A Kesgrave parkrunner celebrating his first anniversary of taking part in the event has spoken about how running has dramatically improved his life.

Ipswich Star: Ray Challoner from Ipswich showing how much weight he has lost since completing his first Kesgrave parkrun just one year ago Picture: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERSRay Challoner from Ipswich showing how much weight he has lost since completing his first Kesgrave parkrun just one year ago Picture: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERS (Image: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERS)

If all the London Marathon hype has got you wanting to give running a go the story of Ray Challoner, who works in HR at Primark in Ipswich, will definitely inspire you to try your local parkrun.

Ray, who turns 60 next February, completed his first ever parkrun a year ago after thinking he should “lose some of the 22 stone I was carting around.”

He said: “ On April 21 last year I did the Kesgrave parkrun, it was the first time I had ever run in my life.

“I walked and jogged around the 5K course, it was struggle but I thought once I had done it once again I could do it again.”

One year after his first parkrun he has shed six stone and cut down his running time by more than 10 minutes.

Ray has definitely caught the parkrun bug and has completed runs across Suffolk including at Sizewell and Felixstowe.

Ipswich Star: As well as running the Kesgrave parkrun, Ray has run parkruns at Sizewell and Felixstowe Picture: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERSAs well as running the Kesgrave parkrun, Ray has run parkruns at Sizewell and Felixstowe Picture: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERS (Image: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERS)

He now runs with the Rushmere Community Runners on a regular basis and is incredibly proud of recently completing the Brighton Marathon.

Last weekend Ray motivated his fellow Kesgrave parkrunners by showing them the 4XL t-shirt he wore before his first parkrun and comparing it with the XL athletic t-shirt he now runs in.

GPs across Suffolk have now started prescribing parkruns - an idea that Ray wholeheartedly backs saying; “It encourages you to pick up a healthy lifestyle, it’s improved my life no end.

Before his first parkrun Ray weighed 22 stone - he now weighs 16 stone. His speed has also improved dropping down from 38 minutes to 25 minutes to complete the 5K.

On the Saturday that Ray marked his year anniversary, parkrun smashed their Suffolk record with 3,000 participants crossing the finish line across the county.In a few weeks Kesgrave parkrun will be celebrating their 250th event. Parkrun is a volunteer led event which takes place across the UK at 9am on a Saturday.

Ipswich Star: Ray left with some of his fellow Rushmere Community Runners Picture: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERSRay left with some of his fellow Rushmere Community Runners Picture: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERS (Image: RUSHMERE COMMUNITY RUNNERS)