'How Redditch Parkrun community got me through my first 5k'

Joe Baker, from Redditch, ran his first 5k at a Parkrun event

The leader of Redditch Borough Council has said the Parkrun community helped him get through his first 5k run.

Joe Baker took on a Couch to 5k challenge, which culminated in running the Arrow Valley Parkrun, raising money for charity.

The free weekly events, held at more than 2,000 locations in 22 countries, have been running for 20 years, with groups celebrating the anniversary on Saturday.

"I had a stroke about seven years ago, so mobility is limited sometimes," he told the BBC.

"I thought, you know what, I’ve got to do it," he said, "show that no matter what happens in life if you put your mind to it you can do it."

"When you’ve had a stroke, some people think you can't do things."

Mr Baker completed nine weeks of training with local running group Redditch STARS before doing the 5k event.

"I was doing the first lap and I thought: 'Oh my goodness, this is going to kill me',"

"All the STARS are there saying: 'Come on Joe, you can do it'

"The volunteers were there, they helped, they supported, they encouraged you."

'All walks of life'

As well as getting support from volunteers and spectators, he added that other runners helped too.

"People were running with you, talking to you, you were getting to talk to people about their life stories," he said.

"It's people of all walks of life, and all shapes and sizes.

"I would recommend anybody to do it.

Mr Baker raised £300 in total for the Stroke Association.

"You don’t need to be Arnold Schwarzenegger or Zola Budd," he said, adding: "If you think of Sloth from The Goonies, that was probably what I was like, but I did it."