An inspirational 89-year-old has completed his 250th parkrun.

Aberystwyth’s most senior regular, Lionel Curtis, started parkrun in September 2017, walking the course in one hour three minutes. On 6 September, he completed his 250th in one hour 19.

The friendly, familiar parkrun participant completes the 5km events in all weathers.

“He uses a pair of walking poles, just in case of falls, but remains determined to complete the course,” fellow parkrun participant, Hannah Dee explains.

“He says the health benefits of parkrun are incredible, but the community is just as important.

“Originally a sprinter in the London Poly Harriers, in the 1950s Lionel has always had sport and fitness in his life.”

Lionel’s 250 parkruns have been in Aberystwyth, bar one in Berkshire, around Greenham Common. With over 500 participants, that was eye-opening for Lionel, who said: “It was amazing to see so many people out together on a Saturday morning, running and walking around the old common.”

Lionel has lived in Aberystwyth since the mid 1980s. If you find yourself walking with him you might get lost in conversation as you complete circuits of Plascrug’s beautiful tree-lined avenue, talking about architecture, nature, history, Quakers, Skanda Vale, or any number of other topics of conversation.

Aberystwyth parkrun founder, Anita Worthing said: “Whilst we started off as a running event, parkrun welcomed walkers from early on, and it's been lovely to have Lionel as one of our regulars for so long.”

Coincidentally, Anita was volunteering as tail walker at Lionel’s very first parkrun.

The parkrun phenomenon was started in West London in 2004 by Paul Sinton Hewitt, as a running event, providing a free 5k ‘time trial’ every Saturday to anyone who wanted to turn up. The idea spread throughout the UK and is now global – Aberystwyth parkrun started in 2012.

Over the years parkrun has become more inclusive, introducing elements to support people who want to walk the course, or mix walking and jogging.

Every event has tail walkers (volunteers who walk the course and finish after all of the participants) and extends the opportunity for people to volunteer as ‘parkwalkers’, volunteers who walk at any pace, to keep other walkers company. Lionel often volunteers himself.

If you’d like to walk, run or volunteer for Aberystwyth parkrun, check out https://www.parkrun.org.uk/aberystwyth/

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