Text by Christina; pictures by Pete.
On a rather mild and sunny Saturday morning in early February, a small group of IOG members joined the 100 or so Rendlesham parkrunners to complete the 5 k course. Upon arrival, we were guided to a free parking space by one of the many volunteers needed to make this weekly run a fun and safe experience for all. It proved great fun to jog along the dry and sandy paths, whilst taking in the beautiful scenery around us.
At junctions, there were marshals who gave everyone a friendly smile and a few encouraging words like “Well done!”, “Good effort”, or “You’re nearly half way through the run”. It felt great to breathe in the fresh morning air and watch out for early signs of Spring – nothing to report there yet, but the mild temperature certainly felt Spring-like. I felt honoured to get the chance to exchange a few words with Parkrun veteran Rory. He started the Parkrun events in Suffolk, in his home town of Ipswich. Rory is working towards his 1000th (!) Saturday of Parkrun volunteering.
This was my 11th registered Parkrun. Our group of running enthusiasts meets on most Saturdays at one of the local Parkrun events, mainly at the sea front in Felixstowe or at Chantry Park in Ipswich but also sometimes at Alton Water reservoir or in Rendlesham Forest. Always a great start to the weekend, and it offers a chance to get fit after the dark and chilly winter months when doing these early morning events can feel a bit of a struggle.