FOR Gary Lucas, Parkrun is about much more than running.
It is about volunteering, meeting people and seeing others enjoying themselves.
On 2 August at Fingal Bay Parkrun, Gary reached a milestone he had been working towards for some time, completing his 100th walk/run and 100th volunteer session.
Gary moved to Port Stephens in 2019 and has since become a familiar face at Fingal Bay, where he is also a Run Director and part of the regular volunteer team.
His Parkrun journey began in 2013 while visiting a friend on holiday.
At the time, there was no Parkrun close to where he lived, but that changed when East Richmond Parkrun started in 2017.
Gary volunteered at the first event and quickly became hooked.
“I volunteered for the first event and became hooked. The vibe was amazing,” Gary said.
For Gary, volunteering is a big part of what makes Parkrun special.
“Volunteering, and the good feeling of seeing so many people enjoying themselves and being good humans, is priceless,” he said.
Gary has since taken on the Run Director role at Fingal Bay, helping organise the weekly event, welcoming new participants and working with the volunteer team.
Fingal Bay attracts about 130 participants during winter, with numbers often doubling during summer as more visitors come to the area.
The event needs around 10 volunteers each week and has a core group of 25 to 30 regular volunteers.
Gary hopes his milestone will encourage others to give Parkrun a try, whether they want to walk, run or volunteer.
There are several Parkrun events around the area, including Fingal Bay, Grahamstown Aquatic Medowie, Stockton and Raymond Terrace.
Gary is already looking ahead to his next goal – reaching 200 walk/runs and 200 volunteer sessions.
“When I was at around 85 volunteers and 70 finishes, I started to think how good it would be to get the double 100 milestone on the same day,” he said.
After reaching both milestones together, Gary plans to keep volunteering, participating and enjoying Saturday mornings at Parkrun.
By Althea GUINSBERG
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