I often do the new runners welcome at Burgess parkrun and I’m always impressed at how people from all around the world join us. This week was no different with guests from Austria, South Africa and Japan!
It’s great to hear how people combine a parkrun with visiting friends, family, being in the city for work or just part of their holiday break.
Many of you will have seen the large representation of participants from Uganda in their recognisable shirts and flags. I’m already looking forward to October when they manage our event for the day, doing all the volunteer roles, teaching us some Swahili words and providing music and food at the end for everyone: it is a fabulous occasion. Such is their vibrancy that there is talk about parkrun setting up events in Uganda with the two country directors for Africa in attendance on Saturday to witness ‘the Uganda effect’. You can see all the countries that have parkrun events by clicking here; Parkrun countries directory. Keep an eye on it, if you’re planning a trip overseas. I understand Portugal will be coming soon.
One of our guests this week was Emma from Reading. Emma stood out as she was wearing a pink parkrun hat, an item of merchandise only available from Parkrun Australia! With 421 parkruns, several in Australia, and 70 volunteer credits Emma is a member of the parkrun ‘World Traveller Club’ which is achieved once a person has completed a parkrun in at least 4 separate countries, Emma has visited 14! Incredibly we attended the same event in Finland, Lahden satama parkrun earlier in the year where I scanned her barcode, what are the chances of that!
Emma shared that she will return to Finland this year to complete Pokkinen parkrun, the world’s northernmost parkrun, and visiting friends in Germany and Austria to complete parkruns there, including a parkrun on Germany’s National Unity day. Emma will complete 3 parkruns in 3 countries in 8 days!
Being at Burgess parkrun can certainly introduce you to people from all around the world. If you have a passport Parkrun tourism can take you all around the world too, and if you do, don’t forget to pick up a pink parkrun hat 🙂
Next week I’ll be off on more parkrun tourism with my first event on a Beach!
Happy running
Great write up, always feel like I’ve gained additional parkrun experience from from reading your blog. Parkrun definitely does have the ability to bring us all closer together and set new interesting challenges for ourselves.
Portugal/ Uganda parkruns on the horizon is amazing news too 👌🏾