After a 120 odd different parkrun locations over 10 years of touristing, I have a few favourites. There in no real particular order, as every parkrun course is unique and different, other than the distance, timing system and administration. So let get going.
Number 1 Sandgate, Australia.
Bay side on the north side of Brisbane, the fastest course I have ever done. Out and back with the turn on Shorncliffe pier, nice wide paths make it perfect for passing and a PB attempt. I have run here 5 times with my fastest at 20:55.
Number 2 Kirra, Australia
Another fast and flat course on the Gold Coast at the famous surfing beach. I have done this one twice, Even with two dead turns I have my fastest parkrun time here ever of 20:39.
Number 3 Zillmere, Australia.
Not very fast or beautiful but being the only parkrun starting with Z for ages in the southern hemisphere. This course had every serious parkrunner visiting this sports ground. I even met @consciouscat there for the first time. There is a second Z parkrun now down in Tasmania call Zeehan we still need to visit it.
Number 4 Nambour, Australia.
I reckon this is the hardest course in Australia, lots of technical trail with 194 metres of elevation gain over the 5 kilometres. I have done this course 3 times fastest being 28:20
Those Nambour hills are so hard to master for a city slicker like me. There is lots of room for improvement.
Number 5 Queenstown, New Zealand.
Right on the lake and in the public gardens made this one of the prettiest.
Number 6 The Beaches, Australia
How cool, Newcastle in New South Wales was able to organise a parkrun with the whole course on Bar beach. It can get pretty tough at high tide and it great to run bare foot for something different as well.
Number 7 Presint 18, Malaysia.
The only parkrun left in this country with a great mix of locals, expats and tourist.
The Presint 18 breakfast crew.
Number 8 Urayasu Tokyo Bay, Japan
These guys and girls were all so fast, maybe because it was cold in the middle of winter, even the tail walker was done in 40 minutes. There were lots of other cool things to do in Tokyo as well.
Number 9 Miyazaki, Japan
Not as busy as Tokyo but just as great to visit on this holiday island in the south of Japan.
Number 10 South Bank, Australia
Right on the Brisbane river with the city as a back drop. I have done this one 4 times. The old course was a loop over two bridges and the new course is an out and back into the Botanic gardens, I like them both.
All photos in this post have to be credited to the parkrun volunteer photographers who give up there run and time each week so I get to see what I actually look like while running.
To celebrate my 10 years of parkrun, I thought I would make a few posts of all the different parkrun events I have visited.
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-the? 1 to 10
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-11? 11 to 20
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-21? 21 to 30
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-31? 31 to 40
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-41? 41 to 50
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-51? 51 to 60
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-61? 61 to 70
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-71? 71 to 80
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-81? 81 to 90
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-91? 91 to 100
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-101? 101 to 110
@new.things/my-parkrun-tourist-obsession-111? 111 to 120
parkrun is a not for profit community event held every weekend. It started in England and has now spread to over 20 countries world wide. If there is not one near you, I would have a look at helping start one so I can come and visit you.