WHAT better way to start 2019 than by running back-to-back five kilometre events.
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That’s the attitude many Orange and Bathurst runners had towards a special Parkrun double on New Year’s Day.
The idea of a 7.30am edition of Orange Parkrun followed by a 9.30am Bathurst event sounds like a nightmare for some but for others it was a chance to begin the new year on the front foot fitness-wise.
One of those people who completed the double, Sam Collins of Orange, also happened to come home first in the Bathurst leg.
Collins won a closely contested Parkrun in a time of 18 minutes and 12 seconds in his first attempt at the current Bathurst course.
Dean Windsor (18:20) was a close second ahead of Dani Andres (18:36), Luke Gillmer (19:06) and Wes Gibson (19:18).
“I hadn’t done this course before,” Collins said.
“I’d only done the one from a year ago but this one’s much faster with less turns so I’ll take this one any day.
“The community keeps me coming back. We had a kid last year and I’d like to get him outside and bring him up in that sort of environment.
“That, and I just love to run.”
Collins is hopeful the events are a good sign for the year to come.
“I’d done a lot of cross country in school and I didn’t run for years and only got back into it over the last two to three years. I did the regional championships last year and ran all the events. 2018 was definitely my biggest year of running and I’m just trying to step it up each year,” he said.
“Parkrun is good training each week, when I can get there. When you’ve got faster people there it really pushes you.”
Sara Shirvill (24:10) was the first woman home and Newcastle’s Noah Kellett (19:44) was the first junior to finish.
Organisers said hope the event was the start what could become be the biggest year yet for the free, timed event.
Like Orange, Bathurst Parkrun has gained a loyal following from participants.
The event has consistently pulled more than 200 runners every Saturday and even during the recent Christmas Day event reached the triple figure mark.
The event isn’t possible without the support of volunteers who fill roles such as race directing, timekeeping and marshalling.
Regular Bathurst race director and event organiser Jenn Arnold said a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to put a successful Parkrun day together.
“We’re seeing different names volunteering every week. There’s a core group of people who are regular volunteers, and we certainly appreciate those, but it’s nice to see people for the first time putting their hand up and saying they want to help out,” she said.
“We had one woman who injured her knee at home.
“For about six to eight weeks in a row she came back volunteering and was in tears saying that Parkrun was such a big part of her life and she was thrilled to return.”
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