The parkrun phenomenon
In October 2004, Paul Sinton-Hewitt CBE organised the first parkrun. Little did he know it would go on to impact over ten million people around the world!
Paul was a computer programmer who liked to run. He got injured but still wanted to be active, outdoors and social. For many, this might have been a one-off event or only done while the injury lasted. Not for Paul! It was something he was going to do ‘forever’, for free and for everyone who wanted to come along. Word spread, further events started and the number of people taking part began to grow...and grow!
Fast-forward over 20 years and parkrun is now an established community event every Saturday morning where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate at over 2,000 locations worldwide, with over 800 in the UK. parkrun is free and you only need to register once. You can then go along to any event, any weekend.
parkrun is positive, welcoming and inclusive, there is no time limit and no one finishes last. And if you’re not a runner or walker, you can be one of the essential volunteers that are fundamental to delivering parkrun events each week.
On the other hand, if you are a bit competitive, finishing times are recorded with an ‘age grade’, meaning that you can easily assess your performance regardless of age. And talking of age, parkrun really is for everyone, with many over-60’s participating each week and at least one known centenarian.
And if you’re looking for a bit more social interaction, there is always a post-event coffee somewhere on site or very local.
All parkruns are free and, once registered, you can participate in any events at any time without letting them know that you are coming. Here is a link to the registration page and further information about parkrun.