7th December 2019

The mild December morning provided perfect conditions for the 304 people who ran, jogged and walked the beautiful course at Fairlands Valley Park. Twenty-two of the people were first timers and an impressive 46 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 29 different clubs took part, and parkrun tourists came from nearby Letchworth and as far afield St Neots, Penzance, Billericay and Somerset. The tourist from Somerset, John Kennedy, was a former Stevenage parkrunner.

Run Director Tony Ranfield preparing to brief the crowd

The event was made possible by 19 enthusiastic volunteers:

Phil DEAVES • Daniel SUTTON • Ems SOUTHERINGTON • Elizabeth JORDAN • Tichaonezvi J. RUREDZO • Jackie HOLLYWELL • Robin WOODROW • Tony RANDFIELD • Helen HARRIS • Matthew PATTMAN • Elaine BRAGG • Doug WILSON • Jane MOULDER • Alan FORD • April LACEY • Richard CLARKE • Niamh SKINNER • Mark DAVEY • Robert DAVEY

As the Tailwalker, April ensures that no one comes last!

If you are interested in volunteering for any of the roles, some of which can be combined with completing the event, simply email stevenagehelpers@parkrun.com.

Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Stevenage parkrun Results Page.

Kasia Poczatek celebrated her milestone 50th parkrun

The first three male finishers were: Joe Cronin (18:25), Steve Hallas (19:11) and David Ackerley (19:26). The first three female finishers were: Jessica Earp (20:30), Abigail Pez(22:24 PB) and Courtney Lendon (23:03 PB).

The male record is held by Ian KIMPTON who recorded a time of 15:07 on 3rd September 2016 (event number 15).
The female record is held by Annabel GUMMOW who recorded a time of 17:39 on 17th November 2018 (event number 127).
The Age Grade course record is held by Yuko GORDON who recorded 92.85% (22:51) on 10th November 2018 (event number 126).

Stevenage parkrun started on 28th May 2016. Since then 7,878 participants have completed 51,350 parkruns covering a total distance of 256,750 km, including 10,217 new Personal Bests. A total of 515 individuals have volunteered 3,625 times.

On a related note, you may be interested to know that Paul Sinton-Hewett, the founder of parkrun was recently awarded the prestigious Albert Prize by the RSA for his building what has become a global participation movement.

Paul Sinton-Hewitt, founder of parkrun, honoured with the prestigious Albert medal

You can read more about here and listen to Paul’s interview on the popular podcast for parkrunners ‘Freeweeklytimed’.

Have a great week and see you next Saturday when the parkrun Director will be David Scott.

It was a cold and very chilly morning that greeted our runners on Saturday. It was certainly the coldest parkrun this autumn. However, it still didn't deter 277 runners or were they trying to avoid Christmas shopping?!! Of the 277 runners 23 were first timers and 35 recorded new Personal Bests. I hope the first timers enjoyed the run and congratulations to the runners who recorded a PB in not ideal conditions. Representatives of 28 different clubs took part.

Our parkrun milestones this week are Debbie Harris who ran her 50th parkrun! Heidi Mollart-Griffin & Jackie Hollywell both ran their 100th parkruns! Congratulations to them all and look out for those parkrun t-shirt emails. First person past the line on Saturday was Joe Cronin and first female was Gail Mackie.

Our brilliant volunteers for Saturday who braved the cold conditions are:

Phil DEAVES • Ems SOUTHERINGTON • Lauren HUGHES • Jo FISHER • Helen HARRIS • Richard GLAISTER • Stephen SMITHSON • Rosemary BIGGS • Debbie BASSETT • Alan FORD • Nicola ANDERSSON • Chris ROWLANDS • Marleen VAN ZWIETEN • Mark DAVEY • Robert DAVEY • Eileen CROWE

Don't forgot that we have a special Christmas Day parkrun starting at 9.00am. Christmas costumes and decorations will be admired! On New Years Day we have a special run starting at 10.30am. On NYD you can run two parkruns, so please go to the national parkrun website to see which other parkruns are holding an event and choose your double!

354 people flocked to Stevenage parkrun this week to complete the free, timed 5km. The conditions were good and 58 parkrunners set new PBs. There were 23 parkrunners completing the Fairlands Valley course for the first time, we hope to see you back again soon.

There was just one milestone run this week. Charlie Grayson completed his 50th run, well done Charlie.

Thank you to Pat KIMPTON, Laura KIMPTON, Ian KIMPTON, Thomas SAUKA, Karen BROOM, Helen HARRIS, Joe COLGAN, Sally MCBRIDE, Trevor BROOM, Peter CARPENTER, Elaine BRAGG, Rosemary BIGGS, Alan FORD, Nicola ANDERSSON, Paula SPARKS and Sophie WEST who made the event possible. If you would like to volunteer to help out over the coming weeks, drop us an email at stevenagehelpers@parkrun.com.

Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Stevenage parkrun Results Page.

On Wednesday 1st January 2020 we will be holding a New Years Day run. We will be starting at 10.30am. Don't forget New Years Day is the only time that you can run two parkruns in the same day. So visit the national parkrun website to see which other local parkruns are holding a run this year and choose your double!

On New Years Day this year, we broke our attendance record, so we look forward to another bumpy turnout in 2020!

We will be having a special Christmas Day run on Wednesday 25th December starting at 9.00am. Festive costumes will be greatly admired, but you can still run in normal gear!

We look forward to seeing you there and starting a special day in a great way!

Stevenage parkrun
Event number 179
9th November 2019

We woke on Saturday to a rather frosty morning but once the course was checked and we made sure hazards were addressed we were good to go and cheer on the 369 people that ran, jogged and walked the course. We had 48 first timers and 55 people recorded new Personal Bests! Well done to you all!

Well done to both Peter Fitzgerald and Tim Saltmarsh who both ran thier 50th parkrun. If you have a big run coming up let us know so we can give you a shout out and you can have the absolute pleasure of wearing one of our milestone capes!

Thank you to all runners and volunteers for honouring the 1 minute silence that was held in remeberence of those who fought for us.

There was a slight error in the timings this week, apologies, and shout out to fellow director Tony for getting that sorted.

The event was made possible by 17 volunteers, who I ashamedly forgot to thank in my run brief (I blame the cold, my brain was not working to full capacity!):

David PEARSON • Ems SOUTHERINGTON • Angus KINDLEY • Chloe MARSHALL • James MARSHALL • Ken MARSHALL • Thomas SAUKA • Robin WOODROW • Lauren HUGHES • Tony RANDFIELD • Rosemary BIGGS • Chloe CHAPMAN • Alan FORD • Nicola ANDERSSON • Paula SPARKS • Mark DAVEY • Eileen CROWE
Helen HARRIS

As it gets colder we are even more appreciative of the help we get and ask that all runners try to volunteer every so often so we can keep a full roster and avoid any cancellations.

Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Stevenage parkrun Results Page.

A chilly but initially bright morning gave way to ominous looking clouds until it was overcast and began to drizzle, probably a typical way to start November but that rarely dampens the general mood in a parkrun.

Whatever the weather, the day saw a total of 242 runners arrive, but a damp November coupled with an unfortunate exact 9.00am clash with the England – South Africa Rugby World Cup was the ‘perfect storm’ for many and meant that the numbers were substantially reduced.

This week’s run Director David Scott welcomed 28 first time park runners and it might be my fevered imagination, but I couldn’t help get the feeling that one or two of those new to Parkrun were actually wondering how they’d come to be here in the cold light of the early dawn on a Saturday rather than being tucked up in bed with a cup of tea, or ready for the rugby……… they looked slightly bewildered but smiled politely as they listened.
The usual start of the cross paths between the two lakes was packed with runners bristling with anticipation and wanting to get going. Just before 9.00am run Director David welcomed everyone and there were Parkrun tourists from Melton Mowbray, Cambridge, Bedford and Westmill (near Ware). It seemed unusually light for PR tourists but the rugby world cup and less than ideal conditions kept many away. There were two significant milestones being celebrated including 100 Runs - Vicky Berry from Biggleswade AC who got to wear the famed 100 cape, There was also a 50 Runs for Nick Witcombe from Fairlands Valley Spartans. Both runners had bought several friends with them who were braving the conditions.

Following the Introductions & celebrations we were off and the pack headed off to begin the two clockwise loops of Fairlands Valley Park. It’s a beautiful sight to see the swans & the odd duck in the lakes and this takes your mind off the fact that the first few hundred meters can be a tad busy until the pack naturally stretches out. The route really has a good mix of everything from the wide tarmac paths by the lakes to the twisting pinch points where the path abuts the the stretch out past the wonderful marshals. Let’s face it without the marshals guiding everyone parallel to Six Hills Way, some of the keener athletes could end up tearing off towards Valley Way (!)

The course then lead back into the park and through the Parkrun tree corridor, up to the Northern end and around the smaller of two lakes over the wooden bridge and returning back to the starting area where the second loop commenced, cheered on by well wishers and the ever wonderful marshals.

While the second loop can be a tad taxing for many the only slight sting in the tail is the uphill stretch to the finish, which, for those of you who have signed up to Strava, you may have noticed that someone has named this quite simply as “nasty finish”. I’d prefer to use positive terminology here and we’ll simply call it a, er……. ‘challenging’ finish.
Still whether you’ve run, walked, find it easy or find every step a real battle – Good on you, for being there and being part of something bigger. For some of us, the finish line is just a marker and just for a brief moment in time, your spirits are lifted, and the world seems slightly brighter.

Although a Parkrun is never a race, it’s all about the taking part, first past the line for the ladies was Suzy Hawkins with a time of 21.02 and for the men Joe Cronin took 1st place with a time of 18.50.

This week’s volunteer heroes were David SCOTT, Alan FORD, Joe COLGAN, Tony RANDFIELD, Mark DAVEY, Dave Clark, Jan FRY, Elizabeth ABELHO, Mathew PATTMAN, Paul O’CONNOR, April LACEY, Esperanza CASTRO, Petra WARNER, Tom ATKINS, Eileen CROWE, Anne MILEER, Karl SPARKS, Ems SOUTHERINGTON, Helen HARRIS, Hannah BUTLER and Marleen VAN ZWEITEN.

The revolving roster of the Stevenage Parkrun team is entirely reliant on volunteers and while there is a core team, without volunteers giving up their time, Parkruns wouldn’t exist so, if you’re at a loose end, why not volunteer?, this is one of those occasions where you get a lot more out than you put in and you’ll be thanked by scores of grateful people that run past you (assuming they’re not too tired to speak that is!) and you’ll almost certainly make friends, socialise and enjoy the day.
Simon Berry (A63885)

This week 242 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 27 were first timers and 25 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 27 different clubs took part.

Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Stevenage parkrun Results Page.

The male record is held by Ian KIMPTON who recorded a time of 15:07 on 3rd September 2016 (event number 15).
The female record is held by Annabel GUMMOW who recorded a time of 17:39 on 17th November 2018 (event number 127).
The Age Grade course record is held by Yuko GORDON who recorded 92.85% (22:51) on 10th November 2018 (event number 126).

Stevenage parkrun started on 28th May 2016. Since then 7,714 participants have completed 49,678 parkruns covering a total distance of 248,390 km, including 9,974 new Personal Bests. A total of 510 individuals have volunteered 3,536 times.

Stevenage parkrun
Event number 176
19th October 2019

This week's Run Director, Tony Randfield, greeted the parkrun regulars and tourists and then invited them to show their appreciation for the volunteers who make the event possible each week.

The 19 volunteers who received the applause this week were:

Paul O'CONNOR • Elizabeth JORDAN • Ken JUDE • Chloe MARSHALL • James MARSHALL • Kathryn WILLS • Suzanne TYDEMAN • Tracy NORRIS • Tony RANDFIELD • Joe COLGAN • Tanya BEDFORD • Elaine BRAGG • Petra WARNER • Doug WILSON • Hannah BUTLER • Chloe CHAPMAN • Alan FORD • Tamara CLELFORD • Mark DAVEY

If you wish to volunteer please email the team at stevenagehelpers@parkrun.com. It’s worth remembering that there are some roles such as 'Setting up' and 'Closing down' where you can both volunteer and run. Volunteering is very rewarding and if you volunteer 25 times you will receive a beautiful purple milestone t-shirt.

The sunny autumnal weather provided perfect conditions for the 336 people who ran, jogged and walked the beautiful course. Of these, 30 were first timers, 44 people recorded new Personal Bests and there were representatives of 32 different clubs.
Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Stevenage parkrun Results Page.

The first three male runners across the line were Joe Cronin(18:29), the second was unknown and the third was James HUISH (18:47)
The male record is held by Ian KIMPTON who recorded a time of 15:07 on 3rd September 2016 (event number 15).

The first three females across the line were: Ashley SCHOENWETTER (20:14), the second was Gail MACKIE (20:34) and the third was Tabitha WILLIAMS (21:03).
The female record is held by Annabel GUMMOW who recorded a time of 17:39 on 17th November 2018 (event number 127).

Congratulations to the members who joined the milestone 100 club: Emma Clark and Jamie Clark and Jon Chestney and Jennifer Emily Watson who joined the milestone 50 club.

The Age Grade course record is held by Yuko GORDON who recorded 92.85% (22:51) on 10th November 2018 (event number 126).
Stevenage parkrun started on 28th May 2016. Since then 7,658 participants have completed 49,149 parkruns covering a total distance of 245,745 km, including 9,918 new Personal Bests. A total of 503 individuals have volunteered 3,496 times.

Next week's parkrun director is Richard GLAISTER.
Look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday 5th October saw 380 parkrunners complete the Stevenage course. Well done to all. There were 40 new parkrunners and 75 park runners recorded new personal bests.

Well done to Nicola KLEANTHOUS and Tom SCLANDERS who both completed their 50th run.
Well done to Oliver CLARKE, Rokas JANUSIS and Reuben REED, all under 11's completing their 10th runs.

This week's parkrun was made possible by Peter STACK, Laura KIMPTON, Anjali KRISHNANUNNI, Elizabeth JORDAN, Tichaonezvi J. RUREDZO, Dean CARPENTER, Yuko GORDON, Nicola HATHERLY, Lauren HUGHES, Jo FISHER, Tracy NORRIS, Tony RANDFIELD, Helen HARRIS, Joe COLGAN, Peter CARPENTER, Hannah BUTLER, Alan FORD, Chris ROWLANDS, Kirsty FERRARA and Michele BLACKABY. Thank you to all the volunteers. If you'd like to volunteer in the next few weeks drop us an email at stevenagehelpers@parkrun.com.

September 21st brought us a very pleasant Indian summers day which encouraged 378 parkrunners to take on the 5K course around Fairlands Valley park.

This week 378 people ran and walked the course, of whom 41 were first timers and 59 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 27 different clubs took part.
My thanks to all those people who made this event possible, our volunteers:

Ems SOUTHERINGTON • Anjali KRISHNANUNNI • Elizabeth JORDAN • Tichaonezvi J. RUREDZO • Nisha SODHA • Karen BROOM • Martin WATSON • Tony RANDFIELD • Carolyn LINSELL • Joe COLGAN • Richard GLAISTER • Sally MCBRIDE • Trevor BROOM • Jane MOULDER • Rosemary BIGGS • Alan FORD • Peter FITZGERALD • Nicola ANDERSSON • Rachel HALL • Sharon FLAHERTY • Barry NORGATE

Please consider volunteering too all volunteers are most
welcome.

First lady to get a click from the watch was Moria Morley in a time of 20-44, second Eva Ramsey 21-32, third Tracey Pitcairn.

For the gents Ian Kimpton recorded a time of 16-04 for 1st place, second was Kris Whitmore: 18-44 and Gregory Coker came in third in 18-51.

See you when Saturday comes parkrunners.

Number of events: 171
Number of runners: 7,486
Number of runs: 47,354
Number of first finishers: 159
Number of clubs: 439
Number of PBs: 9,625
Average number of runners per week: 276.9
Average number of runs per runner: 6.3
Biggest Attendance: 441
Average run time: 00:29:46
Total hours run: 2Years 249Days 4Hrs 54Min 53Secs
Total distance run: 236,770km
Female record holder: Annabel GUMMOW - 17:39 - Event 127 (17/11/18)
Male record holder: Ian KIMPTON - 15:07 - Event 15 (03/09/16)
Age graded record holder: Yuko GORDON - 92.85 % - 22:51 - Event 126 (10/11/18)