The LONDONE challenge (completing all the parkruns in London/inside the M25) has been one of the most satisfying parkrun challenges, taking me to places I would otherwise never have visited; it’s been so enriching!
Being a new year, I wanted a new geographically defined challenge, and I’m happy to announce the ‘Miracles of Mersey challenge’, which is running all the parkruns in the county of Merseyside!
Merseyside is made up of 5 districts: Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and on the west of the Mersey estuary, the Wirral. Each district has at least one parkrun meaning the challenge will take me all over the County.
This week I descended upon Princes parkrun which is in the Merseyside district of Liverpool and held in Princes Park, named for the newly born Edward, Prince of Wales. The park was designed by Joseph Paxton and James Pennethorne and opened in 1843. With a circular carriage drive and a beautiful serpentine lake being two of the reasons why English Heritage have awarded this park Grade II status. It was acquired by Liverpool City Council in 1918 when it became a fully public park with parkrun starting here in March 2011.
As I walked up the middle path, the sun rising up into a clear, crisp blue sky with some steam rising off the lake, I knew this was going to be a great morning. I received a warm welcome from the volunteer coordinator and then a brilliant first-timers welcome from today’s Run Director. Before setting off, we were addressed by Stephen Melling, the Director of The Recovery Group (CIC). Stephen spoke passionately about his struggles with drink, drugs and body dysmorphia and explained he was running bare-chested for each day of the month and asking others to join him, to show solidarity with men facing similar difficulties.
With final instructions to stay off the grass, the Run Director counted us down and then we were off, with lots of bare-chested men going past me!
The start takes you along the main path towards the bottom of the lake followed by a left to join the main perimeter carriageway for two undulating anti-clockwise laps before taking a left back onto the central path where a finish funnel had been erected with lots of marshalls cheering us in.
I was able to drink in the majesty of the park with the course taking me past its obelisk, erected in 1858, a memorial to Richard Vaughan Yates, the park's founder.
Being largely a two-lap course, with different-paced participants, meant there was an opportunity for some banter between participants. With lots of encouragement from the volunteers; this is a good vibes event.
With my run done I put on a hi-viz vest and turned my attention to barcode scanning. It’s a great way to chat with fellow finishers some being regulars, some new to parkrun, and others fellow tourists. Doing the double (running and volunteering at the same event) is a great way to top up all energy levels, and I also had a great chat with Stephen about the work his charity is doing; please click here to learn more. I left the event walking to Lime Street Station, reflecting on how participation in parkrun can be such an antidote to the struggles people face. The sun, now high in the sky, was illuminating the incredible Liverpool Cathedral, definitely part of the miracle of the Mersey!
I’m looking forward to returning to complete the remaining 9 events (I’ve already done Crosby parkrun).
Happy running, happy volunteering and Happy Lunar New Year!
What an inspiring run!
Always learn something new! Thank you.