Huddersfield juniors parkrun event #3 in brilliant sunshine

Just 3 events in and we are starting to get some stand out performances from our juniors with new course records set from both the boys and the girls this week.

It was my (Matthew Pattison's) turn as RD at this weeks Huddersfield juniors parkrun and with a full volunteer roster and the weather fairies working their magic it was all set up to be a fantastic junior parkrun morning.

The pre-event setup is becoming a favourite of the juniors team's children as they like to draw the start and finish lines and add pictures, arrows and messages. This also makes them feel more a part of the event and even helps them make friends with the other juniors.

       

I am assured that this is a rocket a firework rocket drawn by my son Dexter (6) and his brother Clark (3) helped him with the finish line.

The run as a whole is becoming a very slick and well oiled machine but the behind the scenes action is still being fine tuned and altered slightly by each of the team as they take their turn as RD. Plus we are there backing each other up as we go and make sure that we make a junior parkrun that the juniors can enjoy and be proud of.

As the junior, parents and marshals started to stream through the park gates there was a buzz in the air and the smiles on the juniors faces was amazing and the sun just topped it off.

After the run brief we attempted a Marshal Mexican wave to make sure they can see each other, we know they can see each other but this week it failed. Maybe we will try it again next week as it's a great way to get the juniors involved at the start, with the juniors starting the Mexican wave down towards marshal 1.

The juniors were all set off safely and before we could blink we had some of them completing lap 1 which still catches us of guard at how quick they are. The funnel was set out and we clapped the remaining junior on to their 2nd laps and again we were almost caught off guard as our first finisher crossed the line in a course record time and our first sub 7 minute time. 3 events in and we've already broken the 7 minute barrier, where will our course record time settle at in a few weeks time, it keeps getting broken, but that wasn't it. The time he finished in was also an age grade record for the course. plus not settling for that, our first girl across the line also broke the girls course record and completing the trifecta of course records.

This weeks run finished with a lot of happy juniors, with 56 first timers and 35 new PB's out of the field of 155 runners. Following on from Leeds parkruns trip to the moon (see their Facebook page if confused) so far our juniors have run from Greenhead park to the outskirts of Berlin and by this time next week we will have visited Zary parkrun in Poland. (http://www.parkrun.pl/zary/)

I wonder how far our juniors will travel over then next year or is that thinking too far ahead too soon.

Keep running everyone

Temple Newsam's 1st Birthday and Team Pattison tourism

This past parkrunday Team Pattison packed up early and headed off to Temple Newsam parkrun to join in the celebrations for their 1st birthday. This was also Team Pattisons first team tourism, I had done a couple on my own before but this was the first one that we all were taking part in.

We arrived and met up with my friend Steve and made our way round to join the ever growing crowd at the start. There was a large following from the Huddersfield running bunnies that had made the trip up the M1 too, which added to the already great atmosphere. Whilst we all arrived Leigh Harvey was going round handing out party hats for everyone to wear, we even put one on Flynn. 

As this was our first time at Temple Newsam parkrun we didn't know the course or where the start was but I did know courtesy of social media that they had changed the course a bit. I had no idea what from or to so it was useless information to us but for those who were more regular I'm sure it was helpful. So after a bit of standing around looking a little lost and scared we got the call to go to the start, from Ronnie the "ppoty" (parkrun personality of the year 2013) and event director. It seemed no one knew where the start was so Ronnie led the way and soon had us all lined up ready for the start and the run brief. Then after a couple of introductions and a couple of photos, we were off and across the grass/muddy path we went. 

When we reached the start of the downhill it seemed everyone had under-estimated the warning we got at the run brief about the icy bits and taking them steady. There was quite a lot of accidental Temple T's, regulars of Temple Newsam parkrun will know what I mean. For those of you that don't here is a photo to explain.

At the bottom of the hill we could trust our footing again and pick up the pace, and not long after dodging all the puddles we were already for the uphill back to the start. There was kilometer markers placed around the course which was nice but it made me think if there were any at other parkruns I had been to, and there wasn't any. It's only a small thing but it was nice to see, I can see how it could get confusing at 3 lap courses and part lap courses but on a 2 lapper it's great.

After climbing the hill up to the house I started lap 2 and was already being too slow for my friend Steve who had stayed with me for a bit but was stronger on the climb so decided to keep going rather than wait for me, which I totally understand and wondered why he hadn't do it already. 

The second lap was a bit quicker to start with as I knew where I was going this time but when it came to climb the last hill again my legs felt really heavy. I still managed to make it up in a pleasing time but the finish was now right at the top of the hill right in front of the house so the extra 50m climb up to the finish really hurt mentally but the friendly reception I got from the volunteers was great. About halfway up the hill I had noticed that S-J, Dexter and Flynn were struggling and were last. Mainly as the buggy we use doesn't have the most suitable front wheels for the muddy patches and the bumpiness of the footpaths. So after a quick chat with Steve and  a catch of my breath I ran on to catch them up and help. When I caught up with them Dexter was helping the tail runner Nikki Coop collect the markers and cones etc as they went by. Nikki Coop was brilliant with Dexter and taught him the correct way to do the Temple T.

I took Flynn and the buggy off S-J for the final hill climb so she could cross the line with Dexter and they got a amazing cheer as they crossed the line thanks to all the people who stayed back after they had finished themselves.

At the finish I managed to get a quick word with Nicola Forwood and meet Poppy for the first time, and  Nicola got met Flynn again 4 months after the last time at Huddersfield parkrun. it's safe to say he was a lot bigger now than when she met him at only 3 weeks old. Unfortunately it was only a brief meeting as we had a very excited 5 year old who wanted to play in the playground by the car park before we had to go and pick up Clark. So even with the ice and mud I had a fantastic time, S-J not so much but we will definitely be back again maybe in the Spring or summer. 

Thank you to everyone at Temple Newsam parkrun and a special thanks to Nikki Coop who kept S-J and Dexters spirits going through until the finish.

Keep running everyone

*****S-J edit*****

I had a lovely time! I genuinely thought I might die going over the wet muddy grass track, as the buggy seemed to think it should be a bloody plough!  The first lap was honestly horrific in my defense I did get so cold at the start I couldn't feel my toes and it was an uphill start and I couldn't run down the hills due to ice!  Also one of the little known joys of pushing a buggy in the ice is you have to hold it back down hill so it was like resistance training! Nikki Coop was ace and we didn't even finish last (just v nearly last) I will do it again in the sunshine!!! 

My first Leeds 10k Abbey Dash 2013

This Sunday it was my first ever Leeds 10k Abbey Dash and also the biggest event I've been to so far.

My running friend Steve and I both signed up for it a couple of weeks ago and both of us hadn't really done any training for it other than a couple of 5k runs on a Thursday night and a steady parkrun on Saturday. But both of us still wanted to beat our PBs and smash them at that.

We arrived in Leeds nice and early and made our way across the city centre to the gathering area and start pens. Some how even though Steve is faster than me, I ended up in the Sub 45 group and Steve in the Sub 55 group. We got to the start area and there was already a couple of thousand people there warming up, using the toilets or dancing to the music that was blasting out across the empty site of the old international swimming pool knocked down a while a go. 

At the far corner were the start pens with enormous flags attached with the different group colours and category on them. 

After the official warm up we all gathered in our assigned pens, even if some people just ignored the different groups and went where they wanted to go. Which I didn't mind if your trying to improve your time and you think your fast enough but some people were from the 60+min group and as we started running were instantly passed, and got in the way a bit. Soon enough though we were on our way and spreading out and running at our usual pace. 

The route for the Abbey Dash isn't the most interesting route by all means but it's the whole event that gets the adrenaline going and the crowds along the road that keeps your mind focused. As the run unfolded I found myself hitting mental walls at various stages that co inside with what my body is used to. At the turn and 5k point I hit my parkrun wall where my body thought I would stop, but once I was passed that my body surrendered and seemed to just say, ok we're still going, alright. So I still kept my pace going at a similar time to the first 5k. Up until 8k I was ok but here is where I've always seemed have to a mental wall. From 7.5k to 8k I think I slowed a touch but once again as I passed that wall I found it a bit easier again. That didn't last long at all though, as I hit 9k the lack of practice runs took its toll and my cardio was shot. My legs felt ok but my lungs where just burning and my head was pounding from dehydration. It was here where I realised I might not break my PB and the last few hundred metres were slow and as others still pushed on and passed me on the finish straight it was hard. Then I realised that Steve who was in the wave behind me still hadn't passed me this cheered me up as even though he will have a faster time I will beat him to the line. Then with 200 metres to go Simon from Huddersfield parkrun passed me on a mission to beat his PB of 45.55 and I knew if he kept going he would smash it, so I have him a big "go on Simon" as he passed and then I tried to push on myself. I crossed the finish line and forgot to stop my running app until I was further up the finish funnel, so I had no idea what time I got.

 I caught up with Simon and congratulated him, he showed me his watch showing a time of 44 mins something so he had beaten his PB and smashed it too. Unluckily later on though he found out his timing chip had failed so ended with a DNF instead of a new PB which is a shame, but just means he'll have to beat it next year instead.

After collecting my T-Shirt and drink I went to wait at the pre-arranged meeting point that Steve and I said we would be at, after we finished. To my surprise Steve was already waiting for me, so I asked him when he passed me as I hadn't noticed him passing me. He said that when they were moving the pens to the start line he jumped on ahead of me, so he was always ahead of me. Oh well the thought of being ahead of Steve kept me going that last bit of the run. 

As we got back to the car to go home we were discussing times and as I wasn't sure what time I had got I had come to the conclusion that if I beat my PB 46.21 then I'm happy but if I do manage to get under 46 mins I'll be ecstatic. About 10 seconds later no lie I got my result text in and my Gun time was 47.23 but my chip time was 45.58!!!! Yay!!! I did it, great! 

That did it, that perked me right up and topped off a great weekend of running and family time. So a big thanks to Steve for driving and for inadvertently spuring me on the last few hundred metres. Big thanks to Simon and Huddersfield parkrun for the only bit training I really did. Plus a big thanks to my family for joining in with the running these past few months you've made it just that extra bit more special.

Keep running everyone