People Of parkrun
As featured in issue#5 of Parkrun Magazine. We travelled to Lister Park parkrun in Bradford to speak to runners and volunteers about what the event means to them.
David – Course inspection and sweep
David is the first to arrive on a freezing morning in Bradford, eagerly going about an early course inspection - a role at a venue he’s grown very fond of. “Bradford isn’t commonly seen as a tourist destination but Lister Park is beautiful, and we’re incredibly proud of it”.
Having volunteered over 80 times, he loves the loves the spirit of the event – “we have a great camaraderie here, everyone encourages one another and the team ensure everyone is happy”.
Les (79) – Event set-up and tokens
It’s a real family affair for Les who first came along to support his grandchildren who were running at Lister and has been hooked ever since. “My wife has run over 200 times but, as the recipient of two new knees, I’ve never actually ran myself – and so volunteer every week – the community is so engaging. At first I just came to join the family and get a bit of fresh air, but I’m still here today”.
A hugely popular figure at the event, the 79 year old regularly mans the funnel distributing tokens, and speaks passionately of the park’s rich past – “Lister Park is a wonderful venue with a lot of history, we’re so lucky to hold the event here”.
Nowell Bell – Timekeeper
“It’s all about inclusivity here” says Nowell of the parkrun community. “I’ve been here over eight years and our numbers keep growing – it doesn’t matter if you run, jog or walk – everyone is welcome and people feel safe, it’s a fantastic facility for the people of Bradford”.
His message to anyone thinking of parkrunning for the first time – “come along and talk to the volunteers, see the smiles on people’s faces and learn what we’re all about”. Although a keen parkrun tourist, Nowell always returns home – Bradford is Number One for me”.
Graham (71) - Runner
Graham moved to Bradford from Norwich and, having volunteered over 100 times and with 250+ runs at Lister, has become a consistent figure at the event. On why he keeps returning – “the inclusiveness and brilliant spirit or community – Saturday morning IS parkrun, it’s the highlight of my week”.
At 71 years old, he’s keen to encourage newbies along to the park – “anyone aspiring parkrunner should come and drink in the spirit – you’ll certainly be back and once you’ve got in the habit you’ll be addicted”. Over the years he’s seen a positive shift as the event community has grown – “when I first started here it was only white faces, but the whole population of Bradford has gradually got involved – it’s incredibly diverse and inclusive”.
“It’s a way of life”.
Linda (51) – Former Event Director of 10 years
“People taste the atmosphere here and want to be part of it – that’s what it’s all about”. Linda speaks passionately about the event at which she was Event Director for over a decade, and delights in it’s growth over the years – “We’ve always set out to encourage EVERYONE to get involved, if we pass someone in the park, we invite them to come join us”. The community here is so diverse, and very reflective of the Bradford population.”
Linda is also hugely appreciative of the support the Saturday mornings have given her - “Parkrun is a huge part of my life” she says, “I went through a really tough period of mental health a few years back – parkrun was my crutch – it was the weekly shot in the arm of goodness that I could rely on”. “I absolutely adore parkrun – it’s food for the soul”
Slyvia (76) – Runner
Having participated at parkrun for over 12 years, Silvia is a huge fan of the inclusivity that Saturday mornings offer – “you can run or walk – regardless of pace there’s something for everyone. Our community is very diverse – not just in ethnicity – we’ve an amazing range of backgrounds and ages, from small children to people such as myself in their 70s”.
She’s keen to encourage others to join the community – “all abilities, shapes and sizes are welcome here, we always look forward to meeting new faces”.
Sue (78) – Marshall
Sue first registered with parkrun back in 2015 and would come along and walk the course every Saturday morning. However, it was a brush with injury that would change her parkrun experience – “I suffered a bout of plantar fasciitis and decided to volunteer whilst I was unable to participate. I felt so involved and enjoyed it so much more than walking and have never gone back”.
Now with over 150 volunteer credits to her name, the 78 year-old loves being part of the parkrun family – “It gives you such a buzz to know you’re part of something special – getting up on a Saturday morning with so many others all over the country – the camaraderie, the atmosphere, the friendships, it’s so very special”.
Fran – parkwalker
Parkrun used to be all about Personal Bests and competing for Fran, until she received a diagnosis of ehlers-danlos syndrome and now walks the course most weeks – “the diagnosis has affected me neurologically so now I parkwalk - I wasn’t sure how I’d feel coming back and walking, it’s been a very different experience but also very rewarding”.
Fran has visited other events as she aims to raise awareness of ehlers- danlos but it always drawn back to the Lister Park. “It’s such a fantastic community” she says, “Lister is like home, they’ve supported me massively with my diagnosis and have been massively behind me raising awareness, it’s a really nice place to come”.
She goes on to reiterate that parkrun really is for everyone - “it’s genuinely the most amazing experience, everyone is really friendly, really welcoming and all encompassing – you can do things at your own speed and in your own way”.
Nathanael – Runner
Nathanael is the vicar of a local church and has been running at Lister Park for seven years. “I love parkrun” he says “I often joke with the congregation that I prefer parkrun to the church. Funnily enough they fulfil quite a lot of the same things – unity, a sense of community, and a good chat afterwards”.
“I’ve taken my running a little more seriously the past few years and am pleased to have progressed over time”. However, parkrun bared more than just physical benefits for Nathaneal when his marriage broke down several years ago – “it was a tough time for me but parkrun became
somewhat of a mainstay for me, a bit of a lifeline, knowing that I’ll still see my friends every Saturday morning.” He encourages everyone to come along and join the parkrun movement – it’s true what they say, it’s not a race – it’s a run, and it doesn’t even have to be a run”!
10. Kukudhavalli - Runner
Saturday mornings used to mean a lie-in for Kukudhavalli and her family, but parkrun has boosted their enthusiasm to get out and about in the great outdoors. “We used to sleep for longer, but parkrun has helped us to develop a great routine – we’re now excited for the morning, and parkrun is a great way to maintain our physical fitness” she says. “We’re now a parkrunning family and have been coming regularly more recently”.
Having not run for many years, she wasn’t sure what to expect when visiting Lister for the first time – “we were hesitant and first – it’s been many years since I ran in my school and college years, but everyone was so friendly and kind, and we’ve all gradually improved with just a little persistence”.
Martin (52) – Runner
“Saturday IS parkrun” says Martin, who has been a regular at Lister Park for over 11 years. “Even if I’m away from Bradford, I always parkrun wherever we are – it’s a great way to start the weekend”.
Martin likes that parkrun can be whatever you want it to be – “you can run, walk or anything in between – everyone can join in” but also admits to enjoying his competitive nature – “I love to test myself consistently against people of similar ability, and parkrun provides that for me”.
Nicol (41) – Runner
Nicol loves the community aspect of parkrun as much as the activity itself – “I only started coming to Lister about six months ago but I’ve never felt like a newbie – it’s such a wonderful, inclusive event. Everyone is really friendly and supportive, I like that everyone likes to have a good chit-chat at the end”!
“Everyone makes you feel like you’re part of the gang” she says - “it doesn’t matter if you’re big, small, slow, fast or walking, everyone is welcome here”.
Ray (56) – Runner
Ray used to play many sports but found great satisfaction when he found parkrun four years ago. With 150 runs now under his belt he explains how the benefits go beyond just getting physically fitter – “I loved seeing the progress at parkrun as I improved every week, but the biggest benefit was in my work-life balance. It’s given me a way to meet lots of nice, like minded people. I’ve made a lot of new friends”. “Getting myself fit is just a bonus – parkrun makes my heart feel warmer – it helps my mind, body and soul”!
Nasir – Runner
“I honestly don’t know if I’d be here today if it wasn’t for parkrun, it may sound a bit over-dramatic, but it saved my life”. Nasir has 250 parkruns under his belt but it was once a very different story for the Bradford local – “before I started parkrun I had high blood pressure, hypertension, anxiety and really was on the brink of a breakdown or stroke. I was reluctant to accept the medication prescribed by my GP and instead turned to exercise – parkrun – as a different form of treatment”.
“I lost four stone in seven months and turned my life around. At first I ran-walked, and progressed from there, I was so encouraged and gradually it elevated all of my health concerns”. Nasir speaks fondly of his parkrun journey – “I still have butterflies now, after all these years, thinking about the first time I came along and it’s continued ever since - it’s so uplifting and the positive atmosphere is the highlight of my week”.
Nasir is now a qualified mental first-aider and speaks with great passion of the huge difference parkrun can make to people’s lives – “It’s a wonderful, special thing to be part of, a worldwide movement and a force for good. It’s genuinely the best social prescription any GP could ever write”.
Tony – Volunteer at ‘Tony’s Corner’
Tony has volunteered over 400 times and is such a fixture at Lister Park that ‘Tony’s Corner’ has become a renowned turning point on the course. His love of volunteering, and running is infectious – “I’m a keen runner and really enjoy getting people involved in the sport. Parkrun is the perfect starting point – I have huge admiration for anyone who gets themselves out there, regardless if they’re running 18 minutes or 118”.
He beams when talking of the Lister Park community – “it’s an amazing group of people, and we take great pride in uniting people of all ethnicities at our humble event”. However, he believes parkrun to be an asset not just to the local area, but to the entire country; “Parkrun is the best thing to happen to the health of the nation”
Abid (53) – Runner
Abid’s parkrun journey began back in 2011 when he stumbled upon the event and was immediately intrigued. “I was a bit overweight so started running, and it was one morning when I ran past Lister Park and saw a big gathering of people and curiosity got the better of me”.
The volunteers explained how it all worked and I was taken by how friendly it was – I’ve been hooked ever since”. “It’s a brilliant community” he says, “there was always someone willing to give me help or offer advice when I started, but now I’ve been coming so long I’m now the one helping others out”. Even if he’s not participating himself, Abid still comes to Lister Park – “parkrun is hugely beneficial for both my physical and mental health – even when I’m not running I come and volunteer as I still want to be part of the community”.
“I’d encourage anyone and everyone to come give it a go. Everyone is a runner, in different forms, they just may not know it yet”.
Packiyaraj – Runner
“I’d encourage everyone to bring their children along to parkrun” says Packiyaraj – “it’s a great family activity”, and with the family running over 50 parkruns since just 2021, it’s easy to see that they’ve caught the running bug.
It’s the event team, and the Lister community that keeps the family coming back - “We’re so grateful to all the volunteers – they make us feel welcome every week and are always very encouraging and motivating, the kids love it”. The warmth they’ve received has inspired them to volunteer themselves – “the whole family come along on a Saturday, then we volunteer ourselves at Junior parkrun on a Sunday morning.
“The benefits go beyond exercise and fitness” he explains – “coming here teaches our children discipline and dedication, and ensures they grow up with a strong sense of community and understand the value of commitment”.
