It is 9am on a Saturday morning. For most people, this would usually involve the beginning of the previous night’s hangover, or the long awaited weekend lie-in. But for the less sane amongst us, the place to be is Bute Park, to take part in a parkrun race.

parkrun is a series of weekly 5k races, held all over the UK. There are currently 304 events, from Inverness to Folkestone, as well as many abroad in countries such as USA and South Africa. And while the armed forces are serving in Afghanistan, there is also a race held in Camp Bastion in Helmand Province.

The format is universal- parkrun races are free to enter, in order to attract as many people to run as possible. All runners need to do is sign up online and print off a barcode, which is then scanned at the end of the race to record their time. The events certainly have appealed to runners- since being formed in 2004, more than 600,000 have taken part, with nearly 6,000,000 races finished.

In Cardiff, the tranquil surroundings of Bute Park provide the backdrop for parkrun. The park already hosts a number of races throughout the year, and is one of the city’s most popular spots for training. The Cardiff parkrun has been going since 2008, with 365 races held, and over 11,000 runners taking part. For those living outside the capital, there are also parkrun events in Newport, Pontypool, Pontypridd and Bryn Bach.

And if you’re not into running, there is a huge demand for volunteers to help out at events. Like any race, one of the biggest thrills is the words of encouragement all the way round from volunteers by the side. If you are interested in helping out, email cardiffhelpers@parkrun.com.

parkrun is one of the Uk’s most successful race organisers, and pride themselves on being inclusive, and encouraging active participation in sport. So if you can bear to part with your bed sheets next Saturday, grab a pair of trainers and come and join parkrun!