This weekend’s parkrun took us somewhere new – Blyth Links. It was my first time running the course, but to be honest, it wasn’t really about the run this time.

It was busy – really busy – and Joe was a little anxious when we arrived. So, we did what made sense: we stepped back. We took a walk along the path leading to the start with old friends Lee and Tony, people I hadn’t seen in ages. Last time I ran here, it was a virtual fancy dress run during COVID – Lee dressed as the Statue of Liberty and me, well… a Baywatch lifeguard. Let’s not talk about the tan lines.

We rejoined the parkrun about a minute after the start. Everyone was already off, but we caught the back of the pack and just ran. No pressure, no stopwatch ticking in our heads. Just running and catching up. A proper “chatty pace.”

Lee even filmed us mid-run – a quick GoPro piece about the buggy and our fundraising efforts – which she shared on her running Facbook profile and helped raise a donation. That alone made the day worth it.

The weather was perfect, the view along the coast never gets old, and we got around in one piece. Joe handled it well, especially considering the rocky start, and we finished with a smile (if not a little out of breath).

We’ll go back. And we’ll run it stronger next time.