IN October 2004, Paul Sinton-Hewitt organised a run in Bushy Park, London with 13 of his friends so they could continue their sessions together, and this was the beginning of the Park Run movement which has since overtaken the country, writes Marian Codling of Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers.

Thousands of runners each Saturday, in normal times, descend on their local 5k Park Run course and have a timed run round it. These days, you have a bar code which is scanned at the finish, and results are incorporated on a central computer before being published on the website. The benefits to health are recognised, and park runs are even promoted in doctors' surgeries.

Twenty countries have taken up park runs, and on holiday almost anywhere, you are likely to find a park run. Some runners see how many different park runs they can collect, and "alphabet" park runs are attempted – a run beginning with each letter of the alphabet – one can imagine Fountains Abbey is a must for a run beginning with F. The National Trust has appreciated the possibilities of allowing runners free access to their grounds at 9am, to be out by 10am before the paying visitors arrive, with virtually all runners calling for a cup of coffee and a scone, cake or bacon sandwich. In fact, the social side is almost as important as the running.

None of it would be possible without an army of volunteers, and runners are requested to volunteer a couple of times or so a year, with a run director to oversee that side of things, to set out signs, direct runners where necessary, and scanning bar codes and then clearing up at the end, offering plenty of encouragement throughout.

What a huge loss, then, when Covid and lockdown put a stop to all that last year. It left a huge gap in many people's lives, and the park run movement decided to set up "not the Park Run" park runs, when runners could do 5k from their homes, time themselves, and submit results centrally, to be published as usual. Gary Wilkinson was one member of Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers who was involved from the start, and he has just done his 50th "not the Park Run" park run.

Paul Chapman is another who has taken up the challenge, and his efforts and enthusiasm have encouraged more and more members to take part each week – last week 15 members were involved. Paul recorded the quickest time, 22.28, with Mike Cropper, beginning to find some of his earlier form, taking 23.59, Dave Baker 24.40, Pete Jackson 24.48, Duncan Fothergill 25.02, Sonja van der Westhuisen 25.36, Gary Wilkinson 25.55, Andrea Colls 26.56. Pavid Palmer 28.09, Sarah Harrison 28.39, Siobhan Woodland 33.54, Sharon Keegan 34.48, Gillian Crane 39.43, Rosie Gatenby 41.36 and Bev Davies 41.50.

What a Red Letter Day it will be if and when Park Runs resume on June 5.