Addictive way to get fit and fulfil a New Year’s resolution

LISMORE parkrun is holding an event on New Year’s Day, the perfect opportunity to kickstart New Year’s resolutions to get fit and healthy, organisers say.

The tradition of holding events on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day was started by Belinda and Anthony Smith when they brought parkrun to Lismore eight years ago. They had no family close by to share in the festive occasions, so held parkruns as a way to bring people together.

Lee-Anne Bostock and Linda Wallace stepped up as event directors this year and decided to continue the tradition.

Mrs Bostock said registrations jump in January, with numbers boosted by visitors and people making a resolution to get fit.

“They say, ‘this is my year, I’m going to start this’. They start walking, then they jog a bit, then before you know it, they are running the whole way,” she said.

Research by finder.com.au reveals that 73 per cent of Australians set New Year’s resolutions for 2024, with diet and exercise as the top priority for a third of them.

Over one million Australians were registered with parkrun in January 2024, proving it’s a popular choice for people looking to get fit.

Lismore parkrun attracts up to 150 participants every Saturday morning, running or walking the 5km course at Riverside Park near Ballina Bridge.

“It’s so good for your mental and physical health. It’s not just for runners, it’s for walkers as well,” she said. “That’s why it’s so popular. It’s free, and it’s not competitive. They only compete against themselves.”

The club also fosters a sense of community.

“We pride ourselves on being friendly. You can come along to a designated course with a group of other people in a safe environment,” she said.

Various challenges, run independently of parkrun, attract visitors to courses on the Northern Rivers, such as an alphabet challenge tasks participants to “collect” courses that starts with each letter of the alphabet.

“Casino is quite popular for that reason,” Mrs Bostock said. “It’s called Queen Elizabeth parkrun, Casino, and it’s one of the only ones starting with the letter Q.”

Lismore parkrun participants also love a good dress-up, she said.

A runner dressed as a Christmas made an appearance on the course this December, and in the past, the Easter Bunny, superheroes, and even Forrest Gump have shown up.

Lismore parkrun is managed by volunteers and supported by sponsors – Medibank, Athlete’s Foot, Snap Fitness, and Polar.

To register and find out more about Lismore parkrun, go to https://www.parkrun.com.au, or look up the Lismore parkrun Facebook page.

But, Mrs Bostock has a warning those joining: “Be prepared, parkrun is addictive. But it’s a good addiction.”