Reflections on a Challenge Failed ()

At the start of the year, filled with optimism and excitement, I set myself the challenge to visit my Nearest Event Not Yet Done (NENYD) once each month.

In January I travelled 22.31 miles to pay my first visit to Arrow Valley. In February’s NENYD was Bedworth at 23.39 miles. In March I borrowed a car of the 24.88 mile journey to Wyre Forest. April saw me travel 27.89 miles to Stoke on Trent, and again in May to The Wammy at 29.16 miles.

In May it became more confused, as for a short while Leamington, at over 30 miles away became my NENYD, but a new event starting in Derby usurped its position, and in June I had to visit Alvaston instead (at just 29.19). Leamington was restored to NENYD, but for less than a week as Chasewater started just a short 2.47 mile jog from home, I made my visit there in July, once again restoring Leamington.

In August Babbs Mills started, and I caught a few buses the 13.36 miles to visit their 2nd running. It was at this point I decided that I would not be repeating this challenge in 2020, as with many new events starting, my self imposed time table of visiting them within a calendar month meant I would be visiting them while they were still young and without having had time to get settled.

In September I once again had to borrow a car, this time for the 20.65 mile journey to Severn Valley Country for their 9th running. In October I took a train for the 28.68 mile journey to Warwick where I completed their 4th running.

That leads me to November, a month in which I already had prior commitments on 3 of the 5 parkrun days, and a month in which two new local parkruns started, East Park at 6.68 miles and Oaklands at 12.85. I planned to attend the 4th running of East Park parkrun on the 30th of November, but it was not to be.

I was on the second bus of the day when I heard that East Park had been cancelled (unsafe due to weather - multiple large ice patches), I did some mental gymnastics to decided if due East Park not running could I count Oaklands as my NENYD? followed by some logistical gymnastics to workout how to get there, but that was in vain as they too cancelled (Paths are too icy to have a safe event). I did not have time to make the 30.6 mile trip to (my temporarily re-afirmed NENYD?) Leamington so broken and defeated I went home.

I completed my home parkrun for the 111th time, had a nice chat with some friends, spotted some parkrun celebrity, and tried to keep warm. My time was 2702.

I hope to be able to visit East Park next week/month, but for now this challenge is over and I’ll be planning an easier arbitrary challenge for next year. Probably something involving lowering my POOR score.

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