Central Otago’s only parkrun is celebrating its first birthday on May 10 - and more than 1113 people have completed the Alexandra event to date. 

The event has transformed participants’ mindsets and physical health, along with attracting parkrun tourists from across the globe and who venture from town to town throughout New Zealand to visit different parkruns. 

Otago Central Rail Trail (OCRT) run director Sally Booth said the anniversary plans were to have a cake, balloons and a birthday of colour dress up theme.

Sally was instrumental in getting the event up and running in the region. 

It was a labour of love that took 17 months to complete and she described as “a bit like a third job”.

One local advocate for the OCRT parkrun is Victoria Ravenscroft (67) who said parkrun has “changed her world in terms of her wellbeing”. 

Victoria Ravenscroft. PHOTO: Supplied 

Victoria has completed 38 parkruns in eight different locations across New Zealand and Australia after getting into it last June.

She had walked it with her partner, friends and her grandson and loved the sense of community surrounding parkrun, she said.

“I’ve had great conversations with different people… and I’ve met people from all over the world. For me it’s really opened up a whole new world.”

Victoria now walks every morning, and has completed 10km walking events in Cromwell and Clyde.

“The only reason I would miss parkrun would be because there isn’t one in the town [where I might be].” 

She said going to parkrun gets you out of bed, and although it was not a competition, getting a personal best felt good.

“Parkrun is for all walks of life, all shapes and sizes, dogs, kids and families and it's free.”

Co-event run director Sarah McKey said from the start she knew parkrun would be good for the community.

“[It’s] an awesome way to start the weekend.”

Sarah had volunteered about 100 hours so far, organising the weekly roster and volunteering whenever she could fit it around family commitments.

“I love seeing so many first timers each week. It’s also been great getting to know our regulars, plus meeting visitors from all over the world. Parkrun is definitely a worldwide community.”

A mum of two, Sarah works part time in human resources at Dunstan Hospital and said it was great to give back to the community through volunteering at parkrun.

“[With] parkrun I can fit my volunteering in around work and family life… I definitely plan to keep volunteering. I love seeing people achieve their goals and hopefully my kids will be into it once they are slightly older too.”

St Gerard’s School pupil Molly Donaldson (10) has completed 20 parkruns - 18 in Alexandra, along with one in both Dunedin and Wānaka. 

Molly said she enjoyed it because it got her out with her mum running 5km together.

“At the end bit there is music, which is cool… and in the pines there’s a lolly pop tree to look out for.”

Molly Donaldson (10) and her mum Kate. PHOTO: OCRT Parkrun Facebook 

Her advice to other youngsters was to give it a go, and go at your own speed. 

“My times keep getting better.”

Molly has also volunteered in two roles, as a tail walker and a timekeeper. Her goal is to get to 50 this year.

During the netball season it’s harder to tick off, as it occasionally clashes with her game times.

Parkrun began in New Zealand back in 2012 and has become a feature in many communities, uniting those new to running, families, visitors, young and old alike for an inclusive fun timed five kilometre run every Saturday morning.

Across New Zealand there are more than 58 events in public parks or open spaces and along with participating there are lots of ways to volunteer, including setting up the event, marshalling, timekeeping, scanning, handing out finish tokens or tail walking.

The OCRT parkrun is an up and back course, starting on the rail trail just north of the Dunstan Park subdivision, up to Coates Rd and then back, and into the pines for a 400m loop, finishing where it started. To take part register online, print out your barcode and be there at 8.50am on Saturday for the first timers briefing. 

Find information on volunteering at OCRT parkrun here

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