More than 70 runners, walkers and joggers participated in the inaugural parkrun at Surrey’s Tynehead Regional Park Saturday (May 11).
Event organizer Ahmed Marzouk told the Now-Leader he was surprised by Saturday’s turnout.
“I was excited,” Marzouk said. “I’m so happy about it and looking forward to more events coming up.”
The family-friendly “parkrun” event, which is led by a team of volunteers, will happen weekly on Saturdays at 9 a.m.
The event starts at the yellow gate that is in front of the pedestrian crossing on 168 Street, and parking is available at the Serpentine Fields parking lot (10065 168 St.).
“Every week, it’s gonna be my ritual on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.,” Marzouk added.
It’s not a competitive event; you can run, walk, or jog, said Marzouk.
Although the weekly parkrun is centred on the 9 a.m. run/walk/jog, it’s more about the community. “It’s more of a social activity than a sports activity,” Marzouk said.
After each parkrun, many of the runners will go to a nearby coffee shop to hang out. “Some people say the most important thing about the parkrun is the coffee at the end,” Marzouk said.
First parkrun at Tynehead Regional Park in Surrey Saturday, May 11, 2024. pic.x.com/QeGg7C36K1
— Anna Burns (@AnnaBBurns) May 11, 2024
Some people travelled all the way from the United Kingdom for the inaugural Surrey parkrun, Marzouk said.
Parkrun’s origins are in the U.K. It started in October 2004 in Teddington, U.K. It now has free weekly runs in more than 20 countries around the world. There are more than 45 parkrun events around Canada, including ones in Langley, Coquitlam, Burnaby and Richmond, the first in the Lower Mainland.
First-time runners must register at parkrun.ca and bring a copy of the scannable barcode they receive. The barcode will be scanned when the individual finishes the race and later posted to the results page.
READ MORE: Parkrun brings all-ages fun runs to Surrey
For more information, follow visit parkrun.ca/tyneheadregional.
