JERSEY’S Parkrun – a weekly free 5k run at Les Quennevais – hits 500 on Saturday, with organisers hoping that at least 500 people will take part to mark the milestone.
Starting 11 years ago, the volunteer-run event began with around 75 people but now attracts hundreds of runners every week – from the speedsters completing the course in under 20 minutes to those picking up their finishing token nearer the hour mark.
The first ever Parkrun was held in London’s Bushy Park in 2004 and was brought to the Island in 2015 by Trail Monkey founder Paul Burrows. Some committed Parkrunners travel around the British Isles, and even world, ticking them off an alphabetical list, and Jersey frequently hosts visitors picking up their coveted ‘J’.
Once of the local run directors, Sam Horsfall, said: “500 is a massive, massive milestone and we hope to get that number, and more, on Saturday. Parkrun remains one of the biggest free weekly events in Jersey and that in itself is worth celebrating.”
She added: “One of its strengths is our core team of amazing volunteers, some of whom don’t even run but just love being part of something that is open to everyone and their dog.
“At the beginning, I had concerns that volunteering meant that I wouldn’t be able to run myself but now I only volunteer … it is amazing to see how people progress. They might have started with Couch to 5k or Jersey Sport’s programme, and we then see them every week getting better and better.
“Hopefully, we will have a big turn out on Saturday. Although it will be a normal run, we hope a few people might decide to bring some cake, because we always love cake.”
Parkrun 500 begins, as usual, on the Les Quennevais Cycle Track, near the swimming pool, at 9am.
