Goosen to go for more
“The Saturday morning parkrun is the highlight of my week.”
After completing his 500th parkrun on August 5, Darryl Goosen does not plan to slow down.
Goosen plans to do 250 more parkruns to increase his tally to 750.
“The Saturday morning parkrun is the highlight of my week,” he said. “I look forward to it every week.”
He took part in his first parkrun on the last Saturday of June 2012, when the Ebotse parkrun was three weeks old.
“I heard about this new run starting at Ebotse from my friend, Gavin Westhuizen, with whom I ran my first two Comrades Marathons. I missed the first two, but since that day, the bug bit.”
He said parkruns had significantly contributed to his life, adding that the camaraderie and inclusivity made it a special occasion for runners of all kinds.
“It’s been amazing. I’ve seen how parkrun has got people hooked on running. It’s a nice social occasion with a good mix of runners. You don’t run against the clock but yourself. That’s why it’s so nice,” said Goosen.
The Ebotse parkrun celebrated Goosen’s achievement with a celebratory run attended by his friends and family.
“It was amazing. It was about running. It was about all the people who came out to support me. That’s what Benoni is all about. We support each other. It’s a beautiful place to live.
“I thank all the people who got me into running. This was the culmination of all that. It was a celebration of 13 years of running,” he said.
Goosen epitomes ‘you are never too old to start running’. He started running 13 years ago, aged 39, and completed four Comrades Marathons, earning him four Vic Clapham medals.
He ran his first Comrades in 2010, clocking 11:38:53 in the colours of Benoni Harriers and completed his last in 2017 in 11:41:52 in the yellow, white and red colours of the Benoni Northerns Athletic Club.
“I always tell everybody I run with they must do the Comrades once. It’s the greatest thrill I’ve had in running. To cross the finish line with thousands of people cheering you on is amazing.”
Goosen’s friend of 25 years, Lawrenco Latimer, said parkrun was a big part of the 52-year-old’s life.
“Well done to him. He’s persistent. He books his holidays around the parkrun. He’s consistent and always encourages everybody around him,” said Latimer.
Another friend, Shelly Heard, thanked Goosen for his encouraging words.
“What an awesome guy. I’m a slower runner than him, but he’s always encouraging me. Well done, and keep going,” she said.
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