Mersea Island Parkrun Review
After 3 failed attempts to run under 30 minutes at Colchester, Harwich and Chelmsford Parkrun, this had to be my week!
This would also be my last opportunity to do Parkrun until April as the next Triathlon course starts next Saturday and it would mean my Saturday mornings would be taken up with Cycling and Swimming for the next 9 weeks.
The thing that had frustrated me the previous weeks was my shins/calfs tighting up during the run, so I thought it might be worth investing in a new pair of trainers.
I had read online, loads of great reviews about the Hoka trainers for people who need that extra cushioning so I found a pair in the sale to try out.
Well what do you know, new trainers meant I got round in a swift 29 minutes and 14 seconds to finally break the 30 minute curse!
I even managed to get round without stopping, but that was probably more to do with the flat course.
COURSE
Looking at the map and instructions it looks and sounds more confusing than it actually is.
The course is predominately flat with some long gentle slopes that you can hardly feel but surprising ranks 158th in the Parkrun Elevation rankings.
You start opposite the car park at Cudmore Grove country park keeping to the left of the car park running through a pathway of small group of trees to the sea wall.
It then runs along the cliff edge and through another group of trees before taking a sharp right, back to the car park, before turning right and returning through the park along the mown track in the middle.
Taking a sharp left to run up the middle of the course to complete your 1st loop. You repeat this a second time and on the third lap by the sea wall you run straight up the middle of the course, take a sharp left towards the finish straight which is a few metres after the start line.
The only time I felt the long gentle slope was on the last lap when you run down the middle of the course.
Otherwise, it is a really nice course with a nice number of people attending without the mad scramble at the start that can happen at the bigger courses.
EVENT STATS
Average number of runners per week – 84.6
Biggest attendance – 195
Average run time – 28 minutes and 24 seconds
Full results can be found at http://www.parkrun.org.uk/merseaisland/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=57
You can find out more about Mersea Island Parkrun at http://www.parkrun.org.uk/merseaisland/ or follow them on Facebook for updates.
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN
Have you run at Mersea Parkrun before? I would love to hear what you have to say about the course.
Did you get a fast time? or did you find the 3 laps a bit boring?
If you have any questions you would like to ask me about Mersea Parkrun, please ask below now.
