Finally, the global running phenomenon parkrun has arrived in Singapore.
Actually it arrived in June, but I didn’t notice until last week!
So what is parkrun?
On their website (www.parkrun.com), the lovely parkrun people say :
We had an idea. We ran with it.Parkrun started back in 2004 when 13 runners got together on a blustery day in Bushy Park, Teddington, UK. We’re now an international FAMILY of over half a million runners (and counting).
We organise free weekly timed runs all over the world. Held in pleasant parkland on weekend mornings, our runs are open to all – from juniors and first timers to Olympians and octogenarians…
And it really is this simple : Register an account, print a little barcode – and remember to take it with you.
I started running parkruns in the UK about 4 years ago – they are always 5k, and there are plenty to chose from in the UK (and Australia – where its also very popular), but now we have a parkrun in Singapore – in East Coast Park (where else 🙂 ! )
Now, every saturday morning, at 0700, you can do a 5k race, for free, with a very simple one time registration process – no pack collections, no pre organisation or planning, justrunlah !
All you need to know is here: www.parkrun.com.au/eastcoastpark/
So I decided to get out and set down a 5k time on National Day. I took the other members of my unofficial running club, The Mount Sinai Striders – this time there were 7 of us , since it’s a new idea, it’s still a quite small crowd – with our posse there were about 35 people in total (below).
It’s a straight out and back course, very busy in the park yesterday morning, but still plenty of room for our race and all the other park users – I love the simplicity of the whole event – a few marshalls, a couple of cones to indicate the finish line and that’s it. Self sufficient running at its best.
And it was an even better morning for me, because I managed to run my first sub 20 minute 5k since 2005 🙂
Most of the parkrun gang headed off to East Coast Starbucks for a quick chat and a coffee – very cool and relaxed gang – just like my experiences of parkrun in other places.
This run is perfect for runners at all levels – if you are a serious runner, it’s a great speed endurance/race practice event, if you are a new runner it’s a great confidence builder and if you are inbetween it’s a great way to experiment with pacing in a low key event.
I love it. I hope to see some more JustRunLah! folks there soon!
