The first parkrun in the Eastern Cape and fourth in SA was started at Nahoon on August 11 2012, and this Saturday sees the launch of the Orient Beach parkrun almost 14 years later.
Both venues have historical interest to the Eastern Cape, which grew at first through a seventh in SA at Sunrise-on-Sea, followed by St Francis Bay, Hobie Beach 300km down from the Orient and Kidds Beach.
All are still operational except Nahoon, which is a bit of a Hardy Boys annual in storytelling.
The same man who launched and has nurtured Sunrise-on-Sea with total dedication, appointing superb organising teams, Danie Bessinger, has been part of the spadework outfit at Orient.
For many who grew up with Orient Beach as a focal point of December family holidays, the hiring of tents for a family, picnics, concerts at the old outdoor Orient Theatre, body surfing et al, the parkrun could be considered a “homecoming” to their youth and family outings in a much changed and improved SA when it comes to interpersonal relationships.
Holidaymakers should also relate to the area, as will many runners, cyclists, open-water swimmers and, of course, Ironman competitors, not to mention those who were at school in the days of galas at the old Quanza swimming pool.
Running across the sand takes the runners to the first swimming pool. Then follows a right turn along a barrier wall between the complex and the Indian Ocean
The inaugural event, like most parkruns, starts at 8am inside the Orient Pool complex. Entrance will be at the gate closest to the Wimpy, with an 80m walk to the start.
The course is a two-lap affair and is run past the Orient Theatre to the historical pier, where runners turn left, at the mouth of the harbour, onto the pier. At the farthest point, they will be turned around the beacon and then back to turn right onto the road at the pavilion. Another right turn takes them onto the beach where the Ironman swim ended.
Running across the sand takes the runners to the first swimming pool. Then follows a right turn along a barrier wall between the complex and the Indian Ocean. A paved pathway to the Wimpy wall, a left turn onto the grass section, and back onto the Orient road past the start for a second lap, which turns left at the Ironman ramp and much of the same until the finish is reached.
Bessinger said they are expecting a large field boosted by those who have had no parkrun home since the demise of Nahoon, iMonti and Thoboshane, with this being an opportunity to make a comeback.
The first women home at Nahoon and Sunrise-on-Sea were Stephanie Smith and Karen Davis. Smith often came first in the 84 parkruns she ran, while Davis has been an every week runner since her first and now has 542 completed, with more first-place finishes worldwide than virtually anybody else.
It is going to be an interesting morning, which may further revive the interest in parkrun locally.
Daily Dispatch
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