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The local hub of a global phenomenon that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, the Saturday morning Millwater parkrun, which began 10 years ago, attracts hundreds of enthusiastic runners, walkers and volunteers to the free, timed 5km event.
The March 2 parkrun was the 444th, with 332 runners and walkers, including 18 first-timers, taking part. Fifty-five recorded new personal best times (PBs). The turnout was not far off the all-time record, 371, achieved several weeks earlier.
As of March 2, 6026 participants had finished a combined total of 56,848 parkruns in Millwater since September 2014, racking up 7959 new PBs.
Over that time, the runners and walkers covered a combined distance of 284,240km. That’s more than seven times around the Earth, or almost 75 percent of the way to the Moon.
Volunteers are crucial to the success of parkruns, at Millwater and the other 40-plus events across New Zealand, as well as more than 2200 in 23 countries. In Millwater, more than 600 volunteers have helped out since 2014.
The out-and-back course begins in Metro Park, follows the footpath past Kingsway School and onto the Te Ara Tahuna Estuary Path.
First, there’s a briefing, where parkrunners who have achieved milestones, first-timers, visitors from abroad, and the all-important volunteers are applauded.
Then they’re off. At the front, steely-eyed speedsters vie for glory. Further back, runners, joggers and walkers do it their way.
Afterwards, placings and times are recorded via personalised barcodes and nifty software, and an emailed notification includes a clickable link to data on every parkrun completed.
Just don’t call it a race.
“We’re not allowed to use the word ‘race’,” laughs director Rhys Spyve. “It would never be publicised as a race. It’s for every single person who can walk or run.”
“It doesn’t matter how long it takes. We have a ‘tailwalker’ who brings up the rear – no one feels like they’re holding anybody up.”
Rhys and fellow director Claire Taylor have steered the Millwater parkrun for almost a decade, and recall modest turnouts in the earlier days, including one “horrible rainy day in August” when seven people showed up.
The event has grown steadily, and recent weeks have seen a particularly big jump in numbers. Claire attributes this to New Year’s resolutions, picked-up overseas visitor numbers now the borders are open, and of course the good summer.
Asked how they retain that level of enthusiasm, Claire says, parkrun speaks for itself.
“People come along and realise how inclusive it is. It does its own work, really.”
“People see the ‘run’ part in the name but as soon as they get here they realise you can do it however you want – run, walk, watch, or volunteer. Inclusivity is what makes it work – that’s what pulls the people in.”
The local event offers an additional draw, according to Rhys.
“It can be raining hard-out on a Saturday morning. But we arrive here, and at 8 o’clock it stops. Don’t ask me how. We call it ‘Millwater magic’.”
