Reaching the 100 club

Let’s be honest, we are all excited to reach the parkrun milestone clubs, 10, 50, 100 and 250. It’s exciting when your weeks and years of commitment pays off.

Personally, I’ve been quite chuffed to reach my milestones, but I’m proud as punch to watch my family meet theirs.
Last Saturday my sister reached her 100th parkrun, she completed her 100th parkrun at her home parkrun, Curl Curl, along with 5 of her friends also reaching this milestone.

I’m the youngest sibling that is proud as punch. Our families journey of parkrun started like this.

My husband learnt about this new run starting… so along we went to parkrun number 1 at Main Beach. In April 2011 we experienced what was the first parkrun in Australia and as non-runners, we were hooked!

Fast forward to 11th May 2013 when Curl Curl parkrun launched right near my sister, Meg.
Meg volunteered for 3 months before gaining the confidence to have a crack herself.
Now, 3 years on, she has reached the 100 club, she’s gained confidence, gotten faster, but most importantly surrounded herself with like-minded people that are now her inner circle of friends.

She’s run at 10 different locations, volunteered 27 times, and actually completed 101 parkruns but forgot her barcode on one occasion. Needless to say, I am so proud of her achievement!

When Meg first started, she used to call me each Saturday after parkrun. Although I’d been parkrunning for 2 and a half years, launched my own event as an Event Director, she used to explain to me how it all worked. I knew it all… but, I absolutely LOVED this! Why? Because every week, without fail I would speak to my sister, we shared a common interest and it was parkrun, it bought us closer and it gave us a reason to speak every Saturday morning.

I love the fact that my older sister who’s completed 19 parkruns got involved to bake a cake to share the special occasion. And both my sister & Dad (87 runs) finished alongside (well actually behind!) on her 100th parkrun.

In a similar instance, when my Dad travelled around Australia in a caravan he’d call me each Friday night to ask me where the nearest parkrun was to where he was staying. Now, he could have looked up our website www.parkrun.com.au/events that lists all event locations and start times, but instead he’d phone.

To me, this meant at least once a week I’d speak to my Dad and we’d talk about a common interest, and that is far better than sending him to a website.

If your family are not involved in parkrun, regardless of where they live, I’d encourage you to share the parkrun love. They might live a happier, healthier lifestyle, but if it brings you closer as a family, you are totally winning!

I love sharing my story when I write the newsletter, and in turn we love hearing yours. If you have something to share, please get in touch by email.

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Renee Gimbert
National Operations Manager
parkrun Australia