October parkruns

October saw a bit of a diffence to my usual running of parkruns.  For the first parkrun of the month I thought it was about time I volunteered again at a 5k.  The last time I volunteered at a 5k was at Drumchapel in May and I hadn't volunteered at Pollok since last year.  To be honest I dont really feel I owe anything to Pollok in terms of volunteering. I volunteered so much in the early days that I still have a pretty good run to volunteer ratio.  But I wanted to touch base at Pollok and catch up with folk and volunteering is a good way to do that. It was clear when I started to talk to folk that they had noticed that I hadn't been volunteering as much and I decided not to get into an arguement about it.  It has changed the way I think about volunteering and I think going forward I will try to volunteer more at 5ks.  I think I have been a bit too obssesed with trying to get to 250 runs and also I have been in the routine of just running.  But when I look at the big picture, why does it matter how quickly you reach a milestone? I'm not going to be the first person who hits the milestone so why not volunteer along the way in order for these events to go ahead each week.  So I have decided to try volunteer once a month and hopefully aim still for 40 runs a year instead of as many as possible.

So yeah I was number checking at Pollok and had an enjoyable morning catching up with folk.  During the next week I was ill and off work. I got to Friday and I was at that stage where I was still ill but getting better.  I did think about running but decided against it.  At about 6pm on Friday Tollcross put out an appeal for 5 volunteers for the next day. So I decided to go ahead and marshal there.  I hadn't really had much fresh air during the week so standing outside in the fresh air, cheering on the runners was exactly what I needed.  I have run Tollcross quite a bit due to it being my go to course when weather is bad, so it was good to be able to repay them when they needed it.

The next week it was up to Inverness. I have been through Inverness 4 times this year for various parkruns but this time it was the destination.  I stayed in the Premier inn west which was only a 5 minute walk to the start.  They used Whin park instead of Bught park today due to the overnight rain.  I did something today that I havent done before on my travels and that is volunteered and run.  The reason I did this is because although I speak to some people when Im on my travels, volunteering means you automatically speak to people.  When I saw there was a role for post event close down I took it.  It was good chatting to the locals and some of the core team prior to the event.   The run itself was very puddly and muddy conditions.  Two laps of the pond then 3 laps which are bigger and include the pond loop. It was easy enough to track the laps and I enjoyed splashing through the puddles.   It did make for a slower run and I was about 32 minutes.

Then finally for the month it was a trip to Dumfries to do Crichton parkrun.  The Holiday Inn I stayed in couldnt have been any closer to the start it was great.  It was a funny run as the first bit is all on roads round the campus connecting all the buildings.  You go about 200 metres from the church before joining the start of the loop which you do twice.  It was so twisty and turny I actually lost track of where I was.  I thought I was still heading out but then I passed the women who was marshaling the lap point where I realised I was starting the second lap. On the second lap I pin pointed the turn which goes round so much you almost go back on yourself. But its so gradual I didn't notice the first time.  Once two laps are done you go round into a different loop which is on paths and some trailish path.  It has some undualtions but generally quite a fast course.  I really pushed it today and was delighted to get round in 28.07. Especially as I havent really done much running this month.

My challenge to get my average parkrun time for the year is proving challenging and average time is currently 30.19 so it is close.  Problem is now that Queens park has started up and is very hilly and is now my local parkrun. So not sure if I can get that average down but I will try.  With Queens starting up it doesnt also bring about a new decision to make as to where my home run will be - Pollok or Queens.  I couldnt drive to Queens as it feels to close. Half an hour walk and I'm there. But Pollok is still easy to get to.  Maybe it will be clearer once I run Queens which I do plan to do in November.