Southend on Sea parkrun

Hello all,

I've enquired about starting a parkrun in Southend on Sea and was wondering what the take up would be.

I run regularly along the seafront and see loads of people out in all sorts of weather and know that there are plenty of active running clubs in the area, some of whom are represented on these forums so thought that there maybe the numbers locally to make it worthwhile.

Also, I've heard so many good things about parkrun but am at least an hour from the nearest one, so what better way to have a local one than start one!

So:

- do you fancy getting involved?
- would you run if there was one started in the Southend area?
- would your club mates be interested?
- can you think of a good course (I'm looking at Belfairs)

Thanks for looking, please leave a reply if this is something that would interest you, and I'll keep this thread updated as to progress.

Alex

Comments

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    No, I wouldn't be interested.

    I live in Basildon, so it would still be about 20 minutes from home, and Saturday is a lie-in day (do they have to be so early??).

    Plus I do long runs on Sundays, so wouldn't want to run hard on Saturday.

    I doubt if my club mates would be interested, for the same reasons

    I'm sure there will be plenty of people who would be interested though, so good luck.

  • Thanks for the very well structured feedback Wilkie!
  • Hello Alex,

    Sorry to see you didn't get a massive response to your original post earlier in the year.  Did you follow it up anywhere else with any degree of success?

    I'm fairly new to parkrun - the local one I go to in London has built itself up to a turn-out of about 90-100 people at the moment and it's a nice atmosphere, and I'm going to try and go along whenever I can.  I also like the idea of there being others around the country that I can participate in if I'm visiting the local area and can fit one in.  A few members of local clubs attend each week (depending no doubt on their other weekend race commitments), but the majority of runners who take part are Unallocated. 

    I make 2 or 3 trips to Southend each year and when I was there last month ran along the sea-front - there was a huge number of people out running (and a lot more people smiling and saying hello than I'm used to in London!), so like Wilkie says, there is bound to be quite a bit of interest. I guess it's just getting the message out, maybe through local clubs, leisure centres, that sort of thing - it might be that if you contact the parkrun organisers direct, they can give you some tips too.

    So although I'm afraid I can't offer local support, I'm sure there would be a sufficient number of people who would jump at the chance to participate, and I would certainly try and come along on the few occasions when I'm in that neck of the woods.

    All the best,

    Gavin

  • Hi Gavin,

     Thanks for the response!

    As an update, all the application documents are with Southend Council at the moment, I expect to get a response wthin the next few days.

    So fingers crossed, and watch this space...

  • Sounds promising, and I hope it proves a success!

  • I would be interested.. I also belong to Southend Athletics Club so if it looks like its going to happen I can spread the word..
  • Happy to spread the word at Benfleet Running Club, but as Wilkie says most people do their long runs along the seafront on a Sunday morning (me included) but you will get people interested, so it should grow.

    GOOD LUCK, keep us informed of the details.

  • Morning all. Another update:

    Got some fairly positive feedback from the council last week (eventually!). I'm meeting the head of parks on the proposed route on Thursday as he has a few concerns, hopefully I'll be able to allay these and we can look forward to a start sometime in the New Year.

    Thanks for your continued interest.
  • bump by the way!

    I emailed parkrun before seeing this thread. Im very interested image

  • Hello Ricardo, Brynster, Lurkers

    Latest news is:

    • Original application rejected by Council due to concerns over conflict with other park users (horses)
    • New application developed with help from Council
    • Funding secured
    • New application submitted last week
    • With a following wind we might be up and running by the end of the summer! image

    Ricardo - I think that parkrun forwarded me an email that you sent them.  I'll reply with some more details.

    Thanks for your continued interest.  Watch this space

    Al

  • Hope you can get this up and running.

    Definitely interested. I think the nearest parkrun is in Ilford!

    Good luck
  • If you have no joy with Southend Council, it may worth be worth asking Rochford council and maybe do it at cherry orchard country park?

  • Good luck with it and let www.essexroadrunning.org.uk know if it happens as they seem to be keeping a list.

  • Really hope you can get this to work.

    Its crazy that in a place built near greenbelt that the nearest parkrun is Ilford. There are loads of green spaces round Benfleet. Christ they are building the mountain bike course for the Olympics in Hadleigh.

    I grew up in the Southend/Benfleet/Canvey/Basildon area and didnt even know there was a running club in Benfleet until towards the end of last years GNR  I passed a runner wearing a tee shit with Benfleet Running Club written in it!

    I was 43 when that happened. I left when I was 18

    Having a parkrun is a great way to get fresh blood into your running clubs. The idea that all the fast runners are already in clubs is laughable. Trust me they aint.

  • Hi Southend Al

    It may have been myself you emailed reference the event happening in Gunners Park - as I said in my email - I happy to get involved to try and help get this off the ground - definitley interested.

  • This is the best news all day and we've won two Gold medals!

    I'm moving to Southend and was despairing that there was no Parkruns nearby. I'll be there with bells on!

  • Update:

    Permission granted by the Council image

    I'm meeting with parkrun at the end of the month to fix a start date. 

  • Good news, please email me with the details. I run around Westcliff, Sea Front etc. Not sure on the timings though with family and all, but very interested in the details and would like to support you if I can, Cheers P

  • Peter,

    If you'd like to get involved that would be great, I'm meeting on Thursday with parkrun top measure the course and set a start date, I should have a good few volunteers coming to, to get to meet each other.  If you're interested, drop me your email in my inbox, and I'll send out the details.

  • Finally!! Yes, I would be there every week. Love Parkrun. Did on ein Richmond and have been amazed that there aren't any in this area. Count me in.

  • Hello again image

    We have a go!  Southend parkrun will start 13th October at Gunners Park, Shoebury, Southend.

    More details and updates can be found on our Facebook page:

    https://www.facebook.com/Southendparkrun

    Hope to see some of you there

  • Excellent, mainly run around Hockley/Rayleigh and Roach/Crouch valleys, but grew up in Shoebury, so well up for this!
  • Thank you for putting the wheels in motion I have signed up and I will be running the second Parkrun I really hope for a top turn out! Look forward to seeing everyone!!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Well done SouthendAl.

    I live a fair distance away myself (80miles), but ran the Southend Classic 10k on sunday, and seems ilike you have a good runing scene down there. 1255 runners fr a 10k is a great turn out, and plenty of good clubs by the look of it.

    Best of luck with it

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