Achieving a parkrun milestone

2024 was a long slow countdown to my 500th parkrun. I had hoped to do it on 21/12/24, but I missed a parkrun because of Storm Darragh. This meant that my 500th event would take place on Christmas Day. My last parkrun milestone was in May 2018, when I completed my 250th run.

I love Christmas Day parkrun because everyone is so happy and the event is relaxed and friendly. I’m not sure the rest of my non-running family is so keen though! To be honest, I was probably as excited about achieving this huge milestone as I was about seeing my family, having a delicious lunch, and seeing M open her presents!

Arriving at Heartlands

We arrived at Heartlands at about 8:40am. It was a damp and misty morning – true Cornish mizzle. The headgear at South Crofty loomed out of the mist. At night, during the festive season, it is lit in green and red, but at this time of day, the only festive touch is a Christmas tree at the top.

I don’t often run with a phone these days, but I paused for a selfie with M and Stu. We were wearing our matching gingerbread parkrun Adventurers ugly Christmas t-shirts, which attracted a lot of attention (although quite a few people couldn’t work out what they were… and some people thought we were Christmas puddings!) M was also wearing her new 100 milestone buff.

It was then onto the briefing. I’d spoken to the RD on 21/12/24 and had mentioned that my next event would be my 500th, so I got a shout-out. There was polite applause, but it wasn’t the same as it would have been if I’d run it at Southampton. Heartlands had been quiet on 21/12 with only 122 runners, so the crowd of 178 felt quite busy.

How did I do?

Stu and M chose to run with me which was nice. We didn’t want to push M to run too hard, but she wanted to get an event PB, which we knew would be quite easy for her.

Some of the marshals were wearing festive outfits which was fun, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the event. It’s so nice to get some fresh air and exercise on a day when I know we’ll spend a lot of time sitting in a warm room.

I wasn’t trying to achieve an event PB – I just wanted to complete my run and have fun. M managed to get an event PB (and was also first – and the only one – in her age group). I was so pleased to have finally reached this milestone. I started parkrunning in August 2010. It has taken so long as I prioritised triathlon for a brief period; I’ve done quite a bit of volunteering in non-running roles; I had a baby and had to stay home when she was unwell; and the Covid lock-down happened.

Ordering my parkrun milestone t-shirt

When I got home, I checked my email and was delighted to have received a congratulations email from parkrun.

I was able to order my parkrun milestone t-shirt, and my sister ordered me a milestone hoodie as my Christmas present. The t-shirt has arrived, but I’m still waiting for the hoodie, which isn’t surprising with Christmas closures.

Twixmas parkrun

There was just enough time to fit in a third parkrun at Heartlands before heading back to Southampton. M didn’t join us as her asthma was exacerbated by an allergic reaction to a dog. She’s getting tested again in January and will also be tested for an allergy to horses. We rarely go near horses, but the consultant thought it was wise. Judging by M’s fashion sense, she’d probably be at home posing at the stables!

I was feeling tired and just wanted to make it around at parkrun. My Brooks Christmas trainers, which have bells on, were my chosen shoes. It’s always funny to see people’s reactions as it can take them a while to work out where the jingling is coming from.

Stu joined me for the last half of my final lap. I finished in 31:12 which wasn’t a great time, but was also not terrible considering how much I’ve eaten during the holidays.

New Year’s Day parkrun

The last of our festive parkruns was a New Year’s day event at Southampton. We arrived slightly later than usual, but the car park was quiet. I think some cars had been left by revellers on New Year’s Eve. We sat in our car for a while as it was cold, wet and gusty.

When we walked over to the start area, we were surprised by how few people were out. We chose not to walk over to the finish area as M was tired and cold.

I ‘ran’ with M, but it was more of a walk-jog as she was tired and unmotivated. She achieved her 100th milestone in December and 250 is a long way away for her. M had also had a late night as we went to our friends’ house for food and drinks the night before (but didn’t stay up until midnight!)

Thinking about veganuary

I’m considering veganuary. January has already started, but I don’t think making unworkable resolutions is helpful. On Monday, I go back to work, so any changes that I make will start then when I’m back in my usual routine. I won’t be throwing out food that we have in our house, as that’s wasteful; however, I will be making choices that are more ethical and sustainable.

Meal planning has been helpful to me for a long time. Deciding in advance what to eat makes food shopping easier and means that I don’t get stressed making choices when I’m tired and hungry. I had written down vegetable chilli for dinner last night. As I was cooking it, I realised that it’s one of the many foods I eat that is vegan.

Although I haven’t made any firm resolutions, I’m hoping to make healthier choices in 2025. I know that I need to get more sleep and eat better. I’d like to lose weight and run faster, but I also need a balance as I’m studying and working full-time.

What’s your attitude to New Year’s resolutions? Are you aiming for a parkrun milestone in 2025, or is there something else that’s motivating you?