Holidays are the perfect time to explore, choose your own adventure, and occasionally, lace up your running shoes in a new spot. With over 500 locations across Australia, it’s highly possible you’ll stumble across a parkrun event.
For me, Saturday mornings are usually a no-go for parkrun thanks to my Tuesday-to-Saturday work schedule. So, when a chance alignment of travel and free time presents itself, I jump at the chance! And that’s exactly what happened on a recent trip.
The Joy of parkrun Tourism
It’s pretty common to be a parkrun tourist; in fact, I think I’ve completed more runs as a tourist than at my actual home location! There’s even a challenge where people try to visit a parkrun for every letter of the alphabet, the famous ‘parkrun ABC’. Now that would be a fun running adventure!
This particular Saturday found me in Bairnsdale, Victoria, an overnight stop before heading home after my holiday. It was parkrun day, and the Mitchell River course was calling.
Running on Burger Power
The morning was sunny, and I was incredibly glad I’d packed my sunglasses—I definitely needed them!
I had no idea how this run was going to go. I still felt full from a ripper burger meal the night before, and my running has been all about building distance lately, not speed. I’m also still working through a minor injury, so I was focused more on just enjoying the run than chasing a personal best.
At the start line, I self-seeded myself in the mid-pack. Soon enough, we were off. It’s so easy to go out too fast, but I knew better. I settled into a comfortable rhythm and just ran to my own beat. Before long, I was running with a small, unofficial ‘pack’ of people moving at roughly the same pace.
The Halfway Mark and The Game
The Mitchell River parkrun is an out-and-back course, which means you get to see the speedy runners on their way back. At about the mile mark, the lead runner zoomed past. Another six runners followed quickly before the lead female runner was on her return journey.
By the turn-around point, I was actually feeling pretty good. My stomach still felt a bit ‘gross’ from the burger, but I knew I could maintain my pace.
Now came the fun part: my little internal game. My strategy is to subtly pick off the runners in front of me, one by one. It keeps me focused, maintains my effort, and prevents me from burning out by trying to go too hard too early.
I passed the first runner right before a small hill climb and powered past another up the gradient. Back on the flats with just over a kilometre to go, I did a quick body check—all was feeling good. I looked at my watch and knew it was time to lift the pace.
The Soundtrack to The Finish
Suddenly, “This is what you came for” started playing through my earphones. “This is it,” I thought. “This is the song that powers me home!”
I pushed hard through the final stretch, crossing the line in a respectable time of 26:57. Given that the course was a touch short today (4.9km), I’ll happily take it!
It was a great feeling: the legs still have it, and most importantly, I didn’t vomit! Any faster, and that might have been a highly possible (and unpleasant) ending.
What a perfect way to cap off a holiday adventure!
Are you a parkrun tourist? What’s the coolest location you’ve run at, and have you tried the ‘parkrun ABC’ challenge yet? Let me know in the comments!