After successful international Parkrun tours to Stockholm and Berlin in the last 2 years and with a spare weekend in my busy diary I decided to fly to Poland with the goal of getting my 'Z' Parkrun ticked off on the alphabet challenge.
There are currently 11 Parkruns in the world starting with the letter 'Z' and Poland has 5 of them.
It is also a little bit different to your typical Parkruns with a few querks you need to know about.
FINDING ZALEW ŻYRARDOWSKI
Finding Zalew Żyrardowski Parkrun is really easy as it appears in maps, thanks to its Google listing.
This also means you can get an Uber taxi and literally get dropped off at the meeting point by simply typing Zalew Żyrardowski Parkrun.
I was staying in the city centre of Warsaw and it took around 45 minutes to get to Zalew Żyrardowski Parkrun by Uber. I hadnt done much research and I was panicking about getting there on time and finding it so I left really early. To early in fact, because it meant I arrived at 8AM!
However I knew I was in the right place as there is a big permanent sign about Zalew Żyrardowski Parkrun with the course map on it. The bus stop to the left is the meeting point.
COURSE
The benefit of arriving way to early meant I had plenty of time to look at the course route and walk parts of it to understand where I was going just in case there was not an English race briefing.
The course does not have any marshals and although I am not quick enough to worry about leading, if you are a sub 20 runner you probably want to pay close attention as you may finding yourself leading.
THE START
The start is easy to find and is permanently marked on the path and is opposite the bus stop meeting point to the left.
You will see some road signs parallel to the start.
SHORT LAP 1
The first part of the course you simply run straight ahead, just before you see a road going right there is a turn around point marked out on the path. If you cross a road you have gone too far.
Once you turn around, you run back towards the start, once you get back to the start this completes the short 1 lap and you turn left to go off road for a short section.
LAP 2 & 3
This is the start of the 2 larger laps and you can't really go wrong on the off road section as there is no where else to run apart from following the path (or running into the actual lake!).
At the end of the off road path, you will see a bridge with 2 concrete blocks with yellow arrows painted on them, turn left and at the end of that road your essentially return to the turn around point you ran too.
You then run back towards the start again, except this time you keep running past the start and do not turn left, keep running straight until you get to the end of the path and you will see another turn around point marked on the path. If you turn left you have gone too far.
After turning around run back towards the start. Once you get back to start you have completed your 1st lap of the larger laps.
Follow the off road route again and complete another lap to finish.
It is a super flat course mostly on tarmac paths apart from the short off road section.
Just be careful at the turn around points as they are really sharp turns. In wet and icy conditions this may be slippery.
TOILETS
The toilets do not open until 10AM so make sure you go before you arrive.
COFFEE
It is in quite a remote area and there is no post run coffee or breakfast like you might plan in the UK. However there was post run tea provided in flasks by the hosts.
COST
The cost of Parkrun is FREE. You just need to register and take your barcode to register your time.
The Uber from Warsaw to Zalew Żyrardowski Parkrun cost me 150 PLN, which is about £30 give or take.
Getting back, a very kind lady who took part in the Parkrun, gave us a lift to the railway station and I got a train with another english couple back to Warsaw. They very kindly booked the ticket for me via the app and I think it cost less than £10.
RESULTS
You can find the latest results for Zalew Żyrardowski Parkrun HERE.
WOULD I DO IT AGAIN?
Yes, for so many reasons but do not expect it to be your typical Parkrun experience in the UK. It is kind of in the middle of no where but do not let that put you off.
At 8.45AM there was literally me, another English couple, a couple of local Polish runners at the meeting point and I am wondering if the event is on because nothing has been set up or any signs of it going ahead.
Then out of no where, a car parks up at the meeting point, gets the Parkrun flag, pop up sign, high vis vests out of the boot and were ready to roll!
Best of all though everyone is super friendly, high fiving or thist bumping you and saying hello when they turn up.
THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND
- Weather: I went at the beginning of March and it was absolutely freezing. So cold the lake was frozen! So if you can plan to go in the summer.
- Timing: As I mentioned above, do not panic if you can not see anyone like you would in the UK. This is pretty normal in Poland apparently.
- Language: The race briefing is in Polish but one of the local runners explains what is said.
- Trainers: I did wear my Adidas Pro 4's super shoes and I got away with it as it was so cold the off road section was really firm. In the rainy months I suspect this would get really muddy.
- Cost: Poland is generally pretty cheap apart from normal tourist things like tours.
KIT
I wore the following race day kit:
Top: Under Armour
Top: Nike
Gillet: Nike
Tights: Nike
Socks: SHYU socks
Shoes: Adidas Pro 4
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions you would like to ask about the Zalew Żyrardowski Parkrun in Poland, please ask get in touch.
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