AS Newy parkrun prepares to turn four, event founder Dave “Robbo” Robertson has called on the Hunter region to take on fast food giants McDonald’s in a footrace.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Since Robertson brought the free weekly timed five-kilometre event to Newcastle in 2012, parkruns in our region have swelled.
There are now 12 parkruns in the Hunter, including events at Fingal Bay, Raymond Terrace, Maitland, Singleton, Lake Macquarie and the ever-popular Newy parkrun at Carrington.
But Robertson, who was pivotal to starting the parkrun craze in the Hunter region, said there is plenty of room for more.
“I would like to see double the amount of parkruns in the Hunter,” Robertson said.
“I’d actually like to see more parkruns in the region than McDonald’s. I think there are 29 McDonald’s in the region, so we’re at 29-12, but four years ago we were 29-0, so we are getting there.”
Newy, Lake Mac and Maitland parkrun are weekly among the most highly attended in Australia and Robertson hopes to see the Carrington event break the 1000-participant mark for the first time over the June long weekend when they celebrate their fourth anniversary.
Rio de Janeiro-bound marathon runner Scott Westcott was there for Newy parkrun’s birth in 2012 and will be on hand, along with fellow Olympian Kurt Fearnley, for the birthday milestone.
Westcott relayed his love for parkrun during an episode of parkrun adventurers this month.
“I do love the parkrun community and everything that it stands for and just getting people off the couch and moving in such a non-threatening way,” Westcott told parkrun adventurers.
Westcott set the national parkrun record of 14 minutes and 23 seconds at Carrington on International parkrun Day in 2013 and said parkrun would play a key role ahead of the Olympics.
“Everything just clicked on that day,” he said.
“That was a week before Melbourne Marathon and I ran 2.14.23 for Melbourne Marathon, so it was a bit of a form guide.
“Almost two years later I went out and had another crack, a week before Berlin [Marathon] last year, and I ran 14.46 or something like that, so I was a good 20 seconds outside my parkrun record.
“But what it actually did was it gave me a good indication of what my fitness level was for the marathon … and it was actually really helpful.
“I will be fully getting my hands dirty and running a Newy parkrun two weeks before the Olympic marathon as my final hit-out and hopefully it will be a pretty good form guide.”
Newy parkrun’s fourth anniversary will be celebrated on June 11.
