DESPITE the unseasonal drizzly Saturday morning conditions, 97 runners took part in Barry Island parkrun number 67, including 19 first time visitors and representatives from 12 different athletics clubs.

A full team of 23 volunteers provided the organisation and vocal support under the direction of outgoing run director, Kirstine Hughes.

Before the start of this week’s run, her last as a run director, Kirstine was presented with a surprise bouquet of flowers from her fellow directors for her contribution to making Barry Island parkrun such a success.

Co-event director Lyn Evans commented: “Kirstine has been part of the Barry Island parkrun core volunteer team right from the outset and was one of the original group of seven run directors who set things up last year. She’s volunteered in all sorts of official roles at 53 of the 66 parkruns so far - and, equally importantly, is our unofficial master cake maker, providing superb cakes for all our parkrun special occasions.

"She joined us as a non-runner, but inspired by the parkrun experience and supported by members of the core team and her family, she ran her first parkrun in September last year and will soon be tackling her first half marathon in a few weeks.

"We’ll certainly miss Kirstine as part of the run director team, but are very happy that she (and those baking skills) will be carrying on as a member of the core volunteer team.”

Unusually lost for words, Kirstine commented: “A huge thank you to you all today for running and volunteering regularly, especially to my fellow run directors for keeping me going. I get up on Saturday mornings just to see those faces.”

Kirstine sent the runners on their way and when finisher number 41, Phillip Murphy, crossed the line in a new personal best time of 27:47, he became the 6,000th finisher, and clocked-up 30,000 kilometres (18,645 miles) of Barry Island parkrunning since May 2015. In total, 1,693 different runners have now taken part in at least one Barry Island parkrun.

Along with Phillip, 22 others joined him on the personal best list this week, including Ryan Price from SMR Barry in 24:57, his first time under 25 minutes; core volunteer team member Tessa Matthews, also from SMR Barry with 26:58; youngest runner of the week, Imogen Davies with 29:29;

Rhian Ryall with 29:48, breaking the 30 minute barrier for the first time and Rebecca Marytsch, going sub-40 minutes for the first time with 39:41.

First time visitor Iestyn Rhodes of Pont-y-pwl and District Runners, was first over the line this week in an impressive time of 19:06. Matthew Ryan was second in 19:53 with John Magee of Les Croupiers RC third in 20:47.

In the women’s placings, it was a one-two for veteran Penarth and Dinas Runners Lisa Cleary and Andrea Hurman. Lisa was first woman (tenth overall) over the line in 22:23, followed by Andrea. Junior runner Harriet Kehl was third in a time of 25:46.

Next week will see a club take-over of all the volunteer roles by members of Seriously Mad Runners from Barry. Many of them have only taken up running in the last year or so since the advent of Barry Island parkrun and are now regular runners and parkrun volunteers.

If you’re thinking of joining the parkrun community and are unsure of what to do, then just register with parkrun (parkrun.org.uk/register), print a barcode and go along for a run or join the volunteer team on a Saturday morning.

Barry Island parkrun is a free, weekly 5k timed run and is open to anyone of any ability - runners, joggers or walkers alike. It starts at 9am every Saturday morning, usually under the Eastern Shelter of Barry Island promenade, near the beach huts. Find out more on the run website at: parkrun.org.uk/barryisland

It takes around 20 volunteers to put on Barry Island parkrun every week and the organising team’s always on the look-out for more. Anyone wishing to help out can get in touch by sending an email to barryislandhelpers@parkrun.com.

Just like parkrunning, age is no barrier to volunteering and children, accompanied by an adult, are always welcome.