Hamilton Lake Parkrun
Parkrun is proving to be a great way to relax on the weekend. It is a 5km timed run, which takes place every Saturday at 8am all over the world. It started back in 2004 in Bushy Park, Teddington, UK with 13 runners getting together.
Now it is an international family of about three million park runners. There are more than 1800 locations in twenty-two countries across five continents.
Hamilton Parkrun takes place at Lake Rotoroa in the city Centre. Lake Rotoroa is a popular spot for all kinds of activities and the scenery is fascinating. The fresh air around the lake is also good for running. Every Saturday morning, people come to Parkrun for exercise and fun. They can run, jog, or walk the around the lake. Some participants come to challenge themselves. For them, the best part of the Parkrun is to better their previous time. The benefits of the Parkrun are obvious. The participants can strengthen their body and more importantly, they can also reduce isolation, depression, anxiety, and stress by running with other people. What’s more, the runners find they can push themselves harder when running with other people.
For most of us putting our trainers on and getting out the front door is more often than not a solo affair, which during the cold, dark, winter months can test our motivation.
What could be better than turning that running experience into a social event? Parkrun makes some of your training runs an opportunity to catch up with others and share a common interest.
We all know there are days when our normal daily enthusiasm may be lacking, so knowing that you have committed to run with others can be just what is needed to give you that extra pick me up.
When the going gets tough, having the support of others means you can share the work, as well as shielding each other from the elements!
On a sunny Saturday morning I interviewed some of the participants and volunteers. People of different ages and roles all come to participate in the Hamilton Parkrun.
At the age of 79, Elliana is a special participant of Parkrun and has already participated more than 50 times.
People are all here to do the same thing, and it just leaves me feeling warm and excited, and it helps me make a lot of friends here.
Richard, a participant as well as a Parkrun volunteer, learned about the event from his adult son and daughter and came to enjoy it gradually. “It’s something to look forward to each week and It’s a great social event,” he said. As a volunteer, he likes to be the marshall, indicating to people where to run. Seeing the determination on the faces of the runners and walkers is the most unforgettable thing of being a volunteer.
It’s something I look forward to. It’s a great start to the weekend. I like meeting the other people. It’s often a family event as well.
He has participated 65 times in Parkrun and his personal best is 22:37, a time he is really proud of.
Other volunteers help organize the event. Karina is the current manager of Hamilton Parkrun, and she often serves as the run director. She said organizing the Parkrun has brought great physical and psychological changes to her life. She now has strengthened her body by doing the volunteer work, and the relaxing environment always keeps her in a good mood. What’s more, it helps her make more friends. She is very glad to see that more and more people came to participate the activity.
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As a participant of the Parkrun myself, I also have a lot of fun. About a year ago, with the help of one of my friends I participated in the Parkrun for health reasons. At first, it was not easy to run the 5km course because I was very unfit. Fortunately, I met a kind woman who kept encouraging me during the run and I finally finished it successfully. It was really great, and I began to enjoy the whole experience. Since then, I came to participate in Parkrun a lot. Now after a year, I find my overall fitness has improved and I have met many great people.
Parkrun is totally free, unlike other running activities. How to join？Just register before your first run. You only need to register once, and you get a barcode. Don’t forget to bring a printed copy If you forget it, you won’t get a time. Parkrun welcomes everyone to participate regardless of age, ethnicity, and ability.
In the Hamilton Parkrun, children bring their pets, parents push their baby carriages, and the elderly walk with their canes. They all get together to enjoy the beautiful Saturday morning.
Parkrun has already been established in many countries around the world. However, in China, it has not been introduced yet. With the appearance of more and more Chinese Parkrun promoters, it can be seen in the near future that the Parkrun experience will attract many Chinese people.
Everyone who participates in Parkrun enjoys the experience and get the benefits of running. It is a weekly fixed family activity which improves the relationship between family members. It can also be a persistent habit, with which you can better yourself.
