Happy Birthday Parkrun!!

[AuntieStella]

www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/oct/01/parkrun-five-mlllion-runners

The Guardian article is, I think, very good. Parkrun is a movement that is about so much more than the actual running. 13 to 5,000,000 across the globe in 14 years. A genuine, inclusive event (not a race!) even in partnership with NHS now)

It's certainly changed my Saturdays - and my Christmas Day in the morning

Here's the ad for the very first event - where it had a distinctly less catchy name!

Paul S-H on BBC Breakfast right now.

I hadn't realised that it was started as part of his way of tackling his depression. And he's just said that the sense of community and the volunteers are the most important bit.. Though the run is important too (almost an afterthought prompted by presenter!)

Yay! Lots of my family (mostly not very sporty) have got into parkrun. And it's the inclusivity that does it for us. We're welcome to take part. Our involvement is recognised as being an achievement. My dad runs as the oldest age category now. My Dd ran the whole distance in junior parkrun for the first time, and forgot to whinge (she's always happy at the end, but struggles to remember that half way round).
Happy birthday parkrun!

Happy birthday parkrun. Today is the first week we’re missing for months as we’ve all got races somewhere else later today. 🏃‍♀️🎂🍰

Running for cake always seems a good idea!

Bet Bushy will be enormous today

I had a good one today. And all done and back just before it started raining (so much better than the other way round!)

Just had my email, did a pretty good time for me today. Always a good way to start the weekend - though I'm a relative newbie (started Parkrunning in 2017)

Saw this:

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-45756572#click=t.co/uju7b3HiSY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-45756572#click=t.co/uju7b3HiSY

I absolutely love parkrun - I finished C25K in late June and have done 13 parkruns since then, shaving 4.5 mins off my time. I'm not v fast at all (32.30 at the mo), but I'm getting quicker and aiming for sub 30 at some point
Main thing, though, is that I really, really look forward to 9am on Saturday morning - it's had a massive impact on my MH and, barring injury, I honestly can't imagine not doing it now