A Solo Outing
Some Saturdays come with company. Others don’t. This was one of the latter. I pointed the car north and headed for Markeaton. It sits on the north‑west side of Derby, in what used to be a large country estate. The journey was easy once I persuaded the sat‑nav that I wasn’t going through Burton. That route is shorter, but it’s also slow and a bit grim. I took the A42 instead, looped round East Midlands Airport, and drifted back in on the A50.
I half expected traffic from the Download Festival at Donington. There wasn’t any. Not a soul. So I rolled into Derby without fuss and found the car park inside what looked like an old walled garden.
What’s the Story then?
The pay machines took coins only. No cards. The online option needed an app I didn’t have. So now I have another app. My phone is basically a museum of parking systems at this point.
The run briefing was the funniest I’ve heard in a while. The Run Director could do stand‑up. Some people call him The Space Cowboy. ‘Cos he’s a Joker, innit. Because it was the weekend of the millionth parkrun, he played a game called “Who wants to be a parkrun millionaire?” The gist of which was him making all the standard pre-run announcements in the form of multiple-choice questions that had only one sensible answer. It set the tone nicely.
Markeaton is a simple two‑lap course on mostly flat ground. The marshals warn you about “the hill”, but it’s modest. Conkers has three that are worse. So I wasn’t worried. I set off and plodded round in 33:49. Not quick, not tragic, just steady. The course was pleasant and the field friendly. A good way to start the day.
Breakfast and Bonus Caching
This week I stayed for food. The café sits in what looks like an old stables courtyard. It does cakes and cooked breakfasts, so I treated myself to a coffee and a sausage cob. I chatted with a couple from Widnes who were visiting for the day. It was a nice pause before the next task.
I’d brought spare clothes so I could walk the grounds and complete a set of lab caches. The five stages only needed about half a parkrun lap. A gentle stroll, and a good excuse to explore, and stretch the legs by way of a run cooldown.
The Parking Disaster
Back at the car, things unravelled. When I’d left my car earlier I was sure I’d had a ping from my bank. I assumed it was the parking payment. It wasn’t. One of my direct debits had gone out at the exact moment I was standing at the boot, putting my glasses away after completing the payment transaction. Perfect timing. Scumbags.
Derby City Council halves the penalty if you pay within 14 days. As I had no record of payment, and there were no cameras I could point to, I basically had to pay it. Annoying, but unavoidable. Next time, I’ll keep my glasses on to confirm what the incoming message is about.
All Wrapped Up
A smooth drive, a funny briefing, a steady run, a good breakfast, but rather expensive parking.
Markeaton was a fine choice for venue #71. I’d go back. I’d just triple‑check the parking next time.
