Parkrun comes to Brunswick Park, Wednesbury.

Express & Star

Brunswick Park, Wednesbury is the latest addition to the Parkrun schedule.  Meet some of the organisers and runners and find out why people are travelling from miles around to sample different Parkrun locations, now including Wednesbury.

Transcript

00:00 Part 1 Wensbury, Brunswick Park. This is your what session?

00:03 Fourteenth event. Fourteenth, so quite a new one isn't it really on the scene?

00:08 Yep, we've been going since January 7th was it? Yes.

00:11 Yeah and I didn't realise you have people travel don't you? So what were some of the places that

00:17 people shouted out today that they've come from? Well today we've actually got one of our barcode

00:22 scanners. One of our barcode scanners is actually from Devon, she's from Barnstable yeah. And then

00:28 we've got a few local ones, Dodley, Rugby. I heard a Leicester chucked in there and then Walsall.

00:34 Walsall yeah. So do you guys run or just do the hard work and the setting up? We do run as well,

00:41 yeah we can. So hence why we have a roster and we try and alternate it so we still get to

00:46 do our running, not just for the running clubs that we're with either.

00:50 Yeah and then I mean if people don't know about Parkrun it's just such a friendly vibe isn't it?

00:56 Just fill us in on what's special about Parkrun, go on. Community spirit, yeah. We're all equal,

01:04 runners, walkers, everyone. People go down their own time and we're just one big massive

01:09 bunch of friends and we all go for a coffee afterwards and cake.

01:13 And cake, just to put those extra calories back on. That's why we run.

01:19 But I mean you know there's no need for anyone to be intimidated if they're a new one,

01:25 a new person to run in. It's like you say, it caters for all. It has to be, there's tail walkers

01:30 at the back which they are the very last people that have to cross the line so they actually can't

01:34 overtake anybody that's walking. That's to make it the more inclusive side of it so you will never

01:40 be last as a participant technically. Yeah, cool. Well thank you guys and all the best with your

01:46 Parkrun Wensbury, Brunswick Park. Thank you. Right let's get you on a bit of vid. So what's your name

01:51 sir? Warren. Warren, you were originally a Wensbury but now a Banbury lad. Yeah. Well let's have a look

01:56 at the shirt. What's the challenge in chap? 52 different Parkruns in 52 weekends all for the

02:02 Mind Mental Health Charity. Well done, good course. Right well I'll let you crack on. Cheers buddy.

02:07 Cheers. So Shelly, all the way from Barnes and Poulter, Wensbury. I don't think there's any

02:14 tour t-shirts with that on it is there? No. But you're originally from the Black Country aren't

02:19 you? Just fill us in. Was it Wolverhampton anyway? Yeah, originally from Wolverhampton but we moved in,

02:23 we bought a house down there in 2001 and moved down in 2002. Yeah, you're loving Barnes and Poulter then?

02:29 I love it. Yeah. So your husband's doing the run, your partner's doing the run isn't he? Yeah.

02:34 And is that what you do? Do you travel around a little bit to the Parkruns? Well whenever

02:38 we're away for a weekend we always look for where there's a Parkrun. Oh for the local Parkrun? Yeah,

02:43 always. And for people who don't know, just fill us in on what's special about Parkrun. People are

02:48 saying community and what's your take on it? It is community. I mean for our Parkrun we've been

02:54 going for just over 10 years now. We had our 500th one two weeks ago now and we've had, over the time,

03:04 the biggest thing that I've loved is seeing families. I remember being at the very first one

03:08 and seeing two generations and a third generation on the way because the lady had got the bump and

03:15 now I've seen them and they're like 10 years old and it's like wow. Yeah, yeah. So it's fantastic,

03:21 it just brings people together. Yeah. And it's just a fantastic way to start your weekend really.

03:26 And your partner there is out on the course, is he chasing a time today or is it just about

03:30 being here and running? No, he's getting old and decrepit now. Aren't we all? Well I'll let you

03:36 enjoy the rest of your day, thank you. We've got here then Natalie and? Ben. Ben and where you come

03:41 from guys? Newcastle under the line. Oh wow, so you travel around and do the tour? Yeah, we do lots

03:46 of tourism. What other sites have you been to then Parkrun wise? All over the place, Trenton,

03:54 up to Gwynleta, down to Bullockham Dunes, out to Denmark. Denmark, yeah, I've seen Denmark,

04:01 Amsterdam, Bolwins, Scotland, Wales, Perth. So what is it, you just find it's a great way to

04:08 kind of explore new places? Yes, yeah, great way to meet new people. Yeah, so have you been to the

04:14 Black Country before? You must have. Yes, we've done Clarkshire around here, Maryhall, Sutton Hall,

04:19 Aston Hall. Yeah, yeah, well enjoy your run today then guys, thank you.

Category

Transcript

Recommended