There was a sea of green moving through the Queenstown Gardens on Saturday morning.
More than 200 people made their way to the popular Queenstown Parkrun as it turned 250 at the weekend, and organisers celebrated the big day with a green costume party and cake.
The growing international running craze features a free, weekly, timed 5km run around the town’s local gardens.
Parkrun organisers (and partners) Chris and Jamie Seymour set up the event in 2018 after moving to the resort town from Sydney, Australia, a city where park running was part of the culture.
Mr Seymour said he never expected the event to gain as much traction as it did.
"We had no idea how many people would come to our park run every week," he said.
"I mean, it started out we'd have 30 to 40 people.
"Now we're averaging between 150 to 200 people."
Ms Hawkes first started when she lived in Auckland but had completed 150 of her 250 5km runs with the Queenstown group.
"I did my first one and I hated it.
"I just thought, ‘This is awful. Why would anyone do this on a Saturday morning?"’ Ms Hawkes said.
"And then gradually, I just got a little bit more hooked, and you get the email each week with your results and it becomes a habit."
— Rhyva Van Onselen
