Community spirit alive at parkrun
A worldwide event takes place in Warragul every Saturday morning.
It’s parkrun, with the local event celebrating eight years appropriately on April 8.
Parkrun is a free event where you can walk, jog, run or volunteer for the five-kilometre course. It is held weekly across Australia and around the world.
Warragul’s event is held at Brooker Park starting from the rotunda at the southeast corner of the park. It begins at 7.50am with a briefing by a run director where first timers are welcomed as well as visitors from throughout Australia and occasionally from overseas. Milestones also receive warm applause.
Saturday’s event will be the 359th parkrun, unfortunately like many other events, COVID caused some cancellations.
The local event began in April 2015 under the initiative and guidance of Isobel Murdoch and Amy McCall. Lea Naismith joined them soon after and currently is event director. She is assisted by six run directors who share the lead role each week.
Their hard work, and that of other volunteers, was rewarded in 2017 when the event won Baw Baw Shire’s Australia Day sporting achievement award.
Organisers stress it is not a race. It’s about completing the course by walking, jogging or running – whatever suits the participant.
Families are especially welcome. Children under 11 must be within arm’s length of an adult. Many people take part with youngsters in prams. Dogs on short leashes are also encouraged.
The event attracts about 120 participants every week.
Warragul’s average finish time is 33:52 minutes. The female record set on the final day of last year is held by Emilie Cutler - 18:58 minutes. December must have been good weather for records as Ben Kelly set a new male record on the 31st of 15:58 minutes.
The age graded record of 20:25 has been held by John Graham since January 1, 2017.
Once you register online and download a bar code you can take part at any parkrun event.
The local website also has a course map. An additional benefit for Warragul is the sand track surface, making it easier for injuries or older bones and muscles.
Participants are encouraged to fill the 12 volunteer positions every 10th week. That ensures the event’s success. Volunteer roles include timekeepers, time recorders, park walkers to ensure no-one is left behind and event photographer.
Times are emailed to participants on Saturday morning and there also is a Facebook page acknowledging personal bests and many photographs.
Warragul’s event has a reputation of being supportive of everyone, with lots of encouragement on the course from runners and walkers alike.
Lea sums up the benefits, emphasising that it is good for her mental and physical health.
“I can connect with lovely people who I wouldn’t necessarily connect with if it wasn’t for parkrun,” she said.
“I love the encouragement that it gives me and that I can give to others.
“I got involved by the suggestion of my psychologist who asked me what I liked to do and I said running and helping people. I’d heard of something called parkrun on Facebook and it all started from there,” she said.
One of the six run directors, Kath Stephenson said she saw parkrun promoted on Facebook in 2015 and wandered down to “check it out.”
“I like it that you meet such a range of different people and you may not know their names, but recognise them as parkrunners at the shops.”
She volunteered to be a run director because she wanted to do more to be part of such a positive and inclusive activity.
Kath has completed 151 parkruns and volunteered on 25 occasions.
“Sometimes I walk, and sometimes I jog depending on how I feel. It is such a good start to the weekend,” she said.