Runner, 80, vows to keep going after 500th Parkrun

Ray Evans (front) said he got a great response when he completed his 500th Parkrun

An 80-year-old man who has completed his 500th Parkrun has vowed to keep on going until he "can't do it any more".

Ray Evans, from Bedford, crossed the finish line at Bedford Park on 31 December, with a time of 35 minutes and 15 seconds.

He started running in the 1970s and joined the weekly 5km (3.10 mile) event in October 2011.

He said getting a rapturous applause "was a surprise" and it was "something I'll remember for the rest of my life".

Barry Thompson (left) who ran behind Ray said it was a "tremendous achievement" and he "totally deserved the applause of the crowd"

Mr Evans, who has been a member of Bedford Harriers since 1987, runs about four times a week.

"I've been running for 40-odd years it seems strange if I stop, so I'll keeping going until I can't do it anymore," he said.

"I might walk around eventually, but you never know."

Ray has run the London Marathon twice

He completed four marathons in the 1980s and said he now runs up to six miles (9.66km) in a session, but enjoys running the Parkrun distance on Saturdays.

"It's the social side; you don't feel under any pressure and I like to keep fit and it's a way of making friends," he said.

"You see a lot of the old faces and have a good old chin-wag."

Achieving the 500 milestone was "amazing" although during the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, he said he ran 62 "unofficial" routes of the Bedford Parkrun, as part of his daily exercise.

"I would get to the park at 09:00 and follow the course as normal, so I did 62 non -Parkruns too," he said.

"The best part of running is when it's over - I always feel better afterwards."

Ray runs between four and six miles several times a week on top of his weekly Parkrun, he said

The Bedford Parkrun organisers said Mr Evans was a "constant" and his achievement was "no mean feat" and one that he shared with the 386 other runners who took part that Saturday, which was the 523rd Parkrun event in Bedford Park.

"He is a friend to all," organisers said.

"Ray is an inspiration to many and we look forward to the helping him achieve his next 500."

Paul Woodward is just a few runs short of hitting his 500th Parkrun goal

Mr Evans said he was not the only accomplished Parkrunner in the county as Paul Woodward, 53, is due to run his 500th Parkrun at Great Denham, just outside Bedford, on 21 January.

Mr Woodward said it had taken him nearly 13 years to get close to his milestone.

"I just run for fun and keep the weight off as I do love to eat," he said.

"My challenge this year will be to get back to a 20-minute Parkrun again, as I was five seconds short last year with 21:04."

Mr Woodward said Ray's 500th Parkrun was a "phenomenal achievement" and he hoped he would still be running at his age.