Local fitness fiends in all shapes, colours and sizes have been either walking or running the local parkrun every Saturday morning at 8am since it was launched earlier this year from the Brakpan Customer Care Centre at the corner of Escombe Road and Elliot Avenue. Parkrun organises free, weekly, 5km timed runs around the world.
They are open to everyone and are safe and easy to take part in.
The 30th Brakpan Parkrun took place on November 10 and the Herald popped in to see how the local fitness event was going. Gillian Chrystal, the parkrun director for the day, told the Herald how she believes this event is bringing back the spirit of community to the town with people from all walks of life sweating it out over the 5km route.
She encouraged more Brakpan folk to come out and support the parkrun and try to achieve their fitness goals.
She also urged people to get involved as volunteers to help ensure the successful running of the event every Saturday morning.
To date, the local parkrun has attracted 1 674 runners and walkers with an average number of 130 runners per week.
On Saturday, 93 participants enjoyed taking part in the local parkrun with JP Bekker the first runner home with a time of 22 minutes and 54 seconds.
He was followed by the first woman to complete the course, Bongiwe Simelane, who clocked in with a time of 23 minutes and nine seconds.
Jaylene Cloete holds the women’s record at the Brakpan Parkrun with her time of 19 minutes and 44 seconds, achieved at the seventh event on June 2.
An unknown male runner holds the men’s record with a time of 18 minutes and 19 seconds.
The reason he is unknown is that he did not sign up and register for his parkrun barcode which is a quick and easy process to follow.
It can be done at parkrun.co.za
Also read: Two greats at Brakpan Parkrun
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