Marching into the ‘ludicrous, unattainable dream’! - Burgess parkrun #556 - 01/03/25

As I lined up on the startline, I realised this will be the month I reach 500 parkruns, something which I had previously felt was a ludicrous, unattainable dream. I remember when I first saw a parkrun red 50 Club t-shirt and thought it was an out-of-reach milestone. I had no idea about other milestone clubs, the joy of volunteering, parkrun tourism and challenges galore. Parkrun unlocked my adventurous spirit and started taking me to places I would never have been to.  

Spring is coming at Burgess parkrun and it's the venue where I join the 500 club.

Parkrun is a labyrinth of adventure and discovery; however, I’ve been fortunate to make space for the broader world of running to inspire me, too. Participating at other running events, following runners through social media, some of whom are true adventures, doing crazy running feats; step forward, Russ Cook. 

Last year, Russ, aka ‘The Hardest Geezer’, became a running sensation as he took on and completed the challenge to run the length of Africa, a mind-boggling 16,000k (3,200 parkruns) over 352 days. This incredible feat was extreme physical endurance as he ran through jungles and deserts! It required mental resilience; he was robbed at gunpoint and kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He had to do a lot of strategic logistical planning, including getting a rare ‘courtesy visa’ from the Algerian embassy to enable completion of ‘the mission’. This must rank as one of the most epic running adventures I’ve come across. In his book The Hardest Geezer: Mind over Miles, Russ shares his difficult adolescent years and then finding running. This has transformed him into today’s ginger-bearded running beast who has raised over 1 million pounds for two charities. The Running Charity, an organisation that supports young people experiencing homelessness or managing complex needs, and Sandblast, a charity raising awareness of the indigenous Saharawis of Western Sahara, advocating for self-determination rights and managing creative educational projects.

Russ is putting the Great back into Great Britain. A must read book.

As I seek to achieve my goal of completing 500 parkruns this month, Russ will be undertaking his new project, running the length of New Zealand! Starting at the bottom of the country, he will be running the 3,000k Te Araroa trail. This adventure will include 300,000 elevation gain (the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest 10 times) and 60 back-to-back ultra marathons. I’ve not been to New Zealand however, my interest was piqued by it being the home to Middle Earth in Peter Jackson’s adaption of Lord of the Rings. It is home to 58 parkruns (New Zealand, not Middle Earth); it’s absolutely on my parkrun bucket list of Saturday morning adventures. 

Will Russ's run take him to Hobbiton?

While Russ’s adventure might seem like a world apart from a local parkrun, for my journey to 500 parkruns, I’ve travelled around my city, countries, and continents. Some events called for insanely early starts, vastly different terrains and different running conditions. Parkrun keeps me fit excited and scratches that adventurism itch that Russ has in abundance. 

Follow Russ’s March Madness project on YouTube by clicking here.

You can follow my parkrun journey by clicking here.

Whether tackling a parkrun or embarking on an epic journey like Russ, every step matters. Here’s to lacing up our shoes, embracing the challenge, and sharing our own stories of perseverance, celebration and marching towards the ‘ludicrous unattainable dream’.

Stay safe, happy running or walking and happy volunteering.

www.horizons.uk

500 club here we come!