Mo Farah: inspiration for a 5km world record attempt
A week on from Mo Farah winning his second Olympic gold medal in the 5,000 metres, Croydon’s runners have been playing their part in a world record attempt 5km run.
ParkRun is an outstanding, nil-cost series of weekly races staged around the country every Saturday at 9am. Locally, there are runs staged at Lloyd Park, on Roundshaw Downs and a fiendishly hilly course at Banstead Woods. Each would usually attract more than 100 participants, of all ages, in an informal race which many committed runners utilise as a regular time trial to monitor their training progress. The events often attract top-class runners, even internationals: Farah himself has been known to turn out in ParkRun events when it has suited him.
Today, ParkRun nationally is seeking to create a world record for the most people taking part in a 5km run – a little more than three miles, the sort of distance that Mo Farah can cover in less than 13min.
The runs will continue weekly as normal, but this weekend they are part of a range of free, come-and-try-it sports events, #JoinInUK, an effort to encourage more active participation in sport, inspired by the Olympic Games.
Locally, this includes:
- Free swimming sessions at Purley Pool on Saturday and Sunday (Aug 19)
- Judo sessions at the Croydon Judo Club on Morlands Road
- Basketball for all sessions every Tuesday and Thursday all year round at St Mary’s High School
- Hockey at Addiscombe HC
- Netball at Thornton Heath Leisure Centre
And, as sub-standard radio hosts down the years might have said, lots, lots more, much of it available this weekend and onwards.
Check out this website for a full listing of the various available sports sessions, many of them free, in the area, and make the most of it before Michael Gove sells off the sports fields or our council closes the public sports facilities.
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Related articles
- A nation united in joy as Mo Farah seizes glory (independent.co.uk)
- London 2012 Olympics: Gimme some Mo! Farah on course for gold double (standard.co.uk)