Paul Bernardo

Hi, I’m Paul and I’m the club Treasurer.

I joined the club in 2019, although I’ve been running since 2011. Before joining, I mostly ran on my own — usually from work at lunchtime — and had only managed the odd 10K. My son actually joined first, in the Junior section, after Pat Wood spotted him running at Nostell Parkrun. Not long after that, I decided to join the main club myself.

Becoming a member opened up a whole new side of running for me. Meeting and running with other people taught me things I’d never really thought about before, and it gave me the inspiration and confidence to push on to longer distances — something I doubt I’d have done on my own.

Thanks to the wide range of events the club offers or signposts, I’ve taken part in many races over the years and inevitably improved. I’ve taken my parkrun time from over 30 minutes down to just over 21 on my best day, and I’ve now completed all distances up to and including several marathons.

From day one, I’ve found the club to be inclusive, friendly, and encouraging. I genuinely look forward to my two weekly visits — not just for the runs, but for the chance to catch up with everyone.”