Pegasus parkrun recap

Pegasus parkrun is a week older than my home parkrun, and yet it’s taken me almost five years to visit it.

They say that good things take time and in this case, the wait was worth it.

Not only did I get to stay with a friend, but another friend was also visiting Christchurch. What was initially just going to be a trip to parkrun ended up as a catch-up that refilled my happy tank to bursting.

Christchurch is a direct flight from Rotorua. It takes almost two hours and I like to catch the lunchtime flight as it means I can leisurely take my time.

Anna picked me up and we headed to The Tannery.

Neither of us had had lunch and by this time it was afternoon tea time. After much deliberation we settled on Penny Black Victorian Tea Rooms. Definitely worth a visit if you enjoy Eccles Cakes, Cornish Pasties and Cheese Rolls (unsure what the Victorians would have made of those but so delicious).

My preamble to parkrun was an enjoyable one.

parkrunday

Onto parkrunday. Anna drove me to Pegasus and we arrived as the sun was rising over the lake. I had been told the sunrises were stunning and I was not disappointed.

I’m glad I visited in late autumn as I would have missed this had I come when the weather was warmer.

It was a balmy 13 degrees, very different to the previous week I was told, when there was a rolling fog and cold temperatures.

The parkrun course changes in winter. Instead of the two laps around the man-made lake and across the bridge, we ran an out and back.

After the entertaining run briefing from run director Trudi Diggs we were quickly on our way.

The run

I was unsure how I would run this week given that the previous parkrunday felt like a struggle. I needn’t have given it a second thought.

All I needed to do was get a finish time for my effort to count.

I stopped a couple of times in my first kilometre to get photos (and my split times show that!). It was easy to get into a rhythm despite not knowing the course. As an out and back it was simply a case of following those in front.

You know you’re near the turnaround when you see those who had been just a little way ahead now on their way back.

For the last 1.5km I really wanted to walk, but I gave myself the talking to that I could keep on running. That the finish was in sight (just look for the bridge for a rough estimate) and that walking was not on the game plan for today.

I’d passed a few people, which gave me extra confidence in a good (for me) time.

As I was nearing the final 250m I had an opportunity to pass the runner in front. I didn’t as I wasn’t sure of the flight path to the finish.

The final 30 metres or so were on grass and by then my nemesis pulled away from me to finish one second clear.

I liked my finish time though – 33:33 and a royal flush negative split to boot (each kilometre faster than the previous).

parkfaff

After parkrun I went to the Flat White Café for a debrief, obligatory refreshment. There’s also the Pegasus tradition of a group contribution to the Stuff quiz.

I chose the date and orange scone and a hot chocolate. Both were delicious, and I’ll admit to being tempted to get some shortbread as we left.

Former event director Jackie Hancock is a glass artist, so afterwards I went back to her house to visit her studio.

If you’re into one-of-a-kind art work (and amazing glass jewellery) then check out Aroha Glass.

Anna picked me up and we headed to the airport to pick up another friend.

The rest of Saturday included a visit to the Queen Elizabeth II pool complex and dinner at Rangoon Ruby (Burmese cuisine, very tasty).

I went for a walk around the Parklands neighbourhood on Sunday morning, which set me up for the flight home.

If you’re planning a trip to Pegasus parkrun there’s plenty to do while in Christchurch.

Next time I’d like to visit the  Tūhaitara Coastal Park and Waikuku Beach. I also didn’t get to Sumner to Utopia Gelato.

Thanks Anna and all at Pegasus for an enjoyable stay. That’s 30 out of 33 New Zealand events now run.