p is for parkrun: A to Z reveals how simple idea born of a basic human need changed the world
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WHEN an Easter Ross town recently staged its 200th parkrun, more than 150 people turned out to celebrate the occasion.
Babies in prams pushed by eager mums and dads, local teenagers, the occasional enthusiastic Labrador and seniors mingled happily at the start line of the timed 5km route at Crawl Park.
They were welcomed by encouraging volunteers who turn out pretty much every single Saturday morning of the year – Christmas Day and New Year's Day included, if that's what the calendar dictates – to make it all happen. And at the finishing line, there was smiles, laughter and cake – a potent, addictive and happily legal concoction which keeps people coming back time and time again, spreading the word amongst friends and family.
On Alness parkrun: 'It'll do nicely for my second alphabet!'
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The sense of community forged by these weekly get-togethers – free of charge, open to anyone and run solely thanks to the goodwill nurtured by those volunteers – now puts a spring in the step of millions of people around the world.
Yet what has grown to become a global phenomenon has humble origins that make an intriguing back story. Paul Sinton-Hewitt didn't know what he was about to unleash when he suggested holding the stopwatch for a time trial because he wanted to spend some time outdoors with friends while he was injured.
He was essentially feeling a little lonely and had devised a way to counter the blues while being with people he cared about. Thirteen people were at that gathering at London's Bushy Park back on October 2, 2004. Fast-forward to today when over eight million people regularly participate and you see the power of a simple idea to change the world.
The events are now 'social prescribed' by some doctors, such is their proven benefit on mental health and wellbeing.
A woman more familiar than most with the magic spell unwittingly unleashed by Sinton-Hewitt almost 20 years ago is Eileen Jones, whose second book on the topic, 'p is for parkrun – a journey from A to Z', has just been published.
When I heard about the title, I just had to ask the Yorkshire author if the 'A' just might be for Alness?
In fact it's for Alexandra Palace – or Ally Pally as it's affectionately known by Londoners.
But Jones admits she's since been told that Alness is one of the best and friendliest on the go and can't wait to do it when next in the area. She laughed: "It'll do nicely for my second alphabet!"
She does make it to Inverness – now technically Torvean parkrun – and shares her experiences in the Highland capital.
Her book is a thoroughly engaging personal memoir of an alphabetical A to Z romp from Ally Pally to Zuiderpark (the latter in the Netherlands – Zeds, it turns out, are relatively thin on the ground though some people will head to South Africa for Zandvlei) during which she meets a colourful cast of characters and discovers the phenomenon that is parkrun tourism.
While the runs in different communities vary dramatically – from Ireland's Bere Island, which became quite the pilgrimage for Jones as she celebrated her 300th outing, to Dulwich where an Olympic Gold Medallist Alex Yee run the second fastest parkrun of all time at 13:57 – Jones captures the overall theme of inclusiveness, camaraderie and fun.
As she notes, when arrives at a new venue and spots the familiar scene of volunteers in high-vis vests setting up, she knows she's in the right place.
Read also: Kilted An Cabar scouts from Invergordon group cut a dash at Polish parkrun
p is for parkrun - a journey from A to Z by Eileen Jones is published by Gritstone Publishing
