Ian Runs

This week, I wanted to head Norwich-way, to make more in-roads into the cluster of events in the Norwich area, while also claiming an "8" for the Fibonacci sequence! The area North Walsham has been a settlement since Anglo-Saxon days, and was perhaps most famous for its weaving industry, which brought significant wealth and prosperity to the area. The area was also the home town of Horatio Nelson, the fabled naval leader, who was educated in the town. North Walsham Memorial Park was sold to the town council by its previous owner in 1947 for the explicit purpose of building a war memorial park. Interestingly, the council shares everything, including the original contract on it's website . The park also features a sculpture which was carved from a 120-year-old oak tree which was due to be felled. The sculpture commemorates the Battle of the Peasant's Revolt in 1381. The park also features a memorial to those soldiers who fell during World War 2, however, it...

With my focus on attending events in new cities recently, this week I decided to attend Stevenage parkrun - the first area to receive New Town status under the New Towns Act, intended to alleviate housing shortages after the conclusion of World War 2. The area Stevenage parkrun takes place in Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage. Although Stevenage only received town status in 1946 as part of a government scheme to reduce pressures on the housing market, a settlement has been present in this area since at least the Roman era, owing to the area's proximity to the Roman road between what is now St Albans, and the town of Baldock. Fairlands Valley Park is perhaps best known for the wide and diverse array of water sports which take place on its 11 acre main lake, however, the park includes many other facilities, including woodland, parkland, and conservation areas. The course The course follows two laps of well marshalled tarmac and trail paths around two of the park's small...

With a new parkrun PB under my belt at Southend last week, I decided that I wanted to visit a woods-based event this week. It was good fortune then, that Highwoods parkrun in Colchester was running its 89th event, which also meant that I could tick off another Fibonacci sequence number, and would also mean that I could follow attending Britain's newest city, with Britain's first city! The area High Woods Country Park is located to the north of the Roman town of Colchester. Colchester, interestingly, boasts proudly about its historical role as the first city in Britain, owing to its role as both a city and at the country's capital city during the Roman occupancy, despite modern Colchester not currently holding city status. The town has submitted an application for city status as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, so I can only wish the town the best of luck! High Woods Country Park is a mixture of woodland, fields, and farmland, which was converte...

With all of the terrible world events this week, one positive has been the official confirmation that Southend-on-Sea became a city as of 1st March 2022. With all of the previous 6 events I attended being off-road, I was quite pleased to see that Southend was also run on tarmac, which meant I could push for a low time too! Another bonus was that Southend will give me a "South" for the compass club challenge! The area Southend parkrun takes place in Gunners Park, Shoeburyness, on the outskirts of the city of Southend. Following a fatal attack on the area's MP, David Amess, the town was granted city status as a memorial. Prince Charles presented the letters patent to the county borough council on behalf of the Queen on 1st March 2022, which was then followed by an immediate vote to change the name of the council to Southend-on-Sea City Council to reflect it's new status. Gunners Park, Shoeburyness is a former Ministry of Defence site, formerly playing host to r...