AP Archive | Parkrun celebrates 20th anniversary as weekly race grows from 13 runners to millions in 23 countries @APArchive | Uploaded October 2024 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
(3 Oct 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP AND SNTV CLIENTS MAY USE
ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP AND SNTV CLIENTS MAY USE
London, UK - 14 September 2024
1. Various of parkrun participants beginning group run
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mici Oliver, parkrun volunteer: ++PART COVERED BY SHOTS 1, 3 & 4++
"One thing I really like about parkrun is that no matter where you are in life, you had a bad week, you're always met with friendly people at parkrun. I've met a lot of friends through parkrun and I've been to all the places I wouldn't usually go through parkrun doing like parkrun tourism. And yeah, I definitely recommend it, even if you're not a runner and you just want the friendly vibe at a weekend and yeah, I'd recommend volunteering it."
3. Various of runners
4. Various of parkrun volunteers
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Cawdell, parkrun participant: ++PART COVERED BY SHOT 6++
"I actually like the idea that you can pitch up pretty much anywhere around the country and at 9 o'clock in the morning, just go for a run. It just provides a facility to do that and I can't think anything else that does that so easily."
6. Various of runners
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Liz Felix, parkrun participant: ++PART COVERED BY SHOT 8++
"Yeah, I just wasn't really that interested. And probably after the lockdown took off and now I've just become quite obsessed. I've got 110. Probably not as obsessed as some people, but a little bit obsessed."
8. Various of runners
STORYLINE:
On a weekend morning in the fall of 2004, 13 runners lined up in a London park for an informal race — unaware they were taking the first steps in what would become a global movement.
Parkrun — as it became known — is marking its 20th anniversary Saturday with runs now held in more than 2,500 locations in nearly two dozen countries.
More than 10 million people have participated in at least one parkrun and the organization has recorded over 100 million finishes.
"One thing I really like about parkrun is that no matter where you are in life, you had a bad week, you're always met with friendly people at parkrun," volunteer Mici Oliver said.
"I've met a lot of friends through parkrun and I've been to all the places I wouldn't usually go through parkrun," she added.
The run is credited with changing countless lives, getting people up and moving, motivating them to come back week after week and nurturing lifelong friendships.
Testimonials have come from couch potatoes who were never active to people who reversed diabetes and stopped drinking to prisoners who found an escape while serving time.
The World Health Organization has endorsed parkrun for offering an accessible way to be physically active and more than 2,000 doctor's offices have partnerships with the organization to promote its health benefits.
More than 45,000 people who registered for parkrun this year in the U.K. said they had been completely inactive before signing up, according to a study published Tuesday in PLOS Global Public Health.
AP video by Brian Melley
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: instagram.com/APNews
You can license this story through AP Archive: aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/f9c9d3ab41ec422598dbf89187a348ea
(3 Oct 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP AND SNTV CLIENTS MAY USE
ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP AND SNTV CLIENTS MAY USE
London, UK - 14 September 2024
1. Various of parkrun participants beginning group run
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mici Oliver, parkrun volunteer: ++PART COVERED BY SHOTS 1, 3 & 4++
"One thing I really like about parkrun is that no matter where you are in life, you had a bad week, you're always met with friendly people at parkrun. I've met a lot of friends through parkrun and I've been to all the places I wouldn't usually go through parkrun doing like parkrun tourism. And yeah, I definitely recommend it, even if you're not a runner and you just want the friendly vibe at a weekend and yeah, I'd recommend volunteering it."
3. Various of runners
4. Various of parkrun volunteers
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Cawdell, parkrun participant: ++PART COVERED BY SHOT 6++
"I actually like the idea that you can pitch up pretty much anywhere around the country and at 9 o'clock in the morning, just go for a run. It just provides a facility to do that and I can't think anything else that does that so easily."
6. Various of runners
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Liz Felix, parkrun participant: ++PART COVERED BY SHOT 8++
"Yeah, I just wasn't really that interested. And probably after the lockdown took off and now I've just become quite obsessed. I've got 110. Probably not as obsessed as some people, but a little bit obsessed."
8. Various of runners
STORYLINE:
On a weekend morning in the fall of 2004, 13 runners lined up in a London park for an informal race — unaware they were taking the first steps in what would become a global movement.
Parkrun — as it became known — is marking its 20th anniversary Saturday with runs now held in more than 2,500 locations in nearly two dozen countries.
More than 10 million people have participated in at least one parkrun and the organization has recorded over 100 million finishes.
"One thing I really like about parkrun is that no matter where you are in life, you had a bad week, you're always met with friendly people at parkrun," volunteer Mici Oliver said.
"I've met a lot of friends through parkrun and I've been to all the places I wouldn't usually go through parkrun," she added.
The run is credited with changing countless lives, getting people up and moving, motivating them to come back week after week and nurturing lifelong friendships.
Testimonials have come from couch potatoes who were never active to people who reversed diabetes and stopped drinking to prisoners who found an escape while serving time.
The World Health Organization has endorsed parkrun for offering an accessible way to be physically active and more than 2,000 doctor's offices have partnerships with the organization to promote its health benefits.
More than 45,000 people who registered for parkrun this year in the U.K. said they had been completely inactive before signing up, according to a study published Tuesday in PLOS Global Public Health.
AP video by Brian Melley
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: instagram.com/APNews
You can license this story through AP Archive: aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/f9c9d3ab41ec422598dbf89187a348ea
