The free 5k app, developed by Michael Clayton is an essential companion for many parkrun enthusiasts. Due to open source data if you sign-up it will pull all your parkrun data and details and populate various parkrun challenges and events. Due to some programmer wizardry, the app will tell you what your NENDY is NENDY being an acronym for ‘nearest event not done yet’.
My friend, Gemma has completed 323 parkruns at 132 locations across 8 countries (including Wales and Scotland). Gemma is a parkrunner explorer extraordinaire. Gemma’s NENDY was Thurrock parkrun a mere 38k from where I live requiring leaving at 0629 to arrive on time.
Thurrock is on the North bank of the river Thames approximately 25miles east of London. According to the Borough of Thurrock Council History site the name Thurrock can be traced back to the Saxon or Old English word ‘Turroc’ which means ‘the bottom part of a boat where the bilge water lies’ or a ‘dung in a heap’ in a field; https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/borough-and-council-history/from-turroc-to-modern-thurrock
It was so good to see Gemma, sporting her amazing tartan running attire. This event takes place at Orsett Heath and is two clockwise, largely flat laps all on grass, I offered up a prayer that no ‘dung’ would be seeping up.
The Run Director went through the usual protocols, counted us down and then we were off. Although not wet, the ground wasn’t entirely firm and whilst flat there were plenty of dips and ‘tricks’, it was much more like running on a common land than a playing field, providing the event with a more rugged feel, I would advise wearing trail shoes if you have them.
To my surprise, I wasn’t too far behind the leading pack however my body soon told me I wasn’t in the shape to maintain that kind of effort on grass. I slipped into a solitary meditative run but remembered to thank the many marshalls on the course.
Parkrun is a run, not a race, however, it’s certainly a goal for some to finish first perhaps for the bragging rights, self-esteem, conquering childhood demons of finishing last at cross-country 🙂 I was talking to Mark who was visiting today and finished 2nd, the elusive 1st finish continuing to allude him. Ironically if he’d come the week before and run the same time he would have come first!
Over the best-priced breakfast I’ve ever had (£4.20 for two teas and two bacon butties) in a wonderful haberdashery store near the event, we got talking to Lisa and Warren Jackson who were visiting from Aylesbury where Warren is a run leader for the ‘On The Run’ running club; https://www.ontherun.me.uk/
Keen parkrun tourists too we realised we’d all run together at Amager Strandpark in Denmark last year! They shared they have EPIC PLANS, for Warren’s birthday, to do parkruns in Malaysia and Singapore!
Warren and Lisa kindly gave us a lift back to the station and have recommended the Wendover parkrun, now on my list of events to do that don’t require my passport 😀 They also provided great advice on which events to do in Finland which I’m still hoping to do this year.
Next week I’ll be back to Burgess parkrun for a spot of volunteering.
Happy running
Great read - your very early start paid off lol
This is a beautiful write, i feel like i was running behind you and capruring all these beautiful moments. Well done, Legend forever.
Love reading these!
NENDY! Who imagined it could give so much!
A fab write up of our day out!