Leah Swallow, 22, from Huddersfield, was born severely to profoundly deaf. Her self-esteem suffered, but parkrun provided her with a safe space in which to build her self-confidence
I remember my first parkrun so clearly. I was 15, and my friends encouraged me to come along to our local race in Huddersfield. I didn’t like to miss out, but I was nervous – and for reasons that had little to do with my finishing time. I was born deaf, a reality that means taking on new things can feel challenging; I never know if I’ll be able to understand what people are saying. The fact that parkrun has sign language support volunteers, who sign the full briefing at the start, is just one reason it’s such an inclusive environment. I didn’t know it when I arrived that morning, but that race marked the start of a fitness journey that’s taken me far from where I started.
With the exception of PE classes back at school, I hardly exercised before I discovered parkrun. And by the time I crossed the finish line that day, I was exhausted. But getting to know new people was a great distraction and, returning every week, it soon began to feel easier. In the years that followed, I rarely missed a weekend session. With parkrun events in 20 countries around the world, even if I was on holiday or on a day out with family or friends, we’d try the local event.
No matter where I was, I’d use the same barcode, I’d do the same distance and I’d get the same friendly welcome each time.
So when I found myself feeling lonely after leaving home for the University of Leeds in September 2019, I knew what I needed to do. One Saturday, I forced myself to go along to my new local parkrun. Sure enough, I met other students who loved running. We became good friends, and they helped me come out of my shell outside of running, too.
Like many students, my time at university was d
