Run along to Christmas morning parkrun

AMANZIMTOTI parkrun will host an additional event on Christmas morning at 9am instead of the usual 8am start in order to accommodate church services.

It will be a timed event and points will be allocated as usual.

Anyone wishing to bring along donations of pet food, old clothes or household items for charity may do so and the items will be delivered to relevant charities by the event director. “Dress up and join in the festivities,” said Amanzimtoti event director, Claudine Farr.

“The weekly parkrun event will be held the next day, Saturday, at 8am as usual.”

Parkrun, which offers free, weekly, 5km timed runs that are open to all ages and abilities, was launched in Toti in August 2014. It is a free event held purely for the benefit of the local community to promote sport, health and well-being among all members of the community, regardless of race, financial means, gender or creed and is suitable for participants of all fitness levels.

“Contrary to the name, the majority of participants actually walk,” said Claudine.

Runners sign up on the website and, using their printed barcode, can take part at any parkrun event in the world. Results are emailed the same day and posted on the website with historical results and stats, including age group records and age-graded performances.

There are clubs to encourage participation – a 50 Club for runners who’ve reached 50 runs, a 100 Club, a 250 Club, and a Junior U19 10 Club.

“We keep in touch with runners through an emailed weekly newsletter, the website and social media,” said Claudine.

The route starts and finishes in front of the restaurants and water theme park on the promenade on Toti’s main beach. The course heads south towards the lagoon and loops back, from the furthest point of the promenade, passing the starting point at the halfway mark and continuing north where participants are directed out onto the beach. With 1.6km of the course run on the sand, it is one of the more challenging parkruns, but affords participants the opportunity to enjoy sea, sky and sand dunes while getting fit.

Contact Claudine at amanzimtotidirector@parkrun.com.

To find out more about parkrun and to register go to www.parkrun.co.za, like the Amanzimtoti parkrun Facebook page for weekly updates and event photos or follow the Twitter handle @Totiparkrun.