King's Lynn runner completes 250th parkrun

A Lynn runner is celebrating after completing her 250th parkrun and now has her sights set on 500.

Sue Smith continued to volunteer and sometimes even walk the 5km King’s Lynn parkrun course in The Walks while she underwent treatment for an aggressive form of breast cancer.

But, nearly 18 months after completing her treatment, she completed her milestone run last Saturday.

She said: “It was an amazing achievement to have completed my 250th parkrun. I am now going for my 500th.”

Mrs Smith, who has been a member of King’s Lynn parkrun since its inception in 2007, discovered a lump in her breast during June 2016.

After going to her GP, Mrs Smith was referred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she was diagnosed. The following month, she had a mastectomy.

She said: “It was a shock as I wasn’t expecting the news that I had cancer as I hadn’t been feeling ill. In the end I just decided to get on with it.”

Throughout her treatment, Mrs Smith was determined to stay in contact with parkrun and would either volunteer or walk the course when she felt well enough.

She said: “It was nice to stay in contact and give something back to parkrun. It is a really friendly event and no-one pushes you to be first.

“I would encourage other people to get involved and have a go. It is really friendly and encouraging event, it doesn’t matter if you walk and you don’t have to be first. Everyone is really nice and it is a great way to keep fit.”

Lynn event director Gary Walker said: “Her positive nature was a source of inspiration to all who knew her and she found the encouragement she received from fellow parkrunners a source of strength she could feed off during those dark days of treatment.

“The phrase ‘well-done Sue’ became a watch word for all who passed her and wondered whether they would have been able to cope so well with all that she had going on.”

West Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group is teaming up with King’s Lynn parkrun to support the parkrun Practice initiative, which is aimed at encouraging more patients to undertake exercise to improve their health and wellbeing.

Estimated levels of excess weight and physical activity are higher in West Norfolk than the average in England. There are also high numbers of people in West Norfolk with diabetes, which is caused by factors including diet and lifestyle.

For more information go to: www.parkrun.org.uk, email kingslynnoffice@parkrun.com or go to the Facebook page: kingslynnparkrun