Pāuanui Parkrun volunteers, led by Lily Paulsen (front).
Pāuanui Parkrun volunteers, led by Lily Paulsen (front).
Pāuanui resident Lily Paulsen is bringing an international running event to the town to get people active together.
Paulsen has launched “Parkrun”, a free community event where people can walk, jog or run together.
Parkrun was established in Britain in 2004, as a collection of 5km events for walkers and runners on Saturday mornings. It has since grown to more than 2000 locations worldwide.
The parkrun group in Pāuanui, based out of the Southend Reserve, will be among more than 50 parkruns in New Zealand.
The planned start date for the Pāuanui event is November 30.
Paulsen grew up on a farm in Hawke’s Bay, in a family of runners.
“When we moved up to Pāuanui, my dad, who had been running all his life, decided he wanted to see more of a running camaraderie among the running community.
“Starting a runners’ club sounded like the perfect way to create more of a community spirit within the town and parkrun does all that.
The 5km course will stretch along the banks of Pāuanui Beach.
“Being a community event, open to all, whether you are a runner, walker, and even having your dog on a lead, parkrun is the perfect way to become a part of the community, and all for free,” Paulsen said.
The plan was to hold the event weekly with 8am starts on Saturdays.
The course would be a mapped-out run along the foreshore of Pāuanui Beach on a grass surface.
“Our planned start date is November 30, but yet to be confirmed by Asia Pacific Parkrun headquarters; we plan to have two trialled runs open to the public before we officially begin.
South End Reserve in Pāuanui will mark the starting point.
“Parkrun is a great community event because it brings people together. It is great for mental health and physical wellbeing and being part of something bigger than yourself.”
Anyone keen to get involved can register at the parkrun website parkrun.co.nz/ if they want their run times recorded.
“It is completely free and for the home parkrun option, you can just put your closest available parkrun, as Pāuanui is not yet an option.”
Paulsen also encouraged anyone keen on volunteering to contact her at lillian.ruth6@gmail.com.
“You do not need to be there every Saturday and even if you are available once, that is all we ask. There is always room for more part-time volunteers, even just for the odd occasion.”
