WE are the stragglers

In my quest for completing all of the Essex parkrun courses this year there was one that I wasn't sure that I'd be able to run in it's entirety as it is around the site of the 2012 Olympic mountain bike event and is not quite as flat as my home run.

My friend Linda mentioned last year that she might enjoy a parkrun but then never quite got round to agreeing a date.  When I found out that she had rehomed an EBT and was still 'keen'' to try parkrun I wasted no time and suggested 'tomorrow'?

Unable to think of an excuse quickly enough, she said yes and asked me where.  There are 3 runs fairly close to where she lives but, knowing that she would be walking, I wasted no time in proposing this one.  What better excuse (other than tail walking) for me to have to walk.

The info on the parkrun page and my satnav got me to the carpark in good time.  Once I realised that I needed to enter my registration into the parking meter I was all set.

I headed over to the start, already noticing how 'not flat' the area was.  Other people began to arrive and I was pleased to see a few four legged runners.  Archie was very handsome and well behaved too although, from the size of his waist, I suspect he has never been parkrunning before.  Before we knew it we were with a handful of other first timers for the briefing.  The words hill and slope were mentioned quite a few times and not long after we were off.

The course itself is  mostly on tracks and was not too muddy and to begin with we headed down hill.  We were walking behind and then in front of another couple of ladies and a border terrier for a while but as we began to slow they disappeared into the distance.  Archie was soon getting a little breath and slowed to sniff and pee quite often or at times just stopped.

We apologised to our tail walker and to all the marshalls who had to wait a very long time for us to finish but were greeted with cheers and waves to the end.  Love the parkrun family.

My friend is now a parkrunner and has already talked her partner into taking part next week.  They will be going to one of the other (flat) runs near to her home.  My job is done.  Well almost.

I've told her that I've added another parkrun goal to my 2018 list.  To get round Hadleigh with her in under and hour.  She is up for it.