Atholl parkrun celebrates 150 events
Atholl parkrun has reached another milestone after it commemorated its 150th event with 162 of its closest friends.
Participants came out in their numbers to support the 150th Atholl parkrun on September 24.
The local parkrun, which takes place in the small park on Lymington Avenue, welcomed 162 people who ran, jogged and walked the 5km course.
According to event director Jean Baillie, it was exciting to see how the parkrun had grown since its first event in 2018. Since then, more than 33 000 participants have completed a distance of 167 805km with more than 200 people volunteering their time.
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“At the outset, I wanted to bring the community into the park which was a sad, neglected space. I am filled with pride every week when I see runners, walkers, joggers and volunteers enjoying the outdoors, improving their fitness and making new friends,” said Baillie.
She added that during the harsh lockdowns it felt strange not to have the parkrun around but the regulars have continued their support.
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“Since reopening at the end of last year, our numbers have been growing and we have new people joining every week. It is always wonderful to see our regulars and to meet visitors from around the country and the globe.”
Baillie paid special tribute to the many volunteers who were the reason why the event existed and continued to grow.
“They arrive every week no matter the weather, always smiling and filled with enthusiasm.”
The Atholl parkrun is always looking for new volunteers. For information on volunteering, please visit www.parkrun.co.za/atholl/ or email atholl@parkrun.com
ALSO READ: Atholl parkrun celebrates four years
