Hundreds run, walk and jog as Sandringham parkrun on royal estate celebrates 100th event

Hundreds ran, jogged and walked their way around royal parkland at the weekend as Sandringham parkrun celebrated its 100th event.

The free, timed weekly 5k run welcomed 237 participants of all ages, abilities and walks of life to the Royal Sandringham Estate to celebrate 100 parkruns there on Saturday.

The event, which started back in September 2021, has over that time amassed 5,453 finishers, 425 volunteers, and the finish line has been crossed 17,758 times.

Among those who took part on Saturday was Phil Williamson, who fittingly completed his 100th parkrun at the event, and achieved a personal best time too.

59-year-old Phil’s love of running was sparked by the start of Sandringham parkrun two years ago.

“The only reason I started was because of Sandringham,” he told the Lynn News.

“I had an injury a while ago which resulted in spinal fusion and I lost my fitness and put on weight.

“I got knocked off my bike by a deer and broke my arm. I needed to get out after Covid and regain my fitness and I found parkrun.

“It’s an addiction, and you’ve got these parkrunners who go round with you, they are such an inspiration.”

Over the two years, Phil has also convinced his wife and son to come along with him – and he’s also tried out other parkrun events and helped ensure they happen by volunteering.

He added: “I’m not a runner but I am a parkrunner.”

Also completing the two-lap course, which takes in woodland via tarmac and trail paths, was Sophie Hansell.

Her run marked two years to the day since she started her treatment for breast cancer at Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Sophie is hoping to set up a monthly ‘5k Your Way, Move Against Cancer’ event in conjunction with Sandringham parkrun.

“I was keen to stay active during my treatment (as I had read that this would help with side effects and recovery), and found ‘5k Your Way’, which is run by an organisation called the ‘Move Charity’, who promote exercise when living with and beyond cancer,” she said.

“It’s described as ‘a support group with a difference’ and is a ‘community-based initiative’ to encourage those living with and beyond cancer, families, friends and those working in cancer services to walk, jog, run, cheer or volunteer at a local ‘5k Your Way’ parkrun event on the last Saturday of every month.”

Sophie said she had not been to a parkrun event before heading along to the then-nearest ‘5k Your Way’ in Bury St Edmunds back in July 2022.

She is now hoping to set one up at Sandringham, as she says there are strong links between the hospital and existing people involved in the parkrun.

“I am keen to continue promoting the benefits of exercise/physical activity for people affected by cancer,” Sophie added.

She is hoping to set this up soon, but in the meantime, anyone interested can contact the organisation here: https://5kyourway.org/contact-us.

Sandringham parkrun itself officially started back in September 2021 - with help from parkrun ambassador Bridget Plowright – but it had been years in the making.

Co-event director Sarah Byatt, whose husband Paul and daughter Megan were also volunteering on Saturday, said: “We started looking in 2018/2019 and were all ready to get Sandringham parkrun off the ground in May 2020, but Covid-19 stopped it, and all parkruns were stopped globally.”

On September 18, 2021, the first Sandringham parkrun was held, and has only been halted on a few occasions since due to high winds and when the Royal Estate went into an official period of mourning following the Queen’s death in 2022.

Some highlights during that time have included when parkrun’s founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt visited on New Year’s Day in 2022, and there was a bumper crowd of 317 during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend last year.

Sarah said the parkrun enjoys a “lovely community” of all ages – Saturday saw a woman in her 80s take part as well as a youngster aged eight.

It’s not just the physical health aspects, but also the mental health benefits that keep people coming back each week, she added.

And it’s thanks to the volunteers – including many who are taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme – that the event is able to happen.

Linda Smith started volunteering at Sandringham last year and said it helped her deal with anxiety regarding being in groups after Covid-19.

Sarah said: “Linda absolutely loves volunteering, she now volunteers every week and it has changed her life.”

Anyone interested in volunteering in the future is asked to email sandringham@parkrun.com.

For more information, visit https://www.parkrun.org.uk/sandringham/