Albert Melbourne Parkrun #280

Albert Melbourne was my 12th parkrun and my very first run at the Albert parkrun Melbourne event.

I was the 92nd person to finish and the 17th female out of a field of 303 parkrunners.  I finished in a time of 25:00.

It’s not very often that I get the opportunity to run a parkrun event.

When I come down to visit my family in Melbourne, I usually run the Point Cook or Wyndham Vale events.  Parkrun is set up in Ararat (20min drive away), so I may get to events more frequently.

Ararat parkrun doesn’t start until the 22nd of April.  It does clash with the SAAC running club events.  I’ll get down there when we don’t have a running event on.  I may even set it as my home parkrun.

Who knows I may get to 50 parkrun milestones sooner than in 12.5 years’ time (the current rate it will take me to get to this milestone based on how many events I’ve actually ran).

The reason I got to do Albert parkrun was that Tom happened to be visiting family and was staying in accommodation located near Albert Lake.

He was going to take public transport back to my parent’s house, but I figured let’s kill 2 birds with one stone.  I come pick him up, and I also run Albert Park.

Albert Park has been on my parkrun bucket list for a while.  I have a few friends that run this event.  Unfortunately, they were all off in Canberra running the Australian Running Festival.

Run for the Kids event (my very first fun run), was on the next day.  Many of my friends would have skipped parkrun in order to save their legs.

Located at Coots point picnic area (opposite the Melbourne Aquatic Centre), you’ll need $2.60 for parking if you’re travelling via car.

Starting at Palms Lawn, 300m away from the finish line, the course follows the iconic Albert Park Lake path anticlockwise, finishing back at the Coot Picnic Area.

Crossing the finish line I was surprised to find that I ran the 5km course in exactly 25 minutes or a 5min pace.

I’ve lost speed because of my injury, and this was my true test of a race type of environment.  In time my legs will get the speed back in them.  Improvements will happen with speedwork, hills and trail running all happening in the near future.

Many thanks to the volunteers who are what make parkrun what it is, without them, events like these wouldn’t exist.