Lincoln parkrun 17th May 2014

Leading up to volunteering at Cleethorpes first ever parkrun, I needed to go to one and find out how it was done. Basically that meant going to a local parkrun and watching how they did things. I chose to go to Lincoln, not having been to Lincoln for ages.

The Lincoln parkrun is set in a really nice park called Boultham Park, just off the River Witham. A great setting for any run or race. For me I travelled on the train to Lincoln Central and walked down, arriving just before 8.30am as the volunteer team and a handful of runners were appearing. Everyone was very friendly. My plan was to run it as fast as I could but decided against that over a mile into the parkrun due to the heat. It was a really hot day. Although I love hot and sunny weather, I generally tend to struggle running in it whatever the distance even if its 100m. In the end I just jogged it as I would any other normal training run.

My time was 29.59. The total amount of runners for that parkrun was 272. After the parkrun I joined the other runners for refreshments at the Indoor Bowls Club. Quite enjoyed it and happy to return to the Lincoln parkrun again one day.

Just to emphasise: parkrun is NOT a race! You run it as fast or as you slow as you want! Great for training or speedwork and running with other people. Here are the Lincoln parkrun results 17th May 2014

The photo left is of me running round Boultham Park in my Clee AC vest. Photo by Jack Thomas, Lincoln parkrun volunteer.

Why I still wear my Games Maker uniform

Since the London 2012 Games finished on 9th September 2012 with the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games, unlike many of my fellow official Games Makers, I have been wearing my Games Maker uniform very frequently. Some people think I shouldn’t carry on wearing it with the Games finished. A point of view I understand and they are entitled to their opinion.

Thought I should put down why I still wear my Games Maker uniform, not as an apology but more so people can understand my point of view. On the whole it still gets a positive reaction from people who think I should be proud to still wear it because of what the Games Makers accomplished at London 2012:

At the conclusion of the Games my uniform, which had been the property of London 2012 throughout the Games, became my property and owned by me.

Technically we were not supposed to wear it again but put it away. To me, that seemed such a waste to just wear it for 2 and a half weeks. After all, us Games Makers along with the athletes, police and officials, had made history at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I had just been a Games Maker at the most successful Olympic Games ever.

So I thought that as I owned the uniform I might as well do something constructive with it. It was at that point I decided to wear it when doing any sports volunteering such as marshalling at races, being a marksman on the track or stewarding at Clee Town FC matches.

Volunteering is just one of the things the Olympic Legacy is all about. After the Games, London 2012 (now Sport England) had been trying to inspire us Games Makers to volunteer in our local community. Wearing the uniform not only puts it to good use after the London 2012 Games but represents the Olympic Legacy. My volunteering is also a part of the Olympic Legacy the country is trying to build.

It should be noted that I also wear the uniform as I was also inspired by London 2012 and by my fellow Games Makers and what many of them have done since the end of the Games. I also wear it in the hope of inspiring others to do their best and to inspire them to volunteer too.

Many of my fellow Games Makers put their uniforms away after the athletes parade on 10th September 2012. At the end of the day it is the personal choice of each individual Games Maker.

Apparently it will take 10 years to build the London 2012 Olympic Legacy. I shall continue to wear my uniform when doing Sports Volunteering for the foreseeable future, and possibly far into it, while the legacy is being built and while the uniform still stays in one piece :)

Happy New Year 2013!: My Goals for the Year

Happy New Year everybody! It has been a little while since my last blog post due partly to some financial problems which also affected my internet. Business is now resuming :)

My Athletic goals for 2013 are:

To run 6 Half Marathons (Minimum 3) and 2 Full Marathons including Mablethorpe.
Run in as many local races and events as possible.
Buy some Trail shoes and do at least 1 Fell race or off-road race.
Get a new Clee AC Vest and put my name on it.
Marshall at all local races I can get transport to should I decide that I'm not running in them
Help out Clee AC at the Track, usually on Tuesday nights, and to encourage the Kids

Oh and do as many Fun Runs as I can as long as they dont clash with any other races I want to run in :)

On a non athletic note I intend to continue being a Volunteer steward for Local non-commercial footie team Cleethorpes Town FC.

Those are my goals for 2013 and I hope any runners reading this achieve their personal running goals.