parkrun – 04/04/2026

7 April 2026 - By Steven Alder

Happy Easter everyone! I hope those of you that attended parkrun over the long weekend enjoyed yourselves. Our members could be found at Maldon Prom, Great Dunmow, University Parks, Whitstable, Castle Park, Chelmsford Central, Markshall, East Holmes Field, Tychy (Poland), Christchurch Park, Billericay, Great Notley, ARU Writtle, Walton Promenade, Centennial (Australia) and Harrow Lodge.

Well done to the international tourists – Centennial parkrun in Sydney, Australia saw Annalise Etherington grab the 11th female position in 25:11. Steven Alder was at Tychy, Poland, repeating the course he’d done over 6 years ago in 25:59.

Quite a few parkruns with just the one member of the club attending – lots of tourism going on, well done all! Anthony Smith managed Great Dunmow in 29:12, Adam Hocken visted Univeristy Parks completing it in 26:43 (and either did it with a family memer or it’s a massive co-incidence he finished with someone with the same surname!), Dawn Shilling revisited Whitstable in 32:03, Kevin Harper went and did Castle Park for the first time in 25:26 whilst Banksy did East Holmes in 21:08 (11th place).

We also had Giles Sowerby in Suffolk doing Christchurch Park in 22:10, Jack Welch at Billericay in 22:21 (grabbing himself a course PB), Great Notley saw Mike Struthers completing the course in 35:24 (and 1st VM75-79), Lysia Jiggins along with her dog Finn did 37:22, Jamie Marlow at Harrow Lodge in 24:05 and Karen Flowers grabbed herself a course PB at ARU Writtle in 42:36.

Maldon Prom was very popular choice over the weekend. Nicholas Grainger grabbed a PB as he managed his fastest ever parkrun in 21:23 and was 3rd SM18-19. This was his 19th parkrun at Maldon Prom, half of the amount of 5k parkruns he’s completed (plus an additional 21 juniors, although he’s too old to do anymore of them now of course!). He was then followed by Leo Cole (21:26), Mick Conroy (23:00 and also his fastest parkrun too), Simon Scott (23:19), Steve Hookings (24:36), Vicki Riley (24:39), Chrissy Israel-Jones (30:21), Ian Cuthbert (30:22), Ross Silverton (30:31), Nicola Digby (36:31), Jodee Mayer (36:34), Sarah Naughton (36:34), Natalie Lilley (36:35), Jenny Layley (36:36), Adam Regan (37:21) and Liz Atkinson (37:22).

Chelmsford Central was visited with the May Day 10 banner, then Will Radley completed it in 4th place in 18:16 and 1st SM30-34. Nadia grabbed a PB in 24:01 and 2nd SW30-34, Clive Smith did it in 25:18 and Andrew Smith in 25:19.

Markshall parkrun was supported by RD Andrew Read, Timekeeper Kerry Townsend, Number Checker James Attenborough, Volunteer Co-ordinator Angela Read, Funnel Manager Monty and Marshals Ann Johnson, Sian Tate, Shane Ketteridge and Lisa Leader. They got to see Scott Townsend (24:48), Beth Shippey (37:30), Dionne Radley (37:34), Patrick Hinchliffe (40:54).

The full set of results can be found here. Don’t forget to add Witham RC as one of your groups on your profile.

parkrun Special Events

This month and next month sees extra parkrun events taking place around the world. Whilst the extras won’t be taking place in the UK, it will be possible to do extra parkruns on the following dates (links take you to a map of declarations):

Why not try some international tourism and get an extra parkrun in?

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