Fat Girl to Ironman

10 November 2019

The calm after the storm… no parkrun tourism this week!

After last week’s wet and windy run, I was so grateful that it was dry yesterday morning. However, it definitely wasn’t warm. I’d seen that it was predicted to be about 6C. I’ve been struggling with a heavy cold for over a week and haven’t been exercising much, so I knew I would be slow. The weather meant I also...

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4 November 2019

Monday Morning Motivation: John MacPhee

This week’s Monday Morning Motivation is an episode of Jessica’s parkrun Heroes. It features John MacPhee, a parkrunner with Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a condition where the brain becomes progressively damaged. It has a number of symptoms including stiff muscles, slow movement and tremors. John MacPhee lives in an idyllic part of Perthshire, Scotland. His mid-life crisis took him...

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2 November 2019

Wet and windy parkrun

Today was my second parkrun back in Southampton following three parkruns in Australia… and what a contrast it was. The weather was absolutely horrendous this morning. Many parkruns across the country were cancelled and several other local parkruns (including Mountbatten and Brockenhurst) were cancelled after runners arrived. It was a cold, wet and windy parkrun. I was quite surprised that...

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21 October 2019

Monday Morning Motivation: George Webster

The star of this week’s Monday Morning Motivation is George Webster. George is a parkrunner (and volunteer) at Woodhouse Moor parkrun. He also has Down Syndrome. George presents a George Webster film: young, Leeds parkrunner STAR George Webster turns reporter in this touching and fun film. Don’t miss his hilarious ‘double act’ with the man known as ‘George’s dad’ or...

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19 October 2019

parkrun Tourism Down Under: Shellharbour parkrun

The last time that we stayed with my sister in Wollongong, we did North Wollongong parkrun twice. This time I was determined to do some more parkrun tourism. Glen Turner had told me about Shellharbour parkrun and I’d also read about it on the parkrun blog. The event starts at 8am, so Stu, M and I got up early to...

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13 October 2019

parkrun Tourism Down Under: Cowra parkrun

On the morning of my brother’s wedding, Stuart and I decided to go to Cowra parkrun. I’d tried out Bathurst parkrun the previous week and we did Orange parkrun a couple of years back. As parkrun starts at 8am in New South Wales and it’s about an hour’s drive to Cowra, it was an early start for us. We were...

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6 October 2019

parkrun Tourism Down Under: Bathurst parkrun

The last time I was in Australia, I took part in three parkruns: North Wollongong twice and Orange parkrun. I could have attended the same parkruns this time, but I wanted to take the opportunity to do some parkrun tourism. (Also, it would be depressing to see just how much slower I am than I was two years ago!) Bathurst...

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9 September 2019

Monday Morning Motivation: Gareth Yeoman

Jessica’s parkrun Heroes included the story of Gareth Yeoman. It was an episode that resonated with me as Gareth has battled with his weight for many years. parkrun and other forms of exercise have transformed his life. Welshman Gareth had struggled with his weight since his teens. He’d heard the cruel taunts, he’s even hidden away. This is about how...

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2 September 2019

Monday Morning Motivation: Briar Nolet

Dance was my first passion. From the age of 5 until I was 20, I took regular dance classes. by my first year at university, I was dancing six days a week. It was my favourite form of escapism, even though I never had any natural talent in that area. I still watch anything that is on television that is...

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28 August 2019

St Ives Bay 10k and the Dune of Doom

I’ve wanted to do the St Ives Bay 10k for a long time. It takes place pretty much on my mum’s doorstep, with the start being on the beach. I knew I would be in Cornwall when it’s on this year, so I entered. The race is organised by Hayle Runners, so I was also happy to be supporting a...

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