Parkrun Southern Africa territory manager Gill Fordyce believes parkrun’s stringent security measures and its format of running in a group have contributed greatly to the increase in female participants.
Gill, the wife of nine-time Comrades Marathon winner Bruce Fordyce, said parkrun SA has a higher percentage of female participants compared to other parkruns across the world.
“It’s 51% compared to men. For the rest of the world, it’s the other way around,” she said at Ebotse parkrun on October 6.
The killing of Parkmore resident Kirsten Kluyts while out running in a Sandton park last November and several attacks on female runners training for the Comrades Marathon, including two Phoenix women in May, brought the safety of women athletes into the spotlight.
These incidents follow similar cases in the past where women became targets of criminals while running or jogging, including the mugging of Comrades triple green number recipient Sharon Elderidge in East London in 2017.
Gill stated that parkrun is a safe space for women, emphasising that it’s their priority that all participants take part without worrying about their safety.
“Women sometimes feel afraid to train on their own in the streets of South Africa. To be able to come and train together, whether running or jogging in a group and safe environment with others, it’s a huge drawcard for women to come and participate.”
She encouraged women to participate at any of the country’s 220 parkruns, adding it’s a free community event where you can walk, jog or run the 5km course or volunteer.
“I think women feel safe coming to a parkrun because it’s a safe environment to get fit and they are able to train in a group. For that reason, I would encourage women to come to the parkrun.”
“Parkruns are free. All you do is register to get a barcode and it doesn’t cost you anything. Everyone is welcome to participate.”
Gill is one of the first women to reach 500 parkrun running milestones. She started her journey with Bruce at the launch of the country’s first parkrun in Delta Park in 2011 as a volunteer before lacing up her running shoes to join the runners.
Gill sees parkrun as a “nursery” for runners because it has launched the careers of many professional runners while others use it weekly as a time-trial.
“It brings a lot of different people of different abilities together. A lot of people improve here and go on to join professional clubs. Some use it as time-trial to sharpen their times.”
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