Creekside Parkrun celebrates first anniversary

ARCHDALE — Creekside parkrun will celebrate its first anniversary on Saturday, Sept. 17. 

Nearly every Saturday for the last year, Creekside parkrun has brought this free, timed 5K to Creekside Park in Archdale. It is held in cooperation with Archdale Parks and Recreation (APRD) and is for all ages and abilities. 

The event averages 22 participants each week; 54 is the current attendance record. Organizers hope to set a new attendance record on Sept. 17.

Volunteer-led parkrun events held all over the world, more than 50 of them in the United States. 

According to local Co-Event Director Joyce Wolford, “Creekside parkrun is for everyone, and there’s no charge to participate. We welcome runners and walkers, and love to see entire families. The goal of parkrun is to encourage folks to be active and enjoy the outdoors.” 

Four-legged family members, known as barkrunners, are also welcome at parkrun.

The anniversary event will be 45^th 5K since Creekside parkrun began on Sept. 18, 2021. The event has only been cancelled a few times due to inclement weather and when there have been conflicts with other activities at the park.

In addition to Saturdays, Creekside parkrun holds a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day.

The central location of Creekside Park makes it convenient for participants not only from Randolph County, but from surrounding counties as well.

The Creekside parkrun course starts and finishes near Mose Drive, behind the Senior Center, inside Creekside Park. First-time participants should arrive around 8:45 a.m. for a course briefing. There’s an event briefing for everyone at 8:55 a.m., and the 5k starts at 9 a.m. 

Participants are required to complete a one-time registration at https://www.parkrun.us/creekside/ to obtain their free, personal barcode. The barcode is scanned at the completion of each event to calculate results. It also includes the participant’s emergency contact information. There is no sign-up for each week’s event.

For more information about Creekside parkrun, visit the website or email creekside@parkrun.com. You can also follow Creekside parkrun on Facebook and Instagram @creeksideparkrun.