Parkrun is so much more than just a run: it changes lives for the better The UK is experiencing a public health crisis of epic and epidemic proportions: whether it be skyrocketing incidences of type […]

The UK is experiencing a public health crisis of epic and epidemic proportions: whether it be skyrocketing incidences of type 2 diabetes, increased levels of obesity or children as young as four having teeth extracted because of decay.

Headlines also speak of isolation and loneliness and of stress and depression. As a nation we are becoming increasingly sedentary, stimulated by artificial light and consuming over-processed foods that can be toxic and addictive.

While policy-makers struggle to find effective solutions, there are organisations that are helping to change lives for the better. Organisations such as parkrun.

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With more than 780 free, timed 5k and 2k events taking place every single week around the UK, parkruns are welcoming, social, community-based and community-led events that claim to be open to all.

Open to all?

But is this true? Are parkruns really open to everyone, no matter what their ability or background? Or are they, as the name might imply, for people like me who love to run, and love to run fast?

Do you have to have been a member of a sports club, or wear the latest Lycra? Are they races where someone (maybe even you) always comes last? Do you have to sign up months in advance, and attend every single week otherwise you risk losing your status as a ‘parkrunner’? Who are parkrun events really for?

The idea of parkrun came about when Paul Sinton-Hewitt decided to organise a 5km event in Bushy Park, London in 2004. Thirteen people ran on that autumn day and five volunteered, including Paul.

While it is true that Paul was/is a runner and that the parkrun ‘pioneers’ on that first day all loved the sport, it would be wrong to suggest that parkrun started purely as a running event. From the outset it was so much more.

Social occasion

Less well-documented is that Paul was injured and couldn’t run. He was frustrated that he wasn’t getting outside as much as he wanted. He was downhearted and despondent as his fitness had declined and he felt isolated from his usual group of friends.

So, for Paul, parkrun was never really about the run. It was a social occasion with a 5k as the hook and, most importantly, this event made him feel more positive and connected to his friends and the natural world.

Yet for someone taking their first steps towards improving their health and being a little bit more active, the thought of doing a parkrun could still be scary. Doing something for the first time often is.

So I would encourage anyone reading this who is contemplating doing a parkrun to go down and watch an event to see what it’s all about. It’s usually by seeing things first-hand that you realise that they are for people like you, and that your perceptions may not bear any resemblance to reality.

Take the plunge

If you are still apprehensive, get in touch with the volunteers at your local parkrun who will help answer any questions you may have, head on to social media for support from the entire family of parkrunners, check out the parkrun website for inspirational stories of people who might once have been in your shoes… and then take the plunge.

Register online before your first parkrun, print off your barcode and head down to your nearest event, asking a family member, friend or colleague to join you if that helps.

There is usually a first-timer’s briefing for those who are new to parkrun before people set off walking, jogging or running around the course, at whatever pace suits them.

Every parkrun has a volunteer Tail Walker who provides encouragement and is the final person to cross the finish line – ensuring nobody comes last. Then it’s off for a post-parkrun coffee and chat for everyone who wants to come along.

At a time when the emphasis is on the number of minutes spent on a treadmill, or pumping iron, parkrun is a breath of fresh air. I really hope that you have the chance to experience it for yourself.

To sign up for free and find your nearest parkrun, visit parkrun.org.uk