Imagine standing on the start line of your local Parkrun. It’s almost 9 am, the hooter’s about to sound and you’re looking forward to getting around the 5 km route. It’s a great way to start a Saturday, meet up with friends and offer encouragement to those just starting out on their running journey.
Now imagine that this isn’t your first Parkrun. It’s not even your first run today. It’s number 3 on a list of twelve Parkrun routes that you’re going to be running – if your legs and luck hold out – before 10 pm. It’s a grand total of 60 km running, starting soon after sun-up and concluding a good while after sundown.
That’s the challenge that Greg Jackson, Director of Operations at SRSCC, is undertaking this Saturday, 31st August. It will see him start in St Helens, take in some of the best Parkrun routes in the Northwest and finally finish – all being well – on the Preston route.
Some might say it’s a crazy idea but Greg’s got a great reason. He’s raising funds for Mummy’s Star, a fantastic charity that supports new and expectant mums diagnosed with cancer – something that happens in around 1 in 1,000 pregnancies.
This isn’t a relay – Greg’s covering the whole distance, but he won’t be alone. He’s a member of Riversway Road Runners and several club members are also taking part. The logistics of getting everyone in place for each leg of the 12-stage run is a marathon effort in itself. Local Parkrun volunteers are turning up throughout the day to offer their services to guide the team around each route. There are support drivers, people keeping the team fuelled and others ready and waiting with a cheer and a smile. Everyone is pulling together to support the cause.
If you feel you could lend a hand, please go online to contribute to this amazing effort
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/RRR-SupportMummysStar
And if you’re close to any of the following parks, pop along and give the runners your support.
Parkrun 1 – St Helens – 6.15 am
Parkrun 2 – Widnes – 7.30 am
Parkrun 3 – Phoenix Official – 9.00 am
Parkrun 4 – Delamere – 10.30 am
Parkrun 5 – Chester – 11.40 am
Parkrun 6 – Wepre – 1.10 pm
Parkrun 7 – Ellesmere Port – 2.30 pm
Parkrun 8 – Warrington – 3.50 pm
Parkrun 9 – Pennington Flash – 5.20 pm
Parkrun 10 – Worsley Woods – 6.40 pm
Parkrun 11 – Haigh Woodland – 8.00 pm
Parkrun 12 – Preston – 9.15 pm