On June 25th 2022 Julie and I continued our wild parkrun adventure at Poolbeg parkrun. Like most people around the country we’re looking at the price of fuel and mentally selling off the car before it bankrupts the family. With this in mind Julie and I have both registered for the cycle to work scheme and we’ve started cycling to parkrun (amongst other places work etc). The irony of cycling to Poolbeg was not lost on us. The parkrun is right next too an oil reserve.

The Course

Sean Moore park the home of Poolbeg parkrun for 170 parkruns (at the time of writing) is beautiful. You commnce the run overlooking the beach and gallop up towards Clan na nGael GAA. Enthusiasm will get the better of you here but don’t worry the hill later will humble you. After the 400 meter starting gallop you’ll turn around right and pass the GAA club. Please don’t barrel over any children. It’s Saturday morning they’re off school and this is now an ungodly hour. After you’ve avoided the kids you’ll pass the start line again. Be careful the wind will whip off you as you pass by. At the first timers briefing moments earlier before anyone had a chance to blame the Run Director (RD) for the wind he informed us that he controls parkrun not the wind. I smiled remembering those words, cheered the volunteers and then choked on the wind a little. This was one of many hilarious pieces of the RD speech. Next up was the hill. I particularly liked how the RD encouraged people to look out over the coast at the top of the hill ‘It’s a run not a race live a little as well’. Wise words, I looked out and I had a better parkrun experience. I strongly encourage you to do the same. Coming down the hill is a tight squeeze. Keep left but beaware that you ‘re in a narrow corridor. I couldn’t zoom down the hill like I do at the Glen but I had more time to look out at the coast and enjoy myself. What a treat take it in. Having got my breath back by softly coming down the hill we passed the start line once again (now converted to a finish line) flew around Clan na nGael one more time and finished. You can get onto some grass as you run like the wind for the last few hundred meters and completely miss one more look at the beach on your right. I recommend looking at the beach.

Volunteers

We arrived about 15 mins early the morning we visited. We saw the volunteer team in action. There was genuine volunteer chaos at Poolbeg that day. The RD role had changed hands 3 times that week. COVID-19 was involved. This wasn’t the only position effected. I felt for them but I also admired them they pulled together. Regulars stepped in and they weren’t even asked they offered. This is always a good sign people offer when they enjoy volunteering. I offered to scan straight away after I was finished but they seemed to have it well in hand so the RD tried to recruit me for next week. I could see why people like volunteering at Poolbeg the RD was hard to say no too and you could see the team enjoying themselves.

Conclusion

They know how to keep their cool at Poolbeg and live a little.