When Invercargill parkrun started in February 2017 it became the world’s most southerly parkrun.
It held on to the title until October 2019 when Cape Pembroke Lighthouse parkrun started in the Falkland Islands.
Titles are arbitrary in parkrun world, regardless of geography, Invercargill parkrun is a parkrun not to be missed.
Like most parkruns, Invercargill parkrun gave me the opportunity to explore a part of the country that I had not yet visited. Until this trip the furthest south I’d been to was Dunedin (pre-parkrun).
Pre-amble
I arrived in Invercargill on New Year’s Eve and was met at the airport by parkrun event director Liz Henry. We went for a walk around Queen’s Park, where parkrun is held, and I could instantly see the attraction of parkrun here.
I would have to wait until January 2 to experience it as Balclutha parkrun was our New Year’s Day destination.
parkrunday
It was a cool morning but luckily no rain (New Year’s Day having been wet for both Invercargill and Balclutha parkruns).
We drove to the park, only a few minutes from the city centre. It was only on leaving that I noticed the Bert Munro statue so no pic of that.
After a first timers’ briefing (there were tourists from Lower Hutt, Dunedin and Queenstown) and the run briefing, we assembled at the start line beside the duckpond it freezes over in winter!).
Queen’s Park
The course is a lap of Queen’s Park with several twists and turns (and one tiny out and back dog-leg).
Underfoot it’s a mix of gravel and sealed footpath. On a dry day I’d imagine it very fast.
It’s a beautiful course, running past a bandstand, rose garden and many golfing greens (there is a golf course in the park).
There’s also a statue of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, which prompted me to suggest to Liz that they twin with Peter Pan parkrun in the UK.
You run down the avenue on your way to the finish and turn left at the statue to the finish.
parkfaff
With it being a Stat Day the usual parkrun cafe The Cheeky Llama wasn’t open, but there was a coffee cart instead.
It was great to hang around at the finish chatting with other parkrunners but the wind soon picked up.
After a shower and then a breakfast barbecue (Liz really did know how to make our visit to Invercargill memorable) we headed to Bluff.
It was a blustery day, definitely not we had expected from summer in the south, but regardless, it’s been an adventure.
I flew to Invercargill with Air New Zealand from Rotorua airport via Christchurch. I stayed at Ibis Styles on Tay St.
Meals were enjoyed at Speights Ale House, Lone Star and Hell Pizza.