parkrun Ultra Challenge: 10 Courses, One Unforgettable Day

Whilst I was deep into a training block to represent Wales at this year’s 4 Nations Backyard Ultra Championships, Papa had just returned home from an 8-week solo adventure: driving across Europe to complete a different parkrun in a new country every Saturday.

So, when Dave invited us to take on a parkrun ultra challenge of our own, 10 different parkrun courses across North Wales in a single day, it took some serious thought.

Could we manage the logistics, the driving, and the sheer effort of back-to-back parkruns?

For Papa, a true parkrun enthusiast, the answer was never in doubt. And where Papa goes, I’ll always follow.

Planning the Day

We mapped out the best order to tackle 10 courses and chose Nant y Pandy as our “official” parkrun of the day. Not only was it one we’d never visited, but it also allowed Papa to keep his parkrun tourism streak alive.

At 6am, we set off from the start of Conwy parkrun. Although the course is currently on a temporary pause due to construction, it felt right to begin there — Conwy was our very first parkrun, the place where our journey began many years ago, and now, once again, today.From there we travelled to Anglesey. Our first stop was Newborough forest parkrun, a stunning and soul soothing parkrun course, which was made even more enjoyable by the fact that as we were finishing, the official Newborough parkrun team were setting up for the mornings parkrun. This meant that we managed to snap an official parkrun photo with the pop-up sign, before we headed to Nant Y Pandy. The Anglesey country lanes took a little longer to navigate then Google maps predicted making us 3mins late to the start of our official parkrun of the day at Nant Y Pandy. As we shot across the start line to catch up the other 125 participants the parkrun volunteers cheered us on boosting us all the way to the tail walker, and beyond. This was positively the most enthusiastic parkrun of the day, we valued seeing other parkrunners and walkers and cheers from everyone as we met them. By the end we were buzzing, raring to take on the remaining 7 parkrun courses.

Finding Rhythm

Next came Penrhyn, set within the beautiful National Trust grounds and beginning and ending at the Castle. From there we moved on to Pont y Bala parkrun, a less scenic but still enjoyable flat out-and-back route along the river, where we bumped into Dave and Daniel mid-refuel. Their encouragement gave us a welcome lift before we pressed on to Old Railway, Llangollen — a trail course, easy underfoot, that marked the halfway milestone.

That was when reality struck: we’d be finishing in the dark. Determined not to waste a second, we pushed hard. But our plan faltered at Park in the Past, where the gates were closed. Facing a dilemma, we refused to compromise on the challenge of 10 different courses. That meant only one option, we would need to take on Wepre, the toughest parkrun in North Wales. Papa had once vowed never to return to this course after his one and only parkrun there, but together we tackled its brutal climbs in silence and determination.

Into the Evening

With seven courses down, tiredness began to creep in. We ate our pre-made meals, Papa grabbed a short nap, and I fuelled up on caffeine as I drove us to Ruthin, my home parkrun. We knew this course like the back of our hand and the three out and backs around the football field passed quickly. From there, we quicky grabbed torches from my house (and Maximus the Labrador) and headed to Greenfield Valley. This course was easy to navigate, a long downhill to the turnaround point, with two short looped sections covered before heading back up to the start. The out-and-back stretch finished under fading light, head torches guiding us through the trees.

Nine done. One to go.

The Finish Line

At 11pm, we arrived in Prestatyn for Papa’s home course at Nova. Head torches on,

Maximus by our side, we braved the harsh sea wind and swirling sand. Two bobbing lights and a pair of glowing dog eyes must have looked a strange sight, but to us it was magic.

Finally, stepping over our imaginary finish line, we became parkrun ultrarunners. Pride. Relief. And above all, gratitude that we’d done it together as father and daughter.

More Than Miles

This challenge was never just about running. It was about adapting when things went wrong, persevering when tiredness hit, and prevailing in the face of difficulty. It was about community — the volunteers, parkrunners, and friends who cheered us on. And for us personally, it was about light after loss. Since losing Mum last year to cancer, parkrun has given us focus, belonging, and a way to keep moving forward together.

A huge thank you to Dave and Daniel for inspiring this challenge and for fundraising for such a worthy cause. We loved being part of it and hope next year even more people will join.

Because parkrun is never just about the miles — it’s about connection, resilience, and joy.

L2R - Myself, Papa, Dan and Dave, celebrating together a week later at Prestatyn Nova parkrun