NOVEMBER 6, 2010, proved to be a seminal day in local athletics as around 100 people gathered at the Waterworks in North Belfast.
Little did they know it that Saturday morning, but they were about to take the first steps on what is now a staple part of Saturday mornings for thousands throughout Belfast and beyond.
Back in 2004, Paul Sinton-Hewitt, organised the Bushy Park Time Trial that evolved into Parkrun.
Matt and Ruth Shields had noticed the growth of this phenomenon and they were the first to bring it to their home city and six months later, a second Parkrun in the city was established in Victoria Park.
Within three years, participation had exploded with over 1000 taking part each week and today, there are 39 weekly Parkruns across the North with over 1.82 million finishes and 200,000 volunteer instances.
To mark the 20-year anniversary of that maiden gathering in London, a nationwide celebration of Parkrun took place on Saturday and it was only fitting The Waterworks marked the date with over 200 participants and volunteers present.
Parkrun has come a long way from its humble beginnings as it has exploded into a global movement with more than 10 million participants across 2,500 locations worldwide, welcoming runners, walkers, and volunteers, fostering community spirit and improving both physical and mental health.
“I’m delighted to be celebrating 20 years of parkrun,” said John Murphy, Waterworks parkrun Event Director and Regional Ambassador.
“What started two decades ago with just a handful of friends has grown into a global community, with parkrun happening every weekend in more than 2,500 locations across 23 countries worldwide.
“In Northern Ireland, the first event took place right here in Waterworks Park in 2010, and we now have 39 weekly events attracting an average of over 5,000 participants every week.”
Parkrun is open to all, regardless of age or ability who gather to take on the five-mile course each week and has been a target for those just making their first steps towards a healthy lifestyle with many ‘Coach to 5k’ programmes culminating in a Parkrun event.
In fact, approximately 400,000 people registered for parkrun marked themselves as completely inactive at the time of signing up.
Average finish times have dropped over the years and this is a measure of the inclusivity with an estimated six million people having completed the course at some stage over the past 20 years.
It wouldn’t be possibility to hold these weekly events without volunteers and over 900,000 individuals have lent a hand at the events over the years.
“What makes parkrun special is its inclusivity,” John added.
“It’s free, open to everyone, and you don’t need to be a serious runner to take part. Whether you’re running, walking, volunteering, or just supporting, parkrun is about bringing communities together and promoting health and wellbeing.”
The success of parkrun is not just about the numbers. Its impact on communities has been profound.
The weekly 5k events promote inclusivity, volunteerism, and community-building, while encouraging participants of all ages and abilities to improve their health.
“It’s inspiring to see people whose lives have been transformed by parkrun,” Murphy continued.
“We’ve had stories like Gary Watton, who survived a cardiac arrest thanks to a defibrillator at parkrun and then used the weekly events as a vital part of his recovery journey, and Sandy Carr, who started running with her children and now sees them volunteering every weekend.
“These are the stories that make parkrun more than just a run in the park - it’s a lifeline for so many.”