A stroll around the park

I love a milestone, especially when lots of others are involved.

I’m not much into pomp and ceremony, but numbers are my thing. After cracking 300 radio shows in October last year, and then penning a 500th column for this fine magazine late last year, the Saturday just passed saw me involved in an equally important chalking up of a nice round number… my 100th Parkrun out at Gosling creek.

It’s been a few years since I’ve spruiked the merits of the Saturday morning get-together at the gorgeous park that’s just past the hospital, and it’s so big now that I’m probably preaching to the converted in many cases. Never heard of it? Well, every (and I mean every) Saturday morning, whether it’s rain, hail or glorious sunshine, a massive group of keen participants set off at 8am for a 5 kilometre walk, jog or run around the beautiful reserve. You don’t have to be running pro to get involved, in fact most of the eager beavers are just doing their best to blow out the Friday night cobwebs and maybe beat their own personal best.

Brad (a.k.a. ‘Mr Parkrun’ in Orange) and the fabulous group of organisers and ever-changing weekly volunteers set things up from 7:30am, putting out the witches’ hats, erecting the flags and the finish line. They even go as far as writing inspirational chalk messages on the bitumen around the course… “keep going,” “not far to go now.” Awesome. The runners and walkers self-seed, with the whippets going to the front and those out for a lovely Saturday stroll moving to the back of the always huge crowd. On your blocks, get set, go. Much of the track is now covered in baby-bottom-like smooth bitumen, which will attract more triathletes and cyclist to the area too. The part of the course between the 3 and 4km mark provides a good challenge for those running hard, whilst those enjoying the morning walk get to appreciate the look and smell of the beautiful foliage. Last Saturday, walkers involved were as young as 4, and up to 84, with quite a few prams being pushed casually by smiling mums, or by dads smashing it out at warp speed with one of those 3-wheeled marvels. There were first-timers, milestone runners doing their 50th or 100th, etc, and diehards with up to 200 under their belt.

For the third time this year, they broke the record for the number of participants, with an enormous 314 people crossing the line to register a time… from a ridiculously quick 18 minutes for the winners, through to just over an hour for those who are a bit more casual. The volunteers stationed around the course offer directions and some healthy encouragement, and the unwritten rule is that runners will say “thanks” as they go past a volunteer. The other unwritten rule is that everyone who joins in will give up one Saturday about every three months to ‘give back’ by volunteering – real community spirit.

Are you keen now? Well, google “Parkrun” and go from there. It’ll take you about 90 seconds to register (I’m not kidding) and then you’ll print off your personal barcode, which is what you show the person as you cross the finish line. They ‘bleep’ it on the app, and by the time you’ve had a coffee at the van (J) and made it home, an email will be waiting for you with all the stats you could possibly need – time, place, PB effort, and hundreds of pics on the Parkrun page too.

See you on Saturday morning for a walk, jog or run, a coffee and a chat. It won’t be long until you’ve chalked up 100 too. Don’t forget to say thanks to a volunteer as you go past.