Almost 500 Tuggeranong residents are without a parkrun – for the first time in 10 years due to redevelopment – and the tight-knit running community is feeling the loss.
parkrun is more than a five-kilometre run, it is a lifeline for many people, according to co-event director Gary Clarke. The UK founder of parkrun, Paul Sinton-Hewitt, started it for his own mental health 20 years ago with only 13 people.
Last Saturday marked the one millionth parkrun participant in Australia. Something must be working. However, for the next three months, Tuggeranong is without its “Saturday church”.
“It really is a lifeline for some people when they’re going through tough things,” Gary says, who has participated, with his wife Denise, in 83 different parkruns around the country and one overseas.
“They know the regularity of parkrun is there, you have the opportunity to get around positive people, get some exercise, and we sometimes make contact with people when we miss them for a few weeks, just to make sure they’re okay.”
Half of Tuggeranong’s usual 474 parkrunners didn’t attend a parkrun last weekend (27 January). Seventy-seven attended the nearest event at Point Hut Pond parkrun, and a further 39 and 28 attended Coombs and Burley Griffin respectively.
The ACT has eight parkruns (there are close to 500 across Australia), however, none of the others are designed to accommodate, or hoping to see, the 400+ Tuggeranong parkrunners each week.
Gary says it’s not the course that’s important, it’s the conversation.
“Some of our favourite parkruns are when we’ll just do a gentle jog and start at the back with the volunteer tail (last) walkers, and because we know so many of our community, we’ll chat to people on the way through, say g’day to a lot of others, and then we’ll head back out on course to encourage people and catch up with friends,” Gary says. “So, we might end up doing more kilometres, but we’ve connected with heaps of people in the community.”
Gary is co-event director with his wife, Denise. Together they’ve looked after Tuggeranong parkrun for several years and helped set up seven other parkruns in the region. The couple plan to keep in contact with Tuggeranong parkrun participants via Facebook to encourage them to keep going.
“We’re not sure where all our parkrunners are going to head so all the other events are sitting nervously waiting to see how many might turn up to their events,” Gary says. “We’re not sure where they’ll all finish up. Hopefully they can find some of their people at another event close by – their tribe.
“There are a number of people here who are really attached to the community in Tuggeranong, and won’t necessarily feel as comfortable going elsewhere. But then there’s a lot of crazies like us who would never want to miss one.”
Right: Tuggeranong parkrun regular Anne Young (centre), who’s in her 80s, with friends Denise and Gary Clarke. Photos supplied.
Fifty-three-year-old Gary has completed 208 of his 419 parkruns at Tuggeranong, but he has competition from long-time Tuggeranong parkrunner, Jimmy White, who’s in his 70s.
“He’s about to do his 500th parkrun, which is still pretty rare in Australia,” Gary says. “He’s done more events, 450, at Tuggeranong than anyone else. He had a pacemaker installed a couple of years ago.”
Jimmy says he will “definitely miss Tuggeranong parkrun and seeing everyone there”.
“But I won’t be missing out on my Saturday morning ritual. I’ll just go where my friends go”.
Another regular Tuggeranong parkrunner is Anne Young, who’s in her 80s and has three generations who participate with her.
“Even in the dead of winter, she’ll rug up,” Gary says. “She inspires many of our parkrunners. She’s a wonderful example of someone who just gets out there and gets it done.”
Perhaps what’s so inclusive and nurturing about parkrun (not really a run as 30 per cent of people walk) is that no-one comes last.
“We have a volunteer tail walker position, a volunteer who’s at the back of the pack and makes sure everyone gets home safely, no-one gets lost, which means no-one ever finishes last.”
Tuggeranong parkrun is due to resume in May this year.
For information about all ACT parkruns, visit parkrun.com.au/events or search for your local parkrun on Facebook.
