latest news

Woodley parkrun’s 9th Birthday and 400th Event Celebration

Posted on October 17, 2021 by woodleyoffice

Run Report by: Rob Widdis
Photos by: Kevin Lewington can be found here.
Published by: Emily Mason

If you’re anything like me, you’ll regard this whole “running” business as an excuse to eat cakes and stand around nattering. I am happy to say that Woodley’s Celebration 9th Birthday Celebration & 400th Run Celebration Joint Celebration Event (ooooh goodness me what a lot of Celebrations) delivered to the maximum. Want cakes? Yep, more than a Saturday’s worth of hungry Woodley parkrunners can manage in an October morning, and thank you to everyone who brought some in, and a big bananaery thank you to Kate Pattenden for the banana themed cake. Want nattering? Again, happy to oblige as the post-run cake-munching throng happily talked nonsense for a long while after completing their 5ks…..in an appropriately socially distanced way of course.

Want runners? Why not, 315 lovely souls finished our humble 3.1 miles of Woodford Park glory, with the delectable Matt Sargent being the first one back in (for the first time ever), whilst the no less talented Nicola Lee sprinted home very soon afterwards as our first female finisher. Of course, parkrun is in no way about the first people to complete the course, it’s about everyone doing it, taking as long as they need to, and hopefully at some point gaining physical and mental health benefits in doing so. These benefits are most obviously found in those achieving a personal best, which 34 of you managed on Saturday, which we felt was an excellent effort given the slippery conditions of the course. Hello to our tourists from Reading and other bits of Reading and Dinton and Bracknell and everywhere else. Thank you and hello to our first timers, we hope that you enjoyed it and will come back – we just can’t promise that there’ll be as much cake next time.

Want volunteers? Well, yes please, and happily 35 volunteers were with us to deliver the event, which is brilliant, and the Event team are so pleased that so many of you came forward to help us on Saturday, thank you to all of you. I don’t usually make a point of picking out individual volunteers but I’d like to give this week’s Run Director Sarah a massive round of applause for organizing such a wonderful morning. Now I haven’t told her this yet but I was so impressed that I’m going to get her to be Run Director for our next birthday in 2022 too, so put a date in your diaries for the 8th of October, and start thinking about baking already…..

Here’s the stats...

This week 315 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 14 were first timers and 34 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 21 different clubs took part.

The event was made possible by 35 volunteers:

Nigel S HOULT • Maria Jesus INIGUEZ DE CIRIANO • David Howard CASWELL • Eoin Stuart MCLEOD • Lorna MCLEOD • Richard MASON • Matt TYE • Hilary RENNIE • Emily MASON • Amanda TIPLADY • Sarah DREW • Rob WIDDIS • Kate PATTENDEN • Sarah HILLING • Suzanne BYRNE • Kevin LEWINGTON • Geoff WHITE • Graham BOYCE • Jennifer CASSIDY • Elizabeth CASSIDY • Veronika ROYLE • Jonathan KERSHAW • Jan KERSHAW • Katheryn SUMNER • Vicki SMITH • Alex BENNELL • Amelia THOMPSON • Sarah BATE • Harriet BYRNE • Sushama KHANDEKAR • Brian OXBROUGH • Steve WILSON • Chloe WILSON • Bruce HUNTER • Nathan HUNTER

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

The male record is held by Robert CORNEY who recorded a time of 15:17 on 6th April 2019 (event number 341).
The female record is held by Lauren CHURCH who recorded a time of 17:19 on 2nd October 2021 (event number 398).
The Age Grade course record is held by Caroline HOSKINS who recorded 91.55% (18:32) on 30th March 2019 (event number 340).

Woodley parkrun started on 13th October 2012. Since then 11,114 participants have completed 106,610 parkruns covering a total distance of 533,050 km, including 17,073 new Personal Bests. A total of 926 individuals have volunteered 8,602 times.

Woodley parkrun event 399 – The Foggy One

Posted on October 9, 2021 by woodleyoffice

Run report by Richard Mason
Photos by Richard Mason can be found here.
Published by Emily Mason

The weather was a bit misty and foggy but dry, not too hot, not too cold and so 326 participants had good conditions for their run / jog / walk this morning.

Having conducted the run briefing and welcomed our first timers and tourists (Frimley Lodge and Reading), Run Director Sarah sent us off with a smile, one of us a little too fast, keen to be first participant to see his son marshalling on the war memorial (Hi Max!). Needless to say it didn’t last.

Having made it to the finish I took some pictures of finishers,* a selection of which are below:

920 different people have volunteered at Woodley so far and, if you’d like to add to that happy number in a future week, please take a look at the Future Roster on the Volunteer tab above and see what you fancy. Full training is given where needed. As we rely solely on volunteers to put on the event I would encourage you not to be shy.

* One lady asked me if I could delete her picture and so I immediately did so. If anyone else feels the same way please let the photographer know at the time or contact the Woodley office.

With that, I hope everyone has a good week and look forward to seeing you next Saturday for our 9th birthday and 400th Woodley parkrun – fancy dress encouraged, juggling balls optional.

…and now for those stats:

This week 326 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 16 were first timers and 47 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 29 different clubs took part.

The event was made possible by 25 volunteers:

David SAYER • Maria Jesus INIGUEZ DE CIRIANO • Diane HODDER • Eoin Stuart MCLEOD • Lorna MCLEOD • Richard MASON • Emily MASON • Amanda TIPLADY • Toby KOSCHALKA • Anthony ROLLEY • Sarah HILLING • Suzanne BYRNE • Geoff WHITE • Graham BOYCE • Tim LOWE • Gia MIDDLETON • Moira ALLEN • Jessica HILLING • Katheryn SUMNER • Vicki SMITH • Cissi BURROWS • Bill HELLINGS • Brian OXBROUGH • Alistair PARRY • Max MASON

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

Woodley parkrun started on 13th October 2012. Since then 11,100 participants have completed 106,295 parkruns covering a total distance of 531,475 km, including 17,039 new Personal Bests. A total of 920 individuals have volunteered 8,567 times.

Woodley parkrun event #398

Posted on October 4, 2021 by woodleyoffice

Run Report by: Rob Widdis
Photos by: Kevin Lewington can be found here.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll have wondered who those people are in the fetching pink waistcoats, clapping and cheering you on in all weathers while you’re running around the park. You may have also wondered why you only seem to see the pink jacketed ones on Saturday mornings, but when you’re walking the dog after work on a Tuesday evening, they don’t seem to be there. You might have thought that they are migratory beings of some sort, only apparent in Woodley during certain times of the year. It is however your collective lucky days, as I am proud to reveal to you that these are your marshals.

Your marshals (we aim to have six or more in place each week) are there to help you. They’re there to encourage you, to empower you towards as yet unrealized heights of physical achievement and to cheer you on your speedy (other speeds are available) way. They’re with us to help with situations of whatever sort, and as such they’re our eyes and ears out on the course. They’re also there to show you the way around the course. However, they’re not there to be cut in front of, or bumped into, or to be told to “get out of the way”, all of which happened last weekend. Follow the righteous path that the marshals provide for you, and go where they tell you, and you’ll achieve a good time for your 5k – not your 4.75k as a couple of our runners seemed to think was appropriate too.

We, your humble Event Team at Woodley, are here to encourage you to be your best you, and we do this by providing a free weekly timed 5k running etc event. All we ask for in return is that you bring your barcodes, and that you thank your marshals as you go round.....only if you're able to do that of course, I can barely manage to say anything at all after the third time around the pond and up that stupid incline thing that we’ve got.

OK, good behaviour encouragement piece over, we need to congratulate Lauren Church on beating the ladies course record, which is now set at 17:19 - well done Lauren!

Here's the remainder of the stats:
This week 308 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 22 were first timers and 46 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 25 different clubs took part.

The event was made possible by 26 volunteers:

David SAYER • Michael Ian SOUTHERTON • Rhona Louise SOUTHERTON • Joanne KENT • Andy BEST • Sara Jane BEST • Emily MASON • Rob WIDDIS • Anthony ROLLEY • Sarah HILLING • Suzanne BYRNE • Kevin LEWINGTON • Graham BOYCE • Erica FAIRHURST • Spike FAIRHURST • Jonathan KERSHAW • Jessica HILLING • Jan KERSHAW • Katheryn SUMNER • Vicki SMITH • Claire SOUTHERTON • Vicki MCCARDLE • Miles MCCARDLE • Glenys HART • Max MASON • Harrison BYRNE

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

Woodley parkrun started on 13th October 2012. Since then 11,084 participants have completed 105,969 parkruns covering a total distance of 529,845 km, including 16,992 new Personal Bests. A total of 917 individuals have volunteered 8,542 times.

here’s the stats

Woodley parkrun #397

Posted on September 27, 2021 by woodleyoffice

Run Report by: Sam Whalley
Photos by: Kevin Lewington can be found here.
Published by: Rob Widdis

Despite previously being a Run Director and Event Director at Woodley parkrun, it's a long time since I've volunteered on set-up. Arriving at the leisure centre at 8.20, the other keen beans had already got the kit out of the cupboard. I was relieved that Alan Thomas was despatched to do the course check and put out the signs, because I can't remember where they go! (Don't worry if this is your job - there is a map!) The rest of us headed down to set up the all-important finish area. This is one of my favourite jobs as it's a great opportunity for a chinwag. Regular setter-upper Kevin Lewington knew exactly where the funnel was supposed to go too, so I was saved again, phew!

Super-experienced deliverer of the first-timers' briefing, Mick Southerton, welcomed 34 visitors, (some from cancelled Reading and Prospect) and 12 complete parkrun newbies, to event #397. We hope you enjoyed your run here.

Today's Run Director, Andy Best, read the usual announcements, and there were congratulations in order for junior runners, Jess, running her 10th parkrun, and Miles, on his 50th. Mark Marten and Gordon Fogg were also on their 50th run today, while mum and son, Kathryn and Freddie, ran with a '100' balloon each, to celebrate their achievement. Well done if you ran a milestone today.

I was on course to reach my 250th parkrun last year, but the pandemic happened and I didn't get there. With 19 still to go, I won't make it this year either, so I have made a big deal about reaching my 250th volunteering occasion instead. I made the most of it by putting myself down for set-up, tail walking and writing this! Note that these are all roles you can do and still get a parkrun under your belt.

It was great at the back. I started off walking with a couple of women who only planned to do one lap while waiting for family members to finish. Once they were done I jogged to catch up with Keith Jefferies, who used to run, and now walks, while his hip issue is still to nr sorted. As well as chatting to Keith, I got to walk my dog, and cheer on and exchange pleasantries with just about every other parkrunner. Who says no one wins at parkrun?!

The conditions were perfect for running today - it was dry, still and the ground was firm. No wonder, then, that 52 of you got PBs, including Sophie Higgs, who knocked 7 minutes off her previous Woodley time from 2019 - amazing!

Keith and I came in just under the hour, which felt good, and I had my barcode and position token 353 scanned by Rob Thompson, who had also notched up both a running and volunteering credit today - you can do this if you are a faster runner.

I've only just looked at last week's report (sorry, ED Rob), and noted the bit about having more marshals on the top field. These were noted, and much appreciated. If you haven't volunteered at parkrun or junior parkrun yet, have a go. You might like it as much as I do.

Here's the full set of stats:

This week 353 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 46 were first timers and 52 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 26 different clubs took part.

The event was made possible by 22 volunteers:

David SAYER • Maria Jesus INIGUEZ DE CIRIANO • Michael Ian SOUTHERTON • Steve PAYNE • Andy BEST • Eoin Stuart MCLEOD • Lorna MCLEOD • Sara Jane BEST • Alan THOMAS • Andy LORING • Richard MASON • Samantha WHALLEY • Amanda TIPLADY • Michael MOORE • Sarah HILLING • Suzanne BYRNE • Kevin LEWINGTON • Geoff WHITE • Graham BOYCE • Vicki SMITH • Yadira DIAZ • Rob THOMPSON

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

The male record is held by Robert CORNEY who recorded a time of 15:17 on 6th April 2019 (event number 341).

The female record is held by Naomi MITCHELL who recorded a time of 17:22 on 11th May 2019 (event number 346).

The Age Grade course record is held by Caroline HOSKINS who recorded 91.55% (18:32) on 30th March 2019 (event number 340).

Woodley parkrun started on 13th October 2012. Since then 11,062 participants have completed 105,661 parkruns covering a total distance of 528,305 km, including 16,946 new Personal Bests. A total of 915 individuals have volunteered 8,515 times.

Woodley parkrun #396

Posted on September 20, 2021 by woodleyoffice

Run Report By: Rob Widdis
Photos By: Kevin Lewington can be found here.
Published By: Gia Middleton

I’m sure that many of you have pondered about life’s mysteries whilst plodding around Woodford Park. You know, why am I here doing this? How would I feel if it turns out that there really is non-Terran life in the Solar System? If we win on Saturday how many points behind QPR will we be? Where exactly did those traffic cones come from? That type of thing. The answers to each of those of course is a deeply personal thing, except for the last one, which is a secret.

It’s lovely being back though, isn’t it? Hot but not too hot unless you’re wearing a giraffe costume, the top field not yet turned into its customary mud-bath, leaves not yet cast aside by the trees that have carried them throughout the summer and the gentle washing of the waves against the golden sand as the sun sets behind Sugar Loaf Mountain….hang on, that’s the run report I was halfway through writing for Copacabana parkrun.

Anyway, once reality trickled back in, I noticed that numbers were way up on Saturday, fueled no doubt by a cancellation at TVP meaning that we had visitors from Reading and beyond. There were 63 new PBs, and we wondered if our new-found rigour applied to corner-cutting might have an effect on the number of PBs, and well it has, it’s made everyone run faster! We’re trying to commit to having more marshals on the top field – we think it’ll help make the course friendlier, more secure and will get more engagement with other park users, such as those there for football. It does also mean though that we’ll need more volunteers, so come on, get involved and give it a go…the future roster is here: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/woodley/futureroster/

And we’re not joking about the need for another Run Director – you get to delegate everything, and then swan about taking the praise and plaudits, and it’s by no means compulsory to write the run reports afterwards, I do this because I enjoy it……

Here’s the stats:

This week 358 people ran, jogged and walked the course, of whom 33 were first timers and 63 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 24 different clubs took part.

The event was made possible by 23 volunteers:

David SAYER • Eoin Stuart MCLEOD • Andy LORING • Amanda TIPLADY • Michael MOORE • Rob WIDDIS • Anthony ROLLEY • Nicola PENNY • Suzanne BYRNE • Kevin LEWINGTON • Geoff WHITE • Graham BOYCE • Tim LOWE • Gia MIDDLETON • Jonathan KERSHAW • Jan KERSHAW • Vicki SMITH • Peter GLASS • Bill HELLINGS • Brian OXBROUGH • Neville BIRD • Steve WILSON • Harrison BYRNE

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

The male record is held by Robert CORNEY who recorded a time of 15:17 on 6th April 2019 (event number 341).
The female record is held by Naomi MITCHELL who recorded a time of 17:22 on 11th May 2019 (event number 346).
The Age Grade course record is held by Caroline HOSKINS who recorded 91.55% (18:32) on 30th March 2019 (event number 340).

Woodley parkrun started on 13th October 2012. Since then 11,016 participants have completed 105,308 parkruns covering a total distance of 526,540 km, including 16,894 new Personal Bests. A total of 914 individuals have volunteered 8,493 times.

Older Posts ⇒

⇐ Newer Posts