Banbury parkrun is a somewhat complicated but very enjoyable two or three? lap course round around Spiceball park in Banbury. I visited here early on an epicly wet June morning, I'd originally been headed for Fire Service College parkrun, but realised I couldn't make it in time for the start and diverted to Banbury. Not having researched this run I was a little daunted when I attended the visitor briefing to be presented with a multi-coloured route map of the course, but unless you're quick enough to be leading I wouldn't worry too much, just follow the person in front.
[I first visited this parkrun on the 8th June 2019].
Difficulty
Another difficult one to judge, as it was so wet and muddy on the morning I visited. It is a mixture of grass trails, and hard surfaced paths, but is very flat. Honestly no elevation to speak of, but the course is complicated and the grass sections may slow you down a little, so I'm going to rate it as a 2 out of 5.
Briefings
Everyone was sheltered under the trees until just before the briefings, it was all very comical but it really was tipping it down that morning. It is highly recommended you attend the visitor briefing for this parkrun, you will get shown a highly important colour coded map of the course, which you need to pay attention to. I have included a photo of it below so you can study it before you attend.
Summer Course
The Red line is lap one [The Medium Lap], you start on grass heading south across the park and through a gap in the hedge line before turning left and starting a lap of the park, which is a complete lap of Spiceball park without crossing over the river, once you get to the circumference of the park, it is mostly hard surfaced footpath. following completion of the first lap you start lap 2 shown in Blue [The Large lap], which involves crossing over the narrow bridge which you passed by on lap 1, after you have crossed the bridge, turn right and you are now on grass trails until you return to the same footbridge. You are drawing a couple of elongated bubble shapes on the grass trails doing an anti-clockwise lap of the smaller section of this course. Just follow the marshals instructions and you'll be fine. Once you get back to the bridge, turn right and complete another lap of Spiceball park. Lap 3 is shown in Yellow [The Small Lap] and you basically complete a loop of the smaller lap but after you get back to the main lap, you turn off left halfway up the park which takes you back to the finish area... and breathe!
Elevation
Another very flat course, really no elevation at all, well 11m across the course, which really is nothing at all.
Parking, Facilities and Coffee
I used the car park closest to OX16 2AY. From the car park just head North across the open grass (or us the footpath around the edge of the park), but head for a gap in the hedgerow, this gap will take you through to another open field and you'll now see the parkrun start/finish area in front of you. post parkrun coffee in Cafe Red (in the museum to the south of the car park). Toilets can be found either at Cafe Red, or at the local leisure centre which is also close by.
Summary
This is a pretty parkrun (especially the smaller grass section of the second and third laps). It's a bit complicated (and I almost went wrong), but follow the people in front and the marshals instructions and you should be fine. I've got a feeling it could be fairly quick on a warm dry summers day.
Links
Link to official parkrun site for this course - https://www.parkrun.org.uk/banbury/
Link to my relive summary of the summer course -http://www.relive.cc/view/v8qkZQm3NK6
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