"I" is for... Ipswich

31.08.19 - #5 Ipswich - He ran, Shee-ran, We all ran (eventually!)

"BEEP...BEEP...BEEP...BEEEEEP! It's 5.20 AM, Matty. Time to wake up. Ipswich is finally ON!"

Usually I would curse my alarm clock for waking me up so early but today was different. Today I was running the long-awaited, post-concert, Ipswich parkrun. After two weeks of parkrun cancellations, whilst Chantry Park played host to the Ed Sheeran homecoming gigs, it was finally now our turn!

Move over, Ed.....Step up, the parkrunners!

With the early start, I don't remember much about leaving the house except that it was still quite dark but I managed to get my clothes on the right way around (including my new personalised running top in the MS Society's funky colours - check me out!) and my all-important barcode on my wrist. That was enough! "Can't be late, can't be late...Ipswich is 2 hours away!"

Chauffeur for the day was Ken Douglas - Run Director at Tring and also Voluntary Run Reporter for Saturday's event at Ipswich (what a good sport!). After the short drive to Ken's, we picked up the rest of our tourist crew and the four of us headed off from Hertfordshire to Suffolk.

Ken and I were joined by regular Tring parkrunners, Claudia - a fundraiser and ambassador for various Multiple Sclerosis charities but today sporting her MS Society running vest (the same charity I'm fundraising for) and also Mike. I was in good company!

We allowed plenty of time and arrived fashionably early at 8am, for a 9am start. I was grateful to be there as I'd originally planned to run the Ipswich course a week earlier but had to delay due to that parkrun event being cancelled at short-ish notice because of Ed's gigs getting in the way (damn cheek!).

On arrival it was reassuring to see the Finish funnel already set up and quite a few people milling about, mostly volunteers but also a few friendly, chatty runners. I quite enjoy people-watching and seeing all the volunteers and fellow runners arrive, especially as a tourist.

At Ipswich parkrun they use the cricket pavillion as a base and that's where I met the lovely Run Director, Kate Hutson, and Event Director, Graham Rodgers (who himself is in the middle of a charity fundraiser for Alzheimer's Research UK - go, Graham!)

We were also privileged to meet the legendary Rory Marriott and his lovely wife, Hilary. Rory is known for his impressive voluntary work, working with various MS organisations as well as notching up an amazing 796 parkrun Volunteer credits. What a guy!

Before long it was briefing time. The usual course had been adapted due to equipment still being scattered around the venue, left behind after Ed's concerts. Apparently this 'Plan B' course was actually the very first Ipswich course, so many of the old-timers were happy to see that old familiar course back after something like 7 or 8 course variations over the years!

With the 'Tourists & First-Timers' briefing completed we headed to the Start, about 500m from the Finish funnel, snapping a few more sneaky pics en route. We walked over some weird-looking, corrugated grass on the cricket pitch, with wiggly indentations and discolouration left behind by the temporary walkways used for the concert (on the cricket outfield, no less....sacrilege!)

The path led us past some rather mighty and impressive trees.....and I do appreciate a good tree! (I always wonder what they would say if they could speak but I digress!)


So here we were, all 305 of us, lined up at the Start for the Main briefing - mostly runners but also a dedicated walking group which impressed me. In my opinion that's what parkrun is about - inclusiveness - bringing everyone together regardless of ability, fitness, speed, experience or whatever else. After a few well-earned mentions for visitors, milestones etc and also a mention for my own Fundraising Challenge (thank you!), we were off!!

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned my ankle niggles. I hadn't done any training at all since running my letter "T", at Tring, so I could rest my ankle until parkrun. I had planned to take it easy at Ipswich, just in case, but whenever I mention this I get the "Excuses, excuses!" line.....and after realising that almost every runner has some type of injury, I now completely understand! So putting my best foot (and ankle support!) forward I pushed on to give it my best shot, as always.


Weather-wise it was very warm and the sun was shining. Already at 9am it was 20+ degrees and humid and the bright sky projected sunlight beautifully through those impressive trees! The course was nice and flat and I was nice and grateful! We passed the rather grand mansion house, on a mixture of tarmac pathways and football fields, or "soccer" fields as the American 'Tourists & First-Timers' Briefer called them!

The thing that really stood out for me, on this course, was the large amount of volunteers there were and how enthusiastic and happy they were to be there! A couple of them even had cheer-leading pom poms and were probably burning off nearly as many calories as the runners and walkers!

To be totally honest, I needed their support today to get me through, so thank you! Fighting every instinct to stop running, I think about other people who cannot run but would love to, and that gives me that fighting spirit to spur me on when I feel like I am struggling and my body might not be able to do what I'm asking it to.

Today's course was two laps and, as much as i wanted to finish after one lap, I pushed myself around the tough second lap, running with a cluster of other runners for support - all friendly and willing each other on, all pushing through a pain barrier of sorts. Grateful for every step and every km down, I was happy to have completed the run without stopping. Getting to the finish line was a relief! 


With my barcode scanned, token handed back and a huge bottle of water drunk, I had a nice chat with a few of the runners that finished around the same time as me, about my fundraising challenge. I also chatted with Rory at the finish line, where he was on timekeeping duty. His awe-inspiring enthusiasm rubs off on anyone who talks to him! 

Needless to say, I felt a bit guilty that I'd been moaning about how I'd struggled during that run, when so many people struggle day in, day out, with tasks which most of us would take for granted. Thinking about those who battle with Multiple Sclerosis humbles me and helps me to focus on running on, to raise as much as I can for this worthy cause.


I'm pleased to report the genuine friendliness of this parkrun - not just the volunteers, but the runners & walkers too. It really did feel like we were looking out for each other. Ipswich is a top parkrun run by top people!

The post-parkrun refreshments beckoned and the clubhouse was really busy (definitely not built for 300 people!) The atmosphere was great and the cakes on offer were superb - so many varieties and also plenty of watermelon for the healthier runners out there. I recommend the tasty flapjack!

Those ladies do a fantastic job every week - the least I could do was buy a cup of tea to go with the delicious cake. Even on a hot summer's day, after a 5k run, us British folk never turn down a refreshing cup of tea, eh?!

After our delicious pitstop and a natter with some of the locals about parkrun, Multiple Sclerosis and Ed Sheeran, the last few walkers came through and we decided to embark on our journey back to Tring. My parting thought was that whoever said that chicken soup is good for the soul, has clearly never been to Ipswich parkrun and tried their delicious flapjacks!

Thank you to everyone at Chantry Park for such a genuinely warm welcome and wonderful experience. I will definitely be back!

And of course, a big thank you also to my fellow Tring parkrunners who accompanied me on this fantastic trip and helped to make it so enjoyable.

And finally....thank you to Mr Ed Sheeran. Despite throwing a super-sized spanner in the works and knocking my schedule out because you decided to pinch the parkrun park for your own thing (how very dare you?!), everything aligned on the day that I did eventually visit and I had the most perfect parkrun Tourist experience.....

.....Who knows, if I'd been there the week before, as originally planned, things may have been very different? That might've been the one week that the flapjacks ended up with a soggy bottom or something equally drastic and....well....my day just wouldn't have been quite so perfect! 😊


Next up: PANSHANGER!

Please click here for my Just Giving page - raising funds for MS Society charity

https://www.parkrun.org.uk/ipswich/