98-year-old Colin Thorne from Whangarei parkrun has become the oldest person in history to join the parkrun 100 Club. We asked Colin what parkrun means to him, and for his advice on living a long and fulfilling life. My first parkrun was on 21 January 2017, a week after my 93rd birthday. My time…
Earlier this week the USA celebrated Independence Day. It’s a day of national pride and celebration, so in our own spin we turn the spotlight on three American parkruns to highlight their unique differences, while at their heart having the same friendly and welcoming core. We start off in Florida, where we have Depot…
Owairaka parkrun in Auckland is one of New Zealand’s newer parkruns. With a growing number of walkers, friendly locals and an amazing post-parkrun cafe, there’s something for everyone according to Event Director Julie Collard. To the unassuming eye, the house opposite the Owairaka parkrun start line is nothing special. But to the initiated it…
Achilles New Zealand aims to provide people who live with disabilities the opportunity to participate in mainstream local, national and international events and ensure social connection within the community. Suzanne Hardie, the Chapter Leader at Achilles Tauranga, explains how Achilles is building a strong relationship with parkrun. Achilles Tauranga is a group of…
It’s Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu | National Volunteer Week this week in New Zealand, and to mark the occasion we’re celebrating everything volunteering. Volunteering has always been one of the cornerstones and great success stories of parkrun, but how we view the involvement of those who volunteer has evolved significantly. This is the story…
Kirsty Robben (fourth from right) recently volunteered at parkrun for the first time. She explains how volunteering helped her find her way back into parkrun following a bout of COVID-19, and how it provided her with a very different perspective of parkrun. I’ve been doing parkrun since 2019. We had just moved to Napier from Wellington…
Carol Maw attributes parkrun in helping her rediscover her love of running and more recently to being in the best shape possible for major abdominal surgery. She was delighted to be back walking her local parkrun just nine weeks later. In September 2017, after years of misdiagnosis I was diagnosed with a very…
Think of Auckland parkruns and most visitors will name Cornwall Park and Western Springs. In the northern reaches of the city is the hidden gem of Millwater. It was the lucky seventh parkrun to start in New Zealand, and the third in Auckland. When it launched in September 2014 it had 61 walkers,…
Robert Lorenzo has battled a stress fracture and leukaemia diagnosis over the past three years, as well as going through the breakdown of his marriage. Robert explains how the friends he has made through volunteering at parkrun have helped him through these difficult times. parkrun came into my life through a friend who walks at…
You’d be hard-pressed not to find a reason to visit Queenstown parkrun. It’s the only Q parkrun in New Zealand, but also finds itself nestled among some of the most breath-taking scenery. Add to that the variety of experiences visitors can enjoy while in town and its surrounds, well you might as well just…
