Keep fit fans in Renfrewshire are now able to join people all over the world on a run in the great outdoors.

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The ON-X Sports Centre in Linwood is playing host to a Parkrun every Saturday morning.

This free event sees people running 5k through parkland, or countryside with their times recorded, so they can monitor their progress every time they take part. Browse around this site.

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Parkruns take place on a Saturday morning in many countries around the world and are popular with people who like to exercise outdoors.

The first Linwood Parkrun – which started at the ON-X and was two laps of the scenic Linwood Moss – saw 175 runners taking part, with several visitors from outside Renfrewshire.

First crossing the line at the Linwood Parkrun was Daniel Doherty, from Greenock Glenpark Harriers in an excellent time of 17:03.

In second place was Kilbarchan AAC’s Robert McCulloch in 17:29, with Greig Glendinning, from Bellahouston Road Runners in 17:37.

The first female finisher was local girl Jennifer Rooney, from Kilbarchan AAC, in 20:02 – an excellent time considering she had run 8 miles prior to arriving at the start line. Closely behind was Hilary Robinson, from Cani-Fit in 20.07 and third home was Jayne MacNamara, from Bellahouston Harriers in 20:42.

The route is a flat course with only gentle undulations and is on a mainly hard-packed gravel trail with a shorter tarmac section. Afterwards, runners normally meet up in the ON-X Café.

Chief executive of Renfrewshire Leisure, Joyce McKellar said: “We’re fortunate to have parkland around the ON-X that can be used for running and exercising outdoors.
“We’d encourage people to come along to the Linwood Parkrun and they have some first-class facilities they can use as soon as their run is over.”

Anyone wanting to take part should log on to the Linwood Parkrun website http://www.parkrun.org.uk/linwood/course/ for more details.