Ian Runs

In an effort to continue targeting the eastern-most event, I decided that today would be the day I finally attended Thetford parkrun, having passed the town quite frequently while I was visiting the 10 or 11 East Norfolk events, including the 4 Norwich events; Norwich , Catton , Sloughbottom , and Colney Lane parkruns. The area Thetford has played several important roles throughout history, providing flint for use in tools since 2000BC, which saw the town grow to approximately the sixth largest town in Britain in 1086. The town was impacted greatly by the dissolution of the monastaries, which resulted in severe squalor in the town, with attempts in he 1800s to restore the town ultimately failing. The town eventually saw growth again in the 1980s as a result of an agreement with the London Country Council to relocate Londoners. Thetford Priory was one of the last casualties of the dissolution of the monastaries. Attempts by local politicians to repurpose the buildings owing to ...

This week I decided would be the week that I complete the Pirates challenge by attending my 7th's "C" event, having already sailed at Cambridge , Chalkwell Beach , Clacton Seafront , Catton , Colney Lane , and Colchester Castle with an "R" at Rushmere . The area Located half way between Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds, Chilton Fields parkrun takes place at Chilton Fields Sports Club, Stowmarket every week. Stowmarket is a historical market town, and owing to its strong transport connections with London, is set to grow in population significantly over the coming years. The course The route follows three laps of the recreation grounds, mainly on a mixture of grass and trail, with a small amount of tarmac. There is no significant elevation to speak of. There is no parking at the site, and so visitors are encouraged to arrive by other means, although alternative parking arrangements are available in the Kingsfield Centre or in the town centre - each a sh...

Having ventured south last week, I decided that I would venture north this week, and with King's Lynn parkrun being the most northern event I haven't attended in the East of England yet, it seemed like an obvious choice! The area King's Lynn (or just Lynn to the locals) is a medium-sized port and market town at the mouth of The Wash; the point where the River Great Ouse meets the North Sea. The ports of Lynn where considered to be amongst the most important in England during the 14th century. While the port continued to serve a number of different industries over the centuries, the town remained important throughout, especially thanks to it's Royal connections. The largest greenspace in the town is The Walks, which plays host to the weekly parkrun. The park was originally conceived as an escape from the hustle and bustle of the town centre; a purpose which remains true to this date. The course The route follows three laps of the park, following a lollipop p...

I had originally considered visiting Thurrock parkrun on New Year's Day when I was focussed on the East of England alphabet, but car parking challenges at the time ultimately nudged me to attend Thomas Mills parkrun instead. With the parking situation now under control, I decided that today would be the day I finally visited! The area Modern Thurrock is a mostly residential town located just outside the M25. Due to both it's transport connections as well as its proximity to London, it is a popular place for commuters to live, as well as its ports providing many local employment opportunities. The London Gateway development project, which includes both Tilbury dock as well as London Gateway port share the primary goal of enabling the transport of goods for consumption within the Greater London region. The course The route follows two laps of the playing fields, all on grass, and there is no significant elevation, so you can see runners elsewhere on the course for the ...

With Sandringham being a personal residence of the Queen, the Estate has been in a state of mourning since her passing several weeks ago, meaning all events, including parkrun events, had also been cancelled for several weeks. With the resumption of parkrun events, I decided that today would be the day I visited Sandringham parkrun! The area The Sandringham Estate has been a private residence of the British monarch since 1862, and so is a relatively new abode when compared to others. The main modern house replaced a former building on the site in the 1700s, before being significantly rebuilt in the late 1800s. The main building complex, as well as other buildings on the estate, are typically hidden from view by trees from the country park as well as public roads. The area adjacent to the main estate is open to the public, and is managed as a country park, though the area is mostly woodland, and it is this country park which hosts the parkrun event. The course The course fol...