Holywell Parkrun - Marion and Wayne

SATURDAY

It would have been easy to stay in bed this morning as it was cold, wet and dark outside, but after a cappuccino, I was ready to brave the 6ºC chill in my shorts.

I headed over to the Parkrun at Holywell, which starts near the TESCO car park, so I popped into the store for a couple of items. I ran into a couple called Marion and Wayne, who looked a bit lost. It was Wayne’s first Parkrun, and he needed directions to the “first timers' briefing.” 

Holywell isn’t exactly the easiest course for beginners and wouldn't be my first choice for an inaugural run. The 2.5 km uphill slog to the finish line is enough to put you off Parkrun for life. There are much easier courses nearby.

I checked in with Wayne before the start, and after finishing myself, I went back down the course to encourage and accompany him to the finish line where he was met with a huge cheer.

 I finished in 24th place with a slower than normal time of 29:05, whilst Wayne came in 52nd with a time of 44:07.

 Back home, I spent half an hour in the garden, but unfortunately, the sunshine didn’t last—showers and a strong breeze set the scene for the rest of the afternoon. As I write this, the front window is being bombarded with hailstones.