Sandringham parkrun marked its 200th event and fourth anniversary on Saturday with a bumper field of 321 finishers, producing some standout performances on a landmark morning for the event.
Since the inaugural run on September 18, 2021, Sandringham has hosted 11,350 finishers, recorded 5,902 personal bests, and seen 681 different volunteers support the event, making it one of the most popular parkruns in the region.
The latest edition once again highlighted its competitive edge and Thomas Barns was first home on his Sandringham debut, stopping the clock in 18:24.
The women’s honours went to Bethany Willcox, who ran strongly to record a new PB of 21:08.
There were plenty of fast times deeper into the field, with 41 runners setting PBs and 57 first-timers tackling the Sandringham course.
A further 10 athletes made their parkrun debut, underlining the event’s continued draw for new runners.
The morning also brought a string of milestone runs.
Jessica Watts (JW10) notched her 10th parkrun, Danial High completed his 25th, while Hazel Lilly, Hannah Greenhalgh, and Sarah Salles all reached the 50-run landmark.
Paris Larham, supported by a large group from Dersingham Runners, and Katie Moyle both celebrated their 100th appearances.
Age-graded performances were powerful, with Gina Hurrell topping the standings at 78.79% and junior runner James Watts (JM11-14) registering an impressive 77.21%.
Among the finishers was James Nash, who ran before heading off to his wedding later in the day.
Runners from across the UK, including Rugby, Bishop’s Stortford, York, Morecambe, Huntingdon, Liverpool and Loughborough were joined by an international visitor from Australia to mark the occasion.
On Saturday, Sandringham will host a Macmillan Coffee Morning alongside the weekly 5k, with runners encouraged to wear green.
The event will also welcome 5k Your Way Move Against Cancer, a group supporting anyone living with or beyond cancer, along with their families, friends and health professionals.
