Tauranga parkrun

June 3 2023 visit

On Saturday I revisited Tauranga parkrun, this was my fifth visit to this parkrun.

The first time I ran here was for their launch on April 28, 2018 and it remains my fastest time on this course (33:09).

My last visit before this one was two years ago, on Queen’s Birthday Weekend and I tailwalked.

So it’s been a while in between visits!

This time I was aiming to run as much as I could as I continue my post-injury recovery and my son, Axel, was handing out finish tokens.

We set off around 6.15am from Rotorua and arrived around 7.30am. I always take the toll road, which is $2.10 for cars.

We had a smooth drive through Tauranga, though the current roadworks near the stadium meant I missed turning off to go the Maungatapu way.

Tauranga parkrun is accessed from 17th Ave, which is near the hospital. The nearest landmark is the Historic Village.

Tauranga parkrun attracts quite a crowd. On this run there were visitors from Auckland, Wellington and Australia as well as the usual Tauranga regulars.

It’s an out and back course along the Kopurerua Stream, with the first 750m on broadwalk covered in wire.

If you’re after a fast time then make sure you put yourself near the front.

It’s quite a crowded and narrow start area which means that you can’t find your pace for at least 100m.

I had to walk the start as it was too crowded and then the boardwalk makes it difficult to pass so finding your pace can take longer than at most parkruns.

After the boardwalk you move onto a gravel path. It has a few corners to it so it’s not a boring out and back.

You pass a marshal just after the first kilometre and then there is another marshal spot at the turnaround.

There is a path on the other side of the stream and dogwalkers were out in abundance.

You go back the way you came, including the rise at the very end, which can suck the wind from your sails!

Even though it’s a mostly flat course I don’t think it’s a PB course due to the gravel underfoot, though I did manage to achieve my fastest time of the year to date (thanks to Ros who was on my tail).

My token was 143 and time 39:59.

I stuck around the finish funnel until the tailwalkers arrived back and then we made our way to The Whipped Baker, the cafe in the Historic Village.

There’s some seating inside but plenty outside so hope for good weather.

Axel had reckoned he would eat five donuts, but we ordered a small steak and cheese pie each (delicious) and one jam donut, which Axel ended up sharing with me (score!).

Coffee tasted good but service was slow, about the only downside.

At 177 finishers it’s more than I am used to and I think I much prefer parkruns with under 100 people, especially if on a course as narrow as this one.

The new parkrun in Papamoa should hopefully be starting soon to take some of the pressure off the course.