Parkrun is just that — a run in the park — and it’s organised on social media with participants given personal barcodes they scan at the end of each run to keep track of their times and how many they’ve run in.

The concept began in London in 2004 and has spread across the globe with the Border holding its first five-kilometre parkrun from the back of the Albury Swim Centre to Gateway Island and back on Saturday morning.

Albury human resources co-ordinator Sarah Pearce, 25, said 88 runners took part in the Border’s first parkrun with participants travelling from Melbourne, Shepparton and Wilson’s Promontory just for the launch.

“This is actually the first border crossing so people in the parkrun community get a bit excited,” Ms Pearce said.

Brendan Peel is a postman that travelled up from Albert Park in Melbourne and yesterday marked his 50th parkrun.

“It’s very addictive,” he said.

“And if there’s a launch (of a new one) people leave their own park to celebrate the launch.”

Mr Peel had recently completed one in Darwin and next weekend he will be in Campbelltown in Sydney and he reckons Albury-Wodonga’s parkrun is up there with the best.

“One of the advantages of being in the country is the space, in the cities you tend to be squeezed in,” he said.

Ms Pearce said the free event, which is organised by volunteers, would now be held starting at the same location at Noreuil Park at 8am every Saturday.

She said all fitness levels were welcome.