Saturday 28 September 2019 - Pennington Flash parkrun

 

Wythenshawe parkrunners went on tour today, to Pennington Flash, near Leigh, in deepest Lancashire. This long planned and once postponed event started for Paul B and me with a nocturnal rendezvous at 6.45 am at Timperley Bridge.

 

 

By the time we reached Worsley a constant drizzle had set in, and we knew that others would be travelling in the relative comfort of a fleet of motor vehicles.

 

 

The run starts near the Bridgewater Canal, and comprises three laps of an undulating, puddly, muddy course, including a steep descent to a large puddle surrounded by slippery grass. We were warned that many runners come to grief here. I nearly joined that statistic.

 

Here are most of the Wythenshawe contingent before the start, including Owen and Jenny, who featured in parkrun's weekly bulletin this week.

 

L-R: Martin, Greg, Paul, Jenny, Owen, Jan, Ron, Andy, Sue and Sheila

Half our contingent ran gently round with Owen, and the rest of the team were led home by Greg, who on his 418th run finished 7th out of today's 159 participants. Full results are here.

The following picture shows three soaking wet finishers...
 

Post run refreshments were available from a cabin near the toilet block. Inside the cabin it was a steamy and very friendly atmosphere, with urns of hot water with which to douse tea bags or coffee granules, and a copious supply of cake.

We were told that usually the gathering is outside the cabin, but in today's steadily heavier rain most people squeezed inside the increasingly muddy building.

Greg is pictured below, dashing back to his car. Paul and I changed into dry clothes and enjoyed a twenty mile ride home in driving rain. Luckily the wind was mostly behind us, so it really was enjoyable! No photos though - the camera was well stashed.