Parkrun to attract 'alphabeters' in search of letter Q

BBC News

28-03-2025

The organiser of a new Parkrun believes it could attract people from far and wide because of its obscure name.The 5km (3-mile) event at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, is the first in the town.Robin Harrison said it would appeal to people hoping to complete the "A to Z of Parkruns", because venues beginning with the letter Q are rare."Alphabeters" are enthusiasts who seek to finish Parkruns starting with all 26 letters, for example from Aberdeen to Zielony Jar, Poland.
According to Mr Harrison there are only two other "Qs" in England.The 64-year-old running enthusiast, who also volunteers at Parkruns in Lincoln, said he "liked to help others"."If I can make people happy and they enjoy it, that's good enough for me."
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Mr Harrison said it was "absolutely wonderful" to have a course in Horncastle after spending about five years finding the ideal location.The course features four laps around the school's grass playing fields, with runs every Saturday at 09:00.Parkrun started in London in 2004 as a weekly "free-for-all" 5km event. There are now more than 1,200 around the world.The events rely on volunteers, with more than 400,000 helping to organise runs in the UK.People of all ages and abilities gather on Saturday mornings, with a start time of 09:00 or 09:30, depending on the location.Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.