Lacing up and heading out for a run during the cold winter months can be a difficult task for many. However some local residents are banding together for a free community park run as they brace the cold together.
At 8am every Saturday morning, Brimbank park is filled with runners, joggers and walkers joining in on a weekly five kilometre community park run event.
The event is entirely run by volunteers like Amanda Shinton, who describes the group as a charity, “run by the community, for the community”.
Ms Shinton said locals of all abilities and from varying age groups are encouraged to join and take part at their own pace.
“The best part is just seeing people improve week on week. You see them in the beginning struggling to complete the course, then all of a sudden they are completing the five kilometres with no problem at all,” she said.
“This event is not a competition, we encourage both runners and walkers to participate. In the end, it’s great to see their smiling faces and how proud they are of themselves.”
Ms Shinton said while the course can be challenging, it is all finished by 9am where participants can stop off and grab a coffee at the local café.
“This is a fun, free event where you get to meet people from the community. It’s a good way to improve your health without costing you money which can be a challenge for people these days with the cost of living. It’s really about doing something for yourself,” she said.
Details: www.parkrun.com.au/brimbank/
Hannah Hammoud
