100th Parkrun Milestone and Flowerpot Festival

SATURDAY

Today was a special day as I completed my 100th Parkrun, a milestone nearly six years in the making. 

My Parkrun journey began back in late 2018, but it hasn’t been a straightforward path. The Covid pandemic brought running events to a standstill for a couple of years, and I also faced personal challenges with atrial fibrillation, which kept me from participating for most of 2022.

For my 100th run, I chose the Greenfield Valley Parkrun. The course is a mix of beauty and challenge. Apart from a couple of short dog legs, it takes you 2.5 km down the valley, only to present a tough 2.5 km uphill climb with a 95-metre elevation gain back to the start.

Amazingly I achieved a personal best for this course, clocking in at 28:21 and finishing in 38th place. We wrapped up the event with some well-deserved chocolates at the finish line, making the morning even sweeter.

 This weekend also marks lots of events in the Tremeirchion Village including a Flowerpot Festival. My entry? A Dalek! It's a bit Heath Robinson, as I cobbled it together on Friday evening using twelve plant pots, a garden tub, a bucket, a ping pong ball, several garden canes, and lots of wire and other bits.

It’s not going to win—standards are incredibly high —but I had a fun putting it together in less than an hour. I've put a photo of my Dalek in all its quirky glory in the extra.