Every Saturday at 9am in Stretford around 700 people swap a lie-in for exercise and fresh air at one of the most popular Parkruns in Greater Manchester.
Now in its 11th year, the Stretford event has welcomed nearly 35,000 individuals since its launch, completing between them a whopping 230,500 runs.
The 5k course, known for being flat, fast, and one of only three Parkruns in the country that starts and finishes on an athletics track - in Longford Park - is a great place to set a PB, kickstart your fitness journey or enjoy running in the company of others.
Running simply not your thing? Don’t worry, walkers are very welcome too, along with volunteers, 30 of which are needed every weekend to allow the event to happen safely. Over 2,000 generous individuals have given their time to help Parkrun happen in Stretford over the last decade.
Cllr Eve Parker, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Leisure, Arts, Culture and Heritage, said:
“Parkrun is a fantastic example of our community coming together. It’s free, inclusive, and open to everyone, whether you’re into running, walking, volunteering, or cheering from the sidelines.
“It doesn’t matter what your age and or ability is, you can go along, get involved, and enjoy the fantastic benefits to your physical and mental health.”
The course in Longford Park is set to benefit from the Council-led improvements being made to the park through the £6million People, Place and Nature Project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
This includes the creation of a new path next to the tennis courts which will allow organisers to change the route slightly, increasing the space runners have as they go round.
Parkrun is completely run by volunteers and can’t happen without them. If you’d like to give up a little of your Saturday morning to helping, find out how to volunteer on the Stretford Parkrun website or by emailing stretford@parkrun.com.
Want to attend Stretford Parkrun but don’t live locally? Please be considerate of residents by walking, jogging, cycling or using public transport wherever possible to get there.