Great Salterns event director Kev Budd, centre, and volunteers Lou Griffin, left, and Ian Gregory Picture: Alex ShuteGreat Salterns event director Kev Budd, centre, and volunteers Lou Griffin, left, and Ian Gregory Picture: Alex Shute
Great Salterns event director Kev Budd, centre, and volunteers Lou Griffin, left, and Ian Gregory Picture: Alex Shute

Picture special: Great Salterns up and running to become Portsmouth's third parkrun event while new year figures make for good reading in events such as Southsea, Lee-on-the-Solent, Fareham and others in the area

Parkrunners headed along to Great Salterns for what was just the second staging of the recently launched event last weekend.

The Portsmouth-based 5k course, which is situated just off the Eastern Road, had 169 finishers take part in just the second running since being officially opened.

It followed on from the 238 runners who made it to the finish in the grand unveiling of the off-track course on January 22.

In fact, Great Salterns provided the setting Michael Conway opted to complete a century of parkruns, as he came home in a time of exactly 37 minutes.

Peter Newman, part of both of Great Salterns' early stagings, was the first of the 169 finishers to make it back to the Hilsea Cricket Club pavilion start and finish point in 18:11.

Emsworth Joggers’ Marjorie Huet-Martin made her maiden visit to the new Great Salterns course and was first the first female home (21:06).

n The new year numbers remain high at Southsea, with 445 finishers completing the latest event.

The hugely popular seafront course has attracted upwards of 351 runners, who have made it to the finish in each of their five stagings in 2022.

Taking on the Southsea event for the first time, Aldershot, Farham and District Athletics Club's Daniel Quinlan was first back (16:55).

Anna Smith-James, of Hedge End Running Club, led the list of female finishers who completed the Southsea 5k course, coming home in 22:02.

n Lee-on-the-Solent saw their second highest finishing numbers since the turn of the year last weekend.

Gosport Runners' Luke Willis was the first of the 430 runners who made it home - with only the New Year's Day turnout (434) eclipsing the most recent number to attend the seafront course in 2022.

Stubbington Green Runners’ was the first female to complete the latest Lee 5k event with her time of 21:04.

n Portsmouth Lakeside, now one of three parkruns in the city along with Southsea and the newly launched Great Salterns course, saw the most finishing numbers in nearly two years in the latest event.

Not since a figure of 355 took part in the Portsmouth Lakeside parkrun in February 2020 have more than the 258 runners who completed the 5k on Saturday been part of a single event.

Defence Sports and Recreation runner Christopher Pearce was the first of the 234 finishers at Fareham - the equal highest figures they have welcomed for an event in 2022.

Meanwhile, City of Portsmouth Athletics Club member Eleanor Purdue was first female and 14th finisher overall (21:33).

There were 218 parkrunners who managed to complete the latest Whiteley event while Havant had 184 finishers at their Staunton Country Park course.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.