To tie in with my Birthday weekend away in Blackpool Gaz and I paid a visit to the Blackpool parkrun. This is currently the most northerly parkrun we have done!
It is only a few minutes drive away from the main Blackpool tourist stretch and located right next to Blackpool Zoo if you want to tie in a day out with it (Showers are available in the leisure centre for £4)
The pavements around the start were decorated with some lovely words and positive quotes.
Blackpool parkrun
Parking is available for free in the Blackpool leisure centre carpark you can also use the toilets here and as I said above you can use the showers for £4.
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First timers briefing
At the first timers briefing Bill explained the course and warned of some muddy areas and puddle corner.
Emma signed the whole briefing and also the run directors pre run talk, which I have never seen at a parkrun before but a great addition to make parkrun inclusive to all.
It is a 2 lap course with around a mixture of tarmac and forest path. It would be fine for single buggy runners but it is quite narrow in places so wouldn’t be ideal for those with doubles.
David this weeks Run director gave his pre run talk. This was a very special event for Blackpool parkrun as it is their 7th birthday and they had this wonderful cake made to celebrate along with runners and volunteers in fancy dress!
David also shouted out all the milestones (I’ve listed these at the end) thanking the volunteers and welcoming the tourists, it was time to go. (and I completely forget to tell them it is my birthday too!)
Blackpool parkrun route
The route starts its first anti-clockwise lap away from the clock tower with the football pitches on your right, it has quite a few turns along the way but once you have done your first lap it’s quite easy to remember it for the 2nd.
When I got to this point of my run I realised this was the point where in the first timer briefing they said ‘if you go across a small bridge you’ve missed a turn!’ I def could have missed it if I hadn’t looked up (I have a habit of looking at my feet when I run!)
It has a lovely scenic route, running past the fishing lake (and a few fishermen in the wooded section!) I stopped to take far too many photos.
When you see the crazy golf you are almost at the end of your 1st lap, a little bit further round the lake, past the band stand (I bet this is beautiful in the summer with a live band playing) there is just a small hill, round to the right and straight past the finish funnel onto your 2nd lap.
The volunteers are a super friendly bunch and quite a few runners also hung around after they had finished to cheer people on for the last 0.5km, so thank you very much for a really great parkrun!
Parking and Facilities
The main parking area is at Blackpool leisure centre, there is ample parking and it is free. Even with all the football matches etc going on there were plenty of spaces available.
There are toilets and showers in the leisure centre also and they were quite happy to point you in the right direction.
Park’s Art Deco Cafe
Of course we had to check out the post run breakfast options and in Blackpool they use Park’s Art Deco cafe. It is located around a 5-6 minute walk from the finish line across the park.
They serve a range of hot and cold food and drinks, cakes and snacks as it is my birthday weekend I treated myself to pancakes, bacon and maple syrup and Gaz had a full english breakfast.
The prices were pretty reasonable and the portions were huge, I didn’t expect quite so much food but it was delicious and I would highly recommend it.
Also within Stanley park is this huge play area, so if you have someone else with you and small ones they could amuse themselves here while you ran. There is a small ice cream stand next to this also. ie
Blackpool parkrun Stats for event #287
Today 264 people took part including 13 juniors. 16 people took part for the first time. A whopping 39 people set a New Personal Best and 44 took part at Blackpool for the first time.
Congratulations to Sam who was the first finisher with a time of 17:14, an age grading of 75.73% and a new personal best.
Congratulations to David with the highest age grading of the day with a masisve 82.74% and Edwina being the highest graded female with 77.46%.
Blackpool parkrun milestones
Well done to…
All the Juniors who completed todays 5km parkrun : Grace, Maya, Kayla, Fern, Charlie, Jasper, Ajay, Angus, Owen, Rafael, Alfie, Oliver, and Cameron
Katie and Ian who attended their 25th event
Lauren who attended their 50th event
Linda who attended their 300th event
Andrew who attended their 350th event
And of course Happy 7th Birthday Blackpool parkrun!
Thank you to this weeks volunteers
Thank you to all the volunteers who gave up their Saturday morning to make this run possible
Andrew WEBSTER – Angela PARSONS – Angela TURNER – Ann MOYES – Anne DODGSON – Anne-Marie HANBY – Bill SMITH – Brian CUMPSTY – Catherine FLETCHER – Christine JONES – David LARDNER – David SOUTHWELL – Edward MOYES – Elliot JOLLY – Emma INGLIS – Graham FLETCHER – John MULLINEAUX – Karl HANBY – Les ROBERTSON – Lesley SMITH – Lucas NEWTON – Marjorie MACKRELL – Molly BARROW – Paul BURROWS – Paul EATON – Paul WHITE – Rae WILLOUGHBY – Simon SCARR – Susan ASHTON – Tracy SMALLEY – Wendy ROBERTSON
ChrissyJ xx
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