Yorkshire runners to take on world’s most northerly Parkrun

A man from Yorkshire who helped to set up the world’s most northerly Parkrun is preparing to welcome 150 visiting runners from the UK.

Regulars at the Pokkinen Parkrun in Finland are well used to what can be challenging conditions, with winter runs going ahead in temperatures as low as -15C (5F).

They will be joined by the visitors to their weekly run in Oulu – a city just 60 miles (100km) south of the Arctic Circle – on 28 September.

Co-founder Chris Beresford, who moved there from Huddersfield 10 years ago, said: “The environment changes depending on season. We always have at least one run in winter that is in complete darkness.”

Mr Beresford met his Finnish partner when she was doing an exchange year at Huddersfield University, and they decided to move to the city.

He said winter in Oulu could be extreme, with temperatures dropping to -25C (-13F), but it did not put the runners off.

In September temperatures in Oulu can be as low as 5C (41F), but Mr Beresford said at the moment the weather was similar to Huddersfield’s late summer.

“Winter did arrive early last year – we had our first snow in October and it stayed around till April.

“When Parkrun started I don’t think the founders thought about the fact it might spread to extreme weather countries so there was no lower temperature limit.

“We did hold an event at -20C (-4F) but I wouldn’t want to go below -15C (5F) now.

“Although runners here will run in all temperatures, the limit is for people who are standing around.”

At first, the Parkrun was based around the University of Oulu with a core group of students and researchers but it has since grown.

Mr Beresford said they now have 30 to 40 regular runners and the route covered a variety of terrains.

“The environment changes depending on season,” he said.

“We always have at least one run in winter that is in complete darkness.”

Keeping warm while exercising in cold temperatures was a sartorial challenge, said Mr Beresford.

“Dressing for cold-weather running is about layering up.

“You need a base layer, a mid-layer, a top layer and a shell – so it can be four or five layers of clothing.

“People are much slower in winter and people with asthma and lung or respiratory conditions are affected.”

But despite the cold and dark, Mr Beresford said he would not be returning to Yorkshire any time soon.

“The Northern Lights are quite a regular occurrence here. Finland’s definitely my home now, I learned the language and I’ll be staying here.

“I do miss fish and chips. The salmon is good, but we don’t get cod here.”

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