BETTY’S BAY – For many parkrunners, achieving a new personal best (PB) becomes increasingly challenging over time. But thanks to parkrun’s detailed statistics system, there’s another inspiring metric that keeps participants striving for excellence: the Age-Graded Score (AGS).

The AGS is a percentage that compares a participant’s performance to the world record for their age and gender, making it a fair tool for comparing runners of different ages and genders. It motivates runners to give their best, regardless of their stage in life.

A wonderful example of this can be seen in Mariëtte Burger (VM65-69), a dedicated parkrunner at the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden event, held weekly on Saturday mornings. Last Saturday, Mariëtte was celebrated for completing her 200th parkrun—a remarkable milestone—earning her enthusiastic applause from fellow participants.

Having taken part in the very first parkrun at Harold Porter in 2018, Mariëtte’s personal best time of 36:46 in that year earned her an AGS of 50.59%. This past Saturday, six years later, she achieved a time of 39:14, which resulted in an improved AGS of 52.02%. Her best AGS of 53.86% was recorded in February this year with a time of 38:13, showing how consistency and dedication can lead to progress, even over time.

Interestingly, AGS often favours older participants, as their performances are gauged against age-related benchmarks. Last Saturday’s top AGS score of 74.84% was achieved by Kerstin Jeschke (VW60-64) with a time of 26:41, followed by Harry von der Heyden (VM70-74), who recorded an AGS of 72.22% for his time of 24:25. First man home, Elai Stanley (SM20-34) received an AGS of 60.11% for his time of 21:41, which was consolably a new PB for him.

Reaching 200 parkruns is no small feat—it equates to 1,000 kilometers of running. Mariëtte believes in tackling significant challenges one step at a time: “Bit by bit, and before you know it, you’ve achieved something great,” she says. Her advice to parkrunners? Make it a habit. Let parkrun become part of your weekly routine, just as it has for her. Remarkably, Mariëtte wasn’t a keen runner in her younger years, opting instead for tennis—a sport she continues to enjoy with her family.

Volunteering: The heart of parkrun

Volunteering is an essential cornerstone of building the parkrun community. During the welcoming address on Saturday, Jean Volschenk was warmly applauded for completing her 200th volunteer duty, primarily sorting tokens—a crucial behind-the-scenes role. Her husband, Danie, achieved the same impressive milestone just a few weeks ago.

It’s heartwarming to see how many couples contribute their time together, strengthening both the parkrun family and their own bonds. Among them are Wendy and Mark Lucas, Lee and Rob Boyd, and Mary and Paul Whitelaw, to name just a few. Volunteering at parkrun truly seems to be a wonderful way to connect, contribute, and grow relationships.

Summary statistics of last Saturday’s Betty’s Bay event:

Event #281

Finishers: 213

Volunteers: 22

First Timers in Betty’s Bay: 41

Very First-time Participants: 18

New PB’s: 40

Top Results:

First Male: Elai Stanley (SM20-24) -21:41(New PB)

First Female: Kerstin Jeschke (VW60-64) – 26:41

Best AGS: Kerstin Jeschke (VW60-64)  – 74,83%

Number of Finishers with an AGS above 60%: 21

Milestones:

25 Finishes:  Josias van der Westhuizen (VM60-64), Daniël Meyer (VM70-74), and Glodina du Plooy (VW55-59),

Special Mentions

200 Finishes: Mariëtte Burger (VW65-69)

200 Volunteer duties: Jean Volschenk (VM70-74)

Most Finishes:

Patrick Saal (VM70-74): 458

Participants with 250 and more finishes: 8

Participants with more than 100 finishes but less than 250: 37