Dear parkrun (never with a capital p)
I have a confession…. it’s been 5 weeks since I last completed parkrun…. wait, hold on, that’s not true… I have attended two in that time, one was with a most excellent Mini Mermaid where we ran, danced, skipped and shimmied our way around and the other was where I showed off my Madonna dance moves in support of another group of Mermaids at Crossflats parkrun (as an aside, I cannot tell you how uber cool I feel that Madonna has donned a patch as Madame ‘X’ although I think the intention behind wearing her patch may veer into an area that I am not 100% comfortable with…. if you catch my drift…) Anyway, I digress….
So what I actually mean is that I haven’t been down to my beloved Roundhay parkrun since the one I did with my friend Alex 2 weeks after my op (and where chiblet number 2 had an epic meltdown)
Oh parkrun, It’s not you, it’s me…. I just can’t put my finger on what is holding me back. I have had lots of awesome people coming forward saying that they would be my bodyguards (as I am obviously of the same ilk as Barbara Streisand…. or possibly a Kardashian…? Not that I would know one of the Kardashian’s if I fell over them in the street so I will stick with the Streisand example) but even those offers aren’t getting me out of my parkrun funk.
This morning was a prime example, there was nothing stopping me jogging down to the park to catch up with my awesome friends, saying thankyou for their support and enjoying a lovely run around the beautiful park that I am lucky enough to live near. I woke up, actually put on my kit but then backed out at the last minute. Why was this?
Trust me parkrun when I say I desperately want to come back to you as you are such an important part of my life but something is stopping me. I feel nervous, scared, uncomfortable with the crowds, but I know that none of this is your fault…. (I even managed to do the infamous Roundhay schools fun run this morning with chiblet number 1 so I KNOW that I CAN do it!)
So.…. in a bid to quash my fears over returning to you, parkrun, I am going to make this pledge. I WILL be back….. not next week though as I am away for a weekend of walking in the Dales and ‘A Star is Born’ film marathon…. with the obvs very talented and happens to be very beautiful Bradley Cooper…..oh and a group of friends…. So hear it now, that on the day that is the 25th May 2019, I WILL be back…. watch out Randy – pet name for Roundhay – parkrun…. as in, literally anyone who is running that day watch out as I cannot guarantee that I won’t run into you…. the bins on Lidgett Lane can testify that my long and short range perspective is still pretty s***e…. Anyone who is around on this day and fancies donning sunglasses in a bodyguard style fashion and periodically talking into their ‘wrist radio’ would be greeted with a nervous smile and some pretty poor jokes, but would be doing me and my relationship with parkrun a MASSIVE favour.
Until we meet again parkrun,
Your friend,
CC x (parkrunner A646918)
Me, myself and eye 