It’s been a while since we last set out on the parkrun tourist trail.
Races and rest days. Plantar before parkrun (my physio wants me to cut down my weekly run total 😞). The reasons have added up.
But at the weekend, tempted by Pi and pie, we were back on the road again. This is how it went when we visited Melton Mowbray…
All about the circumference of a circle… ideally one with pork in the middle:
📍 Melton Country Park, Melton Mowbray
🗓️ Saturday, March 14
📏 5k with Pi and pie!
It being March 14 (3/14), we were off to Melton Mowbray parkrun at the weekend to celebrate Pi Day, the joy of 3.14 and all that - because who doesn’t get excited about the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter?
But Michelle and I obviously had other PIES 🥧 on our mind at the home of the pork pie!
Firstly, though, there were 3.1 (no 0.04!) miles to do round the ups and downs of Melton Country Park.
Due to a bridge being down, we did an out-and-back version of the route, and fair to say it isn’t the easiest parkrun on the planet with plenty of trail areas and hilly bits - including one particularly tough uphill section just after halfway.
That said, who wants flat and boring? And this is a really gorgeous parkrun with the benefit of a cute community cafe at the finish.
It was also great to catch up with Susan from Virtual Runner UK as she kept her parkrun tourist streak going.
A couple of bits to note: The nature of the surface means it’s not a wheelchair friendly course and we’d also recommend trail trainers (having slipped round in road shoes ourselves!) at this time of year.
Also, there are toilets 🚽 but they’re not open until the cafe is, which is after the run starts… so go before you leave home or become a wild wee enthusiast!
It’s a highly recommended and friendly parkrun though, so definitely worth checking out - and make sure to have a wander into the town centre afterwards to explore the brilliant Ye Older Pork Pie Shoppe.
You didn’t really think we did all this for the running?
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Our latest podcast: Mark Doris - Running for baby loss charity, SANDS, and in memory of Marco
Mark Doris, has been using running as a vehicle to raise vital funds for SANDS, the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby loss charity, for more than ten years.
The charity is close to Mark’s heart as he runs in memory of his stillborn son, Marco, who would have been 11 later this year.
His fundraising efforts have seen Mark raise more than £27,000 for SANDS. And along the way, he has tackled a wide variety of runs including obstacle course races and the 95-mile West Highland Way ultra marathon.
The latter event was an epic adventure three years, two attempts and one knee operation in the making. Mark eventually completed the run last year in 34 hours and 29 minutes, a phenomenal tribute to his resilience and the power of running for a cause.
Next on his list is this year’s London Marathon, an event he is already training hard for - and will once again be running for SANDS.
Running Tales spoke to Mark about his running and fundraising efforts, the importance of SANDS, and how he managed to beat the West Highland Way...
