Buzzing to be back... parkrun returns after wasps cancel races

HENLEY parkrun returned after its longest ever absence outside of the covid pandemic.

The 5km route, which starts and finishes at The Henley College playing field in Tilebarn Close was held on Saturday for the first time since September 20.

The event was cancelled intially due to the danger posed by wasps that were found in nine locations from the Tilebarn car park area up to Sue Ryder woodland. Henley town council’s parks services department was called in to help but the run was cancelled the next week due to high winds brought by Storm Amy and then again the week after that due to the wasps.

But about 70 runners returned for the 347th parkrun in Henley and some had come from as far as Peterborough and Bristol.

Simon Lunn of St Mark’s Road, who is the run director, said: “It’s the longest the parkrun has been postponed not due to covid. The Henley parks department has really helped out and the course is cleared regularly.”

First to complete the course was Jonathan Smith, from Teddington, who finished in a time of 19 minutes and
28 seconds.

Mr Smith said: “It was fun but hard because there’s quite a lot of roots, so it was quite technical and there were lots to look out for.”

Mr Smith was closely followed by Elliot Wilson, from Wycombe, who ran the course in 19 minutes and 53 seconds. Mr Wilson said: “It was different from other parkruns as it’s all on the trail and single-track stuff.

“I got into quite a nice flow and rhythm coming down the track.”

Jan Wildenhain, who is originally from Germany but lives in Henley, is a regular on the course.

He said: “Not being from the UK, parkrun has opened up a completely new world for me. I think it’s one of the greatest inventions in the UK.

“I have seen a lot of different courses and Henley is one of the exciting ones.”

Parkrun first started in Bushy Park in London in 2004 and now operates in
23 countries. The run was first held in Henley in 2017.

The timed event is marshalled by a team of volunteers and attracts participants from across the country.