Haverhill parkrun, Suffolk
At this time of year, and following rain, this is a lovely but very muddy parkrun. After I'd parked where the event webpage suggested, near the Golden Apples day nursery in Homefield Road (they call it Dizzy Duck's on the page, presumably they've changed name), I peeked into the field and immediately changed into trail shoes.
The route is run entirely round fields, so although it's flat, it'll only be quick when they're firm underfoot. This was not that day, with particularly wet areas behind the football goals and at the entrance. With footwear on that could handle it, it was fun slogging round the 3 laps. By the end we were all experts on the wet and dry-est areas.
Any first-timers at the course received a lovely welcome from the run director, who talked us through the route and gleefully sympathised at the mud in prospect. Anyone who'd parked in Homefield Road had already walked across the fields, and almost certainly stepped in a hole a little deeper than they'd expected, and so was prepared for wet feet. This isn't the largest event, though, and I got a definite sense that locals from the surrounding houses contributed plenty of participants, which made for a great community feeling that I was welcomed into.
As you can see from the above, there's a puddle by the football pitch, right where you'd be running on a hard-surface day, to run the shortest route. The advice to avoid going too close to the pitches was spot on, but as you can see, that didn't mean we weren't muddy. All the volunteers were cheery and encouraging, despite standing in the rain on a cool day, which really helped. For me, particularly on lap 2, when the thought of another lap picking through the boggy bits was not motivating. A well done from a nice face or three was, though.
The whole event lifted my, and I'm sure pretty much everyone involved's, spirits on a wet day when thoughts might otherwise have been on how early into the year it was, and how much more of this weather there might be to come. Instead we could hang out with kindred spirits, with veterans of hundreds of parkruns finishing along with those completing their first. Don't be put off by the thought of slogging round fields multiple times, this is a great community event with a warm welcome.
Results from Haverhill parkrun event 128, 8/1/22 - 45 finishers.