I’m very behind with talking about the last few parkruns, so this dates back to November. Expect a few more regular updates over the next couple of weeks as I catch up!
At the end of November I was back from Europe, and more or less over an illness. That’s relevant only because I was less than a minute or so slower on this hilly course than on the flat ones at Graz and Northside Beltline the two weeks before. Recovery was certainly part of it, but also the hills here, while long and plentiful, are not so steep as to preclude running. And there’s a long, long downhill to catch up. It’s not totally unlike Banstead Woods, where I started parkrunning, which has a beast of a hill but still isn’t that slow a course.
It’s a theory, anyway, and probably one for which you’ll curse me if you turn up to this course convinced it’s going to be a simple one! There’s c. 129m of elevation to take on, over two laps. There’s one particularly long hill, all the way up the side of a field into the woods, which I think is one you can take on if feeling fit - as in, try running it, then try running it again the second time.
The course is right in Amersham, making travel and/or parking easy enough. The meeting point is behind the war memorial, near the St Mary the Virgin church. There’s paid parking in town, or it’s free on street if you head further up the high street and wander back.
Once you’ve slogged up the hill (a dose of reality to counter my previous optimism, there), there’s some lovely woody terrain, possibly with some mud. There’s also a little more hill, so make the most of being distracted by the scenery if you can.
I found the woods very diverting, and finally we reached the top, past a couple of marshals who directed us round a couple of sharp turns, to then run, gloriously, down hill. You pop out onto a part-paved section, where the path can be narrow, especially with people walking up the other way, but the terrain is good, allowing for a quick descent.
The course is nice and simple to follow on event day, with marshals at all the crucial points, particularly to make sure you complete two laps before heading back near the start area to finish. It’s a good course to take slowly, regardless of how you get on with the hill, as the climb gives you a good view and the woods are very scenic. I felt lucky to be there with autumn on full display, but the changing view through the year would be a great thing to see.
Amersham’s parkrun, then, is not the simplest, but really isn’t so tough that you shouldn’t give it a go. If you are happy carrying a phone or camera, it’s worth a careful pause to preserve your emory of the views.
Results from Church Mead parkrun #85, 25/11/2023, 66 finishers.