From Zero to Hero! - Burgess parkrun #567 - 17/05/25

This week, I had the pleasure of meeting Jill Harefield. Jill started her parkrun journey back in 2017 at Brighouse parkrun in West Yorkshire. Brighouse parkrun started in 2016 but due to work on the land, it closed in February 2024. Sadly, almost correspondingly, Jill had a stroke, leading to her hanging up her running shoes. But focus, determination, and following the NHS Couch to 5k training plan, today, running with her daughter, Jill is back, completing her first parkrun since May 2024. From zero to hero #amazing!

Jill Harefield completing her 108th parkrun with her daughter Alice Harding.

Jill has previously done a parkrun in New Zealand so with her health restored, barcode in hand and parkrun events in 21 different countries, the world really is her oyster as she resumes her parkrun journey.

Also in the field of 773 participants were Julie Brabner, Terri Baker, Sandra Elwes and Anita Evenden of the zero to hero running club based in Bromley. They shared how they have fully embraced the parkrun tourism bug, using it as an opportunity to visit different places, have a picnic and generally explore a new area. They are looking to complete the parkrun alphabet challenge this year (completing a parkrun with each letter of the alphabet) with a trip to either Poland or the Netherlands on the horizon to collect their ‘Z’. My recommendation for a ‘Z’ is Zamek w Malborku in Poland which I did in August 2019, you can read about that incredible trip by clicking here.

With members of the Zero to Hero running club. Photo credit Graham Dodds.

Although not starting at zero, my friend Lucy went from a personal best (PB) of 22:00mins set in June 2024 to recording a new PB of 21:08mins! A few months ago, Lucy had asked for my advice and assistance to pace her to a sub-22min PB on 14 June 2025. The advice on how to run a faster 5k is working! This has now changed to a sub-21min attempt instead 🙂

Lucy set a new Personal Best today!

Lastly, another friend, Pip, the current world record holder for a female dressed as a piece of fruit, for a half-marathon, recorded a 5k PB today, but sadly, she wasn’t dressed as a piece of fruit. The only fruit at Burgess today was the bananas brought and shared with parkrunners by the amazing banana crew. 

Pip is Burgess parkrun regular World Record Holder! Photo credit Pip Reeves.

Stay safe, happy running or walking and happy volunteering.

www.nuhorizons.uk