The Plens parkrun

Bus: Desborough is served by a number of bus services provided by Stagecoach. The routes are between Kettering, Desborough, Market Harborough and Corby on service numbers 17A, 18 and 19. There is a bus stop on Ironwood Avenue next to the Leisure Centre entrance (Grange Estate loop), 100 meters from The Plens and the start line.

Train: The nearest railway stations are Market Harborough (5.3 miles) and Kettering (7.1 miles). Both stations are served by East Midlands Railway services from London St Pancras to Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield. Kettering is also served by Corby trains. Table 52 of the National Railway Timetable covers this route.

The Plens, Leisure Centre and start/finish area can be accessed along roadside pavements and paths from Ironwood Avenue, Plens View and Burdock Way

Parking at the Leisure Centre is for volunteers only.

For runners, parking is available at the nearby Sainsbury’s supermarket, Cockerell Rise, Desborough, NN14 2WE, which is subject to a 90 minute maximum stay controlled by ANPR. This is a short walk (less than 0.5 miles) from the start. Please be courteous if parking on the local residential housing estates.

From Market Harborough follow the A6 south. Turn left onto the B576. At the second roundabout turn left into The Grange Estate (Ironwood Avenue) towards the Leisure Centre.

From Kettering follow A14 to Junction 3 and take the A6 north. At the second roundabout turn right onto Braybrooke Road. Turn left onto the B576 Harborough Road, then right at the first roundabout into The Grange Estate (Ironwood Avenue) towards the Leisure Centre.

From Lutterworth follow the A14 east to Junction 3 and follow the route above.

From Corby, travel via Pipewell. Turn right onto the B576 Harborough Road then right into The Grange Estate (Ironwood Avenue) towards the Leisure Centre.

Every week we grab a post-parkrun coffee: Desborough Leisure Centre. Please come and join us!

Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee at Desborough Leisure Centre - please come and join us!

The Plens parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. We wish to make the event as safe as possible, so participants, spectators and helpers are asked to take care about the following:

• Please be considerate to the park and other park users at all times.
• Children under the age of eleven must be accompanied (within arm's reach) throughout the event by a parent, guardian or appropriate adult of the parent's choice.
• Please arrive by foot, by pedal-power or by public transport if you can - your efforts help to reduce our impact on the park and the planet.
• We invite everyone to consider volunteering at parkrun. Your support helps your parkrun events remain sustainable and free for all in your community, and it’s also a wonderful way to improve your own health and happiness. Please visit the volunteer page for more information.
• Take care near roads and car parks – some vehicles drive very quickly. Please congregate away from the cars and be careful in particular if you have children. If you’re driving to the event, please drive carefully.
• Take care on uneven surfaces – whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other participants, pedestrians, children, dogs, wildlife, park animals, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
• Please ensure that you are fit enough to walk, jog, run 5k (3.1 miles) with us.
• If you see someone with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
• If you’re watching, keep clear of participants on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
• It is not permitted to run with a pushchair and a dog at the same time.
• Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected ticks. Consider protecting yourself by wearing repellent when at parkrun events in grassy or wooded areas. See lymediseaseuk.com for further details.
• You are welcome to take part with one dog by your side, within reach at all times, on a short, handheld, non-extendable lead. The use of waist harnesses is prohibited. Please also see this Support Site entry for further details about parkrunning with dogs.
• parkrunners pushing buggies are welcome, but please take care of others around you and do your best to start at an appropriate place in the field for your pace.

We hope these tips help to ensure that The Plens parkrun is fun and safe for everyone.

All parkrun events use Age Grading to help parkrunners compare results.

parkrun events use Age Grading to help parkrunners see progress and compare results.

For more information, please see our Support page.

All parkrun events are organised by volunteers - email theplens@parkrun.com to help.

parkrun is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. For our full safeguarding processes and policies please see our Safeguarding Hub.

To report a safeguarding concern please email safeguarding@parkrun.com.