Well what is parkrun? This might seem like a very obvious question, but it was one I had in mid 2013 when a guy I used to work with suggested I give it a try.
Running, cycling, swimming and fitness in general were still very new to me. I had managed to lose around 15kgs between September 2012 and April 2013, I was excited by anything related to cycling and running in particular and had just completed my first triathlon.
So why should I give parkrun a try? I asked my friend from work. Well, it's free and it's timed and it's fun.
Free? meaning there is no entry fee! By fun, I mean it is 5km so still relatively short and easy enough to run without having to train for months and months. It isn't elitist, so people of all ages and sizes give it a go. Best of all everyone is encouraged regardless of ability. Plus, it is timed and available online so you can track all your parkrun results. It is a great benchmark to see how your fitness is tracking based on a 5km time trial week after week.
So I signed up and printed off my barcodes. One of my targets in 2013 was to complete the Bridge to Brisbane 10km, I decided that parkrun would be a good way of measuring whether or not I could manage 5km at a pretty fast pace. It would also be a good indicator to see how I would go in a 10km.
The first parkrun I ran was Sandgate. I went with a friend of mine from Church who was also training for the Bridge to Brisbane.
It was awesome, but I couldn't put my finger on exactly why. Maybe it was because it resembled a race, but it wasn't really a race as there was no entry fee and certainly no prizes. Maybe it was because of Sandgate's beautiful setting on Flinders Parade as the sun was rising, or was it how happy people looked and how they connected with each other before and especially after the run.
It might have been a combination of all 3 things, but what stood out to me the most was the connection and camaraderie everyone had with each other. The slowest runners getting big cheers as they completed their run, just as satisfied as those who finished in the top 10.
I ran at Sandgate again a month later for my second parkrun, and I had the same feeling again. The satisfaction of being able to run a 5km with about a hundred other keen runners of all abilities and ages regardless of finishing time was incredible, and I was hooked.
Although my first 2 parkruns were at Sandgate, my "home" parkrun is Mitchelton. This was the closest event to where I lived back in 2013 and made sense to try and consistently run there.
I have however made pilgrimages to other parkruns in Queensland such as Noosa, South Bank, Kedron, Warner Lakes as well as Bunyaville and Nambour; trail based parkruns which were difficult but just as satisfying. I have run Mosman and Willoughby in New South Wales. But have also had the opportunity to run Cassiobury in Watford with my brother, Stewart and Albert in Middlesbrough, U.K. where I managed to reconnect with friends I hadn't seen for many years.
The amazing thing about all the different parkruns that I have attended is same the feeling of connection, camaraderie and most of all community was the same regardless of the location.
I guess that "community" is the key word that I can describe parkrun. Ironically, even though a lot of parkrunners record their activities on their watches or smartphones, it is one of the only locations or events in public where I don't see people glued to their phones and actually actively engaging with each other.
I have made a lot of friends at Mitchelton parkrun over the last 4 years, friends I hope that will last a lifetime. These are people I might never have come across had I never made the effort to drive to a park at 7am on Saturday morning and run 5km.
Fast forward to 2018 and I have now run at parkrun 150 times! I recently celebrated this milestone with a good friend, running together and wearing hats with flags marking the 150 parkruns.
One of the most rewarding aspects of parkrun is volunteering. This is an opportunity to give back to the community. Parkrun is free after all and it needs a group of people to run it each week; whether timekeepers, barcode scanners and my favourite; pacers, these roles need to be filled.
I have volunteered a few times, but there are 2 moments that really stand out for me. The first was pacing for 35 minutes, I usually try and pace at 22 minutes 30, or 25 minutes but on this occasion those positions were filled so I thought why not. I got to run with people I never usually see, and it was so much fun as I actually got to talk to them! One lady was 6 months pregnant and still turning up each week to run and aiming to beat her personal best!
The other time was timekeeping, which means I get to see every finisher cross the line. What a privilege. Although it was impressive seeing the top runners flying through at around 16 or 17 minutes, it was one lady who came through at 40 minutes who made my jaw drop. She came round the last bend towards the finishing straight on the grass, and looked like she was stumbling. As she crossed from the concrete path on to the grass she lost her footing and came crashing down face first into the ground.
A few of us at the finishing line rushed forward to help her up and check that she was ok. We managed to check on her and get her sitting up, as I was told to get back to the finish line to continue time keeping, she did have plenty of help. I looked back to her as she was only a few metres from the finish line, and then she sat up and told her helpers in no uncertain terms "I have to get to the finish line!"
She got to her feet, and with help from others walked gingerly across the line for her token. I recorded her time, but noticed a small cut above her eye which had started to bleed slowly down her face. She was so determined to get her time though, and some kind folks managed to get her a seat, and even called for an ambulance as she looked in shock and the bleeding was concerning. I had never seen anything like it before, and was amazed. I later found out how old this lady was, she was 84!!!
Much later, I overheard someone say that she had started running in her 80s as something to do for exercise after her husband had died! I had no words. All I can say is that if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish almost anything. So inspiring.
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