COURSE INFO AND REVIEW
NOTE: I wrote this review in 2019 so certain bits of information may not be accurate in relation to the current event at this location.
Aviemore Parkrun, like Crichton that I did the week before, was another one that had a great view when running round. It is located to the North West of the town of Aviemore and the start is near the Route 7 Café in the Dalfaber Industrial Estate off Dalfaber Drive.
This course was an out and back route and had hilly sections which I found tough as usual. The winning (male) time was a very quick 16:45, and the quickest female ran it in 21:07. I’d have to say this is the nicest Parkrun route I’ve done so far, and is surely one of the best the UK has to offer, so I would definitely recommend it for any tourists or Scottish runners who can make the trip there. Since it is an out and back course, the way back offers great views as you are mostly running down hill after reaching the half way point.
MY RUN ON THE DAY
Like Crichton the week before, with this being a small event I had a slight hope that I could possibly win this event, but that idea quickly disappeared when I saw the speed at which the eventual winner went past me after about 400m!
Given that my splits were above 4:00 per km on the 2nd and 3rd km (my aim is usually to be below 4:00 on every km) I felt that this was a tough course. The 2nd km amounted to a 13m elevation, part of which can be seen on the picture below. After reaching the half way point though, the run gets a lot more enjoyable, with it being mostly downhill and with great views over the Cairngorms National Park.
There aren't that many parkruns where the views are so impressive and if you are the type of runner who likes to get off the beaten track and admire the surroundings then this parkrun is surely one of the best on offer in the UK. If you are not running for a very quick time then this is a great opportunity to just enjoy the views but this is even possible for those aiming to run quick as well.
SPLITS
FURTHER INFO
Date - 24/08/2019
Time - 19:36
Position - 3rd out of 118
Distance - 4.89km
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