Parkruns on the Trail – Penistone

As the newest member of the TPT National Office team, I thought I would combine my interest in running with getting to know more of the Trail by running the different Parkruns that take place along the Trail and to pass on my experience to other Trail users.

Starting last Saturday with my nearest Parkrun in Penistone, I arrived with four friends, Ian, Chloe, Quentin and Josh to the Winter sun melting away the overnight frost.

The course consists of a loop around the Showground field followed by 4.1km on the Trail, running along to Hillside Lane and back before a final half circuit back up the Showground field to the finishing line.

It was a great turn out with Stocksbridge Running Club joining us for a Parkrun takeover which meant, more runners, more volunteers and pacers.

As usual, the volunteers were a very friendly, optimistic bunch of people who keep smiling in the most challenging of conditions but with runners’ safety (on slippery fields) and the courtesy to other users on the Trail, their main priority.

We gathered at the start point next to Penistone Skateboard Park where ‘first timers’ received their briefing before the full briefing took place minutes before the start with details of the possible hazards we would encounter (a slippery Showground field), a reminder to give right of way to other users on the Trail and several shout outs for visiting runners, the volunteers and for John who was running his 100^th Parkrun.

9am arrived and we were off, running a circuit around a rather waterlogged field with the welcome arrival onto ‘terra firma’ when we reached the Trail after 600 metres, acknowledging other Trail users with friendly exchanges as we passed hikers, dog walkers, pram pushers and cyclists, young and old.

There were also lots of points of interest along this part of the Trail to distract me from the challenge of an early morning run, passing under bridges, past wood sculptures, old railway signals, habitat piles and of course several friendly Parkrun volunteers who were encouraging us along the way.

There is the slightest of gradients on the Trail outwards, towards Hillhouse Lane which means a welcome descent, and a spring in my step, on the return leg until you reach the last 300 meters when it was a bit of a slog up the waterlogged field to the finishing line.  But the volunteers’ welcome and camaraderie at the end made it all the worthwhile.

We gathered our belongings and after one final wave and thanks to the volunteers, we made our way for the highlight of the morning, a coffee and the checking of  our Strava accounts at Generations Café Bar, one of several great coffee shops in Penistone.

A really good morning, shared with friends while making new friends within the Parkrun community.

Look out for my next Parkrun blog when I will be doing a bit of Parkrun Tourism at Rother Valley Parkrun.

Date: 19th January 2024