Newsdesk

parkrun

It’s official: parkrun returns to Scotland on Saturday

Plenty of time to dig out your barcode as we move beyond level zero

parkrun have finally confirmed that most of their free, timed 5k events will be up and running again in Scotland from this Saturday, 14 August. 

At press time, around 89% of the 59 events held in Scottish parks, estates and public land have been granted permission to return by their landowners – including Aberdeen (Beach and Hazelhead), Glasgow (Victoria, Queen’s, Strathclyde and Springburn), Edinburgh, Dundee (Camperdown) and Perth. Inverness, Portobello, University of Stirling and Oriam’s start dates are yet to be confirmed.

As the situation regarding which runs are returning and when is in constant flux, parkrun strongly recommends participants check their local parkrun event page or social media platforms for news before heading out. For organisational reasons, some events given permission to restart will not be doing so until later this month, or early September. 

In order to ensure a smooth return of the events – and prevent another suspension – the organisation asks that all runners and volunteers make themselves familiar with the parkrun COVID Framework, and follow it closely. 

As parkrun UK told runners in an email on Monday, ‘As part of this Framework, all participants and volunteers are required to self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms prior to attending, and not to attend if at all symptomatic.’ 

Runners must also make an effort to position themselves at the start according to their expected finish time, minimise the time spent near others and refrain from high-fiving.

The suspension of parkrun for 16 months has been difficult for runners, but also for the local races themselves. Experienced volunteers have naturally drifted away in the long months since March 2020, followed other interests or made the decision not to return to minimise their contact with others.

With that in mind, parkrun also asks that participants consider offering their services at their local events to show their support and ‘experience the joy of volunteering’. 

Image: parkrun UK

Previous & Next News

top