So for those that don't know, I'm from Taunton (no... don't do the accent), so this is the parkrun I always visit when I'm visiting my parents and it's a cracker. It is a two lap course of a meadow behind Castle School. It's quiet, secluded and dominated by nature. It also has a great start and finish venue in an open barn. It is a very flat course and is mostly a mixture of gravel path and tarmac, but with a bark section which is soft underfoot in summer, and very boggy and muddy in winter. It is a quick course in summer and well worth a visit if you are in the Somerset area. They have a PB bell, and a visitor noticeboard, so if you do visit, then don't forget to write your name and where you're from on the board so you get a shout-out.
Difficulty
I would rate this as 1 out of 5, it is flat and fast, the only concerns are some uneven gravel paths, and puddles and mud in winter. No elevation to speak of.
The Course
Meeting point is the Oak Barn, from here they do the briefing, before a short walk over to the start which is next to Taunton Air Cadets, just up the path to the left of the above photo. They normally have pace boards up so you know roughly where to stand. You start on tarmac and head out onto a compacted gravel path, there is a slight left right through an open gate (with marshal) to negotiate but you'll be fine if you follow the pack. Keep going straight before left turn which then becomes a short bark section (mud section in winter), dig in and keep your legs up and you'll reach the end of the bark in no time, turn right and then right again and spare a glance to your right to see the other runners still struggling in the bark. This is a busy parkrun and there's plenty of opportunity to appreciate the size of the pack at this event. Follow the path, the pack and the marshals and you can't go wrong, you may catch a glance of the river tone on your left and keep an eye out for the Willow Cathedral on your right (I normally forget about it, too busy attempting a PB), if you are having a gentle parkrun then you may glimpse it and it is worth a look if you get chance. It takes a while to cross the Meadow passing through several natural field borders and there are a couple of footbridges to negotiate. Eventually you'll come to back to the Oak Barn on your right (you'll pass by the finish on your right, but don't turn in yet as you have another lap to do. You'll normally get some encouragement at the start of lap 2 as you pass the Oak Barn on your right, before repeating most of the course again, when you get back to the barn for the second time, don't forget to ring the bell if you are visiting for the first time or you have a PB.
[Update 3rd February 2022: The bark/mud section is no more, this section of the parkrun is now hard surfaced and provides a decent running surface all year round so the winter speed of this course has increased as a result].
Elevation
This really is a flat course, only a total of 9m (or 31ft) elevation, which places it at 83rd flattest parkrun out of 519 according to https://jegmar.com/stats-hq/fastest-races/parkrun/ (there must be a lot of really flat parkruns in the country if this is only 83rd). There is a bit of an incline around the start area near the air cadets but it's really nothing to worry about.
Parking, Facilities and Coffee Shop
Recommended parking is at Castle Sports Centre. Tesco car park is also a short walk away if you don't mind making a small purchase. Toilets are located in the nearby COACH (Centre for Outdoor Activity and Community Hub) facility, and there is also a coffee shop here called 'The Weir' which is where the core team process the results. COACH can be found on the border of Longrun Meadow and French Weir Park, less than a minutes walk from the start. Sometimes the local scouts attend the Oak Barn to serve Teas and Coffees as well.
Visit Longrun Meadow parkrun official site here:
A Youtube video (not mine) of the course (from earlier in it's history when it was operated in the opposite direction) can be found here:
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