Wimpole Estate Park Run

On Saturday morning I accompanied Izzi to Wimpole Hall where she was taking part in a Park Run.  Coming from a school where cross country running was used as a punishment, I was completely ignorant of these events which are happening weekly - and completely free - all around the country.  It's an astonishing piece of organisation, and clearly very popular with the participants.  Here are a few pictures from the event, starting with the obligatory stretching in the September sunshine.

Not having been to one of these events before, I had no idea where to position myself for the start of the run.  I got it completely wrong, of course, but the sight of so many people setting off was pretty impressive - even from a distance.

Having met a fellow Fuji enthusiast, who was there supporting his girlfriend, I decided to head for a spot where we could watch the runners as they returned to the Hall.  I chose a spot on a hill overlooking a gate with the lake and folly in the background, but didn't get quite as far as we'd hoped since the race leaders were already well on their way to finishing.  The majority of the runners had yet to reach the gate, though, so Amber and I sat down in the grass and watched all the people who were more energetic than we were.

It has to be said that some people didn't look like they were enjoying it very much.  Perhaps they went to a school with a similar running policy to mine?

Lots of people were running with their dogs, and I love the Weimaraner who clearly couldn't wait for his owner to stop fiddling with his watch!

Izzi soon came through, and it was a proud moment to see her running.  I don't know where she gets her atheticism genes from, but it certainly isn't from me.

Once the race was over I went back to the stable block to meet Izzi.  I also bumped into the race organiser who turned out to be someone who lived in Harston until she and her family moved to Barton.  Debs and Scott used to walk their collie, Guiness, and I would often bump into them when I was out with Amber.  As a piece of nostalgia, here are three pictures from February 2009 when we all ended up with an unexectedly free day at home owing to snow.

Guinness and Amber are now both now starting to look (and feel) their age, but they seemed to remember one another despite not having met for six years or so.  Guinness (below, on the left) now has a younger playmate - Swift - who has a very definite twinkle in his eye.

It was lovely to catch up with Debs and Scott again, and the chance encounter proves (perhaps) that running isn't so bad after all.  Not sure you'll catch me doing it any time soon, though...