Running Philips Park parkrun… Manchester’s Toughest parkrun, set within Sportcity Manchester.

We headed over the Pennines to check out Philips Park parkrun. It’s been called the toughest parkrun in Manchester so we weren’t expecting it to be easy. It was a challenging run with a hill with a sting in the tail that you run twice, plus a different hill on the third, shorter lap. However, the feeling that overrides that is the feeling of being in an incredible sporting area. Having never visited Sportcity Manchester then I loved the feeling of being in an area that lives and breathes sporting greatness, especially being by the National Cycling Centre, the home of British Cycling.

I was super excited that the Run Director on the day was the lovely Philip (who is also co-ED at the event). I would LOVE to find a Nicola parkrun one day! Philips Park itself has so much incredible history and it’s rare that I am so excited to immerse myself so fully in a park and its history but Philips Park just feels special. Hopefully that will come across in the video. I mention in the video that Philips Park was opened on the same day in 1846 as Peel Park and that I would link to this video so that’s here:

Huge thanks to the wonderful team at Philips Park parkrun for a wonderful morning. I wish everyone there a fantastic second year in existence!

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Happy running,

Nicola 🙂

https://www.parkrun.org.uk/philipspark/
https://sportcity-manchester.com/
https://www.parkrun.org.uk/peel/

Good morning it’s Park granday we’ve had a glorious trip over the penines the sun is shining there’s a beautiful blue sky and we’ve just parked up here in the car park of the national Cycling Center we’re here to do Phillips Park park run super excited they had their first

Birthday last week we couldn’t make it then but we’re here today to find out how it went last week and to check out this new park run as the sunrise is there behind the national Cycling Center we’re just so excited to be here in the sports

City with the V Drome there Manchester V Drome so the parks here we’ve just parked in the car park there and then ahead of me I can see a sign saying mountain bike trails and skill Zone this area just lives and breathes sport so it’s the perfect place

To have a park run there’s a map here to introduce you to the mountain bike trails and skill Zone it looks like these Gates here are closed so I think we’re going to have to go around because that’s where we need to be literally just the other side of those Gates it’s

Particularly exciting for me to be here they have the indoor BMX track here it’s been the home of British cycling since 1994 and Poppy’s dad Benjamin my husband Ben when he was alive he used to race for British cycling so yeah this has been the home of British cycling so he

Would have been here and yeah this oh it just means a lot I’ve got no words just having a little moment so the sport City here is the largest concentration of sporting venues in Europe we are just 2 miles to the east of Manchester so pretty Central and super close to the

Ettihad stadium the home of Man City so yeah just what else have they got the national squash Center Tennis so yeah going to get Poppy out of the van oh I cannot see in that Sunshine going to get Poppy out of the van and find our way over to the park

But what a morning to be visiting so the national Cycle Center is over there to our right and we’re just heading next to the park until we find an entrance which is just up here and I believe just next to the parkr finish line so that’s great

We can leave our things there and then have a Wander over to the start oh I see a parkr flag we’re just at the entrance of Philips park now I can see the popup Banner can see Runners warming up oh I’ve got that parkr feeling we’re entering Phillips Park now

Oh there’s a kissing gate that’s a good way to start a Saturday kissing somebody you love um we all we’ve got cones here marking out the course and some of the team behind us with a pop-up banner I don’t know if you can see that so this is one of the

World’s oldest this Municipal Park so this was opened on the same day as two other parks in Manchester and they were Queens Park where there is not yet a park run it’s sort of halfway between here and Heaton Park in a northwesterly direction and if there was a park run

There there would be a queue in Manchester so that would be exciting so hopefully somebody can hear this and set up a park run there and the other Park that was opened the same day which was the 22nd of August 18 oh 46 if that’s wrong I’ll put a correction up here um

Was peel Park in Salford now we’ve already done the park run there it’s glorious highly recommend a visit so I’ll pop a link in the description to the video from peel park right let’s go and say hello to the team so just through that gate there that is where we

Have Park to just the other side of the road we’ve got a finish funnel here the team getting themselves all organized there we’ve just popped our bags down under these arches this beautiful brick Railway archers and oh my goodness we are absolutely loving this art look at that isn’t that

Spectacular just to the right of where the team are collecting is this awesome little track and then where we’ve left our bags there’s like look at this a super fun little circuit for kids there’s just so much here but it definitely makes you wish you brought

Your bike which we did not do today so slight missed opportunity I’ve always wanted to go and ride the Manchester vdrome you can do that so that’s definitely a bucket list activities for me so something that’ll get checked off one day hopefully there’s like a super

Relaxed Vibe at this park R got a little bit of music everyone just stood around chatting it’s 5: to 9:00 I’m like why hav we walk to the start I’m like getting a bit a bit panicky but as long as I’m with the volunteers then it’s all

Good so there’s several places to park here there’s the Asda in the sport City and I believe that’s where the toilets are the cafe is for afterwards so you could park there in Wander over then there’s also the blue car park for the Man City Stadium there’s a match later

Today though so um I believe that gets manned early on but you just need to say you’re with Park Grand they you get free parking there or there is this National Cycle Center um can’t remember the exact name of the car park but hopefully I

Will have already put a map in from um us wandering over from there so yeah lots of parking options and a really chilled Vibe when you get to the park we’re all wandering over to the start so we’re following Tom who’s about to do our first timers

And it’s got a train of Park Runners what a day though what a day look at that Sunshine we’re heading towards the start still following Tom and on the right here there are the community allotments so there’s a roll crowing 9:00 which I am loving so let’s head

Down sticking close to Tom for this first time is welcome welcome to pH park run uh you missed our birthday last week so the course going to start directly behind us uh it’s three laps uh two are the same one slightly shorter yeah that’s the course amazing two big laps one smaller

Lap yeah that’s itone thank you Tom right over to the start through the Quagmire uh just a big thank you to all the volunteers please absolutely thank you thank you thank you three laap course I know a lot you’ve done it before so obiously follow the person in

Front uh we’ve got two big Laps on the outside so you’re going to be doing the Steep Hill twice sorry about that you got out on back down here and back up that you’re going to do twice so that’s the important thing to remember you’re going to those two things twice then on

The third lap you’ll come straight down here uh and that’s that’s the smaller inner lap on your third lap and then you’ll head straight down into the finish uh we ask you to keep left as much as possible on the course especially down out and back cuz obviously you’ve got people coming up

The other direction the only exception that is in the in the Arches down here when you come into the Finish if you are finishing on your third lap um you’ll be keeping left to go into the Finish funnel otherwise just think about faster Runners coming behind you with Sprint

Finishes and whatever and keeps to you right and then obviously head round for your next lap Wicked right okay everyone happy everyone ready any questions yeah they crack on super excited to run this okay thank you all good s right three 2 one go Philips Park Park R let’s

Go so our first right turn thank you Marshall heading Along by the artive and there’s some really lovely under lots of these you really feel like there’s some real money been spent in the area I think all used to be derel Fields not in the park itself obviously but all of the

Sports city and I imagine that’s changed the feel of the area but also the park so running past the finish one big lap two big laps third smaller lap and into the Finish the plan today is to run the first mile that will count as my run streak mile

For the day and then we’re going to throw in a walk see how Poppy’s feeling maybe run walk the rest we’ll see I can’t believe how lucky we feel with the weather this morning so this park ran all on Tac yeah a little bit spicy in terms of Hills potentially Manchester’s hardest

Park run that’s been banded around Manchester has got a lot of Park runs and definitely not done them all but yeah let’s see what we think about phet park park run today lady here waving to people playing football oh no wonder if this house that we’re running towards is the original

Gardener house so being such an old park the lady high fiving at the playground as well so yeah we’ve got this playground here great place for kids be I wonder this is The Gardener’s house the park is grade to listed it’s got lots of the original features still so yeah that’s rather

Lovely over there as we head downhill so I think the first kilometer mainly downhill or flat and then we’re going to find out how how bad this hill is lap one and two straight ahead lap three off to the right there so this must contain the littleit Lou to back thank you

Marshall down we go lots of lovely serent time paths running through the park as we head down to the river we’ve got the river Medlock running next to us to our left and behind that is a cemetery now that cemetery is grade two listed also it’s a Victorian Cemetery so if you’re into

History then this is definitely a park for you we’re on our second kilometer and I can already see park run is heading up a hill Oh actually off to the right there does look like it gets rather steep I’m slightly concerned that this is in our first mile so going to need to

Run up that but we come run it super slowly here we go then so it doesn’t start too bad but it definitely kicks you have a really lovely view actually across to the right park Runners over there and then people head up the hill Oh I don’t know what gradient this

Gets to but it’s a cal burner this super steep bit isn’t very long but you’re running this fast you’re definitely going to know about this hill my goodness wow it’s flattening out now at the top everyone’s breathing it’s a little bit labored now but what a view

So here we are back at the start so that was the hill that wasn’t the IEM B we’ve got another sign here lap one and two to the left and the doggy Marshall thank you Marshall and onto the item back section so I think this section is a little

Hilly I think it’s downhill on the way out uphill on the way back not a super long out and back section I can see the turn round down there we will have completed our mile of round that 10 round section well done Simon so we’re desperately hoping that

We beep a mile before we head back up this ha Army pops let’s see oh that man’s watch just beat a mile so we’re turning around at roughly a mile thank you so much turn round Marshall round the cone and up the hill waiting for the beep we’re waiting

For the beep pups when’s the beep going to come oh there we go one mile as we walk up the hill the front runner has just blown past us down the hill my goodness Imagine The Front Runners running up that hill don’t envy them that then he’s going to work his

Way up here very shortly so impressive awesome running wow front runner flying past thank you Marshall and this is us back at the start so we’ll head around to the Finish we’re going to do all of that all over again and then on the third lap missed out a couple of

Bits I’m really pleased with walking some bits actually because so this is the southeast boundary of the park this early 20th century brick arched Railway Bridge and it’s just stunning in fact everything about this park is pretty incredible just passing the Finish thank you so much we’ve got some more mic music a

Um a gorgeous path to run on there’s just something special about running here there is just such a yeah just a relaxed chill happy Vibe at this par G we do wish we were here last week for the birthday we like cake don’t we puppy but as Philip said in the Run

Brief it’s pretty special being here at the start of a new year awesome R well done we’re back on the downhill bit so we’re just jogging those maybe the next half a kilometer or whatever until we hit the bottom of the Bey Hill and we’ll definitely walk again I won’t film much

Of this lap it’s much the same as the last so I’ll probably pick the filming back up on that third lap to find out exactly how it’s different first female running past poppy there hopefully she’ll spot her as some inspiration and I’m just stopping here just to enjoy these original features of

The park because it definitely a really really beautiful Park to be in poppy just said to me did you see the first female run pass so I love that we’re definitely both inspired by these awesome faster Runners the faster Runners that are coming past turning right at this point so that’s a

Different Hill so definitely still a hill but as they drop don’t drop all the way down to the river thank you Mel they don’t drop all the way down to the river not quite as big of a hill but definitely still a hill well we’re not sad that we’re just

Crusting this hill for the last time next lap we’ll be joining from the right where these Runners are coming now oh I look forward to that we’ve kept left all the way round but we’re just keeping right here in case anyone’s coming into the finished thank you Phillip thanks

Guys so one more short lap now so no more nasty Hill no more out and back just one shorter lap and then we’re done we’re on our final lap here I’d been so taken by the original Gardener’s house and everything and uh we just got Runners leaving the park here after

Their run but in the background there’s the football stadium so just got to get this little lap done get this pops running down these Hills it’s downhill y it worked off she goes we get to turn right now hooray thank you so much Marshall so let’s go and check out this alternative Hill

Definitely looks a bit Kinder but it sort of looks a bit longer as we get to the top of this hill what do you think pops which is worse B’s like the hilly bits are the worst and the flatter and downhill bits are more enjoyable I think that second one’s not

As bad so yeah definitely an easier and shorter third lap but don’t be fold in thinking there’s no Hill on the third lap definitely is we’ve just crested the hill here and there’s a zip wire and an older kids playground so the playground that you run past on the first two laps

Sort of a smaller kids playground this one looks much more poppy friendly and it’s closer to the start and finish so maybe we’ll head there for a play although I’m very hungry are you we set off pretty early we’re both feeling pretty hungry so maybe we’ll actually head to a cafe

On the third lap yay thank you oh leaping over the puddle um so yeah you’ve got a puddle to run through on that final bit now poppy you don’t really have a a finish straight here that’s the last Corner up ahead Along by The rway Arches and into

The finish the roll is still cro so uh yeah when to Sprint finish going to start wonder if that’s what the was saying go go poppy go [Laughter] Co we need you again she didn’t listen oh she’s still not gone I knew the second I start running

Po would be like no mother you cannot beat me at a park Run Park Race the Finish is just up ahead poppy said she’s going to let me beat her this week which never happen so where’s this finished oh literally Straight Ahead thanks Simon uh hang

On thank you thanks guys oh she didn’t let me it was lies Park lies but you R so slow you don’t do a Sprint finish you do a Sprint W well how about that Poppy said she had to beat me because I was doing a park water too

Slowly got to love kids right right let’s go get a token and get scanned thank you 94 94 oh poppy likes odd numbers 95 you should let me beat you that’s actually really funny Poetic Justice all finished we just grabbed a snack we’re both so hungry had breakfast

So early this morning Poppy says she’s too tired to scan sad times difficult times I shall scan for her those scan is just here let’s head over and do that the tail Walker is just coming in oh I think she just said she got a walking PB

Today that’s awesome well done thank you for volunteering and the event has closed parkr being all packed away we just had a lovely chat with Phillip and Tom who did the first timers and it was great to chat to those guys find out a bit more about the park run

How it started the event team what the first Year’s been like and yeah chat about V Drome and other things so we’re heading to the cafe now every so often when there is an event at the vrum then the vome cafe opens so it’s worth keeping an eye on their Facebook page to

See if there is an event because that’s literally on the doorstep of the park if they opened every Saturday that would be amazing otherwise it’s heading over to the Starbucks which is next to Aza so we are going to head over there because PO is so tired and hungry she’s like Mom

Cafe time I just honestly love love love love the Bell drone being here the sport England signs welcome to the National Cycling Center everything about here screams sport I’m just so pleased that there is a park run here we just need to work on them having this Cafe open cuz

How amazing would that be I’m loving the red white and blue and the architecture and it’s just exciting just daddy would have loved it here wouldn’t he pops it’s um it’s making us like it’s making us happy to be here anything cycling related just I think makes us feel close

To bend doesn’t it yeah and um to know that like his friends like you know he’s read and and Phillips and things just have ridden here it’s just nice it’s just a connection isn’t it what a gorgeous day look at that sky so we have the national Cycle Center there

The V Drome and then Starbucks is just here in the car park Poppy says I don’t like Starbucks so we are going in azer to find an Asda Cafe and then just to show you how close everything is together if I just pan around try not to

Go too quickly to make you sick then we’ve got the home of Man City here so there toad Stadium just there so let’s go find the cafe that isn’t Starbucks let’s go so lots of parking options for this park run if you are heading to the cafe

Then it makes sense to park here in the as the car park it is huge so you’ll definitely find parking nice and easily here there’s a petrol station it’s where the toilets are everything you could need anyway let’s get this girl fed well we’re sat down we’ve got hot Chocolat

And we’re waiting for breakfast so it’s been a pretty good par runday hey Pops yeah a good trip over to Manchester definitely one for anyone who’s into sport bring your bikes or check out what’s going on so there’s a man city game later on this afternoon

But yeah wonder what else happens in all of those incredible sporting facilities I’m sure you can make a day of it the breakfast has been ordered the breakfast has been eaten and we are wandering back to the car time to head back to leads it’s been an awesome morning over here

On the wrong side of the penines am I allowed to say that I live in Leeds so probably am and Man City Stadium is just there so you know absolutely amazing so a huge thank you m go to the whole of the team at Phillips Park park run to Tom on first

Tim as Tom’s one of the Run directors and to K D Phillip who has his own park run Philips park park run that’s like the dream in park runw to have your own park run I feel like poppy might have lost the van have you lost the van

Darling I’m going to go and help this girl find our van so yeah huge thanks to the whole team this morning just need to get plotting like how am I going to start Nicola park run I need to find Nicola Park don’t I hug thanks for watching the video all the usual things

Give it a like subscribe for more running adventures and I will see you soon I think we might be touring next weekend um and then a week on Monday is there five marathons in 5 days I’m still injured my heel injury is slightly improving I’m just watching poppy wonder

Wonder and look for the van um dear the heel injury is improving but I don’t know will I be okay for five marathons we’ll see things are crossed and I’m hoping so anyway whatever happens I’ll bring you the adventure so stay tuned to find out take care guys and I will see

You soon