Torrens parkrun

The big milestone news this week is that Torrens parkrun passed a total of 30,000 different participants since it began in December 2012. To be clear about this number, if you have been to Torrens more than once, you still only count as 1 in that 30,000, even if you’ve done 100s of parkruns at Torrens. So that’s 30,000 different people who have participated at Torrens parkrun. Imagine if they all showed up on the same Saturday!

And who was the actual 30,000th parkrunner to finish Torrens? That honour fell to Karin Schwindack, visiting from Mudgeeraba parkrun in Gold Coast, Queensland.

***RUN REPORT***
Torrens parkrun 692, 22 August 2026

With one sleep until parkrunday , it’s Overseas Ojo here, finally with access to wifi signal, with another overseas run report. But first the deets on Torrens 692, where more than 280 people ran, walked, or volunteered, of whom 51 were first timers and tourists.

The event was brought to you by 21 magnificent volunteers: Mal MCMILLAN • Speedy GONZALES • Merrilyn MCMILLAN • James CORBETT • Stuart THOMSON • Thomas CASSIDY • Aaron MITCHELL • Benjamin M BAYLY • Leanne ROSSER • Debbie PAUL • Alan BODDY • Judy M BAYLY • Melissa DE ZWART • Francesco DE ZWART • Mark Thomas WATERS • Marino KOMLUSAN • Justin WARNER • Mike HILL • Mary CURRIE • Charles O'BRIEN • Lewis VAUGHAN

Milestoners were:
Dennis Abbott (legend) 450
Drew Duval 300
Richard Silcock 200
Peter Gore 25
Jas Bhara 25

Today's full results and a complete event history can be found on the Torrens parkrun Results Page.

Torrens parkrun started on 1st December 2012. Since then 29,987 participants have completed 194,758 parkruns covering a total distance of 973,790 km, including 26,074 new Personal Bests. A total of 1,450 individuals have volunteered 12,924 times. Crikey!

Last Saturday I was on the Isle of Skye in northern Scotland. It’s as good as you’ve heard; probably even better. There’s only one parkrun on the island so my choice was made for me, and off I headed to Skinadin parkrun for the luxurious Scottish parkrun start time of 9:30am. On the map the course presents an out-and-back on a coastal path, so I was looking forward to a flat scenic run.

The event is easy to find, just off the Main road north west out of Broadford. Good parking and great car park marshals. The main welcome was one of the shortest I’ve heard, and absolutely no audit of where tourists were from. Geez, what’s a guy gotta do to get some attention round here?

And then we were away heading downhill on a stony path, which I expected would join to a coastal path. But no. After 200 metres we hit an incline, and into the forest. No view, just trees. And the incline kept inclining, all the way to halfway. Yes, you heard that right: all the way to halfway. And in places it was leg-burningly, soul-sappingly, steep. This was no picturesque coastal flattie. It was a gnarly, stony-scrambly, very hilly, forest trail.

It. Was. Brutal. I felt like I was in boot camp. At one point it was so steep, most runners were reduced to walking. Never ever have I been so grateful to see a turnaround flag.

For a brief moment on the way back there was a belter of a view, but in the main it was downhill forested trail, where full speed was risky because the path was loose underfoot.

With 300m to go, I thought I’d finish strong. Unfortunately, because I was oxygen-deprived, I had forgotten that because this was an out-and-back course, then if the first 200m was steeply downhill, the last 200m must be steeply uphill. So it was, and 100m into my big finish I came to an almost-grinding halt on the final 200m incline. My dignity was as absent as the oxygen in my lungs. I finally flopped across the finish line, and again embraced what I consider to be the best part of parkrun; stopping.

Once I’d recovered enough oxygen to remember how to use my phone, I checked what their website said about the course. It is described as a ‘gradual uphill gradient’. Once again, the Celtic art of understatement comes to the fore.

But to have the privilege of doing a parkrun in a place like Skye, outweighs any gripes about hills. Skye invokes awe, so hats off to the local parkrun organising group for adding this marvellous event to the heady Skye mix, who were so generous with their time given that each week the one-timer tourists substantially outnumber the locals.

Go to Skinadin parkrun; you’ll feel Skye-high.

A massive thank you to our wonderful volunteers who got the Torrens parkrun community away for their run or walk for the 692nd time yesterday! ❤️

The first photo is the sensible one: our fantastic volunteer crew looking relatively composed and ready to make parkrun happen.

The second photo is the reality.

MOSQUITOES. 🦟

There were a lot of them yesterday, and our volunteers somehow managed to marshal, time, scan, issue tokens, run direct, encourage, tell some hilarious jokes (according to me), and generally keep the whole operation moving while simultaneously attempting to slap the local insect population into submission. We’re not sure who won that battle; we’ll call it even.

Torrens parkrun simply wouldn’t happen every week without people giving up a little of their Saturday morning to help. So thank you to everyone who volunteered yesterday, and to everyone who has volunteered over the years. You’re the reason others get to turn up, run or walk, and then get on with their weekend.

We’re always looking for volunteers, whether you’re a regular, a first-timer, a runner who’s taking a week off, or someone who just wants to help out.

You can get in touch with us any time via Facebook, Messenger, or email at [email protected].

And don’t worry, volunteering doesn’t normally require combat with mosquitoes. Yesterday was a special event.

***RUN REPORT***

Torrens parkrun 691, 15th August 2026

Overseas Ojo here with an overseas report, but first your local news. Last Saturday more than 280 people ran, walked or volunteered at Torrens, of whom 45 were first timers including tourists from places I can’t name because I wasn’t there. If you were a tourist at Torrens last week, state your place in the comments.

The event was made possible by 25 volunteers:��Mal MCMILLAN • Elizabeth SLATTERY • Merrilyn MCMILLAN • James CORBETT • Stuart THOMSON • Liam FITZPATRICK • Thomas CASSIDY • Ashleigh GIBSON • Aaron MITCHELL • Benjamin M BAYLY • April SWEET • Emily J BAYLY • Tracey M BAYLY • Alan BODDY • Judy M BAYLY • Mark Thomas WATERS • Marino KOMLUSAN • Glenn SMITH • Chris JORDAN • Peter SHEA • Christina VAUGHAN • Jerry G*I • Lucas MOSS • Ian SMITH • James GROSSER

Congrats to the following milestoners:

Adam Rosser 400
Chris Jordan 350
Aimee Beeching 150
Angus Naughton 100
Kate Westphalen 25

Last Saturday’s full results and a complete event history can be found on the Torrens parkrun Results Page.

Torrens parkrun started on 1st December 2012. Since then 29,936 participants have completed 194,482 parkruns covering a total distance of 972,410 km, including 26,049 new Personal Bests. A total of 1,448 individuals have volunteered 12,902 times. Wow!

So I , Ojo, was in Glasgow, Scotland last Saturday. From our Airbnb there were a few parkrun options but I went with the closest, Ruchill. It was a leg-stretching 2.5km uphill run to get to this parkrun, nestled at the top of a hill in Ruchill park. At least I thought it was the top of the hill. It wasn’t. The top of the hill was further up, and part of a three-lap course that’s shaped like a whale. Which is why they informally call the course ‘the whale’. They should formalise it, because The Whale parkrun is a much better name. By the way, I thought Ruchill was pronounced ‘roo-chll’. No, it’s ‘ruckle’, like buckle. Just as well I didn’t ask for directions.

At the main briefing, where the lack of a PA system was not helped by chatty regulars at the back, there was absolutely no shout out for tourists, even though I’d mentioned it to the Run Director at the end of the first timers welcome. No opportunity for me to claim line honours for the furthest travelled. I’m asking for a refund.

The RD gave very sensible advice about the 3-lap course; if you’re a first-timer take it easy on the first lap so you know what you’re dealing with. I didn’t. Off we went, straight uphill for about 400m, which felt like 4km, but worth it for the expansive view of Glasgow from the top. As usual I ran like a puppy for the first hill, and then realised my mistake and suffered the rest of the course.

After that initial climb it was a short sharp drop, then a stretch with a slight incline, then a short sharp rise, and this marked the completion of the body of the whale. Then back past the start in the opposite direction, a sharp left turn and another straight gradually rising, and a sharp steep right turn to head back towards the start. That was one lap. I was Done After One but I had to press on because it’s parkrun, right? I figured that now I knew the course layout, it would be easier. Nope. I’d had no time to recover from the hills when here I was on the main climb again. This course is like Escher’s staircase. Even though there were downhill bits there was no benefit from them; everything felt uphill to my legs.

On completion of the second lap, I called for a priest.

The last lap was just the body of the whale and no tail, which I think the priest had organised for me.

I’m told that Ruchill parkrun is not the hilliest parkrun in Glasgow, being out-hilled by Drumchapel parkrun and Queen’s parkrun, but it was definitely hilly enough for me. On reflection I shouldn’t have run the 2.5k up the hill to get there, but I was running late (pun intended).

Shout out to the great volunteers who were generous with their time and encouragement, a reminder that the parkrun phenomenon is anchored on voluntary effort by local people.

Visit Glasgow; they have many parkrun choices and you’ll be sure to have a whale of a time.

Volunteers needed for Torrens parkrun this Saturday!

This Saturday, 22 August, will be the 692nd running of the mighty Torrens parkrun.

Every week, a great bunch of volunteers give up a little bit of their Saturday morning to make parkrun happen. Without volunteers, there simply isn’t an event, so we’d love to fill a few spots for this week:

⏱️ Timekeeper – timing everyone as they cross the finish line
📍 Marshal – The Zoo Bridge (upper position)
📍 Marshal – The Zoo Bridge (lower position)

All of these roles are easy, fun and a great way to see a different side of parkrun. You still get to be part of the morning, cheer everyone on and generally enjoy the atmosphere that is 8am on a Saturday.

If you can help this Saturday, please let us know. And if this week doesn’t work but you’re available to volunteer another week, we’d love to hear from you too.

You can reply here, send us a Messenger message, or email [email protected].

Thanks to everyone who volunteers. You’re the reason 691 events have happened, and counting.

Big thanks to this group who helped to make the 691st running of the mighty Torrens parkrun a thing.

We’re always on the hunt for more vollies, so if it’s been a while, or never, please get in touch and we can get you onto the volunteer roster at a near-future event. All the things that need doh g are fun and simple, with no qualifications needed.

This weeks’s bunch are looking fabulous, and waving to Ojo who is away in 🇨🇦 or 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿.

Torrens parkrun #690 has been run and done! There may have been some moisture around but as we all know it never rains at Torrens parkrun!!!

A huge thanks to these legend that braved the ‘favourable’ conditions, our event doesn’t happen without your amazing support.

Every parkrun on our little rock hurtling through the black abyss of space only happens because tremendous folk such as these give up a small portion of their time to re-establish just how awesome they are. Many thanks for getting involved and long may it continue.

If you’d like to help at Torrens parkrun or any parkrun for that matter you’ll always be most welcome! All you need is a ‘can do’ attitude and a friendly disposition - you’ll fit right in 😉

Have a great weekend all you parkrun legends and till next time - don’t you go changin!!!

Still looking for a finish tokens person and a funnel manager for tomorrow’s event. Anyone available?

Be like these folk!
We need volunteers for this Saturday, so be like the awesome volunteers who brought you last Saturday’s event, and get involved. We need a finish tokens person, a tailwalker, funnel manager, and course marshals. Make a comment here if you can help us out, or email us torrens(at)parkrun(dot)com. And you get to be involved in the LEGENDARY volunteer team pic, where least Saturday these folk were channeling the Commonwealth Games