A POPULAR Tameside running event is preparing to toast its seventh birthday in style after helping thousands of people get active.
Hyde Parkrun started on January 7, 2017 with 322 people, running, jogging and walking the three laps around Hyde Park.
Now on Saturday, January 6 it will mark its anniversary after a staggering 6,619 different people completed the five kilometre distance, with about doing it 128 each week plus a dozen or so volunteers.
Hyde Parkrun is a free, timed, volunteer-led event that takes place Hyde Park at 9am every Saturday.
Participants follow a varied course which includes sections of Tarmac, as well as a woodland trail by the stream.
The course is fully marshalled and signposted to make sure no-one gets lost and the park facilities are all open, with a café for a post-event tea, coffee or breakfast, plenty of parking and toilets are available.
Hyde Parkrun attracts a huge variety of paces to our event too, with people choosing to run, walk or jog the course.
While the first finishers can often cover the course in under 20 minutes, the final finishers are regularly around the hour mark and will always be supported by our volunteer tail walker to ensure they are not left out on the course alone.
There are people of all age ranges, from the under 11s, who do need to be accompanied by an adult, to people well into their 70s.
There is also a hardy bunch of volunteers some of whom don’t run, they just volunteer. That in itself is a great way to meet people and make new friends while getting the satisfaction cheering people on and helping them round the course.
If you are a first timer, a volunteer is ready to greet you each week at 8.50am and they will tell you all you need to know.
No special kit is needed either, just some comfy clothes and some shoes you can walk or run in.
With the beginning of the New Year, if you are considering becoming a bit more active, or wish to get involved with the Parkrun community, anyone is welcome to join Hyde’s anniversary celebrations or any other Saturday morning.
If you would like to join for free, all you need to do is register at www.parkrun.org.uk/register.
Obtain your barcode which you can print or bring along on your phone then turn up at about 8.50am ready for the start at 9am.
To find out more, get in touch via Facebook or email hyde@parkrun.com