The New York Central Fitness Trail parkrun turns five this month.
I’m no longer involved with the event. I stepped back as Event Director years ago, one of my small attempts to free up a little space in my schedule.
But going back this morning for the 200th parkrun had me thinking about how much this one little event changed everything.
When I was approached in late 2019 about starting a parkrun here, I was skeptical.
Free? What’s the catch? What is this cult? And who do these people think they are, coming into my running territory?
Who was I kidding?
Russell Run Club was barely a thing. It was basically me, Erika and a dozen pre-teens.
The running community around here existed, but it was fragmented. I knew a few people here and there. Erika, Lorna and Rebecca. Pat and Marc. Mike had a running group that sort of got together sometimes, maybe. Yves and Mel and their family had recently arrived in Russell. Amy, Scott and others were out there running too.
So I started reaching out.
“Is this parkrun thing a good idea?”
The answer was a resounding yes.
Then came months of working with parkrun, figuring out a route and getting everything organized.
And, of course, choosing the name.
Russell parkrun. Obviously.
Until Euan from parkrun Canada emailed me with our official name:
New York Central Fitness Trail parkrun.
What?!
Apparently it had to be named after the park or trail. I fought it. I tried to build my case.
The name stayed.
And now I can’t imagine it being called anything else.
Our dry-run rehearsal brought together a bunch of people who, in many cases, barely knew one another. From there came friendships, running partners and connections that stretched far beyond Saturday mornings.
Yves and Mel joined the kids program. We eventually started Wednesday track workouts. I met Tammy, who supported me when I finally got the courage to start a Learn to Run program. That brought Jen and Tara, who helped build our weekly group runs.
That little team eventually brought the Russell Run back in 2022. More people joined the community. France. Crystal. Norm and Norm. And so many others.
And parkrun built its own family along the way.
Craig, our parkrun guru, discovered us a few months in and just kept showing up. Week after week. Putting in a solid effort and getting faster. You could always count on that finishing arm pump and the heavy breathing afterward.
Dan, arriving week after week in his fedora with his run-walk swagger.
Dave, the OG, showing up with the same kind of consistency as Craig. He had his routine of disappearing around the corner to cool down before collecting his token.
The Cornwall crew making the long trip. Kathleen, Rachelle, Dave and Clair becoming part of the family.
Over five years, we’ve welcomed people from across Eastern Ontario and around the world.
I don’t think I understood in 2019 what we were actually starting.
That one little free Saturday morning event helped bring together a running community. People found each other. Friendships happened. Running groups formed. People tried things they might not have tried alone.
Eventually, that little motley crew from 2019 became something much bigger.
And it changed my life too.
Which made being there today a little complicated.
I’m preparing for the next chapter of my life. I’ve been trying to make more room for myself. Questioning where I fit in some of the things that have consumed so much of my time and energy.
I hadn’t planned on going to the 200th parkrun.
I was in a mood. Not just that morning. For a while. A long while.
Then one of our club members emailed me to say his family was participating and that he hoped he’d see me there.
So I went.
I observed. And I remembered.
I remembered how all these people became part of this community. Some through parkrun. Some through the club. I remembered first days. People who arrived knowing nobody and somehow became people we expect to see.
I watched people talking after the finish. Cheering for each other. Catching up.
And I stood there, okay being by myself, but comfortable enough to wander over, check in with someone and ask how their training was going.
Five years ago, I spent a lot of time by myself too. I was focused on school. Focused on my own training. I enjoyed the solitude.
Then parkrun came along.
Lately, I’ve found myself retreating into that solitude again. That morning, I almost dreaded leaving it to go to parkrun.
But I went.
And maybe I needed to.
I’m still not sure whether going back gave me some closure or reminded me that I still need some of this too.
Maybe both can be true.
Happy 5th birthday, New York Central Fitness Trail parkrun.
I’m glad you were born.
And I know I’m not the only one.
