Come and join weekly parkrun at Ganavan

EVERY weekend 40 to 60 hardy souls forgo their Saturday morning lie-in to take part in Ganavan Sands parkrun.

The free, timed run attracts walkers, joggers and runners of all abilities, some of whom push buggies or bring their dogs.

The course begins at the Ganavan Sands car park in Oban at 9.30am, with the 5km course going from Ganavan to Dunbeg.

Back at the finish line, the runners hand over their barcode (which is obtained in advance) and it is scanned by one of the volunteers to create a results table, published later in the day.

Forty- one people took part in the event on Saturday February 18, including eight first-timers and nine who achieved personal bests. Tom Smith was first over the line in 19:03, the fifth time he has placed first. Alison Carre was the first woman, with a time of 24:34.

Parkrun is friendly and supportive, and the Oban event can also support visually impaired runners – an email request in advance ensures a guide is available.

If you would like to join parkrun, register online for a barcode and bring a printed copy along with you. You can find details of how to do this, or how to volunteer at www. parkrun.org.uk/ganavansands.