Southall parkrun
This event has been recommended to me several times, because it gets such good support from locals and going there feels like stepping into a community event. And everyone was right! I had a lovely run, and that despite having to nurse a very sore achilles, which could have made for a grumpy, limping effort.
I chose to drive, and parking was fairly simple. There are free spaces on Green Drive, to the East of the park, though that road was full when I got there so I ducked into the roads next to it. Still free, but in front of people’s houses, so I didn’t hang around for long afterwards.
The park is compact, leading to for a 3+ lapped course, and also making it very simple to find the start, which is just to the West of the circle in the middle of the park. You really can’t miss it.
The start is on a very wide path, next to a field which is used for the finish and meeting point. The team set out a tarpaulin for people to leave bags and clothes beforehand. The wide path has some lanes painted on it, for an added “time for athletics!” feeling.
We had a comprehensive first timers’ talk to introduce us to the course. It’s very easy to follow in practice, well marshalled and signposted. The trickiest bit is the slight tongue-twister of having to explain that it’s three and a bit laps, and you do the ‘bit’ first.
The reputation for friendliness is well-earned, and maintained by marshals giving good encouragement and the run director on the day doing his level best to talk to everyone who was there.
I had a social run, too. I tried to set off gently, ending up easing round behind two men who were chatting. As we moved onto the second lap I decided I was being a little rude, hovering behind them and letting them set a pace for me, and moved past. At that, one of them commented to the other that he’d go a bit faster now, and eased up to join me. We started chatting, and didn’t really stop till the end, which took my mind off pacing and let me just enjoy getting round. The last mile was a little quick for me, so I mostly listened!
Finally it was time to move onto the grass for the finish, and my new running buddy, a regular here, got on with sorting finish tokens as people finished and scanned them. I stretched a little and enjoyed the view of a few birds fluttering in and out of the bare trees. One final chat suggested we’d be able to repeat our friendly run in a much more exotic location in three weeks time, if new friend is willing to slow down then. And if he isn’t, we’ll be able to chat and marvel at how much warmer we are than Southall was on this temperate but fairly cold morning.
Southall is accessible by all sorts of transport, not too far into London if you’re coming from further afield, which makes it drivable for many, and the team work hard to make people welcome. A little gem of a park to visit, too.
Results from Southall parkrun #106, 17/2/24; 93 finishers