It’s a dodgy title, to be honest. We’ve volunteered at more than one parkrun - Michelle was a run director for years, after all.
She’s still (in)famous for giving everyone 59:59 on one memorable occasion. But it’s our first parkrun tales volunteer video, so that’s the justification for the headline…
From the super fast to tail walking heroes - watching the full story of parkrun:
📍 Northampton parkrun, The Racecourse, Northampton
🗓️ Saturday, March 21
📏 Nothing for us!
There’s a somewhat different view of parkrun to be had when volunteering.
You’re not concentrating on your part of the run. Instead everyone involved goes past you.
Fast runners, slower runners, wheelchair athletes, those getting PBs, dogs and buggies, walkers and the weary, pacers, plodders and the proficient!
All of them getting fitter, healthier and starting their weekend in style.
Well done and thank you to all the race directors, core team members and volunteers who help us all go round and round in our park-run-life every week 👏
If you want to, you can catch up with all our previous videos on the Running Tales website.
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Our latest podcast: George Puckett - From Fatman to Ironman
George Puckett wasn’t happy - and he couldn’t put his finger on why.
The 31-year-old was living in a beautiful home in Abergavenny, south Wales on the edge of the stunning Brecon Beacons, with his fiancee and one-year-old boy.
But in the midst of making that life, he had forgotten to care for himself. Eating whatever he wanted and not exercising, George had ballooned to 130kgs (20 stone) and was struggling with his confidence as a result.
Hating every picture taken of him and over-thinking all the time, George was not only starting to lose sleep but was suffering panic attacks and palpitations.
Towards the end of last year, he realised it was time to make a change. While out for a walk, he decided he was not only going to start eating better and exercising, he was going to complete an Ironman.
George has already lost more than 30kg - almost five stone - and has now signed up to the Ironman Weymouth 70.3 in September. Aiming to inspire others along the way, George is also raising money for TalkClub, a men’s mental health charity which provides therapy, talk sessions, and an exercise class.
Along the way, he wants to go from - as his Instagram account states - ‘Fat Man to Ironman’.
Running Tales spoke to George about how running has helped his mental health, how he believes it will always be part of his life, and why he decided to take such a huge step towards physical and mental wellness…
Our latest article: Sam Kirchin - The bereaved dad who found solace in the running community
Sam Kirchin doesn’t like to think about where he’d be without running.
The father-of-five’s world was thrown upside down just over two years ago when his wife Lyndsey tragically died following complications with a long-term illness.
At a time when he was, in his own words, a “complete wreck,” it was running which provided him with the purpose to keep moving forward.
He has now embraced the running community that helped him by volunteering as a pacer at Northampton parkrun.
Of course, there are times when he still struggles with the loss of his ‘soulmate’ and life as a single parent, but Sam’s running support network is there on both the darkest days and during his favourite runs…
Sam Kirchin: The bereaved dad who found solace in the running community
Sam Kirchin doesn’t like to think about where he’d be without running.
