Excited kids can’t wait for their weekly parkrun
PLETTENBERG BAY - There's nothing like seeing the enthusiasm of nine youngsters from Kwanokuthula jogging along happily at the weekly Harkerville parkrun.
What started with Franklin Onyeka and his son Simthandile joining the large Saturday crowd, has grown to children who can't wait to get their Saturday exercise.
"I even get woken up early every Saturday by my son and his friends who are very keen on parkrun," says Onyeka.
"It started with Simthandile asked friends to join him, and now there are nine kids, ranging in age between seven and 14."
Lichume (14), who enjoys running, has set his sights higher. "I want to be an athlete one day. I love running."
Heather Kennedy, the parkrun organiser, says the Harkerville parkrun is a free, timed 5km run, jog or walk that takes place every Saturday morning at 08:00.
"Although you do get your time each week (if you have your barcode on you), it is not a race. The purpose of it is to get some exercise and have some fun at the same time. The only competition is you against your own best time. So it is a great event to bring your family and
friends and enjoy the fresh outdoors. You can have coffee or breakfast at the market afterwards," she says.
Organisers are reaching out to communities in the entire Plett, including Kwanokuthula, New Horizons, Qolweni and Kranshoek, to join in. Sometimes there are problems with transport, so any assistance on that front by people from Plett is always appreciated.
The venue is the field opposite the Harker
ville Saturday Market, on the same side of the N2. The route follows farm roads alongside farmlands with great views of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, then into a forest section for a change of scenery for a short distance, before coming back onto another farm road.
"The Harkerville parkrun was launched in May 2018, and is one of 217 such events in South Africa and part of the global parkrun organisation. The parkrun concept has been a huge success, growing from strength to strength. We have been getting around 200 parkrunners or more each week at Harkerville during summer," says Kennedy.
"The beauty of the concept is that it is for everyone – fast and slow, runners and walkers, young and old. If you are not able to run or walk, you can always join our volunteer team and have some fun that way."
For more information and to register, go to www.parkrun.co.za/harkerville.