Parkun offers lots of opportunities to volunteer. From the Run Director, Marshalling, Time Keeping and many others. These volunteer roles provide the opportunity to meet others and engage with participants. It provides those liminal moments where the magic can happen.
There is one role which is usually done on your own which I had put my name down to do, and that is the Event Day Course Check. This involves checking that the course is safe to use and is free from anything that may make it unsafe to participants and volunteers such as being clear of ice or wreckage from Friday night revealers. The check needs to take place on the day of the event ideally as close to the start time as reasonably possible.
For me I laced up my trainers and headed out to find the park deathly quiet as the sun started to rise. I got to where Burgess parkrun starts, set my Garmin watch and with a few dog walkers for company I ran the course route.
Whilst the park was still from human noise, it was a buzz with bird song. I caught sight of the odd fox lurking around and squirrels darting up and down trees onto the path. The mallards and greylag geese were up and a couple of egyptian geese were minding their family of hungry goslings.
The course route follows the old Grand Surrey Canal going West to East so I was running into the rising sun. The old Surrey Canel is planted with cherry trees which are now in blossom.
There are many curious things to see in Burgess Park, from the almshouses at Chumleigh Gardens to the Lime Kiln.
Perhaps the most known curiosity is the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ which the course goes under two times (as it’s an out-and-back course). Originally built in 1905 as a canal footbridge over the then Grand Surrey Canal, when the area was very different. The canal was closed in 1970 but the bridge has remained. Closed for use or sightseeing from its dizzy 10ft, it had fallen into a sorry state. In 2021 the council decided to renovate the bridge and 2 years later work commenced. Rebuilt and painted it was glistening as the sun started to rise.
I ran the route and then texted the day’s Run Director that all appeared to be in order. I then ran the course for a second time, Burgess park is a lovely park to run in especially with the sun bouncing off the lake.
With my volunteer duties done I returned home to collect the family before returning to the start-line for the event proper. As I lined up I wondered how aware others are of the care and stewardship that goes into ensuring this free event happens every week. As I walked around I didn’t see the foxes and the grey squirrels were shy. The goslings weren’t to be seen but I knew they were all there somewhere now sharing the park with 807 parkruners 33 volunteers and one giant hen!
Parkrun is a great way to involve yourself in your local park and community.
Much more can be learned about Bugess Park by clicking here; https://bridgetonowhere.friendsofburgesspark.org.uk/
Happy running
What a lovely morning. The blossom is wonderful and such a cheerful sign of spring.
Another great blog. Lovely description of how happy and peaceful Burgess park feels like shortly before 800+ runners/walkers bring another level of happy vibes there on Saturday morning. Thank you. Daniela B
Sounds positively bucolic! 😊