Runner completes 400th Parkrun two days before turning 70

Mr Richardson was cheered on by friends and family in Swaffham on September 2 as he completed his 400th Parkrun - just two days before of his 70th birthday.

Mr Richardson said he was delighted to have reached the milestone.

He said: “To see my wife and family waiting for me at the finish was fantastic and to have the Dereham Runners members who had finished a long time before me then accompany me for the last hundred metres was unforgettable.”  

More than 60 members of Dereham Runners Athletics Club ran, walked and volunteered at the Swaffham event to celebrate Mr Richardson's moment of glory.

John Richardson was cheered on by friends and family in Swaffham on September 2 as he completed his 400th Parkrun (Image: John Richardson)

Mr Richardson has been a club member since 1991, and many fellow members were there to cheer him over the line. 

Members of the Dereham Runners AC club with John Richardson after he finished his 400th Parkrun (Image: Mandie Thorpe)

Mr Richardson said some people had suggested he should now aim for 500 parkruns.

But he said his average of 40 runs a year means it would take him until around Christmas 2025 to reach that goal.

Mr Richardson said: “I’m not sure if my legs will last out to then.”

Although he could feasibly take part in 52 Parkruns annually - one for every week of the year - Mr Richardson spends one week a month volunteering. 

He does, however, have his eyes set on reaching 100 Parkrun venues.

He said: “I am now on 90, having run at all Norfolk's 20 Parkruns, all of Suffolk's 16 as well as 12 in Cambridgeshire, with just the new Wisbech event to run.

“Essex is a bit harder there are 24 venues and I have run at 13. It does involve early rises at 5am for a 6am departure to drive from Dereham to Parkruns at Clacton seafront, Thurrock and South Woodham Ferrers.

“I would certainly like to reach 100 events.”