There's a new Parkrun in Manchester - here's how to get involved

A new Parkrun has launched near Manchester city centre to give runners in Ancoats, New Islington, and Beswick the opportunity to score an endorphin hit.

Philips Park held its inaugural event on Saturday (March 11), and will now host Parkruns every weekend. They will begin at 9am on Saturdays, like every Parkrun in the country, by the BMX track.

Last week’s event represents the culmination of hard work for the volunteers in bringing Parkrun to a portion of the city which has been neglected thus far. That’s according to Phil Hyde, organising the run.

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“We were living in Ancoats and I have seen how beneficial Parkrun can be,” he told the Manchester Evening News. “It’s inclusive, anyone can participate.

“If you live in Ancoats, New Islington, or Beswick, there’s not one close. Peel Park is closest, but it’s three miles away.”

After keeping the first event under-wraps, to give volunteers a smooth transition into running the event, Phil expects numbers to grow quickly. He said: “It’s nice to have it. The real work starts now after the first one, it’s on every week from now.

“We had 153 at the first one. It will be interesting to see how we develop. There was in Lincoln with 150 [which launched recently] and the next week it got over 250. That’s what we expect, then hopefully it will settle down.”

It is also in need of volunteers to keep it going, with anyone interested in lending a hand being asked to email philipspark@parkrun.com.

Philips Park Parkrun is held every Saturday, at 9am, by the BMX track in the park. You can find out more information about the event online.

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