Weekend Roundup - Saturday 31 October 2026
17 of us out across 10 parkruns with 8 new venues, plus a trail half marathon PB for Paula Crosland at the 13 Arches and half marathons in Anglesey and Marlow.
🏃 Parkrun
What a Halloween morning for exploring! 17 of us were out at parkrun across 10 venues, and 8 of them were trying a course for the very first time. 🏃♀️🏃♂️
Barrow
Julie Smith went to Barrow for the first time and put in a lovely run on a brand new course. Another one ticked off on her tour of parkruns.
Bowling Park
Angela Pradena was also somewhere new, enjoying a lovely parkwalk round Bowling Park in Bradford on her first visit.
Ford
Cheryl Stewardson went up to Ford Park in Ulverston for her first go at the course and had a great outing on its mix of tarmac, trail and grass.
Heaton
Dale Richards was first of the group home at Heaton and had a fine morning. Paul Jenkinson and Paul Heathcote both ran strongly too, and Anna Swailes and Gerard Tucker kept the group well represented on a busy morning in the park.
Higginson, Marlow
Andrew and Alison Whitehead went south to Higginson Park in Marlow, on the banks of the Thames, for their first visit, and both came away top of their age category. What a way to start at a new venue! 👏
Muncaster Castle
Ros Dines and Andrea Booth went to the Cumbrian coast together, both running Muncaster Castle for the first time. The course runs entirely on permanent paths through the grounds of the castle near Ravenglass, and it's about as atmospheric a setting for a Halloween parkrun as you could wish for.
Peel
Derek and Fiona Case finished close together at Peel after a good run round the course.
Pennington Flash
Aaron Stones went to Pennington Flash for the first time and ran brilliantly, taking on the lakeside course in great form.
Penrhyn
Kath Biddle ran Penrhyn in Bangor, a course of tarmac and gravel paths through the grounds of Penrhyn Castle with Snowdonia as a backdrop. A cracking place to spend a Saturday morning.
Stamford Park
Delphine Bugarel tried Stamford Park for the first time and had a great run on a new course.
🏅 Races
Three half marathons across the weekend, one of them right on our doorstep.
Saturday 31 October
13 Arches Trail Half Marathon
The 13 Arches Trail Half Marathon is a real local favourite, winding through the green corridors between Radcliffe and Prestwich. The route takes in the Outwood Trail and the old Outwood colliery, the Irwell Sculpture Trail, Philips Park and Prestwich Clough. At its heart is the Grade II listed Clifton Viaduct, the 13 Arches themselves, crossing the River Irwell. There are a few hills and some mud along the way, and late autumn is a beautiful time to be out on it.
Paul Cox and Paula Crosland both took it on, and Paula set a new half marathon PB. Doing that on a trail course, hills, mud and all, is something really special. 👏
A huge thank you to race director Paul Stevens and everyone at Radcliffe Athletic, many of whom run with us, for a brilliantly organised race. 💜
Sunday 1 November
Anglesey Trail Half Marathon
The Anglesey Trail Half Marathon starts and finishes in Newborough Forest. The course follows single-track woodland trails and sandy paths out onto Llanddwyn Island, with views across the Menai Strait to Eryri along the way. Kath Biddle took it on the morning after her parkrun at Penrhyn, rounding off a brilliant weekend of running in North Wales. 👏
Marlow Half Marathon
Marlow Striders' half marathon is a hilly, undulating road route through the Chiltern countryside, with lovely views across the Hambleden Valley. Andrew Whitehead ran it the day after topping his age category at Higginson parkrun, which made it a proper running weekend in Marlow.
From castle grounds in Cumbria and Wales to Llanddwyn Island and the Chiltern hills, and a trail PB right on our doorstep, what a brilliant weekend of running. Well done everyone! 💜🏃♀️🏃♂️