Running Great Yarmouth North Beach parkrun Course. Freedom Run. Tough but Beautiful parkrun on Sand.

I found myself in Norfolk, in January, with beautifully sunny skies so there was only one place I was heading! I wanted to check out claims that Great Yarmouth North Beach parkrun is the toughest in the UK! A 5km parkrun entirely on sand (well, a few pebbles and blades of grass from the dunes also feature) and totally exposed to the elements. I set off with my sister, Carla, to check it out.
In places the sand is so deep that running is difficult, if not frustrating... I think I have much to learn about running on sand. The views are just incredible though and, for me, totally make up for the punishing running. The course at Great Yarmouth North Beach parkrun is real soul food. I just wish I lived closer!
This is definitely a parkrun that I would love to revisit on a real parkrunday. Understandably numbers are usually low, it takes a certain type of runner to want to take this type of beautiful punishment week-in-week-out. Huge respect to them!
Happy running, and may your 2022 be full of adventure!
Nicola :)

[@SunilCTV]

Watching this back after seeing you do the actual parkrun in 2024 is fun.

[@NicolaRuns]

Ooh I might have to watch it back 😃

[@nicolastott4392]

I enjoyed watching that; we ran there in October, and as well as sunshine saw a few seals bobbing around in the sea watching 🙂

[@NicolaRuns]

Oh wow how lovely! 😍 I love the seals so much. I'm sad to say all we saw was a baby one washed up on the beach as we were walking off 💔 poor little thing. I know it's all part of life but they're just such beautiful creatures 😍🦭❤️ sunshine and seals sounds perfect though 😃

[@dualranger]

Holy moly!! That's one tough parkrun! I can't believe how much energy you had, Nic! Amazing!! I would love a donut after that finish! I've never seen Great Yarmouth parkrun so thank you for sharing the route and the experience, Nic. Its one for the bucket list!

[@NicolaRuns]

It's on my bucket list too because I'd love to do it as an actual parkrun on parkrunday 😃 I only had energy because we were running at a lovely pace... Any faster and my cheer would have been lost proportionally to my increase in speed 🤣

[@xmsanchez]

I had planned to get to Great Yarmouth parkrun in March 2020 before everything went wrong! It looks lovely. The only beach parkrun I've done is Woolacombe Dunes and that's also super tough. Good video and nice to see Carla after hearing her mentioned on WMN. 😊

[@NicolaRuns]

Ooh Woolacombe Dunes is on my wishlist! It looks tough but the finishing times are significantly faster than at Great Yarmouth! Be fun to compare how tough the 2 are! 😃 And then we need to get down to South Africa to check out the tough ones down there! 😃😍🌍✈️ Pleased you enjoyed the video and Lady Bugs appearance ☺️

[@barnabynorman157]

Can't believe it was Jan when you filmed - could have been summer with your vest. Looks great there - the only time I went there it was deep in snow and silent - very beautiful and surreal. Thanks for sharing.

[@NicolaRuns]

Ooh I love the beach in winter 😍 I mean real winter! Yeah this was scary... It deffo shouldn't be 16 degrees in January! 😱 But we made the most of it that's for sure! 😃

[@katiepillar]

Such a beautiful run! I love the different types of runners here, Carla in long sleeves, gloves, headband… and you in a vest. I’m on your team, I get hot as soon as I start running, even in cold weather (although you will often see me in a vest and gloves. Hands don’t get on board the warming up train)

[@NicolaRuns]

It was gorgeous 😍 I'm exactly the same as you! Cold hands (and sometimes ears) but everything else boiling! 🤷🏻‍♀️ lol to Carla in all the clothes... She should have run faster 😜🤣😉

[@NickyJones99]

Good work there Nicola and Carla, would love to try this one out myself too, so many parkruns, not enough parkrundays!! 💛

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks Nicky 🤗 Exactly this!!! Was gutted not to be there on a Saturday... We need more parkrundays! 🙃

[@mulberryminx]

Loved watching you both - I’m dying to save that one for warmer weather … and I’m sure Carla said she would do it with me….?? 😃😂 Tracey

[@NicolaRuns]

🤣🤣🤣 BRILLIANT! YES! Please get her back there. I'm sure she'll actually love it (okay I THINK she will, or she MIGHT love it?) 😂 It is tough but just so beautiful! I agree that it's one for warmer weather though, we were very lucky given that we did it in January! ☀️

[@mattgarner2414]

You actually had me going with that sand in your shoes skit 😂

[@NicolaRuns]

🤣🤣🤣 we did actually have sand in our shoes but not enough to show up effectively on video so we scooped sand into our shoes and then laughed loads before managing to be serious enough to film it 🤣🤣🤣

[@mattgarner2414]

@@NicolaRuns never let the truth get in the way of a good story 😂

[@NicolaRuns]

Lol, I'll try to remember that 🤣

[@ruthrobson9112]

Oooh I want to do this one. Just checked and it's over 4 hours from me, bit far to go for the day! Maybe one day. Loved the emptying of the shoes!

[@NicolaRuns]

Combine it with a holiday! There's some INCREDIBLE beaches in Norfolk! 😃

[@tonystrange7224]

Brilliant vlog Nicola. You wouldn't think it's January. Looks like a lovely summer's day. And doing your best Baywatch running to save a swimmer impression 😉😁

[@NicolaRuns]

Thank you 🤗 I know we actually couldn't believe our luck for the start of January?! Definitely felt more like the summer! A perfect day to check out such a beautiful course. Will have to get a red swimsuit for our next visit there 🤣

[@neilcornelius7605]

Great work from you both It is my favourite parkrun (if you are allowed favourites) When I was there a couple of the tail walkers did it barefoot :)

[@NicolaRuns]

IMO you are DEFINITELY allowed favourites 😃 oh wow thanks re. Tailwalkers! You could deffo walk it barefoot but I wonder if you could run it... Reckon you'd need some practice toughening up your feet! 😱

[@davidmilton6366]

It really is a tough run but you must come back as the volunteers are really awesome and coffee in the hotel is a must.

[@NicolaRuns]

I definitely will! Was gutted not to be in Norfolk for a Saturday 😩 although maybe the freedom run was preferable to the weather you guys endured this weekend! 😱🌧️ You've obviously got a hardy volunteer team down there! 💪

[@MrCol104]

Loved this. Looks a tough but beautiful course. No chance of a PB but it’s one I’d love to do. Well done to you both & huge respect for picking up the plastic. Think you earned those post run seaside treats. 😋

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks 🤗 3 bits of plastic each, every visit to the beach. Totally our rule and Poppy already knows it too 😃 tough but beautiful is a perfect summary of the run! ☺️

[@richsullivan1950]

Beautiful course, but as a veteran of 100m races on beaches with the kids, I imagine 5km of it would be pretty hard going. Well done Nicola 👏

[@NicolaRuns]

Ooh I want to do 100m races on the beach! That sounds so fun! And really hard! 🙃 But yeah, this one is definitely not an easy 5km!

[@dazzapie9058]

Did the Parkrun at Great Yarmouth last August. It was sooooo tough ! I never imagined it would be that hard work !

[@NicolaRuns]

It's deceptive because it's almost totally flat isn't it?! Doesn't look like it could be that bad but it definitely is 🤣 although I do think there's a knack for running on sand! I do not have it yet 🤦‍♀️🙃

[@JasonCliftJones]

I briefly lived down by the Wellington Pier, so this is on my wish list regardless :) Good effort!

[@NicolaRuns]

Hope you get there soon, it's gorgeous! Lucky you living by the beach for a time. It's a bit far away from me here in Leeds! Woolacombe Dunes is the next beach parkrun on my wishlist 😃

[@JasonCliftJones]

And from me in Stockport these days! But some point I'm sure, still have family near Cambridge.

[@NicolaRuns]

@@JasonCliftJones that's why we were there... Family in Norwich 😃 it's a win win then when you visit! 🤗

[@lukedaniel7669]

You had a great day for it, with beaches like this around I feel no urge to go abroad at all. It must be a tough run if the founder of Mudbarton doesn't want to do it again 😂

[@NicolaRuns]

That's funny... That's EXACTLY what Mr Norman said in the pod this morning!!! 🙃

[@lukedaniel7669]

@@NicolaRuns brilliant, I shall look forward to the echo when the pod is published 😁

[@nevillej9408]

Just done this one yesterday and yes it’s damned tough especially if the tide is in and there is no firm beach to run on…

[@NicolaRuns]

Well done for doing it! If you ever do Woolacombe and Whinlatter then please let me know which you think is the hardest course! 😃

[@reelrun]

Imagine that's even spicier in bad weather!

[@NicolaRuns]

Oh for sure. Catch any of the coastal parkruns on a bad weather day and they're a nightmare!!! I mean... Extremely character building! 🤣💪🏃‍♀️

[@susanheneghan5879]

Looks lovely Nicola. Can I ask if you do a free run is this a registered parkrun time. Do they also have to be ran on a Saturday ! Tks

[@NicolaRuns]

It's gotten a bit complicated now there's (not)parkruns too. Basically a parkrun is the actual event on a Saturday morning that is official. A freedom run is running any exact parkrun course but at a time when the event isn't occuring... but same route: start, finish, direction etc. A (not)parkrun is any 5km that you run anywhere, any time. Both freedom runs and (not)parkruns can be logged on the parkrun website under your profile so you can track them... You don't get any t-shirts or anything, they're both just for fun/running motivation. You've been able to log freedom runs for years but (not)parkruns have only come about during the covid era! Hope that makes sense 😃

[@strawberryh7652]

Do you have tips for new runners

[@NicolaRuns]

In terms of anything in particular... other than get out there, enjoy it and listen to your body? ☺️

[@MsJamesob]

Why didn't you do it on a parkrun day?

[@NicolaRuns]

I live in Leeds and was down visiting family. There aren't enough parkrundays in the week and we weren't in Norfolk on a Saturday 😫 I was gutted!

[@dannynorman4717]

Ah Lady Bug

[@NicolaRuns]

That bug indeed! Unfortunately no bugs went in eyes or that would have been good content! 🤣🤣🤣

[@sarajane7111]

20:46! 😳

[@NicolaRuns]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣⏳

[@avinashbhogun]

Any fish and chips? :)

[@NicolaRuns]

Chips but not fish... I'm a vegetarian 🙃

[@bren70ssss94]

For the algorithim 😉

[@NicolaRuns]

😜 thanks 🙃

[@timeonfeet]

Great stuff Nicola. Need to check out one of these Parkruns with the sand for a bit of a challenge sometime! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@NicolaRuns]

Thanks, yes I couldn't resist checking this out as I was in the area. Shame I wasn't there for a Saturday! Woolacombe Dunes is high up there on my wishlist! #parkrundreams