Baby Jogger 2

Back in 2012, I had the idea that I would like to try buggy running with my daughter. Looking around at the prices quickly ruled out the option of buying a brand new one, so I started looking around for a second-hand option. Eventually I put out a call for help on Twitter, which lead to the acquisition of a Baby Jogger 2.

baby jogger 2

Design / Frame

The Baby Jogger was designed in 1984 to solve the problem of parents that wanted to jog but also had a toddler in tow. It sports an aerodynamic v shaped design and large (for a buggy) wheels. Its lightweight aluminium tubing frame helps to keep the weight minimal. The buggy is suitable for children from 6 months of age (or a year, best to research this and do what you feel is best) and will remain suitable until they grow out of it - this is usually around the age of 5, but varies from child to child. I'm not sure which year mine was manufactured, but it is an older model of running buggy. Judging by the colourway and the likely number of former owners, I would take a guess and say that this was produced in the 1990's.

Wheels / Tyres

The buggy sits on three bicycle-style wheels which give the buggy an incredibly smooth ride. The tyres on mine are what I'd describe as hybrid-style tyres which are amazing on smooth tarmac, but will easily also handle grass, trail and even thick sticky mud (but it's hard work). They are fixed in position and do not swivel.

Brake

There is a single hand brake lever located on the handle which connects, via a cable, to the brake which is housed on the front wheel - it is basically a bicycle brake. The handle also has a moveable switch which locks the brake should you want to ensure that the buggy doesn't roll away whilst in a parked position. The brake lever is central on the handle which means the brake is close by but not in the way during the run. I have never felt the need to use the brake whilst running and use it purely when stationary.

footrest / brake / seat and five-point harness

Seat and Harness

Before setting off on a run, you will want to ensure that your child is safely secured inside the buggy. The buggy comes with an adjustable 5 point safety harness which secures them inside very well. The straps that go over the shoulders can be adjusted as your child grows to ensure they are held in place safely and comfortably. There is also a fixed hard plastic footrest.

The seat is made from a water resistant canvas material and is narrow and snug, which is good as it helps to secure the child in place and prevents them from moving from side to side as you run around corners. It is a simple canvas material seat suspended between the frame. There are no additional creature comforts such as an option to change the seat position or additional padding on this seat.

Wrist Strap (for safety)

Once ready to go, you can place your wrist through the wrist strap to ensure that the buggy does not roll away from you, say, on a downhill section of your route. I'd definitely recommend using it during every run.

Luggage / pockets

There are two separate compartments for storing any items you have during your run. At the back, behind the seat and under the handle is a sizeable net and underneath the seat there is a further storage space. Handy if you are going to be out for a while you might need to take some nappies and other assorted baby things. I imagine that on a normal run you'd probably leave them empty to avoid carrying any excess weight. Of course purposefully adding extra weight could be another useful training option.

Hood

The buggy comes with a hood (but not attached in the photos), like the seat it is made from a canvas-type material. I'd say it is more useful for shielding your child from the sun rather than keeping them dry. It has a small window in case you need to check inside without interrupting your run. Mine did not come with a rain cover, but I understand that they are available as an added extra.

My only real grumble with the buggy is the design of the hood when folded back. While fine when you have it in its operating position, should you wish to fold it back, it bounces or rubs against my hand as I run. As a workaround I have removed the material hood, which has left me with the supporting wire-frame structure exposed. Once my daughter is in the buggy I move this forward so it rests just above her legs and is well out of the way. I could remove the wire frame entirely but would need some tools to do so and it would make re-attaching the hood less convenient.

Running

The first things I noticed as I set off with the Baby Jogger 2 on tarmac was how incredibly smooth it is and that there was almost zero rolling-resistance - this means that it is fast. Having your hands/arms removed from the running process is the main difference as far as the running action is concerned but it doesn't take long to feel completely comfortable pushing it during the run. In fact, the design of the buggy and smooth rolling motion means that on a flat tarmac path you can simply let go of the buggy and just keep nudging it to maintain the motion whilst running as normal. It is worth noting that the front wheel extends quite far out in front, so if you are running in a group or at a race you will need to be careful to avoid clipping the heels of other runners.

the baby jogger 2 in action

Turning corners generally involves applying a tiny amount of pressure to the handle in order to lift the front wheel, you can then swivel the buggy on its two rear wheels. The fact that the child's weight is centred over the rear wheels makes this process very easy and natural.

Venturing onto grass, mud or hills will of course require a lot more effort than running buggy-less but the Baby Jogger 2 copes very well in all of these conditions. The hybrid tyres are brilliant in all of these instances. If you are exclusively running on tarmac, you could look for one with some proper skinny road racing wheels/tyres which will offer even less resistance, but for the majority of us the standard offering is the best option as it keeps the buggy an option for all types of terrain.

The most important thing is that my daughter absolutely loves buggy running. While we're out she will constantly shout at me to go faster when I slow down (usually because I'm running up a hill) and when we get into a good rhythm she makes a really quiet but high pitched screaming noise. It lasts for minutes at a time and is very cute. She also really loves bumpy ground and the fast downhills - for her it's like a rollercoaster, so we're always on the lookout for some interesting terrain!

Storage and Transporting

The Baby Jogger 2 has a simple way of folding down to enable easy storage or transportation of the buggy. The easiest and quickest option is to remove the securing pins, which are located just behind the front wheel, and fold it down with the wheels attached. However, to fit the buggy into a smaller space (the boot of a smaller car, perhaps) you can remove the wheels completely. The front wheel has a quick-release mechanism just like you'd find on a bicycle. The two back wheels are secured in a different way. You press the 'Axle lock spring plate' behind the rear axle and pull the wheel out of the aluminum tube. You can then fold the buggy almost completely flat by removing the securing pins from their holes. It's very simple and quick to do. Reassembly is equally as easy - you just pop the back wheels into their holes and secure the front with the quick-release mechanism.

main frame securing pins / front wheel quick release / rear wheel axle lock spring plate

Maintenance

The Baby Jogger 2 is more akin to a bicycle than a buggy. So the maintenance is similar to that of a bike, just without the gears and chain. The brake pads could theoretically wear down after a while, but I use my brake so little that I doubt that I'll ever have to replace them. If the buggy gets wet you might find that some lubricant around the back wheel axle will help to prevent squeaks. Lastly, the tyres - they are very unlikely to puncture, and with such a light load they will last a good number of years without the rubber wearing out. All you'll need to do is check the tyre pressures which can sometimes drop a little lower than desired, just like with a bike.

Conclusion:

Should you want an all round buggy that is also ok for running, you should look elsewhere. This running buggy is the real deal. It does not want to go to the shops. In fact, if you take it to the shops it will clip the heels of every other shopper in protest as you pass them. The Baby Jogger 2 is the stripped down classic running buggy - it's the buggy world's go-kart. Light, nimble and very quick. It knows what it was built to do and does it very well indeed.

Technical Specifications (these are correct to the best of my knowledge)

Age range: 6 months (or possibly 1 year - best to research this beforehand and make your own decision) to 4-5 years - size and weight of the child are the key factors, rather than age alone. My daughter had her last buggy run at the age of 6 and even at the 7 she still hadn't outgrown it completely.
Maximum Load: 45kg (100lbs)

Construction materials: Lightweight aluminium tubing and durable nylon fittings
Weight: 8kg (17.5lbs)
Wheels: 16" 460mm wheels (tbc) with double steel bearings and quick release system
Tyres: High quality (all terrain) tyres with heavy duty inner tubes (to minimise risk of punctures)
Max Tyre Pressure: 2.3bar (35psi)

Length (upright): 127cm (50")
Width (upright): 64cm (25")
Height of handle (upright): 97cm (38")

Length (folded with wheels on): 122cm (48")
Width (folded with wheels on): 120 (47")
Height (folded with wheels on): 64cm (25")

Length (folded with wheels off): 120 (47")
Width (folded with wheels off): 55cm (22")
Height (folded with wheels off): 15cm (6")

Maldon Prom parkrun

Another trip through Dartford tunnel into Essex this week, this time to run a Maldon Prom parkrun which takes place in Promenade Park, Maldon. The ladies joined me again, and this gave the the opportunity to run with my daughter in her running buggy.

wilkommen

Maldon is on the Blackwater estuary and at the end of the promenade there is a statue of Byrhtnoth - leader of the Anglo-Saxon forces in the Battle of Maldon against the Vikings in 991. It is known throughout the country as the foremost modern day centre for Thames sailing barges, which you'll see as you run along the promenade during the parkrun. It is also famous for the Maldon mud race, where, providing the tide is low enough, competitors race through the mud to the other side of the estuary and back again.

start area

We travelled by car and parked in the fair sized car park in the centre of the park. It's a pay and display car park (£1 for an hour, £2 for two hours, £4 for four hours, or £5 for the whole day). From what I can see there is no train station in Maldon so that's not an option for any travelling tourists. If you're local, of course cycling would be an option. I didn't spot any bicycle racks but there is a fence right next to the finish line that could be used to secure it to.

lap around the lake

The toilets are right in the centre of the park, next to the very well presented children's playground - the park has a big sail ship to play on which fits in with the nautical theme of the area very well. There are also a number of food huts and a cafe as well as a marine lake, a skate park, sports fields and a bmx track. We were here on quite a misty/overcast morning, but should you run here in the summer it must be a brilliant little park to spend some time with the family.

bump!

The runners and volunteers meet adjacent to the marine lake, which is in the north-west part of the park. I joined the run director for a briefing with the day's first-timers (25 running their first ever parkrun) where the course was described in detail - I was glad that I was here because the course is slightly different to the one on the official course map at the moment (25 Jan 2014).

the muddy part

Apart from a couple of humps and one short steep slope that you negotiate three times, the course is flat. It starts on the tarmac path next to the marine lake, does one small lap of the lake and then heads off for two full laps around the park. The lap starts by swinging around a few corners and then passes the information centre, the toilets and the playground.

coming back along the prom

The path here is usually used for access to the overspill car parking area, but vehicles are prohibited during the parkrun. This section has a couple speed bumps (sleeping policemen) and my daughter loved being bumped over them in her running buggy, everytime we hit one she bounced right up in the air and giggled her head off! (the five point harness in the buggy kept her quite safe).

blackwater estuary

After this stretch there is a right hand turn onto the grass/dirt/mud section. We ran here in the winter and the rain had turned the dirt path into a muddy, slightly boggy section. Many runners ran to the side to avoid the muddiest parts, but me and the buggy ploughed right through! It lasts for about 500 metres and you do it twice, so in total 20% of the run takes place on this section. I wore trail shoes to help with traction on this section but when it's dry I would go for standard road shoes.

bryhtnoth

After this you make your way onto the promontory and run towards the statue of Bryhtnoth, sword in hand, thrust into the sky. When you reach him, you do a u-turn around the last bench and head along the promenade with the estuary on you right. This takes you back to the marine lake, where you circle it again. If you have only run one lap, you'll go off and do a second.

i like this one

However, if you have already run two laps, you will now turn right after the lake to leave the loop and make a final dash for the finish line. For the record, there are a couple of marshals in key locations around the course, and the rest is clearly marked with direction arrows - it worked very well indeed.

finished!

For the first time ever, I didn't actually touch my finish token. It was given to my daughter as we crossed the line and I gave her my personal barcode as we approached the scanning area so she could take care of the whole process. The barcode scanning takes place in the seating hut thingy which is adjacent to the finish area. We ran at event 23 and it turns out that we were part of a new record attendance of 128 (inaugural event aside), beating the previous week's record by 3 runners.

beep

They say that parkrun can be 'whatever you want it to be' and today that meant a nice easy run with my daughter in her running buggy. And with no pressure to try to run a certain time, we splashed through puddles, waved to Mummy (who had the camera), chatted and laughed the whole way round. It was brilliant!

the no (vehicle) access sign

For a place I'd never heard of before the parkrun started, it has a rich history and if I'd read wikipedia before visiting I would have gone to have a look at George Washington's great-grandfather's grave, which is in All Saint's parish church. I also would have known the the Marvel comics twin superheroes, Psylocke and Captain Britain were born and raised here. Go Maldon!

Southend parkrun

There is a newer version of the write-up for this parkrun - Southend parkrun 2024 write-up

- - -

I thought I'd venture into Essex for my parkrun this weekend, and after changing my mind on which venue to visit umpteen times I finally settled on Southend parkrun. Well it's actually in Shoeburyness which is in the borough of Southend-on-Sea.

sunrise and southend pier

There was some debate in the household as to whether the ladies would come with me. In the end the chance to see the world's longest pier and to get some fresh sea air won them over. We were treated to a beautiful sunrise as we drove along the seafront at Southend, so this was an unexpected bonus.

information board at gunners park

So. We arrived at the venue at just after 8am and parked in the spacious car park, which is free of charge. If travelling by train we would have travelled to Shoeburyness station. For those lucky enough to live locally, there is a fantastic network of segregated cycling paths that lead to the park. Anyway, off I went to explore...

a quick chat

The land that is now the park was previously used by the military as an experimental range and has quite a history dating back to 1849. Its human history dates back much further and there is evidence to suggest there was a settlement built by Danish leader Hasten in 894 AD.

the long snaking line of runners heading to the start

The area is now known as Gunners Park and is also a nature reserve, which was designated a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest' 1987. The land is divided into various habitats which each support a broad range of wildlife.

...and we're off

After exploring the course, I went back to the car park and bumped into the very friendly organisers, had a quick chat and they pointed me in the direction of the toilets which are 400 metres 1 kilometre west along the seafront from the parkrun meeting area. There is a visitor centre being built in the park so there is hope that this will provide some more convenient conveniences in the future.

heading along the sea wall

The runners all meet up in the car park and a few minutes before 9am are lead down the footpath to the briefing area. Once the briefing is complete everyone moves across to the start area. The number of participants at this venue is fairly large (225 on the day I visited) and the start area isn't particularly wide so lining up sensibly is crucial.

me going through the only puddle on the course

The course is very simple to follow. It's 3 anti-clockwise laps plus a little finish straight just off the main loop at the end. It's a flat and fast course and is almost entirely on tarmac paths. There are marshals at key points plus there are directional signs in place around the course.

the slightly muddy bit

From the start you head along the tarmac path, which meanders gently around to the first corner, a left hander. With the corner behind you, you are now heading directly towards the sea - I found there was a head wind coming from the sea along this stretch, but it wasn't too bad on the day I visited.

lap two, i think

When you reach the sea wall, there's another left hand turn. Now you run with the sea on your right and a lake on your left. The path continues with its meandering nature along this stretch before reaching an old disused military building. If you look around you'll see many other clues to the military's presence here.

around the bend and past the start area

After the building there is a tiny stretch which is on grass/dirt/mud depending on the conditions. On the day I visited it was mud. Nothing too bad but worth being prepared for if it has been raining. You stay on the mud as you do a wide u-turn and emerge back on another tarmac path. Again this meanders around and shortly after you arrive back at the start area.

all done for another week

The course is perfectly fine for buggy runners - I think there was one out there today. I did have our running buggy in the car but in the end decided not to run with it. The little one meandered around the course with my wife taking photos (thank you) instead.

Anyway, after completing the lap three times you take the path on your left down towards the finish and then you're done! Barcode scanning is taken care of on the grassy section adjacent to the final stretch.

beep and beep. thank you.

I had to hold back slightly on the pace because I had signed up for a 10 mile race the following day, but this would be a great course for a time trial as long as the wind coming off the sea isn't too strong. I found the volunteers very friendly here and I got a few cheers of encouragement along the lines of 'looking good, tourist' as I went round the course. I was one of only two 100 clubbers present and I think the 100 club t-shirt helped them to remember me as I passed by. The encouragement was much appreciated and we had a great morning - Thank you!

So Let's Go Running

The So Let's Go Running running group was formed to replace the Dartford Sweatshop Running Community run, which ceased to exist when the Dartford branch of Sweatshop was closed down at the end of 2013.

the runners at the first event

I had only been running with Dartford Sweatshop Running Community (SRC) since the summer of 2013 so was still fairly new to the group, but there were others that had been with the group since it started and over the years had formed a really strong running community.

The feeling was that this community could not just be allowed to disappear. So runner and chief editor of the So Let's Go Running magazine, Brian, along with run leaders Dawn and Les, set to work in getting this new group up and running. The group was registered as an official Run England running group and had it's first run on 7 January 2014.

the 'so let's go running' core team

The meeting point for the run is at the Goals football centre / The Leigh Technology College, just off Green Street Green in Dartford (postcode: DA1 1QE). The Goals centre has ample free car and bicycle parking, toilets, changing facilities and a bar area for a bit of post-run socialising. The group meets on Tuesdays at 7pm for a 7.15pm start. It is free to run, but you can contribute by buying a copy of the So Let's Go Running magazine, which features articles and run/race reports written by local runners (a couple of my parkrun blogs have been included in past issues) as well as articles on other subjects such as nutrition and cross training.

You can see the current standard 5k route in the photo below but if you'd like to examine it in more detail, feel free to have a look at my Strava GPS route from the group's second run on 14 Jan 2014 - I didn't run the first as my foot was feeling a bit iffy, but I didn't want to miss it completely so I turned up with my camera and took some photos instead.

The run heads out of the goals centre and turns left onto Green Street Green. Princes Road is then crossed via the pedestrian footbridge. The run then heads east along Princes Road where the runners use the underpasses and footbridge to negotiate the big roundabout. At the end of Princes Road there is a crossing followed by an out-and-back section along Watling Street up to the hospital roundabout and back.

the route

From here the route continues west along Watling Street, past the fire station and cemetery entrance, over the motorway and then swings left along Pilgrims Way. At the end of this road it is a simple case of retracing one's footsteps over the pedestrian footbridge and back along the paths into the Goals centre car park.

For those who do not wish to tackle the full 5k, there is the option to cut out the out-and-back section, which takes just over 1km off of the total distance. The route is pretty well lit throughout, is almost completely flat and has minimal road crossings. There is a 7km route which is an option for those who fancy going a little further - here's my Strava GPS data of the 7km route. I think it looks a bit like a scorpion.

Plus, there is a beginners interval session that uses the run/walk technique to help new runners get started and improve their fitness before progressing to one of the other runs.

post run chatting

Of course, this is not just a group for the ex-Dartford SRC runners. Runners of all abilities are most welcome to come along to run or run/walk with the group. So whether you are a beginner looking for some like-minded people to offer some encouragement or a more established runner just looking for something different, please feel free to come along.

For more information you can reach the group leader, Brian, via the So Let's go running social media channels;

So Let's Go Running on facebook

So Let's Go Running on twitter


stv/7t

Cycloterrain

When I ran at the Cyclopark Christmas Cracker 5k Race I was given a voucher for a free cycling session at the Cyclopark. So with a break in the rain and a gloriously sunny winter's day on the cards, I decided to use it! The Cyclopark has a number of different options for cyclists. From the smooth surface of the main circuit, to the BMX track and then the mountain bike trails - or Cycloterrain as it is called here.

map of the cyclopark - you can see the mountain bike trails marked in blue, red and black

For my first visit on the bike, I decided to try out the Cycloterrain. So I gave the mountain bike a quick once over and slung it in the car. If I was going alone I would have cycled there, but my wife and daughter were coming with me so that's why we drove.

part of the blue trail

These three different tracks all have the same entry price (adults: £3 off peak / £3.50 peak) and for each you get to play on your chosen activity 2 hours. The entry fee only covers one activity. Once you have paid, you are given a wristband as proof of payment and it shows your entry time. It's worth noting that helmets are compulsory for anybody riding any kind of wheeled device within the complex.

this was one of my favourite sections (red route)

As my daughter and wife were here, they decided to use the playground, which is called Cyclokids. This has an entry fee of £2 per family and covers the whole day and covers up to 2 adults and 3 children. My daughter had brought her scooter so in order to comply with the health and safety regulations of the Cyclopark, she had to have a helmet. These are available to hire at the main reception for £2, plus you have to leave a £10 fully refundable deposit.

scooter, daughter, helmet, reception.

After making sure my daughter was settled in the playground, I headed off the try out the 6 kilometres of trails. Although they are all linked together, there are different routes you can take depending on your skill level. The trails marked with blue arrows are the easiest, red arrows point the way for intermediate riders, and the black arrows show the experienced riders where to go.

the section of the blue trail that passes the playground

I spent my time on a combination of the blue and red trails. I did on one occasion start to follow a black arrow but very quickly remembered that I am not an advanced mountain biker and abandoned the attempt! The big difference with the black trails is that they contain quite a lot of obstacles to ride over in the shape on boulders and are quite technical.

one of the blue trail waymarkers

I spent about 50 minutes riding round the different sections before taking a break to hang out in the playground with my wife and daughter. A short while later I went out and did a second session on the trails, this time I only managed 35 minutes before realising that my two hour session was over.

So I rode back to the main building, removed as many items of wet, muddy gear as I could without becoming naked and joined the ladies for a spot of lunch in the Cyclocafe.

we had a race. she won.

We had a great time over at the Cyclopark and the thing that surprised me the most was that I didn't fall of the mountain bike (I have a habit of doing this, but it usually occurs in August, so I'm safe for now). I'll be back soon for the free, weekly 5k run - Cyclorun, but for my next visit on two wheels I plan to take the road bike for a good session around the tarmac circuit.

A place in the British 10k London Run 2014

After years of avoiding larger events, it looks like I'll finally be running the British 10k London Run on 13 July 2014. This event attracts 25,000 runners. It seems like a lot of people to squeeze through the streets of London, but they seem to manage it each year. I'm quite nervous at the prospect of running with so many other people but I'm sure it'll be a brilliant day with plenty of support around the course.

It's actually quite a fitting race for me to take part in because I was in central London and logged my first ever run on the day of the 2010 event. I didn't know about the event when I went out that morning, but I remember jogging around St. James's and Green parks and seeing lots of runners turning up and preparing for the race. At the time I remember thinking that 10k seemed like such a long distance to run.

2014 is the centenary of the start of the first world war and in honor of this the race will have a number of commemorative aspects - more info here. It starts on Piccadilly and works its way through to the city via an out and back route along the river, then passes the London Eye, Parliament and Westminster Abbey before finishing on Whitehall.

New Balance are the official sports brand of the event and will be supplying 'individual and corporate' runners with a commemorative tech t-shirt.

It seems so far away at the moment, but I imagine the time will fly by. And of course, I have a few significant events booked in before this comes around. The Paddock Wood Half being my first flat-course half-marathon (where I'll be hoping for a pb) and the North Downs Way 30 (that's 30 kilometres) being the longest and toughest race I've entered to date.

2014 is looking good - all I have to do is stay in one piece!

Cyclorun

Cyclorun is a weekly 5k run on Sundays starting at 8am (arrive at 7.45am for registration). It is free of charge, open to all abilities and takes place on a traffic and dog-free course within the Cyclopark in Gravesend, Kent. They had their first run on Sunday 12 January 2014 and I was there to join in with the fun.

it must be a sign

When you arrive at the Cyclopark you have to pay to park your car. There is a machine just inside the main entrance. It costs £1.

There are toilets, lockers and changing facilities onsite. The lockers require a £1 coin to operate but this is refunded once you have finished using it.

 21 chilly runners all ready to go [photo: Louise Pullen]

Any new runners will need to fill in a quick registration form (today, that meant everyone), and each week the runners that turn up will be allocated a number for that week only to help the organisers allocate the correct finish time to you.

The route is the same as the Cyclopark Christmas Cracker, which I ran a few weeks earlier. It's two laps around their full 2.5km track. Underfoot is beautifully smooth tarmac. It's an undulating course with the hardest of the uphill undulations at the end of each lap (although it is possible that the route could be reversed on occasion, which means the beginning and end of each lap would be downhill).

the end - the cones mark the start/finish line

The Cyclorun has use of the track until 9am, but at that time it opens for cycling so the runners must be finished and off the track. As mentioned in the run briefing, even those that walk the course should be able to complete it within the hour.

After the run there is the option of popping into the Cyclocafe for refreshments, including the £2.99 breakfast offer which I'm told was very nice (thanks, Ian). I only eat raw fruit for breakfast so didn't try any of the food on offer - I didn't really look at the menu, but next time I'll check to see if there are vegetarian or vegan options.

The best way to contact the organisers is via the cyclorun Facebook page. The runners' times will be logged and posted on the facebook page each week after the run.

There are occasions when the cyclopark may be in use for another event. On these weeks the run will still takes place but using the surrounding paths and lanes around the local area. Week four of cyclorun was the first week where this was necessary and the alternative route was very nice indeed.

Maidstone parkrun (2014)

Please note: There is a newer (better) write-up on this venue. If you are looking for that, you can find it here: Maidstone parkrun 2022 visit (now renamed Maidstone River Park parkrun)


For some reason whenever I drive to Maidstone I have a bad experience. The ring road in the town centre drives me crazy and I simply can not stand it. So going to Maidstone parkrun (renamed in March 2024 to Maidstone River Park parkrun) should have been trouble free because in order to get there all you have to do is drive down the M20, leave at junction 6 and drive into the Kent Life working farm and park the car. No need to go anywhere near that dreaded ring road.

runners gathering at the start

Just as I thought I was going to have my first decent experience of driving to Maidstone, I turned onto the M20 and was faced with the message that it was closed between junctions 2 and 4. No problem, I thought. I'll just leave the M20 and carry on along the A20. The problem was everybody else was forced to do exactly the same. So I found myself sitting in the longest pre-parkrun traffic jam I've been in for a very long time. Fortunately I always leave myself an hour of buffer time and I used up 30 minutes of it by sitting in the traffic. Arriving at 8.30am still gave me plenty of time to park the car in the spacious car park, get changed and get acquainted with the locals..

meeting the locals

The parkrunners assemble within the grounds but outside the main entrance to Kent Life. Just find the pond with the geese and you're in the right place. From this point, I wasn't entirely sure which direction we would be running in. I knew that the course is an out-and-back along the river Medway, but I wasn't sure where it was.

briefing the first timers

Before we got started there was a 'new runners' briefing held by the event director, Donna Carr. As I quite often do when parkruns have this briefing, I joined this to make sure I knew everything I needed to know about the route. As this was the first saturday Maidstone parkrun of the year, the number of new year resolutionist runners was pretty high and she had a pretty big crowd. After this briefing the main briefing took place and I was summoned to the front to show the assembled crowd what parkrun give you after you have clocked up 100 runs.

towpath

There is a large gate which marks the start of the run and with all runners assembled, there was a countdown and we were sent of in search of whatever it was that each of us had come to find. In my case it was to experience the course, but also to have a test run on my foot which had started hurting earlier in the week. With that in mind I started cautiously and followed the crowd of runners down the path towards the river.

the bridge and whatman park

Once the runners have reached the banks of the Medway, they turn left and head along the towpath. Initially it is wide enough to cope with a bit of position jostling, but after a few metres the course narrows down and stays narrow all the way along the river. While it is narrow, you can definitely pass people, but if you reach a group of slower runners you are going to have problems filtering through. So if you are here to run it as a time trial it is crucial that you line up appropriately at the start and head off at an aggressive pace to ensure correct placing once you reach the narrower path.

not a bad place to moor your boat

This path takes the runners on a meandering journey along a very pretty section of the river. There are plenty of boats on their moorings and the only sounds are the breathing and footsteps of the parkrunners and the birds chirping away. Just after the 2 kilometre point the parkrunners reach the blue bridge, which must be crossed. Crossing the bridge involves negotiating the switchback path that takes the footpath up to the level of the bridge.

footpath

After crossing the bridge, the runners enter Whatman Park, where they run along to the playground, loop around it, and then return towards the bridge and start the 'back' section. It's now two-way parkrun traffic for a while (depending on your pace, this could have started much earlier) and any attempts to pass other runners need to be timed to perfection to avoid a head-on collision with any oncoming parkunners.

Once runners reach the end of the river path, they turn to head back towards the Kent Life centre. The natural assumption might be that the finish is going to be in the same place that the run started. However, it isn't. The runners run past the start line and into the Kent Life grounds, working their way past the tractor rides pick-up point, the Cockerills and the Alpacas before finally, via a slight incline, reaching the finish line which is conveniently placed right next to the wonderfully charming Dotty's Tea Room. This is where many of the parkrunners and volunteers gather for their weekly post-parkrun not beverage and chit-chat. The tea rooms also have a special parkrun menu every Saturday.

the last few hundred metres

Apart from the switchback and the final last section leading to the finish line, the course is flat. Underfoot is mostly standard towpath footpaths, which in the winter are likely to be wet and a little muddy. There isn't actually any thick mud to wade through, so trail shoes are not required to get around the course. I wore my trail shoes because I don't like betting my road shoes dirty/muddy. In the summer it's definitely a road shoe course.

the finish area

I spent most of the time post-run with fellow twitterer, James (@diamondlitefoot) who, along with Donna and the rest of the volunteers, made me feel extremely welcome. I'm already making plans to come back. Partly to run a proper time-trial effort and partly because I'd like to take my daughter for a day out in the Kent Life centre.

park run breakfast special

Other things you might like to know. There are toilets available before (and after) the run just inside the main entrance. There are also more toilets at Dotty's Tea Room. Travel options - car seems to be the easiest way to reach the venue. The train stations (Maidstone Barracks and Maidstone East) are just to the south of Whatman Park, so it would be an option to use the 3-ish-kms to the start as a warm up by cutting through the park and following the towpath.

dotty's tea room

On the day there were an incredible 218 runners and 46 first timers (plus 3 unknowns who could also have been first timers). I was the lone representative of the 100 club, so I'm glad I decided to wear my 100 club t-shirt this week, even though it did get a little muddy after running through the puddles. For the record, my foot was fine.