Vitality & Sky bring you a series of 10 inspirational short films telling stories of people taking part in parkrun - a free 5k event that takes place every Saturday
Tuesday 23 April 2019 15:50, UK
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Jessica Ennis-Hill presents her parkrun heroes
Prepare to be inspired as Olympic legend Jessica Ennis-Hill presents a series of moving and powerful personal stories of parkrunners.
This series features people who have used running to help them through difficult times.
What is parkrun?
• parkrun UK organise free, weekly, social events.
• Did you know 1.9m people in the UK have taken part since the first event in 2004 and 284,000 have volunteered.
• All parkrun events are open to everyone, whether you walk, jog, run or volunteer.
parkrun is global phenomenon and the stories that feature here tell the accounts of 10 ordinary parkrunners who have achieved extraordinary things. I have always got so much out of sport and to hear first-hand how other people have got such positive experiences out of taking part in parkrun and the community they found within it, has been a real honour. Encouraging more people to get active is incredibly important to me and I hope people will find these stories inspiring and get themselves down to their local park and try parkrun.
Some of those challenges faced include weight loss, managing illness and mental health, and the support of parkrun has helped transform their lives.
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Presenter Hannah Wilkes gets amongst some of the passionate runners at Northala Fields to find out what makes parkrun so special
Jessica's parkrun heroes: Episodes
Episode 1 - Jo Eccles
Jo worked as a doctor’s receptionist at the Sloan practice in Sheffield. When Dr. Ollie Hart and his colleagues set up the first GP inspired parkrun in the country she was persuaded to take a leading role. This is the story of how parkrun changed her life.
Episode 2 - John Butcher
John is a veteran runner setting records into his late eighties. Together with friends Colin and Snowy this ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ running crew tour in search of new parkrun records. But running is also about dealing with the loss of John's wife.
Episode 3 - Buggsie
Buggsie is a larger than life character who loves her local Gladstone park. If she’s not appearing in disguise then she’s encouraging new parkrunners. But she is also hiding a secret that she kept from her parkrun friends which she reveals in this moving story.
Episode 4 - Rosy Ryan
Belfast based, Irish-American Rosy, is a barrister who’s full of infectious enthusiasm for parkrun and for life. She oozes positivity and a ‘can-do’ spirit. Yet behind Rosy’s smiley demeanour lies a remarkable story of tenacity that is simply inspirational.
Episode 5 - Kirsty Morley
This is the powerful story of a Warrington single mum, who learned to run - from ‘lamp post-to-lamp post’ - to support her little boy Teddy at junior parkrun. It’s also the empowering story of her struggle with mental illness.
Episode 6 - Gareth Yeoman
Welshman Gareth had struggled with his weight since his teens. He’d heard the cruel taunts, he’s even hidden away. This is about how he changed his life motivated by his love for his family. He tested his powers of endurance & his unbreakable spirit.
Episode 7 - Katie Lee
From an early age Barnsley’s Katie suffered from epilepsy. Multiple seizures held her back at school and blighted her life. Aged 18 she wrote her story and that story became this inspirational film. Don’t miss the huge, tearful surprise at the end of the film!
Episode 8 - Samuel Olara
They call themselves the ‘Ugandan crew’ and every Saturday at Burgess Park, London they bring unbounded joy to parkrun. They sing, they dance and, as Samuel explains, these former refugees see parkrun as their way of integrating and being real Londoners.
Episode 9 - George Webster
George presents a George Webster film: young, Leeds parkrunner STAR George Webster turns reporter in this touching and fun film. Don’t miss his hilarious ‘double act’ with the man known as ‘George’s dad’ or as our reporter calls him ‘George’s agent’.
Episode 10 - John MacPhee
parkrunner John lives in an idyllic part of Perthshire, Scotland. One day, in his mid-forties, he awoke to find a persistent tremor in his hand. His diagnosis led to a transformational journey that has changed his life and the people closest to him.
You can watch Jessica's parkrun heroes through Sky On Demand today, and on Sky Sports Mix from Monday, May 13.
