Parkrun organiser went in feet first — now it’s 100
When Judy Mellsop’s son introduced her to parkrun at Western Springs and Rotorua, she thought it would be a great event for her Whanganui hometown.
To gather ideas she started walking other parkruns at every opportunity. And with no inkling of the hiccups and hurdles she’d encounter, she clicked “Start a new parkrun” on the event website.
The launch of the Whanganui Riverbank parkrun — New Zealand’s 30th of the current 40 — was finally set for a year later. But, with everything ready, Covid lockdown added a further three-month delay until July 4, 2020.
Since then, more than 800 people have taken part in the free, weekly 5km run and walk. And next Saturday, December 10, the 100th event will be celebrated.
The occasion is guaranteed to be colourful — with participants encouraged to wear fluoro, and complimentary face-painting on offer. There will be spot prizes, and home-baked cupcakes and cookies at the finish.
As with all parkruns, everyone is welcome. The run/walk starts at 8am sharp from the flags opposite 282 Taupo Quay. It follows an out-andback route on the walkway/cycleway under the Cobham and Town bridges, past the Riverside Market to a marshalled turnaround near the “steel ball”.
To receive an official time, participants need to register online (once only and completely free) at www.parkrun.co.nz/register/. This provides a personal barcode that can be scanned at the finish of any parkrun.
Mellsop said the Whanganui course was considered one of the best in New Zealand and attracted many out-of-town visitors and tourists.
“They typically stay for the weekend, going on to visit the markets, shops and glassworks.”
Setting the course was one of the first challenges in establishing the event, she remembered. It needed to be accurately measured, straightforward, safe, off-street with no road crossings, and council-approved. As well, son David and husband John, whose planning help was key, wanted it to be scenic and fast (for the speedsters).
Other challenges included finding sponsors to ensure that parkrun is free forever. Volunteers were also needed: marshals, tailwalkers, timekeepers, barcode scanners, course checkers. “At first it was just the three of us getting the event established,” Mellsop said.
“Then Alec McNab and Nathan McKinlay joined David and me as run directors, which was huge, and to date we’ve had 108 people filling volunteer slots.”
Mellsop herself has volunteered or walked (or both) at 75 of Whanganui’s parkruns.
“It’s rewarding to see a wide range of people out there enjoying the exercise — from children and college students to regulars in their 70s,” she says.
Looking back, would Mellsop hit the “start a new parkrun” button again?
The answer is yes. “But had I known what would be involved, I’d have thought we couldn’t do it.”
Parkrun a family affair
The first Whanganui Riverbank parkrun was also a first for local resident of 16 years, Steph Laird.
She’d heard about parkrun from her sister, who has notched up more than 100 and is a regular at her home event in Palmerston North. Laird also has a twin sister in Hawke’s Bay who goes to the parkun in Napier.
When Laird heard that Whanganui was starting a parkrun, both of her sisters came for the inaugural event, and a friend joined them too. “All four of us did it together.”
With more than 50 parkruns now behind her, Laird said she had met many people she wouldn’t have otherwise.
“To me, the community aspect is key. It’s quite different from a race event, where you see people on the start line and out on the course, but you don’t usually build a relationship with them. At parkrun you get to know people and encourage each other each week.”
Since her own start, Laird has begun bringing her husband and two children to parkrun. While it can sometimes be a struggle getting there, and the kids don’t want to go every week, Zara, age 8, has completed 13 parkruns; and 6-year-old Oscar has number 10 in his sights.
“It’s about knowing you don’t have to be first to enjoy the journey; that you are only racing yourself.”
In contrast to their other events competing with school peers, doing parkrun as a family made the children feel part of the community, Laird said. “They’re comfortable with the other people because they get to know them and share a bit of fun.”
For instance, they’ve affectionately dubbed speedy walker Pete Monrad “Peter the Rabbit”.
For Laird, who can lack motivation with exercise, “parkrun is really good”.
“With others around me, I push myself a bit harder than if I were on my own. It’s on at the same time every week, it’s free, all I need to do is turn up. The consistency really helps — I just have to think ‘Shoes on, water bottle, drive there’.
“The rest is easy.”