Inverclyde Now Logo GREENCK Parkrunners Have Now Covered A Total Of 75,000 Kilometres

27 March, 2018 | Local

GREENOCK parkrun notched up a significant ‘milestone’ on Saturday with a total of 75,000 kilometres now covered since the weekly event started in May 2014.

The parkrunner completing the notable kilometres was Gordon McInnes who also set a new personal best (PB) time, his third in a row.

The 199th Greenock parkrun attracted 103 participants, around a quarter of whom set faster times in the calm dry conditions over the five-kilometre Esplanade course. T

wo were also completing their 50th parkruns. David Benstead and Cheryl Thomas both began parkrunning in 2016. Cheryl set a new PB for her 50th parkrun. She has completed 49 of her runs at Greenock with her other parkrun being at Strathclyde, which has a similar, flat course to Greenock.

David, who is also one of the Greenock run directors, has completed 44 of his parkruns at Greenock with the remainder at Linwood, Pollok, Ruchill and the challenging, yet enjoyable, Drumchapel.

Charlotte McKay got her first PB since November 2016, taking more than 20 seconds off her time. It was a first PB in nine months for William Laing who is approaching his 50th parkrun, all run at Greenock. Roddy Simpson, a regular at Falkirk parkrun, took almost a minute off his previous best time at Greenock.

There were some standout PBs from younger parkrunners. Erin McEleny got a PB on her 49th parkrun. David Sutherland had the biggest improvement taking five minutes, 24 seconds off his previous best. It was back-to-back PBs for Ava Beaton who took almost a minute off her time. Not to be outdone, her dad Paul broke the 19-minute barrier for the first time.

Mark Nightingale got closer to the sub-18-minute mark with a great run of 18.04. Sean Miller took 30 seconds off his time, despite turning up slightly late — his time of 19.05 could perhaps have been under 19 otherwise.

Five  others took more than a minute off their time — Barry Spiers, Andrew McIntyre, Debbie Gorry, Callum Gorry and Kevin McGroarty. Also getting PBs were Gillian Clayton, Fiona Benham, Derrick MacNish, Gordon Ritchie, Sarah Blandy, Matthew Young and Deborah McKenzie.

Next Saturday,Greenock celebrates its 200th parkrun and is having a pacer event. So far there are pacers for 23, 25 and 30 minutes.

Greenock parkrun

Event volunteers

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