Facilities

There are bus and rail services to Carlow town, making this is a well connected event. The location of the run, being in the centre of thr town, also makes it easily accessible to the town residents. And for those parkrunnners who choose to drive, there is a large car park close to the start line, though it is not free. Finally, there is a paid toilet in the park, but no changing facilities.

Course

The route for this parkrun is a simple out and back course along the bank of the river Barrow, with a short loop around the town park to finish off. The course is almost entirely flat save for a climb on the bridge over the river. Speaking of the bridge, there are a few tight turns and chicanes which will slow you down. The surface is mostly a mix of gravel and grass, with some small paved sections, which will mean a muddy run on a wet day. The park itself is well maintained and the twists and turns of the river make for a pleasant run.

Coffee

The post run coffee is had in a very nice cafe about a five minute walk from the finish line. The coffee in here was very good.

X Factor

Sometimes when you go out to exercise it can seem like you are the only person in the world putting yourself through this hardship. Part of the beauty of parkrun is the social aspect of running in a group. However, what I thought was special about Carlow is that the Carlow rowing club were out training on the river at the same time that the parkrun was taking place. This was great to see; a whole community of people being out and active. The more we see of this the more normalised it becomes, and this can only be a good thing.