Tom Bond — Organiser
It's hard to overstate how important running has become in my life. Like a lot of people, I fell in and out of fitness at various points until I found my thing.
For me, that was OMF in Victoria Park. The mix of the fresh air, intense workouts and the accountability of a group finally made it stick.
From there, I got into Parkrun and it wasn't long before I started to officially consider myself a runner and started joining up with lots of others in the area. The benefits to my physical and mental health have been enormous. I’ve made fantastic friends and found new sources of purpose and accomplishment. I’ve also come across runners who have achieved incredible things and inspired me in all sorts of ways.
For 2025, my running goal is to organise RunFest. It’s a big, exciting (and scary) challenge. In partnership with the incredible RunFest team, partners, and supporters, I'm trying to create the kind of event that I'd love to attend.
One that combines fun, fitness, inspiration, learning, music, and friends. That has a focus on mental health and wellbeing and helps strengthen the local running community. And that gives everyone a chance to try new things while spending a weekend celebrating our shared love of running and being well.
Marion Hemsworth
Clare Hastie
Jon Arnold
