Marriage proposals that make you swoon, fresh baked cookies that warm the cockles, and the sight of a pregnant woman’s determination at remaining fit throughout their pregnancy.
These are just some of the fantastic sights, and smells, that have occurred during the 500 runs of the Alberts Farm parkrun. Its first run, on August 16, 2014, had 204 participants.
Four years later, on January 13, it had its highest number of participants, at 917.
“Sadly, parkrun had to close during lockdown, but Alberts Farm parkrun restarted on October 30, 2021, with 248 participants,” said volunteer and former run director Diana Rodrigues.
“To celebrate the 500th event, people came from far and wide, and we had more than 500 participants.”
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Helping make this run what it is are all the volunteers of this non-profit organisation.
Everyone from Erik Galawe, who always greets people with arms waving and the biggest smile on his face, and Michael Hunt, dubbed the regular fixer of bridges and other stuff, to Guy Drew, who makes sure pathways are cut on Saturday afternoons, each one adds their own unique trait to being of service to parkrunners.
When asked how participation has changed over the years, Rodrigues said: “Once the parkrun bug has bitten, it becomes a routine, and a weekend just doesn’t feel the same if you don’t start it with a parkrun. Some become regular participants. Others pop in when they are available.”
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