“I started my running journey at the age of 13 with my dad, thanks to one of his work colleagues who invited him to an event. Back home we used to have races most weekends and for about 5 years we went to most of them. Every Saturday morning would be our time running together.
Life happened and even though I had a 10 year break from running I would still do the odd event every now and again. I guess because running was something I enjoyed it was always a part of me.
When I moved from South Africa to NZ I didn’t know anyone and really missed the feeling of being part of such a supportive community as the running community. I tried getting back into running but work duties didn’t make it easy. That changed when I discovered parkrun. To think about the fact that total strangers become your biggest supporters is just amazing. I’ve been running regularly for 3 years now and try not to miss a Saturday parkrun. When going away, whether it’s work or family time, I always plan it around parkrun. I have somewhat become a parkrun tourist. And by volunteering, it gives me the opportunity to give back to the running community – because we all know that without volunteers, event can’t happen.
Running has become my “me” time, my therapy. For that hour that I’m out there hitting the pavement I am able to clear my mind and reconnect with mother nature. No matter the circumstances, I always feel better after a run.
Thanks to the encouragement and support from my fellow runners, my goal for this year is to run my first marathon. And hopefully if all goes well, I might even enter the world of ultra running…”
Solly @runningbaldnz
(Palmerston North)
–
Portraits of Runners + their stories
@RunnersNZ
