On your marks – parkrun confirm a summer return
Parkrun has confirmed it will make a full return this summer, with youngsters able to take part in the junior events from as early as April.
Following the Government’s roadmap for ending lockdown, parkrun has set out plans to restart both junior and 5k parkrun events across England.
Organisers have said that junior parkrun events will be able to return from Sunday, April 11, while all 5k parkrun events across England will return on Saturday, June 5.
In a statement online Nick Pearson, Chief Executive Officer of parkrun Global said: "Bringing back parkrun events is a huge step for so many of us toward the return of normal life.
"Of course nothing is guaranteed and there is still, understandably, some uncertainty and trepidation within the community. But working towards these dates gives us all hope.”
Parkrun confirmed that Junior parkrun will be open for children aged four-to-10 only, to safely manage the numbers taking part.
Event organisers confirmed that while outdoor sport for adults and children is due to be permitted outdoors by March 29 under the Government’s roadmap, they do not feel it would be safe for the adult event to resume at the same time.
Parkrun global chief executive officer Nick Pearson said: "Excitingly, for the first time in six months, we now see a realistic timeframe for the return of 5k events in England.
“Unlike junior parkrun, which can return in phases, our 5k events need to all come back at the same time, with the definition of ‘all’ probably being something north of 90%.
"This is due to the relatively large attendances, and significant opportunity for tourism, meaning that if only a subset of 5k events opened they would very likely be overwhelmed with unmanageable levels of attendance.
“Based on the published guidance, our 5k events could technically return from Saturday, April 4.
"However, due to the other national restrictions in place, the expected level of infection at that time, and a number of our 5k events regularly exceeding 1,000 participants, we do not believe it would be appropriate for them to return this early.”