The entertainingly named Pocket parkrun gets it's name from Pocket Park where it takes place in St Neots. It is a pretty and scenic two anti-clockwise laps cross country course around parks and along rivers. It is mostly dirt track and grass with tarmac at the start and finish of each lap. For a dirt trail course it is surprising quick. Probably because there is not a hill in sight. I managed with normal running shoes but I suspect you would need full trail shoes in winter. [I visited this parkrun on 29th September 2018].
Difficulty
2 out of 5 for terrain rather than elevation. This is a cross country course so it takes a bit more effort than running on tarmac. Enjoyable scenery though.
Briefing
The briefing is in a field at the finish line. The visitor briefing was useful and informative telling you about the course and things to look out for. The run director had a microphone and speakers which is a step up from the Loud hailer found at most parkruns.
The Course
After the briefing it is a short walk to a tarmac path. You start on the path along a straight section and then a left right to continue along the straight footpath, before turning left onto a dirt trail across some fields. It can be a bit rutted and potted in dry weather so take care. There is another left turn and you are now running along a hedge-line. Next is a right turn running along another hedge-line on your left until you reach the river. Then a left turn and into a wooded trail section alongside the river. You will cross a footbridge and pass by a wier on your right and then you have a sharp right left up a small sharp slope the only real incline on the course (There is a marshal here to offer words of encouragement). Keep following the trail along the river until you come to another bridge. Left turn and back out into the open and up onto a tarmac footpath (if you are on lap two this is where I would give it the beans so to speak). Over a bridge, then another bridge, before a right and left to take you back onto the Start straight. Complete another lap but the next time you reach the start straight you will be directed right at the end of the start straight before finishing on the field where you received the briefing. It was a lovely sunny morning when I visited and this parkrun was a real treat of a course.
Elevation
Yeah it's flat, the terrain may slow you down in winter particularly if it's muddy but at least there are no hills to worry about. 7m or 23 ft of elevation according to my Garmin.
Facilities, Parking & Coffee
This parkrun has its own car park next to a leisure centre (One Leisure St Neots). The postcode is PE19 2SA, try and go as far into the car park as you can, it's a 5 minute walk from here to the briefing area (use this as a warmup jog). Follow the other parkrunners to the playing fields where the parkrun takes place. The leisure centre also offers free toilet, shower and changing facilities and a coffee shop to all park runners.
Link to the official Pocket parkrun site:
Link to a video of the route I found on Youtube:
This run is wrongly named, since there is no such place in St Neots called 'Pocket Park'.
The actual run covers several areas including Barford Road Pocket Park; the Sydney Banks Memorial Field; Eaton Socon Island and unname flood plain / green space south of Willow Bridge.
In addition, 'pocket park' is a generic term applicable to hundreds of green spaces (all across the country), set up since 2015 under the Govenments 'Pocket Parks Scheme'. The site in St Neots is neither the first such park; nor the largest or most utilised.
Despite all this being pointed out to the organisers, they have stubbornly refused to amend the name of their run , to something which more accurately reflects its…