A quiet run in the park has become a worldwide phenomenon

Parkrun seems an innocuous title for a community sporting activity which appears heavily addictive. On a recent Saturday, I extricated myself from the hammock in time to catch the 8am Palmerston North starters for the weekly 5km run, jog, walk or volunteer, at their behest.

They’d got enthused when they had a record 386 take part in a recent run, double what they were mustering a year ago, and thought I might be interested.

Seeing the number of people assembling happily along from Fitzherbert Bridge did spark my curiosity.

Parkruns are free which is always a good start and are usually all over by 9am.

At first sight it seemed to be yet another fitness thing on a flat pathway along the Manawatū River bank to near Waterloo Park and back, but it seems it’s here to stay, even for one guy aged in his 80s who came in at 65 minutes.

There has been a spinoff from the Manawatu Striders’ Super Seven series which runs for only seven Tuesdays each summer while the parkrun keeps trucking every Saturday morning of the year, even if Christmas or climate change gets in the way.

A few decades back the city hosted many events for harriers, but most have disappeared, partly because roads are no longer safe places to run races and traffic management has become perilous.

There are 23 parkruns throughout the country run under the auspices of Parkrun NZ, with about 112,000 taking part including almost 14,000 volunteers. The concept started in New Zealand in Lower Hutt in 2012 when a gent brought it back from England where it began in London with 13 parkrunners in 2004. They more than found a niche because there are 1275 events in England now and Australia has 488.

It thrives in more than 2000 locations in 22 countries across five continents with an estimated 9 million participants.

Environmental engineer Kate Southern, previously an event co-ordinator with Manawatū Striders, spotted the concept on social media and kicked it off in Palmerston North in October 2017, the 17th to start in New Zealand. Others nearby are at Whanganui and Kāpiti.

The first Palmerston North parkrun attracted 237, including people known as parkrun tourists who travel to events, often overseas.

Throughout the year there’s an average of about 150 taking part.

People proudly turned their backs on me to display parkrun shirts imprinted with

“100” or however many official parkruns they’d done.

Two from Palmerston

North had conquered more than 250: Ross Nixon, who walked in barefooted, and Caroline Lister.

Those who have survived more than 25 receive a free shirt, courtesy of sponsors.

But don’t talk about competitors or records within earshot of the parkrunners. Being competitive is not the point and they had to have a word with one runner who unceremoniously shouted at others to get out of his way a few weeks back.

However, times are kept online for those interested, and the fastest time (not a record, of course) for the Palmerston North parkrun was 14m 26s by a triathlete, Luke Scott, two years ago.

Overseas there were protests when parkrun decided not to publish online race times, records and statistics to safeguard newbies being put off by fast times.

It hasn’t been a factor in Palmerston North.

On my watch, one chap staggered across the line and asked the timekeepers to wait because he uttered that he might be sick first.

While it’s a free event, those taking part must register online and every runner has a barcode which can be printed out and scanned at the finish.

There’s no time limit and no-one finishes last because there are volunteer tail-end walkers bringing up the rear in case anyone has a misadventure. The walkers are usually back within an hour.

There’s a defibrillator on site which is shared with Feilding Moa Harriers.

The many volunteers seem to get as much of a kick out of the parkrun as the runners or walkers. Run director on the day, Karen Manninen, after singing an impromptu parkrun anthem which she’d composed, called for guides for a visually-impaired group and up went hands happy to help. There are half a dozen directors who pitch in to organise each parkrun.

The Palmerston North City Council laid a gravel area for starting to avoid mud in winter, but baulked about erecting parkrun signs at Hardie St Reserve.

Cyclists can be the bane of parkruns because they use the same paths, are often flying, most don’t have bells to warn they’re bearing down and expect everybody on foot to get out of their way.

The heavier e-bikes and electric scooters also do not mix well with parkruns.

But it will take more than frantic pedallers to put off these devoted parkrun trippers.