Last weekend’s wet weather forced the cancellation of the weekly Castlemaine parkrun event.
Organisers are hopeful the event can return this weekend if the wet weather allows.
This month, Castlemaine parkrun, in association with the international parkrun community, has been delighted to dedicate the whole month of October to those extra special people, the ‘parkwalkers’ at parkrun.
This month marks the 18th anniversary of parkrun, and while the local parkrun has not been going quite as long as that in Castlemaine, October 8 marked their 325th event.
The original vision for Paul Sinton-Hewitt, the founder of parkrun, was that it would be open to everyone, no matter who they are, or their level of ability. Whether people volunteer, walk, jog, or run they were to be welcomed with open arms. That vision is very much alive and kicking, for runners of all abilities and of course for walkers.
Castlemaine Parkrun member Alan Hollensen said there is no time limit at parkrun.
“We literally don’t care how slow you are, and here at Castlemaine we would typically see our walkers cross the line at around 55 minutes, but plenty are slower and just to repeat – We don’t care, take as long as you need.
And best of all – you can never come last. Each week we have people who volunteer as tail walkers, who provide support and encouragement for walkers, and they are always the last people to finish.”
In addition to the tail walkers, a new volunteer role of ‘parkwalker’ was introduced on October 8. These volunteers, Karina and Michael, wore a blue vest labelled ‘parkwalker’, and their role was to mix with other walkers, support them, and have a chat during the 5k walk.
Walking is such a great way of soaking up the parkrun atmosphere, particularly in our magnificent botanical gardens, and you get the opportunity to chat to people, to actively kick off your weekend and to participate in something that family and friendship groups can do together. It’s also one of the best entry points into parkrun, especially for those who may be taking their first steps towards a healthier and more active lifestyle.
Parkrun walkers can walk at any pace, alone or with others. You can bring a dog, and plenty do, or a buggy and of course you can use walking poles if you have them.
As parkrun Asia Pacific’s Manager, Glen Turner said, this campaign builds on the fantastic work parkrun events do to create a positive experience for walkers.
“People who already participate in parkrun know how much we love to celebrate walkers, so the October ‘parkwalk’ campaign is designed to take this message to people who may never have considered that they could get involved in parkrun.”
The benefits of walking are well known, it can help you better manage, or prevent, adverse health conditions, enhance your mood, and boost your fitness. Best of all, parkrun is very social, and the human interaction is something that you will come to treasure.
One thing that marks Castlemaine parkrun/parkwalk as special is that we actively celebrate our milestones and naturally this includes those of our walkers too. We love to see someone knock off a significant number, say 50 events, or 25 sessions as a volunteer, and we would love to have you join this community as well.
October is parkrun’s ‘parkwalker month’.
Why don’t you join us at the Botanical Gardens and set off on your own walking adventure.
Simply register online, and then turn up a bit before 8am for our briefing.
We would love to have you join us.
Let’s be friends – from everyone at Castlemaine parkrun.