A visitor to Beeston reports on Cross Flatts parkrun

Cross Flatts Parkrun

Visitor David Leese wrote the report for Saturday’s (17 June 2023) Cross Flatts parkrun:

On this warm sunshine filled June morning it was a pleasure to be at this Parkrun as a tourist, and to appreciate the welcome, friendliness of the other park runners.

The encouraging volunteers encouraging not only by shouts but in one case by energetic gesticulations (at least I took them to be encouraging)!

It was a cause of envy to see the spacious permanent gazebo you have, which though not needed this morning, is clearly a marvellous all weather asset. It is an idea to take back to my home Parkrun.

The Parkrun definitely does not live up to its name as Cross FLATTS, as we quickly discovered on the long circuit, it has a significant incline.

The excellent run briefing highlighted this, and it was good to hear the first timers and run briefings clearly – thank you.

Tourists were welcomed from Huddersfield, Barnsley, Levenshulme, Mytholmroyd, Wakefield, Ackworth and Ashbourne.

The number of runners today were slightly down on the average, 105 against 110, and of these 3 were first time Parkrunners, 19 were first timers at Cross Flatts, and 13 PBs (personal best times) were run.

Congratulations to Daz with a time of 18:38 and Rachel with 22:05. Not only were they the leading male and female, but also had the best age graded scores with Daz having 79.79% and Rachel 67.47%.

Congratulations too to Stewart on his 200th Parkrun, Kathryn on her 150th and Sandra on her 25th.

On looking at the results the numbers of Parkruns recorded by the runners is most impressive, Thomas has run 466, and the first ten runners had 1,519 Parkruns between them.

Michael had a ‘perfect’ time of 21.21 and there were two ‘on point’ times of 33.00 Elena, and 40.00 Laura.

In conversation the volunteers are clearly proud of this facility, committed to it, and own it as an asset to the community. Thank you and well done – Parkrun at its best. I was particularly impressed that the volunteers at the finish line had not started to clear away before the last walkers arrived.

Ken, says:

I completed my 100 Parkurns at Cross Flatts Park about 6 years ago. I had to pack it in after my physiotherapist told me to do so, due to arthritis in my knee. So after that I marshalled for a while.

“I now marshal at Middleton Woods Parkrun, which is near my home.”

parkrun is a free, weekly, timed, 5km walk, jog or run. Cross Flatts parkrun starts at 9am every Saturday at the Beeston Road end of the park. You don’t need to book, just turn up, but do register and get your barcode at www.parkrun.org.uk/register before your first visit.

Please note there will be no event this Saturday (24 June 2023) due to Beeston Festival.

 

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