Wimpole

Parkrun 38 and it's time for a return to where I consider to be my home Parkrun at Wimpole estate in Cambridgeshire.

Wimpole estate is one of the many national trust locations in the UK which strongly support Parkrun, indeed the estate hosts a number of other events junior Parkrun, 10k, half marathon and night runs to name a few.

After a few runs in Stevenage where the course is a little more forgiving I was wary to return and post a much slower time but resolved in the car on the way that this was the week to get a PB, a common resolve but this week more forcefully than most.

Arriving at Wimpole you are guided by some of the army of volunteers (more volunteers are needed than at many parkruns) to park up. The car park has a £2 charge for non members which I very quickly determined justified buying national trust membership for the family.

Once parked it it's very easy to identify the start point as this is a very popular run regularly getting over 300 runners. Everyone congregates in front of the stakes entrance for the pre run brief which is very detailed always including updates on where the livestock are located (particularly the bull) shoutouts to the sponsors, national trust and volunteers and then to milestone runners and tourists. All of this takes a little time and I don't think any of the runs I've done at Wimpole have quite started at nine but very soon after we are all directed a short easy to the start line (assuming you're not running with a dog as they start about 100 years in front).

The run starts down a rough road for about the first half a kilometer with the only indication of cross country bring diversions onto the verge to avoid the cattle grids, during which time you will likely catch up with some of the dog runners. Then the course takes a left turn and solid footings become a thing of the past. The rest of the first kilometer is pretty flat though. At the one kilometer mark you take a sharp right turn, soon after the dog runners all head off for an extra section to make up the distance lost at the start and when they rejoin the course starts a long steady climb to two kilometers which can take you a little by surprise and generally tends to add a few seconds to my average time.

Without any opportunity to rest you now have to turn right to tackle "the hill" it's not a long way but it's steep and can get slippery after rain, this is definitely the point which a determine to run the whole course gets abandoned.  Just to polish of the experience at the top of the rise there's a tree who's low branch enjoys giving me a thwack on the head by easy of a reward most weeks. There is also always a cheery marshal atop the hill to give you the encouragement you undoubtably need.

Once past the hill you follow down a tree lined avenue which is my favourite part of the course.  As well as the knowledge that the hardest part is behind you this section shows off the estate beautifully with the folly framed by trees in the foreground.

At around 3km in you now descend steeply towards the lake, while this is a great relief and opportunity to gather breath again there are a few small mounds in the path which need to be avoided to save ankles.  A right turn at the bottom of the hill takes you alongside the lake for a nice flat section where you can really open up your stride to prepare for the last kilometer.

For the last km you begin with the final incline of the run and then head over the iron bridge which can be quite treacherous in wet weather and then head towards the welcome sight of the house.  Following the path around the West side of the house you finally head down the gravel drive (one of the best opportunities for photographs) and then rejoin the first road for a short sprint back to the start/finish line.

Well something worked because a check of my watch on the way to get my barcode scanned showed a PB of approximately 48 seconds just one of a good number of PBs that day.

Unfortunately I had to depart promptly because the next part is another of the true benefits of running at Wimpole which is the National Trust cake in the rectory cafe.

Next week it's back to touring with a planned visit to Stonehouse parkrun in Gloucestershire.