s the Christmas Day parkrun first.

We were visiting the in-laws this last weekend so it was a trip to Heaton Park for the first time in over a year! Very busy one with well over 700 people.

Kept it nice and easy (because December) and just got the mileage done.

Closer to home this coming weekend!

It’s been a couple of months since I was last on the Moor for parkrun. December is mapped out as a very easy-paced month running-wise (I’m doing Marcothon again as there’s no race training getting in the way this year, so keeping everything easy and not doing any speedwork!). Geth and I had a nice trot round in just under 30 minutes. Nice to have a brass band playing Christmas tunes at the start/finish!

A little further afield next week.