THE 36th Parkrun at Tamar trails took place on Saturday with numbers around 100 participants, despite many other local runs taking place.

The total distance run at Tamar Trails parkrun since the first run is now 10,582 miles with an overall average of 94.6 runners per week. Runners from 127 clubs have taken part bringing many visitors to the area. This is surely ample reward for the local groups and Sport England who donated the start-up funding. 857 runners have recorded faster times as well as runners receiving health benefits from the activity.

Local runner Richard Drage tops the age grading chart for men and Jo Meek for ladies.

One of the organisers, Andy Houghton. ’The great thing about the parkrun is the social friendly feel and lack of excessive pressure to perform which may come partly from the number of whole families taking part — the free of cost entry is perhaps important for them.

’It is hard to imagine how a family could get more fun for less money every week as you watch quite small juniors trying finish ahead of their parents. Of course they often succeed!’

Andy added: There here is a comraderie that is hard to beat and anyone is very welcome to join us. So if you have a pair of trainers and can run a little we do not mind how slow your running is – in fact the slower runners are often the most fun. This week we had 46 male and 50 female runners.

’The standard of organisation is well up to that of any local or county running event –we have an internationally qualified athletics timer in Christopher Kirwin and fancy electronics that gets the results out pronto.’

For more details go to the website at www.parkrun.org.uk/tamartrails