Preston Parkrun: Running up a milestone in Avenham and Miller Park as hundreds prepare to celebrate 10th anniversary

The 9am weekly event in Miller and Avenham Parks was initially set up by Michael Ash-McMahon and Lynn Brown and first started on May 12, 2012, featuring 100 runners and eight volunteers.

Over the course of a decade more than 13,400 people have run, jogged or walked at Preston parkrun, and more than 1,000 people have volunteered.

Prior to the global pandemic more than 500 people per week were participating, with numbers now regularly between 350 and 400.

>>>Read why the Cuerden Valley Parkrun was scrapped

Jo Worswick, one of the Event Directors along with Andy Whaley, said: “The event is run by a core team of volunteers who give up time through the week and on Saturday mornings to ensure the event runs smoothly.

"We encourage all levels of runners whether they finish in 20 mins or 50 mins. Its a very social event and it’s great to see the park busy with runners and walkers and spectators every Saturday morning for an hour or so with lots of smiling faces.”

To mark the milestone 10th anniversary, organisers have asked people to attending tomorrow’s event to go along wearing parkrun shirts and to bring along cake.

May 14, 2022, will also mark the graduation for Couch to 5km runners from Red Rose Road Runners.

What is a parkrun?

Parkruns are free, weekly, community events all around the world. There are currently 764 locations where parkruns take place.

In Preston, the course is a three-lap, anti-clockwise loop consisting of sections of tarmac and gravel paths.

Saturday morning events are 5k and take place in parks and open spaces. On Sunday mornings, there are 2k junior parkruns for children aged four to 14.

Bosses say: “Parkrun is a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience where there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along, whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate.”

The average finish time for a 5k run is 28 minutes and 58 seconds. The fastest participant was Andrew Baddeley who completed a 5km parkrun in 13 minutes and 48 seconds in August 2012.

Click here for more information on how to join up.