A Trip With Purpose
Today’s parkrun was bought to you by the letter “O” and by the need for family logistics. “O” because my legs hurt. Family logistics because I was heading to Lincoln to collect Daughterus Maximus for Father’s Day. She wouldn’t be ready until lunchtime, so that left plenty of time for a gentle detour.
Watermead Country Park sits conveniently where the A46 gets bored of being the Leicester Ring Road and decides to become a direct route to Lincoln instead. It was the perfect stopping point. Why go there? Well, I’d already run everything in Lincoln. The remaining Nottingham options were awkward. Watermead was close enough, simple enough, and (sort of) on the way, if you don’t look at the map too closely. A tidy solution to a tidy problem.
By the Lakeside
Watermead is a country park wrapped around a couple of small lakes. It looks like it used to be a gravel pit or something similar. The parkrun starts on a big grassy area near the rather abundant parking. From there you run one loop around the smaller northern lake and two loops around the slightly larger southern one. It’s flat, open, and easy to follow.
I was slow though. Very slow. The previous weekend I’d made the mistake of attempting to sprint during a running club rounders game. My hamstrings were still protesting. Add warm weather and you get a 37‑minute finish. Not ideal, but acceptable under the circumstances.
Refreshments and Recovery
Onsite refreshments were limited. There was a tuk‑tuk coffee bar with a long queue and, later, an ice cream van. I grabbed a coffee and a cake from the tuk‑tuk. After changing my shorts and swapping shoes, I bought a diet coke from the ice cream van to keep me hydrated for the drive north. It was a relaxed morning. No rush, no pressure, just a steady run and a gentle cooldown before the rest of the day unfolded.
The Lincoln Loop
Maximus was ready when I arrived at 11:30, so I collected her straight away. We made my now‑routine trip up the top of Lincoln to buy top‑quality whisky. I have no idea what I’ll do when she eventually leaves the city. While we were up there we stopped in a coffee shop for, well, coffee. And a sausage roll.
The drive home was quick and painless. We spent the afternoon moaning about the heat and watching World Cup football.
In the evening we went to the Thai restaurant in Ashby. I knew me and Maximus would like it. My dad liked it too. So that’s another place added to the family rotation.
Maximus stayed through Sunday until Monday morning. She helped make lunch, so I had Yorkshire puddings for the first time in ages.
All Wrapped Up
A warm run, a slow time, a lakeside course, and a smooth day.
Watermead was a pleasant choice for venue #72. No disasters, no drama, and — for once — no parking issues. I checked with multiple people. You pay at the exit gate with a credit card. Bliss.
