Situated on the outskirts of Bedford this is fairly new parkrun near to a new housing development. It is a simple two lap course with good running surface and is VERY flat with definite PB potential. If you are visiting this parkrun, please allow 5-10 mins walk or jog from the recommended car park. I love this parkrun, it is simple, uncomplicated, fast and friendly. [First visited on 18th August 2018]
[Update 6th October 2022: This parkrun has altered since this review was written, the direction of this course has now changed from anti-clockwise to clockwise, and the starting point has also changed, see http://www.parkrun.org.uk/greatdenham/ for more details. Also note that although there are now car parks closer to the parkrun, the official recommended car park is still at MK40 4FA.]
Difficulty
Easy, the only difficulty here is running fast enough to set a PB. Flat and Fast. Another 1 out of 5.
The Course
Flat, Fast and Fun! This two lap course is roughly the shape of a human eye, oval with a sharpish point at each end, other than those turns there is not much to do with long fairly straight sections. There is one short sharp incline towards the end of each lap but we're only talking a few tens of metres at most, make no mistake this is a flat fast course. The first occasion I went here there was hot sun, and the first and final quarter of both laps were in the blazing hot sun, while the middle section of each lap was in the shade. The second time I went here the course experience wasn't such as split personality as it was a cooler day. There are terrain changes here, with a dusty compacted trail path (good to run on in summer but I'm told is a bit slippery in winter), plus what feels like a hard clay section and some tarmac, bring some well cushioned shoes, because this course can be a bit hard on your feet if you're in anything approaching racing flats. Good views of open fields plus trees on the middle part of the lap, there's not a great deal here of interest scenery wise, this course is all about PB potential in my opinion.
Elevation
Not really worth me posting the elevation graph here, but I've included it anyway, safe to say it is Flat. Total elevation is 6.5m (or 22ft) across the two laps. Which makes it the 50th flattest parkrun out of 519 according to https://jegmar.com/stats-hq/fastest-races/parkrun/ (honestly there must be a lot of flat parkruns out there).
Parking, Facilities & Coffee
There is a children’s playground at the start. There are no public toilet facilities yet at Great Denham. The car-park is located 800m from the start area (MK40 4FA), follow the parkrun arrows or other runners to the start, you'll pass a shopping area (supermarket, café and off-licence) halfway to the parkrun course. In the future planned facilities include café, toilets and car-park which are hoped to be built next to the start area.
[Update 6th October 2022 - There are now toilet facilities in the pavilion by the start /finish. post run coffee is now at The Archers Rest which is in the pavilion by the start / finish. Although there is parking now on site this gets very busy and parkrun ask that if driving you please use the park and ride parking at MK40 4FA and travel the remaining 0.6 Mile on foot]
Links
Link to Great Denham parkrun site:
YouTube video that I took while volunteering here on the 24th November 2018: