ALMOST 200 runners helped celebrate the fifth anniversary of Ross-on-Wye’s Parkrun on Saturday morning.

The event has been staged at the Sports Centre in Wilton and over the past five years and during this time it has welcomed over 14,500 runners to the riverside course.

The Ross Parkrun has also been supported by some 3,000 volunteers who set up, marshal the event, time keep and wind down afterwards.

A core of 100 runners participates in the Parkrun locally every week, but the event has peaked at 300 runners in the past.

For the first time in the event’s staging locally, a number of pacers were introduced to help with eventers to achieve specific times and improve their personal best records.

At Saturday’s anniversary run, numerous anniversary cakes were donated to the organisers to help celebrate the occasion after the race had been completed.

Cat Lane, a spokeswoman for Ross Parkrun, who has been involved with the organisation for nine years, said: “We’ve faced a number of challenges over the years. Parkrun has survived the pandemic restrictions and the flooding of the fields where we hold the event.

“During the pandemic we introduced a virtual run, where people ran at home and recorded their times. And when it floods we re-locate to Peterstow. Today’s anniversary event is the 146th Parkrun in Ross.

“Last year we introduced a ‘Ross-on-Wye Golden Baton which runners have taken with them to other Parkruns and running events all over the World.”

The five-kilometre course begins on the cricket field adjacent to the sports club and winds its way onto the Nine Acres field. The second lap takes runners alongside the River Wye, which is part of the John Kyrle Circular Walk.

While it’s not a race, teenager Theo Wassall was the first runner to complete the course and in a time of 18.02 minutes.