Picking up the pace for personal health

HOW do you spend your Saturday mornings?

For about 300 people across the region, those mornings are spent completing a five-kilometre timed parkrun at Kennington Reservoir or Bendigo Botanic Gardens.

The free, weekly events are held across the globe at 8am and event director at the Gardens track, Adrian McMahon, said the Bendigo courses are inclusive of all.

“People of any fitness and any age can join in, from the quickest of runners that are doing 15 minutes to five kilometres to the elderly or people in wheelchairs that are taking an hour,” he said.

“A lot of people will come and they’ll try and set personal bests every week or they might be coming back from injury so they’re trying to build back up to where they were running.

“You also get friendly competitions between groups and between mates where they’re trying to beat each other’s times.

“For the other end of the field that just want to get out there and do their five kilometres, they can have a casual walk. They’re still being competitive in a lot of cases too.

“I walked with a woman the other week who was trying to get under an hour for the first time, so that was her goal.”

Mr McMahon said while the weekly run or walk could aid participants’ physical health and fitness, there was another significant benefit to completing the challenge.

“I’d argue these days, especially with lockdowns and everything going on around the world, that probably more important is the mental health side of it.

“Getting out and about, getting out into nature, getting some fresh air and getting some exercise is obviously vitally important for people’s mental health.

“To come and be part of the community as well, that’s what make it worthwhile,” he said.

For those keen to give either course a go, Mr McMahon said the Gardens track was flatter than the Kennington Reservoir route which contains twists, turns and hills.

For more information or to register for a parkrun, search Bendigo Botanic Gardens parkrun or Kennington Reservoir parkrun on Facebook or visit parkrun.com.au.