SA parkruns forge ahead

THIS weekend will see the leadership of Parkrun South Africa come together with their international partners for a conference in the Drakensberg.

This comes just a week after the launch of the 99th South African Parkrun at Sardinia Bay, on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth – the 13th Eastern Cape parkrun.

A parkrun is always 5km and it is always free to all who participate.

Others on the drawing board in the Eastern Cape include Komani (which used to be Queenstown), Jeffreys Bay, Port Alfred, Mthatha, Cradock and Middelberg.

Bruce Fordyce CEO of Parkrun SA has, along with the Eastern Cape leadership of parkrun, promised the communities of Mdantsane and Gonubie their own parkruns in conjunction with the anticipated reintroduction of Nahoon Point, which is likely to be an item on the conference agenda.

That would boost Buffalo City’s tally to six weekly parkruns.

Buffalo City currently has 21 000 registered parkrunners, with the Eastern Cape having well over 44 000.

On just one day in February, Parkrun South Africa, which is only five years old, attracted over 45 000 runners and walkers.

There appears to be no ceiling to the phenomenon, with Fordyce and others correctly pointing out that there is and never has been, a sporting movement with such numbers but even more impressive, one with such momentum.

It is not inconceivable that this number could reach in excess of 800 000 by year’s end.

The parkrun at the conference will be boosted by about 30 parkrun leaders from across SA and the UK.