00:00So we're here at Wilkinson Primary School and we're with Mr. Neil and Sir, we've got a bit of a special pupil with you. Who have we got?
00:06This is Yaroslav Kristofi, one of our amazing runners.
00:10So Yaroslav, you've got quite an achievement in your park runs. Just tell us how many park runs you've done.
00:18100 park runs and how long have you been doing it?
00:21Less about two and a half years.
00:23Yeah, and what is it you enjoy about running?
00:27How it might be.
00:28It's easy to keep going and just how much effort you have to put in to complete them.
00:37You find it quite rewarding?
00:38So what is it that got you into park runs then? Does your mum do it or does your dad do it?
00:45Mainly how good the cross-country club here is and the motivation I was given.
00:52Yeah, well Mr. Neil, what a little bird tells me you do park runs yourself, don't you?
00:56Park runs, yes, but I haven't done as many as Yaroslav in such a short amount of time.
01:02So he's been an excellent pupil because we suggested it.
01:06If you want to do some extra running, why don't you go down to Blockswich Park Run?
01:10Yeah.
01:10Didn't really expect many pupils to take me up on my word.
01:14Yaroslav did with a few others, but Yaroslav then continued without stopping for approximately two and a half years
01:20to reach that massive milestone of 100 park runs, which is truly exceptional.
01:27And that's great, isn't it?
01:28Because years ago we were all kind of out and about playing,
01:30but not as many kids get out and about as they used to, do they?
01:34So it's kind of important to kind of, you know, teach kids about that.
01:39And it's nice that he's took it on board and he's doing something with it.
01:42Took it on board and made it his own because, you know, I'd have said,
01:45why don't you do a few more runs down at Park Run just to help his running.
01:49But like I said, to then go on and do 100 junior park runs,
01:54he's done other park runs as well and to truly enjoy it.
01:58And the commitment to keep going week in, week out, whatever the weather,
02:02but that just shows the commitment Yaroslav has to the running
02:05and how much he's enjoyed it all.
02:07Cool.
02:08So Yaroslav, when you do a park run, what sort of distances are you doing?
02:13The one I've reached 100 on is 1.2 miles.
02:17Okay, yeah.
02:18And do you try and kind of beat your own time?
02:21Do you have your own little competition?
02:22Yes, I try and, it's like a time trial.
02:25So I try to get a PB every week.
02:28So what's your PB then?
02:308 minutes and 19 seconds.
02:32Great stuff.
02:33So what about your family?
02:35Do they kind of come and support you?
02:39Usually...
02:39Does mum or dad come down?
02:40Dad takes me most of the time.
02:42Yeah.
02:42Mum comes most of the time as well.
02:45Have you not tried to bend dad's arm, get him in a pair of trainers,
02:48get him to go round with you?
02:50Because I tried it once.
02:51Yeah, gave up.
02:53Yeah, yeah.
02:53So you're part of a running club or an athletics club here at the school?
02:57Yes, the cross-country club.
02:59Oh, wow, okay.
03:00And what do you do?
03:02Do you compete with other schools and that sort of thing?
03:05About six times every year.
03:09Yeah, yeah.
03:10Against other schools in cross-country competitions,
03:13such as relays and just general races.
03:18Awesome.
03:18And is running your favourite sport, would you say?
03:22Yeah.
03:22Would you like to kind of do something with that, like professionally, do you think, as well?
03:27Definitely.
03:28Yeah, good stuff.
03:29Well, we wish you all the best with that.
03:30Well, well done, Mr Neil, for inspiring the next generation of athletes.
03:34And Park Run, too, because obviously they provide this free of charge,
03:38all run by volunteers,
03:40and every single weekend, Saturday and Sunday,
03:43the Park Run are organising events like this,
03:44which encourages the next generation of runners.
03:48So thank you to Park Run.
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