Ran Today's West End Community Parkrun 5K

On this first of five Saturdays in August I woke up to extraordinarily unpleasant weather conditions as I prepared for my weekly Parkrun 5K.  I had expected something like this since, after all, it IS summertime and we've been experiencing a horrendous heat wave.  Still, by the time I arrived at my race destination around 7, the temperature was an oppressive 77 degrees with the humidity just as bad at 100%.  If you've been reading this blog, you know that four weeks ago I drove down to West End Community Park about six blocks west of NW 122nd Street on Newberry Road, just outside Gainesville, to unofficially try out (with others) the course for the city's second Parkrun.  It officially kicked off the following week, and today was the West End Community Parkrun's fourth go at it.  So I headed on down and endured the stifling pre-race heat and mugginess...along with an inordinate supply of gnats buzzing all over everyone...yuck!  I entered this event just as a "workout jog", not focused on beating any special time goals.  The course is a twisting and turning alternation of concrete sidewalks and connecting stretches of grass.  Unlike the Depot Parkrun I usually attend, this course does not repeat...which has its advantages and disadvantages.  There seems to be more hilliness to this course, making it more challenging.  I was able early on to find a kind of slow-paced groove without too much interference from the other runners, and just focused on following the tortuous path, one step at a time, to the end.  As a mental aid I counted the stretches of concrete (26) in the race...I think it helped me since I'm used to counting laps on the Depot Park course.  I finished today's run with a time of 30:16, a good time on a new course that I can look forward to improving on.  You can view today's results by clicking HERE.  I think I still prefer the Depot Parkrun...it's easier to get to and the facilities there are better.  I did like the fact that West End is directly across Newberry Road from Gainesville Health and Fitness of which I am still a member, and a pleasant coffee shop called Patticakes.  If I ever get more sociable, I can go sit there when they meet to finalize the race results and post them...but now I think I'll just take it easy. By the way, the above photo of me tackling the course was taken by Olivia, one of the volunteers there...