She completed the half marathon section of yesterday's Cadbury sponsored event in 2hr 10min 49sec, a personal best time by more than 10min.
For Parsons, who will turn 33 next Saturday, life in Dunedin is a far cry from that which she was born into.
Her mother, Yuth, had made a traumatic escape from the killing fields of Cambodia, only to spend years in refugee camps in Thailand, where both Parsons and her sister Sophanny were born.
As Yuth made her escape from the Khmer Rouge, Parsons said, her sister, who was escaping with her, lost her life near the border with Thailand.
''They were running for their lives,'' Parsons said, summing up what must have been a horrific flight to freedom.
''It's really hard to sit down and talk to mum, as it brings back too many memories for her. She used to have nightmares for a long time. It's a very hard thing to talk about for her.''
Such was Yuth's experience, that on return visit to Cambodia in 2006, she was too upset to revisit the infamous Tuol Sleng prison camp and waited in the car park while Sophanna visited there.
''It was just too horrific for her, which is understandable.
''Even just going through and reading the descriptions of what happened. I just can't believe that that happened.
''It just makes you realise just how lucky you are to be living somewhere like New Zealand.''
Parsons was 2 years old when the family was finally transported to the Mangere Refugee Resettlement Centre, in Auckland. From there the family was sponsored to Dunedin and they have lived here since.
When Parsons was 6, her mother remarried Jim Blakie and he adopted her and her sister soon afterwards.
With stability in her life, Parsons went on to qualify as a primary teacher, a career that has been interrupted with the birth of her three children, Mia (12), Ruben (5), Isaac (2) and marriage to husband Hayden Parsons.
Until earlier this year, Parsons had been more active in senior club netball in Dunedin. But then she opted to join Caversham Harrier Club and foster her running ability.
''Netball is my other passion, but I've always liked the idea of being able to run.''
She first tinkered with running four years ago, when she completed the half marathon section of the Dunedin Marathon in 2hr 21min.
''If I could combine the two, then I'd do it all,'' she said.
''I'm really loving the running at the moment. Eventually I'd like to do the marathon but for now I'm happy with the half.''
