Hundreds at Waterworks 5km as Parkrun celebrates 20th anniversary

Visit any big park, in any county in Northern Ireland, on a Saturday morning and you'll witness the same flourescent phenomenon.

Hundreds of shorts-wearing, wristwatch-bearing, hi-vis clad folk will be racing from the starting line of a timed 5km run.

Many will also proudly sport tops boasting the number of these runs they have completed - 20, 50, 100, even 500!

You'll also see dozens of volunteers announcing in megaphones, directing around the twists and turns of the course, and often dealing cakes and buns at the finish line when the calories have been burned.

Parkrun turned 20 today, so no doubt there will have been deserts aplenty at many of the meets.

It all began in London’s Bushy Park in 2004, and has since transformed into a global movement with more than 10 million participants across 2,500 locations worldwide.

North Belfast's Waterworks was the first location on the island of Ireland back in 2010.

Now, there are nearly 40 in Northern Ireland.

John Murphy is the Waterworks Event Director and Parkrun Regional Ambassador.

He started just four weeks into the Waterworks' Parkrun journey after sustaining a golfing injury, and soon realised he actually preferred it to golf...

"What makes Parkrun special is its inclusivity," he said.

"It’s free, open to everyone, and you don’t need to be a serious runner to take part. Whether you’re running, walking, volunteering, or just supporting, Parkrun is about bringing communities together and promoting health and wellbeing."

Catch up with the latest UTV Live on ITVX

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.