19/09/2026
To our amazing Perry Lakes Parkrun family,
I have to admit, standing at the start line this morning at 7:50 AM, clutching my clipboard and watching a literal wall of torrential rain fall onto the reserve, I was fully prepared to award everyone 100 volunteer points just for showing up.
Before we officially got started, the initial battle was just finding shelter. We ended up with the entire parkrun crowd desperately trying to huddle under the main park gazebo. I ended up calling out the pre-run briefing right from underneath the gazebo to the dozens of damp, huddled faces packed in like sardines.
I knew I had to break through the soggy tension, so I threw out a massive call-and-response. I asked the crowd if they were keen to run, and the absolute roar of "YES!" that bounced back off the gazebo roof was pure electricity. The energy shifted instantly.
And right on cue, the absolute magic of parkrun happened.
As that final cheer echoed across the park, the heavens shut completely. The rain stopped dead. I’ve always known the Run Director role comes with certain powers, but I didn't realize controlling the Perth meteorology department was one of them! You're welcome.
Of course, once the sky sorted itself out, the path around West Lake turned on a beautiful, crisp morning for a run. It was fantastic to see 180+ of you absolutely flying along the course, completely re-energized by the sudden turn in the weather
A massive, deeply appreciative thank you to our incredible high-vis heroes who stood out in the freezing pre-run deluge to set up the course so the rest of us could stay relatively dry. You are the absolute backbone of this event.
Dry off, empty the water out of your sneakers, and we'll see you next week at Cup & Co for well-earned coffees!
Cheers,
Your Run Director
