Every Saturday morning at nine o’clock sharp, people of all ages and all abilities drag themselves out of bed to go on a five-kilometre run, jog or walk at a venue nearby to help them keep fit and healthy.
The craze started back in 2004 when a group of 13 mates got together in their local park in Teddington, Greater London.
It ballooned to such an extent that more than 5,000 parkruns now take place at 730 locations around the country, including Mansfield.
The coronavirus pandemic hit the event hard, and cancellations went on for several months. But now it is back with a bang.
Several parkruns are staged in and around Mansfield and Ashfield, so we decided to get out and about with the runners last Saturday when the Manor Park Sports Complex at Kingsley Avenue in Mansfield Woodhouse hosted the weekly Mansfield parkrun.
Check out our photo gallery to see if you recognise any of the runners.
9. Thanks to volunteers
The Mansfield parkrun relies entirely on volunteers to organise it. If you'd like to get involved, email [email protected] Photo: Jason Chadwick
10. Across the finish line
Delight and relief for this runner as he crosses the finishing line at Manor Park. In the 416 renewals of the Mansfield parkrun, no fewer than 7,439 personal-best times have been clocked. Photo: Jason Chadwick
11. Keep going!
Keep going is the mantra for many of the Mansfield parkrunners. But it's all about enjoyment, rather than competition, for many. Photo: Jason Chadwick
12. Making it happen
The volunteers who made the latest Mansfield parkrun happen included Arthur Nicol, Barbara Kirby, Chalky White, Darren Musson, Garry Checklin, Hayley Mason, Liam Probert, Mandy Moody, Paul Hillman, Stuart North and Tracey Carver. Photo: Jason Chadwick