parkrun – 20/12/2025

24 December 2025 - By Steven Alder

Despite it being the final weekend before Christmas, we still had runners heading out to parkrun locations – wonder how many of them still had last minute Christmas presents to buy? We were found at parkruns all across the UK (no internationals this week from those registered) in Congleton, Lydiard, Valentines, Colchester Castle, Maldon Prom, Chelmsford Central, Harwich, Loch Leven, Chalkwell Beach, Markshall Estate, Battersea and ARU Writtle.

Milestone – Well done to Amy Eyo who completed her 50th parkrun!

At our popular local event in Maldon we had Dean Whittaker (22:46 and also volunteered), Andrew Lager (22:55), Annalise Etherington (25:03), Mick Conroy (26:37), Chrissy Israel-Jones (30:16), Ian Cuthbert (30:17), Lysia Jiggins (30:57), Amy Eyo (40:10), Joe McEwan (45:39) and Mary Burns (45:48). Meanwhile, Patrick did his usual course over at Colchester Castle and completed it in 38:48.

Markshall Estate saw the Grainger family outing, with Anita completing it in 27:51 and David completing his first parkrun of the year in 37:15, whilst the sons Edward (his first one in 6 years) and Nicholas completed it in 26:00 and 21:46 respectively. Anita has given praise to the new RD Andrew Read at Markshall Estate, who was volunteering again this week. Also on the course was Ian Lucas (26:55), Sue Shippey (30:52), Karen Flowers (30:52), Ann Johnson (33:43), Nicola Digby (34:32), Emma Austin (36:21) and Angela Read (36:29).

Up in Congleton we had Sian Tate completing her 21st parkrun in 28:28 – a pleasing time to see as the minutes and the seconds are the same! However Giles Sowerby was feeling romantic this week at Valentines parkrun, completing it in 19:40. Elsewhere in London was Steven Alder at Battersea in 29:29 with an extremely pink hat.

Andrew Smith attended Lydiard parkrun, completing it in 19:49, whilst Kevin Harper remained at Chelmsford and completing the course at Central Park in 23:49.

Taking in the sea breeze at Harwich was Adam Hocken (24:09) and Dawn Shilling (30:04) whilst at Chalkwell Beach had Lisa Leader (29:28) and Stephen Sawyer (18:30). Our friends up in Scotland had Brigid Wallen volunteering and Tony Wallen completing Loch Levan in 23:06.

Our new local at ARU Writtle had their 3rd event this week and was attended by Leo Cole (20:28) and Jack Welch (22:58). They’ve asked that whilst they settle in for tourists to wait a little bit whilst they get used to it all at Writtle.

The full list of results can be found here. Don’t forget to add Witham RC to your profile to be included on that list.

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Next parkrun Special Events

Next week it will be possible to complete 3 parkruns in 3 consecutive days! The UK (along with Italy, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) will be hosting an extra event on Christmas Day. A location map can be found here. Will you be doing an extra? The following day, Poland will be hosting an extra event too, with their location map here. Then the next day is a normal Saturday parkrun. Phew, tired just thinking about it!