Why everyone should run a parkrun
Celebrating 20 years of the community event
This month marks the 20th anniversary of parkrun, a global phenomenon that started on a blustery October day in Bushy Park, London, 2004.
I might not run parkrun every week but I’m a huge fan of the event. The community spirit is enormous and it really is designed for every runner. I have run my fastest 5k times at parkrun as well as my slowest. I have paced other runners to PBs and I have been able to get involved as a volunteer.
I have run Saturday parkrun with my kids and my dog, as well as the junior parkrun on a Sunday. I have taken some of my athletes out for their first ever parkrun, and last year I ran my first ever Christmas Day parkrun. I also ran a parkrun with my former triathlon club in the absolute hammering rain in Wales.
Compared to others my stats are fairly mundane, as I tend to dip in and out of parkrun. I have run 28 parkruns at two locations (Market Harborough and Dolgellau). I have volunteered six times and my best gender position is 2nd. In 2023 I ran eight parkruns which was my highest amount in one year. All these stats are for the 5k parkrun on a Saturday as my junior parkruns are not logged (but I’ve done about a dozen).
I tend to run parkrun when I want to do a 5k time trial to benchmark where my speed is at. My other motivation is to accompany the women I coach to take part for the first time. I also enjoy running with my sons at junior parkrun on those rare Sunday mornings when we are all up early enough.
While I am an ad hoc parkrunner other people treat it like a religion and do not miss a single week. In fact a study released this week found UK parkrun participants reported improved life satisfaction six months later, with most benefit for the least active people.
In this month’s Runner’s World magazine I spoke to the founders of parkrun as well as a series of runners and volunteers about why the free event is so special. For some people it has been a literal lifeline when things have gotten unbearable. For others it has been a great way to make friends in a new country or to get fit and healthy.
Many of these stories are told in the new book The Ultimate Guide to parkrun written by Lucy Waterlow. I’ll be chatting to Lucy about the book in my newsletter next week.
For me there are three things that make parkrun uniquely special. The first is that it is a free event held in 2,500 locations across 22 countries. There is no other free event in the world like this. You can just turn up at any parkrun and take part. If you are registered and have a barcode you also get a wealth of statistics and can compare your performance. Although it is ‘a run not a race’ it’s a really useful way to measure your progress if you are training for a longer event. I always run faster at parkrun than on a 5k time trial on my own. Having the marshals cheer you on and other runners to keep up with is a fantastic motivator.
Although there can be a competitive element at the front of the run, 90 per cent of people are there to exercise in a friendly, supportive environment. The second thing I love about parkrun, which is actually more important than the first, is the sense of inclusivity. If I want to take it easy and run a nice slow chatty pace then this is the place to do it. Some people complete the run in under 20 minute and others take an hour. In fact the slower the run or walk, the better, because this means it is more inclusive.
At my local parkrun I can run with my 80-year-old dad or my nine-year-old son. There are people walking and there are partially sighted runners with guides. There are parents pushing buggies. There are people of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and ethnicities. And the volunteers are there until the very last person finishes. Some people, particularly women, can feel uncomfortable running around other people. But all of the women I coach have enjoyed parkrun whether they are running it in 25 minutes or 45 minutes. Again, you won’t find this experience at any other running event.
This is very much down to the volunteer team who are hugely supportive and give up their time week in, week out, for free. Anyone can set up a parkrun, anywhere. It is truly democratic and relies on the local community. Yes there are sponsors, but they are not involved in the running of each local event. There is something truly special about being part of something that people choose to organise and support for free.
So if you have never been to parkrun before, I would 100% recommend it. You really have nothing to lose. And if you are not a runner, then get involved in volunteering which is equally rewarding.
To celebrate the anniversary of parkrun one of its headline sponsors Brooks have launched a limited edition version of the Ghost 16. It has a very funky colourway and the parkrun logo features on the tongue and heel. It is a 12mm drop, cushioned shoe perfect for easy runs and everyday walking.
Brooks will be donating 15% of the profits and all revenue from the sale of this shoe to the parkrun charity. I tested the shoe out at junior parkrun last week and it helped me keep up with some pretty speedy tots!
Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter. If you have any running news for me, let me know! Send feedback to lilycanter@yahoo.co.uk or suggest topics you’d like me to cover.
