Lace up for Helensburgh parkrun

Parkrun, the worldwide phenomenon that sees hundreds of thousands of people across the globe meet in local parks for a 5km run or walk each Saturday morning, is headed for Helensburgh.

Whilst Australia boasts hundreds of parkrun locations at every corner of the country, the Illawarra currently only has two, held at Sandon Point and Fairy Meadow. For Helensburgh residents, the next closest parkrun is located at Cronulla.

For almost 12 months, Helensburgh trail runner Harley Mangham has been determined to bring the free community event closer to home.

“I've been a part of running now for quite a long time and I use [parkrun] as training runs… and they're both about 30 to 40 minutes away,” Harley said.

“For people in this area, you've got to travel to get to them, so it's more about logistics, and the fact that there was an opportunity once I looked around the area to have one here because it's [meets] the criteria for having a community run.

“Being a pretty sporting town, it just makes sense… I think because there are a lot of sporting teams, and especially over spring, summer as well good weather, I think it could be quite popular for people to come and try and see what it's about.”

Though promoting an active lifestyle is the bedrock of parkrun, irrespective of whether participants choose to walk, jog, or run the course, its beauty lies in the social benefits, Harley says.

“It's basically a weekly community running or walking event, [and] it's not necessarily a running race,” Harley said.

“It's just you against the clock, it's your race to run or walk – and we want people out there walking it too – it's just about getting out, meeting up every week and doing something in that group sort of environment.

“And that’s the social side of it, that's what the big focus is actually on. Half of it is running for the more serious type, and then the other half is the social [aspect].”

Harley anticipates that participants will come from further afield than Helensburgh, with keen runners or walkers from other northern Illawarra suburbs and parkrunners in search of a challenge likely to take part.

“I do anticipate that mostly locals will come, but people do want to go out and try other parkruns,” Harley said.

“Parkrun acknowledges all sorts of achievements that people might have, so I think going to 10 different park runs wins you an award… so there’s incentives for people to continue doing parkrun because you qualify for a different little milestone.

“The beauty is it is open to any fitness level, [though] this particular course is one of the more challenging courses because… it's mixed terrain.”

Beginning at Rex Jackson Oval, the proposed course will navigate both the Flat Rock Trail and Fletcher Street Trails located behind the sports fields before looping back to the starting point.

While the final course kinks are being ironed out and funding is officially received, Harley predicts that Helensburgh’s parkrun will receive the go-ahead in mid-to-late spring.

In the meantime, the search is on to build the team of volunteers that will make a local parkrun possible.

“That's the reason why I thought it would work really well here; because I just had a feeling that there'd be plenty of support for it,” Harley said.

“It's a lifestyle thing where it’s a social outlet too for people to come and join in on the group every week. It won't be the same people week in, week out, and it will be flexible obviously, whenever people are available to do it.

“Timekeepers and marshals are the two biggest jobs… and we need a tail walker as well [who] will be at the back.

“There’ll be a fun atmosphere, minimal time, like it's less than two hours of time, for a community-focused social event.”