'It makes people happy': Bruce Fordyce on marking 20 years of parkrun
John Perlman chats to the SA icon about the success of parkrun, started 20 years ago in London by a South African.
Parkrun SA CEO, Bruce Fordyce, Image: Delta parkrun on Facebook
Have you cottoned on to the local parkrun in your neighbourhood?
The concept of a weekly community event where people come together to run has become a phenomenon, encouraging millions around the world to exercise in a user-friendly manner.
In South Africa there are currently 219 parkrun events taking place every weekend, and counting.
Parkrun is marking its 20th anniversary, and John Perlman took the opportunity to chat to marathon and ultramarathon icon Bruce Fordyce, who is the CEO of Parkrun South Africa.
Fordyce notes that, 'like all great things in the world', this is a South African idea.
"It was started in the UK exactly 20 years ago by Paul Sinton-Hewitt, a boykie from Potch Boys High. He just wanted some people to run with... and he invited a few friends to come to Bushy Park in London, and 13 people ran that first parkrun."
Bruce Fordyce, CEO - Parkrun SA
Sinton-Hewitt and his parkrun pioneers would have had no idea that by today, there would be over 10 million enthusiasts around the world, Fordyce remarks.
He says the success of the concept can be attributed to a number of factors, including the fact that it's free, takes place every Saturday morning and is always a distance of five kilometres.
The elite athlete also emphasizes that it is open to people of any fitness level, and that you can WALK the event.
Fordyce himself walked a parkrun recently as part of his recovery after a knee operation.
"We do have some pretty fast runners who'll do 5 kms in 15 minutes, but we also have an imaginary person - tannie Labuschagne, and she's at the back and she takes an hour and 15 minutes."
Bruce Fordyce, CEO - Parkrun SA
Of course the social aspect of parkrun is another attraction for many people.
"I think it's not even about the run... It's about community."
"If I had to think of a corny adjective to describe parkrun on a Saturday morning, it's the adjective 'happy'."
Bruce Fordyce, CEO - Parkrun SA
Scroll up to the audio player to hear more from Fordyce