Guest Post: Clonakilty Parkrun Celebrates 10 Years ...by Niamh Ryan

The Clonakilty 5k parkrun takes place every Saturday at 9:30am. On Saturday 3rd February 2024, they celebrate their 10 year anniversary.

Clonakilty Parkrun Celebrates 10 Years ...by Niamh Ryan

Clonakilty parkrun is a free, fun and friendly weekly 5k community event. It takes place at 9:30am every Saturday morning at Clonakilty showgrounds with the support of the Clonakilty Agricultural Show Committee. 

Clonakilty parkrun celebrates 10 year on Saturday 3rd Feb and provide this vital community service to the surrounding area. It has held over 400 runs, which is a testament to the continued success of this event. 

This free 5k event is suitable for all ages and all abilities. We have people who walk it every week, others who fly around the course and everyone in between. Everyone is welcome and everyone feels a sense of satisfaction when finished. Parkrun is positive, welcoming and inclusive and most importantly, there is no time limit.

Running and walking is one of the most convenient forms of exercise and with the rising cost of living, free events like the parkrun makes exercise very accessible to the local Clonakilty community. Participating at parkrun brings a lot of pleasure, enjoyment and happiness, a sense of identity, community connectedness, and long-enduring friendships for many people. It is these positive experiences and opportunities that help explain why some of us invest so much time and energy in walking or running, and why those who don’t run or walk might think about doing so. 

The physical and mental health and wellbeing benefits of running are scientifically well established, and the promotion of running and physical activity more generally. The beneficial effects of running on mental health are well established. It is clear that those involved with running have a psychological profile different from non-runners. For instance, across a range of the studies runners reported lower depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, and higher mood and vitality compared to non-runners. Furthermore, those new to running, or who have just started, found running to improve their emotional wellbeing, self-image, self-confidence, happiness and reduce tension and anxiety.

Whether you are just trying to be more active, recovering from injury or a more serious runner, why not pop along and give it a go. To register for the event and for further details see www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/