August parkruns

 Week 1 - Number checking at Queen's parkrun

Week 2 - The week prior I was down in Southport with my parents on holiday and they said the plan was to go back via Newcastle and can do a parkrun there.  So since I have a lot of the parkrun alphabet challenge complete and needed a J, I selected Jesmond dene as the selected parkrun for that week.  It was a great course in a nice park which was set in a big valley. Needless to say the course had some very steep ups and downs but also some flat parts too.  I thought it was a very interesting course.  I think it was the first one I'd been to that they said they would have to cancel during the event if a helicopter had to land in the field bit they used.  I had a pretty good run too coming in around 32 minutes.

Week 3 - Back at Queen's, this time for a celebration as some of my Rouken glen buddies were celebrating milestones.  Kirsty with her 50th run on her 50th birthday and Morag with her 50th volunteering stint.  Another run for me at the high end of 32 minutes but feeling a bit fitter.

Week 4 - This was proved when I went to Largs prom parkrun with my parents.  Nearly 2 months since my last new Scottish parkrun.  This was another one where they could have to cancel during the event if the lifeboat had to be used.  I paced this one well and ended up under 30 minutes for only the second time this year.  

For a change this month actually went to plan and good to have ticked off another couple of venues.  For the alphabet challenge I just need a B, Y and Z now. I say just but they are all decent journeys especially the Z which has to be done in Netherlands or Poland.  At the moment though my focus is still the Scottish parkruns and hopefully tick off a few more by the end of the year.  Largs was my 51st out of now 65 as Palacerigg in Cumbernauld has just started.  I initially set a target of 60 Scottish ones which I should have really reached but due to everything which has gone on this year I have accepted it's not going to be possible.  But that just leaves more fun for next year :-)