Having decided against spending a weekend running up and down hills in Dorset after a busy week away with work, we opted for a new parkrun kicking off slightly closer to home. It was the inaugural parkrun for Ellenbrook Fields parkrun in Hatfield and so we hopped in the car and headed down. Easily accessible from the A1(M) and A414 it will be interesting to see how many regular parkrunners it ends up having. I can see it taking some of the overspill from St. Albans and Panshanger parkruns, alongside the new parkrun at Stevenage which starts next week.
Parking was easy, and free, in the Law Court car park just a couple of minutes walk from the start. The course is a small lap and a big lap, but it had a nice “single-lapper” feel to it from my perspective. You start on what used to be Hatfield aerodrome taxi way before heading off round the park on a “trail-style” path, a few small puddles but nothing major. The mini-loop is grass on the second half, and then you loop back round to the top of the mini loop, before pushing onwards on the main one. The main loop is a mix of grass, path and trail path, before you return to the taxi-way for most of the last kilometre. If you’re not Garmined up (other GPS tracking devices are available), do not start your sprint the moment you hit the hard path….there is still a long way to go!
I really enjoyed the run, and came in close to 30 minutes, probably my fastest all year as I have been taking my parkruns easy. This is definitely on the return list, a good, flat, trail run when I am looking to take it easyish but don’t need the speed of Luton.
It was great to see plenty of fellow tourists, especially Rosemary & Danny (who was breaking his no inaugural parkrun rule given this was at his home town and he wanted to introduce his family to it).
We didn’t stay for coffee as had lots to get on with but they use the local swim centre cafe just down the road if you want to refuel after your run. All in all a really enjoyable parkrun and one I am looking forward to running again.
