MANSFIELD — Snow blanketed North Lake Park, where a handful of people gathered on Saturday to participate in parkrun.

This weekly 5K, first introduced to Mansfield almost a year ago, typically draws about 20 people, according to Steve Crane, co-director of the program. Steve and his wife, Karen, were instrumental in launching the first parkrun in Mansfield.

Parkrun is an internationally recognized run that first began in 2004 with 13 runners in Teddington, United Kingdom and was introduced to the U.S. eight years later in Livonia, Michigan.

It costs nothing to participate and anyone is welcome to participate, regardless of age or ability.

The Cranes were introduced to parkrun in Australia — Steve’s homeland.

“It’s very, very popular there,” he said.

The Mansfield parkrun takes place every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. (October through April) and 8 a.m. (May through September) at North Lake Park. The down-and-back route traverses the Richland B&O Trail.

Parkrun is sponsored by the Mansfield Parks Department, the Richland County Park District (B&O Trail) and Richland Public Health’s Creating Healthy Communities grant. It is organized entirely by volunteers. Email mansfieldohhelpers@parkrun.com to help.

As proven on Saturday, the run is held even in chilly or snowy weather. Steve said it was canceled just once this year because of icy conditions. Check the Facebook page to see if the run is canceled. 

Though it’s called parkrun, that shouldn’t deter anyone who wants to walk.

“That’s one of the things that we’re trying to emphasize,” Steve said.  “This is not about running, per se. It’s a community, healthy lifestyle kind of event. It’s about participation, and we probably have as many walkers as we do runners.”

Most of Saturday’s participants said they appreciate the community aspect of parkrun.

“I love everyone here,” said Gretchen Schmidt, a junior at Ontario High School. “Everybody is so supportive. Sometimes there’s a little bit of competition, but it’s a nice kind of competition.”

Schmidt learned about parkrun from fellow Ontario junior, Isaac Baldridge, who also braved the cold weather on Saturday. Both Schmidt and Baldridge run cross country.

“I felt great today,” said Schmidt, who didn’t mind the snow. “I actually like the snow. I was kind of nervous at first, but it was really fun.”

Baldridge was the first to finish Saturday.  

He joined the high school’s cross country team this past season to stay in shape for baseball and grew to enjoy running, he said.  

“I love the people that run with (parkrun), and it just gives me something to do every week,” he said.

Not far behind Baldridge was Jon Fulwider of Mansfield.

He’s used to running in all types of weather, his favorite being a warm rain. His second favorite is extreme heat with high humidity. “Because I can run the same distance and get twice the workout,” he reasoned. “That’s how my brain works.”

Fulwider holds the record for completing the most Mansfield parkruns, with Saturday marking his 32nd time.

“I’ll probably do it until the day I die,” he said, adding that if that were to be the case, he’d die one happy man. 

For more information on Mansfield parkrun, visit www.parkrun.us/mansfieldoh/.