Parkrun enthusiasts in Scotland will have to wait a little longer

Parkrun 5ks will return on June 5 – but only in England.

The thousands of parkrun enthusiasts who enjoy events at Aberdeen, Elgin, Inverness, Fort William and Bressay in the Shetlands, among other locations in the north, will have to wait a little longer to discover when they can expect a return to action.

The roadmap out of lockdown published for England on Monday indicated that from March 29, formally organised outdoor sports – for adults and under 18s – can restart and will not be subject to gathering limits, so long as they comply with guidance issued by national governing bodies.

Nick Pearson, the CEO of parkrun Global, said: “It’s important to note that the roadmap presented applies to England only.

“While we are excited to begin working towards returning events over the coming months, we are not forgetting about our other UK communities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

“As things stand we are unable to pinpoint a date for returning either junior or 5k parkrun across these three devolved nations, but we continue to work closely with relevant authorities and stakeholders to understand when it may be appropriate.

“Based on the published guidance, our 5k events could technically return from Saturday April 4 (in England).

“However, due to the other national restrictions in place, the expected level of infection at that time, and a number of our 5k events regularly exceeding 1,000 participants, we do not believe it would be appropriate for them to return this early.”

More detailed guidance regarding the return of organised sporting events in Scotland is expected soon.