Due to yet another storm we decided to head back to more local Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun this weekend. It was my fourth visit – helping to slowly ease my P up (see more about parkrun stats and challenges).
The Pitchcroft, Worcester Racecourse, Worcester WR1 3EJ
Facilities at Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun
Toilet facilities are situated between the Swan Theatre and the Pitchcroft Allotments. There are also a couple of McDonalds within walking distance.
We usually park at a free carpark near the start. This time however my husband had forgotten this and went to where it said on the parkrun page. Then he ended up having to pay at the carpark twice as it didn’t go quite right. Up to two hours is £1.60.
It is also possible to get there by train, bus or on foot.
Finally it was further from the start than he had anticipated and so we jogged there. Luckily we aim to get to parkrun early.
The Briefing
It was really confusing as to whether the briefing was by a building or at the start sign. Although I have been before things change. Either way I didn’t get to hear a first timers briefing.
Also important to note that there’s a defibrillator on the building at the start – this is where bags and clothing, etc., is also left.
The main briefing was loud and clear, but then suddenly went quiet and, neither myself nor my husband, actually heard the countdown to go. Also we spotted a couple of runners wearing pacer vests and didn’t know anything about this – not sure if this is a weekly thing.
Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun Course
It is flat and mostly tarmac – although don’t wear your clean gym shoes! The course is prone to flooding so do check for cancellations.
There’s a proper course description on the Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun page obviously. How I like to think of it is its two laps, except it isn’t that long. It’s actually 1 ¾ around the outside of Worcester Racecourse.
Once you pass the Grandstand for a second time you know you are on the stretch to the finish (I think there was about another km to go).
The finish was still on that side (not bending back round), and literally just onto the grass (so you don’t run across the grass to finish as I am sure I have done previously).
My Experience at Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun
The last time I had visited Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun was 16th July 2022. My finishing time was 32m 42s so I knew that I could get a Worcester Pitchcroft PB!
It was quite icy in parts and also there were so puddles and mud. There were options to go round but I just went straight through mostly.
The Start
Both of us started on the icy wet side. The path to the left looked quite crowded. We seemed quite close to a 24 minute pacer and I commented that out loud next to this guy who was like he wasn’t that fast. He was running right by me at the end and I was like oh hello 24 minute guy!
At first I kept up with my husband but it wasn’t long until he shot off. From previous weeks I knew not to try to keep up as it just tires me out and that he usually slows down.
At some point I locked on to the shoes on a man and just tried to keep up with those. Also thinking about my breathing. If that man would have given up (or walked) then I don’t think I would have been able to keep that momentum going.
The Potential PB
Knowing that I just needed to keep moving forward would beat my Worcester Pitchcroft PB kept me going. When we got to 4km the man had slowed down and I went round him. Just pushing that last one. Telling myself not to stop, that I could do it – whilst thinking oh no I just can’t.
My maths seems to be rubbish when working out if I am going fast enough for a PB and my watch has too many times to work out which one is my pace! But I was pretty sure that I was on for an overall parkrun PB!
The Finish
Luckily I roughly knew the course but not where it finished exactly. The page just says you’ll be directed onto the grass and the finish wasn’t up on my first time around. As someone with AuDHD I find it easier if I can visually see things. Also my eyesight is getting worse and I really ought to start running with glasses!
A young lad then was encouraged to sprint past. There was no sprint finish because there was a man in front of me – I just did not have the energy to try to go around him. Instead just willing him to go as fast as he could because that was the speed I was keeping up with.
The Actual PB
Incredibly I did get a PB! Not just a Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun PB but a parkrun PB. Strava said I did it in 26m 21s but obviously I hadn’t heard the start so it was officially 26ms 25s.
That is 6 minutes and 17 seconds faster than my previous Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun PB! Plus a further 8 seconds off my parkrun PB. This was 2 minutes and 2 seconds faster than the PB before that which I got with my son last November.
I was proud to ring the PB bell!
- 52 people had Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun PBs. My husband was one of these and he was actually only one second away from his parkrun PB – I am so glad I didn’t try to keep up with him at the start!
Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun Stats
It was the day of the National Running Show and I spoke to people who had chosen Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun because it was on the way there.
22 people did their very first parkrun at Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun that morning! Plus a further 44 people who were visiting Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun for the first time, but that it wasn’t their first parkrun.
There was a total of 395 participants. 215 male, 166 female and 13 unscanned.
The average time overall for Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun at that point was 28:45. 194 participants did it in this time or faster this week.
- Times ranged from 17:29-58:12.
- 14 sub 20
- 225 sub 30 (total including the sub 20s).
First Finishers and Age Grades
- First finisher Shane Jackson (75.88% age grade) and first female finisher Josie Lewis in 20:11 (73.49% age grade).
- The highest age grade went to Marcia Thompson 77.81% in a time of 24:56 (VW60-64). The highest male age grade went to a J10 with 76.13% and a new PB of 20:44! This was also a new highest age grading for them.
Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun Over 60s Stats
There were 51 participants over 60 years old at Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun. They made up around 13% overall.
Of those 51, 20 achieved it in a time of sub 30. That is 17 males and 3 females – although a man in his eighties was only one second over!
This is over 39% of the over 60s running faster than sub 30.
The over 60s made up just under 9% of runners achieving sub 30.
- VM60-64 = 20 – 11 sub 30
- VM65-69 = 6 – 5 sub 30
- VM70-74 = 3
- VM75-79 = 3 – 1 sub 30 (27:05)
- VM80-84 = 1 (30:01)
- VW60-64 = 9 – 1 sub 30
- VW65-69 = 7 – 2 sub 30
- VW70-74 = 2
Nearby parkruns we have done include:
Worcester (2.5m); Evesham (13.9m); Tewkesbury (15.1m); and Severn Valley Country (18.3m).
Sarah has also written up her experience of a previous event there.