By Marissa Tiel

On a cool Saturday morning in early December, a group clad in spandex and running shoes begins to gather on the Okanagan Rail Trail near Clement Avenue. It香蕉视频直播檚 a small crowd at first but as the clock nears 9 a.m., more join in.

They mill around, chatting with friends and staying warm in the crisp morning air.

Before long, more than 50 people have gathered on the path and run director Bill Justus, clad in a leather jacket begins a countdown. With a ceremonial 3-2-1-go, they香蕉视频直播檙e off on the 122nd Okanagan parkrun.

Since August 2016, runners have been meeting in Kelowna for Canada香蕉视频直播檚 first parkrun, a free five-kilometre event that now takes place in more than 20 locations across the country.

The parkrun movement began in the United Kingdom, and Justus, a former military man, was tipped off from a friend who香蕉视频直播檇 moved across the Atlantic. She told him he had to bring the event to Canada.

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香蕉视频直播淎nd I went, 香蕉视频直播榙o you know how many 5Ks there are?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� says Justus. 香蕉视频直播淎nd she said, 香蕉视频直播榥o, it香蕉视频直播檚 different.香蕉视频直播� And I said, 香蕉视频直播榟ow is it different?香蕉视频直播� It inspires people like you inspire people.香蕉视频直播�

Intrigued, Justus flew to the U.K. and took in a parkrun. What impressed him wasn香蕉视频直播檛 so much the 5K run itself, but the community it generated.

香蕉视频直播淚 could see the writing was on the wall that if we were香蕉视频直播揵ecause I am the age that I am, closer to 60 than 50 and the tail end of the baby-boomer generation香蕉视频直播搕hat if we were going to keep our next generations out of drugs and injections and all the other medical interventions we have to do to keep people living longer, physical activity had to happen,香蕉视频直播� says Justus. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e used running as an antidepressant my whole life; stress reliever. I香蕉视频直播檝e been fit, happy. I don香蕉视频直播檛 think I look like most 60-year-olds. Running is a testament to that. It香蕉视频直播檚 been very good to me.

香蕉视频直播淚 really wanted to give that to Kelowna.香蕉视频直播�

Doctors in the U.K. are now prescribing parkrun to their patients.

But getting parkrun to Canada wasn香蕉视频直播檛 all that simple. The organizing committee in the U.K. questioned whether the event could happen over the winters in Canada. Justus countered, saying the Brits run in the rain; Canadians run in the snow.

Then came convincing the municipality.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I first went after Kelowna, I got no. No you can香蕉视频直播檛 be on their runway, no we won香蕉视频直播檛 keep this parking lot open for you,香蕉视频直播� says Justus.

But he succeeded and the first parkrun took place on Aug. 20, 2016. It began at Truswell and Lakeshore Roads and more than 100 people showed up.

Attendance shrank a bit after the inaugural event, but within a few months, parkrun had outgrown their location. They moved to the rail trail behind Parkinson Recreation Centre and remain there today, with a slight modification to their starting location. Now an average of 57 people attend each Saturday.

For all its events, Justus has only missed four parkruns香蕉视频直播搘ell, five. He helped set up the Regina event one Saturday and forgoed his attendance in Kelowna.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 part of my life. It香蕉视频直播檚 part of who I am,香蕉视频直播� says Justus. 香蕉视频直播淚t feels weird if I香蕉视频直播檓 not here.香蕉视频直播�

The parkrun is a free five-kilometre event.

香蕉视频直播淩unning should be a pair of running shoes and that香蕉视频直播檚 what this is,香蕉视频直播� he says.

Participants are asked to register online. They get personalized barcode that they bring to the event. It香蕉视频直播檚 their ID and how they get their times recorded.

This weekend, Bob Ferch will use his barcode for the 100th time. He香蕉视频直播檚 expected to be the first Canadian to reach 100 parkruns.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 pretty excited about it,香蕉视频直播� says Ferch after wrapping up his 99th parkrun. 香蕉视频直播淚 was hoping to be the first to 50 and I didn香蕉视频直播檛 quite make it so I was determined to be the first to 100.香蕉视频直播�

Ferch hasn香蕉视频直播檛 missed a Saturday this year. He says there a quite a few other regulars and the event has a family feel.

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香蕉视频直播淚t builds a community of moms and dads going by with their strollers, elderly people getting out for the exercise,香蕉视频直播� says Justus. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 no expectations to go fast. There香蕉视频直播檚 no expectations to run the whole thing. You can walk.香蕉视频直播�

That香蕉视频直播檚 not to mean the event can香蕉视频直播檛 be competitive.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 races within races here and it香蕉视频直播檚 a run, it香蕉视频直播檚 not a race,香蕉视频直播� says Justus. 香蕉视频直播淏ut there are people out here that want to go faster this week than they did last week or they want to beat their buddy or they want to catch somebody they香蕉视频直播檝e been chasing and you香蕉视频直播檒l see guys come in here and they香蕉视频直播檒l be going blazing fast as they come through the finish line.香蕉视频直播�

New attendees like Madelaine Sumner are always welcome. She took part in her second parkrun earlier this month after urging from a friend.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 really fun and it香蕉视频直播檚 a great community,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 great to see people outside.香蕉视频直播�

The sun is starting to shrink shadows as the first runners cross the finish line. They catch their breath on the crunchy grass and cheer as the rest of the field trickles in.

香蕉视频直播淚t is infectious. It is mind-bending. It is life-changing and it香蕉视频直播檚 enjoyable,香蕉视频直播� says Justus of parkrun. 香蕉视频直播淵ou香蕉视频直播檒l make friends you never know existed.香蕉视频直播�

carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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