The parkrun 20202020 challenge - Number 9

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I ran to the East End for my next parkrun. Mile End to be precise. To get there I used the Greenwich tunnel under the Thames for the first time. It was empty and an eerie but unpleasant jog beneath the river.

I emerged on the Isle of Dogs and headed towards the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf via Mudchute Park and Farm. This was a pleasant green space beneath the shadows of concrete and glass.

On reaching Regent’s Canal I followed it north until arriving at Mile End Park. There is an athletics stadium at the base of the long, narrow stretch of parkland. This was the start and finish point of the run.

After 5 minutes to catch my breath after the first 7 miles warm up I started out. There is a double path winding north. The left side in for pedestrians and the right for cyclists. I hadn’t scoped out the route, but it seemed quite straight forward.

The path wound its way for about a quarter of a mile before reaching the Green Bridge over Mile End Road. It was a steep climb and I was relieved when I reached the top and made my way down the other side. The route headed left towards the canal and then followed the tow path for a couple of hundred metres before turning a sharp right.

I now ran in a circle around a small lake and re-joined the path by the canal heading south the way I had come. Once back to the beginning I was halfway. I ran the same loop north and south again and finished back where I started 3.1 miles and 19:00 minutes later.




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