“Come rain or shine we will be here.”
These are the words of Gary Jackson, event director of the Ebotse Parkrun, where anybody is welcome to enjoy a free and social 5km run or walk in the beautiful setting of the Ebotse Golf and Country Estate.
The Parkrun concept was introduced to South Africa by nine times Comrades Marathon winner Bruce Fordyce, and was launched at Ebotse in June, last year.
Iain Morshead, one of the founders of the Ebotse Parkrun, said that the Parkrun provides an excellent opportunity for runners and walkers alike to spend a short time getting fit on a Saturday morning in a safe and friendly environment.
“It is an informal and untraditional form of running that offers a simple introduction to the sport and is conducive towards introducing people to an active lifestyle,” he said.
He added that it is a great opportunity to monitor running times over a long period.
Parkrunners can have their runs timed and use the events as a weekly time trial, or for the simple enjoyment of exercising out in nature.
Morshead said that the Parkrun gives a wonderful opportunity to any prospective runners from all walks of life to show what they are made of.
Participants can register for runs by visiting www.parkrun.co.za to obtain a personal barcode.
This will allow their runs to be timed and included in the results tallying.
Walkers are also encouraged to participate and dogs are welcome as long as they are on a lead.
The Ebotse Parkrun gets underway at 8am sharp every Saturday morning with the starting point located at the CR Swart Park.
Young Parkrunners who participate in 10 or more runs qualify for a good quality Parkrun shirt while adult Parkrunners receive a shirt after 50 runs.
Emperors Palace sponsors a monthly draw that any Ebotse Parkrun participant can win.
This week’s winner was Shelley van der Spuy.
For more information email to ebotseoffice@parkrun.com.
