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<\/p>\nThousands of people have taken part in Christmas\u00a0Day\u00a0parkruns across the island of Ireland.<\/p>\n
Many sported Santa hats and wore festive-themed costumes as they participated in the events which have become a seasonal favourite in the running calendar.<\/p>\n
The parkrun, which usually takes place on a Saturday morning, is a free, timed 5k run organised and staffed by volunteers.<\/p>\n
The festive events have become particularly popular, with the number of participants much higher than for the weekly runs.<\/p>\n
At Stormont in east Belfast, the event broke its participation record, passing 1,000 for the first time.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s record 790 runners was easily beaten, with a bumper field of 1,152 taking part.<\/p>\n
Festive music playing through loudspeakers reverberated around the estate, while crowds of supporters cheered the runners as they passed.<\/p>\n
Race director Marianne Hood said Stormont was becoming the place to go on Christmas morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s now becoming a tradition,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many people, I think that they\u2019re hearing about it, and then they\u2019re wanting to come this year to see what it was like because they\u2019ve heard of people from last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd this is the third year in a row that we\u2019re going to have set records. And I think the atmosphere is so brilliant. Everybody dresses up and it\u2019s so much craic.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I think just people are hearing more about Stormont Parkrun as the destination to go for Christmas Day.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThe atmosphere is brilliant. It\u2019s so fun. Nobody cares about their time.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody cares that they\u2019re backed up the avenue waiting to get their token.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just really, really good for families. Really good for friends and friend groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s everybody taking selfies, everybody\u2019s taking photographs of each other. It\u2019s brilliant. The atmosphere is class.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of those crossing the finishing line was Irish former Olympic rower Eugene Coakley.<\/p>\n
\u201cChristmas morning and 1,000 people, I believe, are here \u2013 there\u2019s nowhere better you\u2019d want to be than in Stormont park having a parkrun, it\u2019s brilliant,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been up all morning opening presents, but to get out and get a bit of fresh air and run around the park is brilliant.\u201d<\/p>\n
At Wallace Park in Lisburn, 713 runners packed on to the course, beating the previous Christmas Day attendance record by almost 100.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Run director Jonathan Davis said there was a sense of community around parkrun which seemed to strike a chord at Christmas.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe had 624 runners here last year. They were queuing to finish this year, which has never happened before, so we are well above that today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is such a massive community event. People wouldn\u2019t turn up here if they didn\u2019t want to, particularly on Christmas morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt brings people together in a way that very few other things can do and I think it is something we should cherish.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been going here in Wallace Park since 2013. We are doing something right, we are very lucky to have an incredible team of volunteers that turns up here every single week.\u201d<\/p>\n
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