You can push a pram, walk the dog, or get a group of friends together and join in. It doesn’t matter how fit you are, how fast or slow, tall or short, young or old:

Parkrun is for everyone and it’s coming to Braidwood.

“Honestly, Parkrun is just fun,” said enthusiast Kelly Bunn. “It’s wonderful to see people supporting and encouraging one another. Parkrun really inspires this and it doesn’t discriminate.

“I think that’s one of the things I love best. It doesn’t matter about your size, shape, colour, belief or background. On a Saturday morning at 8am, you join a group of people to participate in something healthy, fantastic-feeling, friendship-creating, community- focused, supportive, encouraging, free – and fun!”

Parkrun is a weekly, five-kilometre timed event held around the world. Parkrun is open to everyone and is safe, easy to take part in, and open to people of all physical fitness levels and abilities, all year round.

It is a community event run by the community for the community and relies on the help of volunteers.

Parkrun will be taking place every Saturday at 8am at the Braidwood Showground. Once you have registered online, which is free, you will be issued a barcode to print and bring with you. You don’t have to be registered to join in, but if you aren’t registered, you will not receive your personal results.

Kelly Bunn completed her first parkrun in Dubbo and instantly fell in love with the concept. “So many people turned up to take part and the community ‘feel’ was overwhelming,” she said. “Everyone supported each other, everyone was happy and positive, and the atmosphere was addictive.”

Bunn frequently travels to the Queanbeyan Parkrun, and has completed runs at Batemans Bay, Lake Macquarie and Huskisson.

Parkrun is a wonderful avenue for promoting positive mental health and physical well being, and Bunn wanted to bring that to Braidwood. “The benefits ... are numerous. This is something I feel passionate about and I've witnessed first-hand the positive effects that not only exercise, but also this type of community activity can have on people,” she said.

The other tangible benefit is in tourism and bringing other parkrunners to the area. With some 318 runs in Australia alone, Parkrun tourism is big! Many participants travel great distances to complete different events.

Parkrun is usually finished by 8.30am to 9.30am, so it’s not a time-consuming event. Afterwards, if you choose, there will be cuppas and conversations at a local cafe.

Braidwood parkrun is set to launch on Saturday 22nd September at 8.00am. Even if you don’t participate, please come & support the launch. This is for our town.

Bun thanked the Braidwood Showground Committee for allowing the weekly event to take place; and ClubsNSW for providing the funding.

There is now a Braidwood Showground Parkrun Facebook page and, soon, a Braidwood Showground Parkrun website.