Sunrise-on-Sea parkrun finds a new home

CAROL WATHEN

A new starting point at Rainbow Seedlings drew 115 parkrunners and parkwalkers for the first event on the revised route of the Sunrise-on-Sea parkrun.

The great turnout made the first event at Rainbow Seedlings a memorable one.

The move from the much-loved Murambi Roses, which has hosted the start of the parkrun for more than 14 years, marks a new chapter for an event that has become a firm favourite with the local community.

Despite the wet and muddy conditions following heavy rainfall, participants embraced the new course.

They enjoyed spectacular views of the sea and surrounding farmland as they made their way around the revised route.

The change follows alterations necessitated by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that affected parts of the country earlier this year.

The new route currently covers approximately a third of the course which was used before the changes, while allowing the event to retain its much-loved Sunrise-on-Sea name.

For regular participants, 649 is a number that carries plenty of meaning, representing the event’s long-running history and the many Saturday mornings shared by the Sunrise-on-Sea parkrun community.

In true parkrun spirit, the move also brought members of the community together.

Organisers and volunteers worked behind the scenes to prepare the new starting point and ensure everything was ready for the first event.