Race Report - Hull parkrun Event 53 - DNS

Well, I opted for Hull parkrun - possibly the lure of free cake, possibly just the opportunity to expand my parkrun CV.

Unfortunately I managed to get lost in Hull and then didn't find the correct park until too late. I should have allowed more time, but at least I know where it is for next time...

I parked up at about 9:15, and had a stroll towards the interior of the park looking for the race start area. Finding I was still quite a distance away (it's a big park!) I went back and moved the car nearer, then stripped off and went for a jog round. I paused for a chat with one of the marshals (I hope I didn't distract him too much from his duties!), and he told me where the start was and described the course.

I continued the opposite way to the race so as not to be taken for a competitor, though I did go off course a couple of times. It's a lovely park and the course, which is very flat and on broad tarmac paths, winds around a large lake and the East Park Animal Education Centre (I'm not sure why the animals need educating), where I think I spotted wallabies, deer, alpaca, peacocks, rhea and cranes.

I jogged around for about 3½ miles, finishing by going over the bridge across the lake (not on the parkrun route) and coming to the park's very own 'Khyber Pass', which I felt compelled to investigate, finding that it is in fact a folly built in the 1880's.

Checking the Hull parkrun website I see that they smashed their attendance record by twenty, with 196. My current PB would have placed me 23rd (2nd VM50-55).

I rarely have reason to visit Hull, but should I find myself there with the time to go for a run, whether a Saturday morning parkrun or not, I'd happily return to East Park. Perhaps I might take in a Hull parkrun on another visit to York.