Leeds 1st Pride parkrun
As I write this, I am sat at home with a smile on my face remembering this morning’s Leeds Frontrunners takeover of Woodhouse Moor parkrun in celebration of Leeds Pride….
The weather was not very typically British and therefore the sun shone upon us and the 420 runners that took part.
The atmosphere was set with rainbow flags, bunting, balloon arch, whistles and a megaphone (luckily not at the same time!) and not to forget the Leeds Frontrunners mascot Owl….
After the volunteer briefing by our Run Director, we were off to complete the race briefing whereby Claire introduced the Leeds Frontrunners, explained why we were there and wished everyone a happy 10th Leeds Pride anniversary.
Then everyone was off…. The volunteers retreated back to their positions in anticipation of the first runners crossing the line and it was certainly the calm before the storm! A little daunting for most of us who had not volunteered before or where we had completed other roles, but as they say, it’s always good to leave your comfort zone!
The finishers were given Leeds Pride parkrun t-shirts, which are a fantastic keepsake. It was great to see so many people changing from their running gear into the t-shirts as they all left to go home.
For me personally, it was great to be part of this awesome event that complimented the ethos of parkrun and coinciding with Leeds Pride as two fully inclusive and friendly events. It seemed the perfect partnership.
It is amazing how far Leeds Frontrunners have come since they were re-established in 2015 and, having just celebrated their first birthday, it proved how far the group has come with the dedication of its members. It’s going from strength to strength.
Leeds Frontrunners grace the parade at Leeds Pride on the Sunday – the club have received an influx of interest and new runners over the weekend
Ultimately, this would not ever have been possible without the Woodhouse Moor parkrun team who agreed to allow the Leeds Frontrunners to take over the event, which, coupled with the hard work of the dedicated committee, allowed us all to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Leeds Pride with the first ever Leeds Pride Run.