Keen Merseyside runners have been missing their fix of weekly parkrun events since the fun fixture was suspended due to the lockdown caused by the coronavirus crisis.
Some of those itching to get back in the spirit have been going to the usual parkrun event sites across Merseyside to do their own unofficial 'parkrun'.
And so by keeping the flame of parkrun alive, following nine weeks of suspension, they have prompted the question of when it might come back and what will be done to adhere to social distancing.
Organisers at parkrun explained to the ECHO that it would not comment or speculate at this stage as to when it will return.
But a parkrun spokesman added: "We have every confidence that parkrun will return and, just like the rest of the parkrun community, we look forward to that day."
And the official parkrun blog revealed (from May 19): "Restrictions are beginning to ease in many countries in which we operate, and every day the news shows society taking small steps toward reopening.
"Each update to a country’s future plans are scrutinised, and although none have yet presented clear parkrun-friendly guidelines many are moving closer to that point."
Tracey Carr, an organiser at the Huyton-based Liverpool Running Bugs club, explained that her and the 200-plus strong club that meet at Huyton Leisure Centre "can't wait" for parkrun to resume.
She told us about what's being done to help morale and spoke about whether events can be socially distanced ...
Tracey is coping without the connection to people that parkrun provides by going to parkrun sites with her husband Kieron to do their own parkrun with just themselves present.
Tracey said: "We're gutted that there are no park runs. On March 15th we were meant to be in Sicily to do the Mount Etna parkrun - there were about 40 club members going - and it was cancelled. We went to Poland in January, and we've done Nuremberg and London, so we go everywhere for parkruns - not just in Liverpool and Merseyside - and we help out so that the volunteers can take part.
"At Liverpool Running Bugs, everything is focused around parkrun. We go everywhere and we do a different parkrun every week. We celebrate if it's someone's 50th or a 100th parkrun and we have a big cake for whoever has achieved that milestone.
"And parkrun give you a T-shirt for 100, 150, 250 parkruns. We're getting a lot of 50th parkruns in our club and we'd go to a parkrun to graduate. We were due to celebrate two of the girls 50th parkrun in Sicily - it would've been amazing to do that there. We miss parkrun a lot. Parkrun is what we're about.
"Every Saturday, we would go to the events in Croxteth, Windes or Birkenhead and then we'd all go to a cafe afterwards.
"When we started our club we focused on parkrun because it's free. Races (like half-marathons) are expensive, so we made parkrun the main thing for us because it's free.
"The atmosphere is really good and people go with prams and kids. It's amazing to see people enjoy parkrun. We get a lot of beginners. We can't wait until it comes back."
Asked about whether parkrun events can be held with social distancing measures in place, Tracey said: "I don't know how they would do that when it comes back.
"You can't get people to arrive at certain times because parkrun just starts at a certain time. There are the volunteers and they set up at 8am, then those taking part head off at 9am and it's finished at 10am.
"If there is a vaccine to protect against Covid-19 it will be ok. People will be wary when it starts, but you can't cap the number of people who want to participate because people just turn up. Everyone arrives and leaves together. So we'll have to see what happens."
But organisers at parkrun hope events can return safely.
A post on its official blog (May 12) stated: "We ... you will be wondering how parkrun can ever return, at least until there is some kind of vaccine or treatment available. Whilst we cannot predict the future or make any promises, we do feel that an opportunity to reopen, in an appropriate and safe manner, may arise earlier than that."
While parkrun remains inactive, there is plenty being done to keep the spirit of a 'positive, welcoming and inclusive experience' going.
Tracey is keeping the parkrun regulars at Liverpool Running Bugs together virtually by creating daily collages and putting videos on social media, showing runners exercising alone or with someone.
Tracey said: "We need to keep it live in a way. We're going to where a parkrun would take place to do a run, but the actual parkrun is not taking place. We know the routes from doing them you see. It's only me and my husband Kieron and we do them at different times in the day. Some people are going on their own.
"We did a video last week, we went to a few parkrun venues and put it together. Widnes, Croxteth, Haigh Hall, the Dream sculpture in St Helens are in it. We will do a bit more of that to keep everyone motivated and interested.
"We do a collage everyday of people going on a solo run.
"I've been doing it with my husband and the guys at the club have. It's helped us. I'd love for parkrun to start by September. It will take off once we are out of lockdown."
