As well as footing it over the riverbank course, sometimes with enthusiastic four-legged partner Wicket, Knight is among the many volunteers who make parkrun possible.
She said she also got a buzz from visiting other parkruns, of which there are now 41 in New Zealand.
“I often pick one based on the letter it starts with,” she said.
During a recent trip to see family in Australia, Knight drove 40 minutes to Nurioopta, north of Adelaide, just to get an “N”.
And while staying on the Gold Coast last year, she and some friends left their accommodation before 6.30am to score a “Y” at Yarrabilba.
“It would be fun to complete the alphabet,” she said.
At Whanganui Riverbank, few of her fellow parkrunners have notched up as many events as David Mellsop’s 110. The primary and intermediate teacher runs or volunteers most weeks.
“I like the laid-back atmosphere. There’s no commitment and no pressure - you can just show up and it doesn’t matter whether you take 16 minutes or 60.”
The 29-year-old discovered parkrun five years ago when he was living in Hamilton. He’d finished university and, having run a lot at school, wanted to get fit again.
After giving it a go, he encouraged his Whanganui parents to join him at parkrun in Rotorua and in Western Springs. His mother Judy saw that it would be a great event for the Whanganui community - and set about founding it.
Three years on from the July 2020 launch, everyone is welcome at the birthday event, including children accompanied by an adult and dogs on leads. The 8am run and walk starts at the flags opposite 282 Taupō Quay.
It follows an out-and-back pushchair-friendly route on the walkway/cycleway, under the bridges to a marshalled turnaround near the “steel ball”. Goodies and drinks will be on offer at the finish.
To receive an official time, participants need to register online (once only and completely free) at www.parkrun.co.nz/register/. This provides a personal barcode that can be scanned at the finish of any parkrun.
