Wepre parkrun returns on Saturday after 17 month coronavirus break

Parkrun will return to many venues in Wales including Wepre Park this weekend after a 17-month coronavirus hiatus.

The weekly free 5km run hasn’t taken place since March last year due to coronavirus restrictions, but this Saturday the event will make its long-awaited comeback.

Parkruns are held on Saturday mornings in parks and open spaces across the UK, they are described as a “positive, welcoming and inclusive experience where there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along, whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate.”

Posting an update on the Wepre parkrun Facebook page, Phil said: “After 17 long months its time to set your alarms, drag out your running shoes and return to Wepre parkrun….the team is back and ready…slightly different course but don’t worry all the hills are still there.”

There are some important changes and reminders for those attending on Saturday according to Phil, he posted the following on the Wepre parkrun Facebook page:

“Please do not attend if you have any symptoms of COVID-19.”

“You must run with your own barcode so you are not waiting in the funnel for someone to catch you up.”

“The start has moved we now start at the top of the hill close to the car park.”

“Please be at the car park for the briefing at 8.50am.”

One more sleep! Un cwsg arall! 30 Welsh parkruns reopen tomorrow and more over coming weeks.Check your event’s website & social media. Mae 30 o ddigwyddiadau parkrun Cymru yn ailagor yfory a mwy dros yr wythnosau nesaf. Gwiriwch wefan a chyfryngau cymdeithasol eich digwyddiad pic.twitter.com/XiCq20dO4d

— parkrun Cymru (@parkrunCymru) August 20, 2021

Helen Hood, Head of Event Delivery, parkrun UK said:

“With an ever-increasing number of landowner permissions coming through, we are delighted to be able to announce that 5k events in Wales will restart from Saturday 21 August.”

“Whilst we won’t be in a position to return all events across the country on the same day, based on the evidence and insight so far from reopening more than 1,400 events around the world, we are comfortable that events will not be overwhelmed by significantly-increased attendances.”

“We currently have around 45% of 5k events with landowner permission to restart in Wales, and proactive conversations remain ongoing with the rest. We are in the process of informing event teams of their current position and we are confident that the number of events with landowner permission to return will increase further over the next two weeks.”