Former Mayor and running veteran celebrates 20 years of Park Run

FORMER Mayor of Warrington and running veteran Geoff Settle was on hand with other volunteers to help celebrate 20 years of Park Run.

Now one of a number of dedicated park run volunteer marshals at the Warrington Park Run in Victoria Park, Geoff is a big advocate of the free weekly event which attracts runners and walkers of all abilities.

Speaking after Saturday’s 20th birthday run Geoff said: “Parkrun has been a great joy for me although I’ve only run 28 events across the country, but I’ve done almost 200 events as a marshal.

“My best 5km time on the track was back in the late 1980 at the annual Warrington Athletic Club Championships in a time of something like 14.45 and I was by no means the fastest of Bert Quennell’s group, what a great coach.
“Several years ago, I ran it in a time of 30 minutes but a few years later I was barely doing it under the hour, but I was encouraged all the way by the tail runner on two occasions whilst on holiday in Cornwall. I was a spent force but didn’t know why.
“My Parkrun times, aches and pains below the waist took me to the doctors after a yoga teacher and a physio told me politely to go away, they couldn’t help me. Go and see your GP there is something up with your hips. They are the source of your problems.
“The x-rays showed that my hips were totally worn out and I needed replacement ones.
“I’ve new hips now and they are brilliant. However, I then suffered from the worst Bipolar episode I’ve ever had, and it lasted 18 months for other reasons. I’d turned to being a marshal but when bad thoughts kicked in, I couldn’t even get out of my bed on a Saturday morning. When the dark side kicks in it’s hard and I’m saying that as a BipolarUK Peer Group Support Facilitator who has 8 years’ experience of helping people. I had to listen to my own advice.
“Fortunately, another negative event triggered a positive Bipolar mood, and I returned to marshal at Victoria Park and a fantastic reception from Huw Jones race Director and the lads and lasses who marshal that I will never forget.
“As a marshal you cheer and motivate everyone from the great and good of the town like Simon Maron, Charlotte Nichols and Gary Skentelbery to people who are just walking/running the course for the first time. Like me they are taking up to and over an hour.
“So please take part as a walker, runner, pushing your baby around or be a marshal and enjoy the comradery and wonderful atmosphere.”