Parkrun's 20-year journey from humble beginnings to global phenomenon
On a blustery October day in 2004, an injured club runner invited his mates for a 5K run in Bushy Park, London. The computer programmer roped in a few other pals as volunteers and created finish tokens with washers from a local hardware shop. The low-key event was such a success that Paul Sinton-Hewitt ran it again the following Saturday, and the one after that.
Keen to meet up with his running buddies for some social interaction while injured, Sinton-Hewitt continued the time trials weekend after weekend. ‘While I missed the running, it was the social side; seeing my friends, chatting and catching up that bothered me most,’ he says. ‘I wanted to stay connected and continue to be active, ideally in the outdoors. I decided to host a run for them and then we could all talk over a coffee afterwards.’
Two decades later, the free event is still flourishing as parkrun celebrates its 20th anniversary. Now a global phenomenon, there are 2,500 parkruns around the world, with some 350,000 people taking part each week.
Established in 22 countries, there are 9 million registered parkrunners spread across the planet. Outside of the UK, parkrun is particularly popular in Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The whole operation is overseen by a team of just 70 permanent staff, plus thousands of community volunteers. But despite this extraordinary growth, parkrun’s original spirit remains unchanged.
‘Over the years, most of the mechanics might have changed – like the introduction of barcodes – but parkrun is essentially still the same,’ says Sinton-Hewitt. ‘Each weekend, there’s an opportunity to get active for free with friends in your local community and connect over a drink – just like I did 20 years ago.’
Taking place in parks and open public spaces such as beaches, castle grounds and, in one case, Mount Etna, parkrun is held deeply in the hearts of its devotees and has had a profound effect on popular running culture.
Along with the Saturday 5K and Sunday 2km junior parkrun, many communities also run Christmas Day and New Year’s Day events. And there are other spin-offs, too, adding unique community twists to the formula. For example, Burgess Park in London hosts a Ugandan takeover parkrun, while Melton Mowbray has an annual ‘five parkruns in a morning’ event every September.
And then there are the quirky challenges pursued by parkrun aficionados. The Alphabeteers attend a parkrun starting with every letter of the alphabet (with the exception of X, as none exist yet), while Cowell Club has attended 100 different parkrun locations. The ‘Jetsetter’ badge can be attained by attending parkruns in five countries and those who have volunteered in 10 different parkrun roles can win a ‘Volunteer of all Trades’ title.
This ability to riff on the parkrun theme is thanks to its community-led DNA. Parkrun belongs to the people – its volunteers and runners – rather than any organisation. ‘It’s evolved from being a time trial for runners to not just being about running,’ says Lucy Waterlow, author of The Ultimate Guide To Parkrun: Everything You Need To Know About The Friendliest 5K In The World. ‘It’s about being outside, volunteering, walking and spending time with other people. It’s about going to the cafe after and having a catch-up with friends. My mum has volunteered almost 250 times, and she’s not a runner at all.’
Even the CEO of Parkrun Global Limited, the organisation that supports local parkruns, became a staff member after being involved as a volunteer for several years. Russ Jefferys began parkrunning in Reading back in 2011 before moving to Australia for his wife’s work. While looking for employment, Jefferys helped to set up a parkrun in Canberra and became a race director. It was a way to make friends in a new community and soon led Jefferys – who had a background in sports marketing – to volunteer within the parkrun company (which became a charity in 2017). On moving back to the UK, he got a staff job as head of communications before he took on the CEO role in 2022. He can cite plenty of reasons for parkrun’s runaway growth and extraordinary success.
‘It’s very much designed by, and desired by, the local community,’ says Jefferys. ‘You’ve got buy-in from local people who will be the volunteers, the participants and the beneficiaries of parkrun. Another aspect is the consistency of it: the fact that it happens every single week allows for really strong bonds to form. But also, it’s habit forming.
‘I think the other aspect is just its simplicity. That’s one of the big reasons why parkrun has been able to scale across the UK and around the world. It is a simple formula that anyone is able to replicate wherever their community is.’
Rather than trying to create demand, parkrun supports communities who already want to set up an event. But that doesn’t mean the charity doesn’t have ambitions. ‘There are regions where we don’t have much of a presence, where there are real health and wellbeing issues – and we think parkrun can make a difference,’ says Jefferys.
But all of this takes money, especially as parkrun insists it’ll always be free at the point of entry. This means raising funds via sponsorship, government grants, fundraising events and selling parkrun merchandise. ‘In the beginning, they were quite anti-commercialisation, says Waterlow. 'But as it’s grown, that wasn’t a sustainable approach.’
But parkrun hasn’t been without controversy. Its choice of sponsor, rule changes around running with a dog and removal of some stats from its website have all been met with objections from some devotees. Jefferys is keen to point out that parkrun seeks to balance the challenges of steering a global behemoth with the guarding of individual experiences for those involved. ‘The governance is set by the board of the global charity and expectations and obligations obviously change as we evolve,’ he says. ‘But I’d like to think that the really important bit of what it actually looks and feels like to take part as someone who wants to walk or run or volunteer at a weekend feels the same as it was back in 2004.’
Beyond the facts and figures, the real history of parkrun is written in the experiences of runners themselves – in the lives it’s enriched and transformed over the last two decades. So, we hand over to those who can tell it most eloquently here, as six runners share their own chapters of the great parkrun story...
‘There is so much inherent goodness’
Stuart Goulden, 44, York Racecourse
‘When I lost my wife to cervical cancer in 2019, parkrun was a huge mental boost. Natalie was 30 and we were recently married, and it was just a huge shock. Running had always been a bit of a release for me and helped me process things. But I had always liked running by myself and I was a bit sceptical about running with others.
After Natalie passed away, I had withdrawn within myself and I was craving that connection. When I went to parkrun, I got that sense of community and a lovely feeling at the end. I would turn up on my own, but the impact of it, the community spirit, would last for a couple of days. I was blown away by the difference it made to me. There’s so much inherent goodness in the volunteer-led spirit. It was just what I needed at that time.
It was actually my family who introduced me to parkrun. It’s become a family tradition to all meet up and do one on special occasions. The first one was Christmas Day in Norwich. It was a really unique experience as people dressed up with Santa hats and Santa suits. I have really fond memories of it and it was great to do something as a family with my mum, stepdad and two brothers. We all live in different parts of the UK and it’s the one time we all come together.
Some people religiously run parkrun every week, but I just tap into it for those special family moments and when I really need it. Everyone is a like-minded soul and they’re really rooting for one another.
I don’t know how many I’ve done, and my finish time isn’t overly important to me .It’s about the feeling of running and the togetherness and the fun. It’s brought me tons of joy and even inspired me to set up my own global running community, JoyRuns, which encourages members to take part in one life-affirming challenge per week.’
‘It’s free and completely inclusive and so open-minded’
Christine Penny, 36, Catford
I guarantee I wouldn't be a runner if it hadn’t been for parkrun. I moved to the UK from the US in October 2021, and I hadn’t been able to form any sort of community.
I ended up living in a London house share and one of the guys invited me to Catford parkrun one Saturday in May 2022. I was a bit intimidated because I wasn’t comfortable running and didn’t know if I could cover 5K.
I was a bit shocked I could do it because I’d gone in thinking it would be competitive and I was going to do a horrible job and people would judge me. But I quickly realised that wasn’t it at all. There’s perpetual encouragement and a vibe that welcomes you to go as fast or slow as you want. And afterwards, you go and have coffee and conversations with people you don’t know. There was an openness, which wasn’t something I’d experienced in the UK. I now have really close friends from parkrun.
It had a snowball effect on me. I was a teacher at the time and I had the summer off. I started to join running clubs. Now I’m a member of nine different clubs and I’m doing my third World Major marathon in Chicago.
I’m a bit crushed if I ever miss parkrun now. Once, I booked my flight from America back to Heathrow so I could go straight from the airport to Richmond parkrun on New Year’s Day. For me, there was no better way to start the year. People were shocked I did that.
I also love to go to other parkruns and learn the local geography. I did a parkrun in Malaysia when I was in Asia for work, and I’ve done a few in the US – and lots across London. I love that it’s free and completely inclusive and so open-minded. You can bring your dog and push your child in a pushchair. Or you can stop halfway through because you don’t want to finish. No one cares – it’s great.’
‘Parkrun has transformed my life’
Aqasa Nu, 52, Burgess Park
Taking part in parkrun has transformed my life and enriched everything I do. I started parkrun in 2012 to get in shape. I was working full-time and starting an Open University degree and decided I needed more energy. I eventually went to my local one in Burgess Park, London, and didn’t speak to anyone. I went back the next week and tried to go quicker and thought I was going to have a heart attack. And then on the fourth occasion, I saw someone with a 50 parkruns T-shirt and thought I’d like to get there, and so just carried on. I now can’t imagine what I would do on a Saturday morning without it. I even structure all my holidays around it.
The entry was so simple; you didn’t have to pay to join a club and people were so friendly. I live in a city of over 10 million and people don’t know who their neighbours are, but at parkrun it’s so easy to chat with people. It supercharges your weekend. I started with running, but then I found out about volunteering. I love doing the first-timers briefing as I can convey my enthusiasm to others.
Later on, I found out about the parkrun tourism. That was a game changer. I’ve done loads of challenges and met so many people.I’ve done the parkrun alphabet, attended 100 different parkrun locations, completed a parkrun on every day of the week. I’ve been to a parkrun in six different countries, including a Scandi adventure of three runs in two countries in four days – plus Texas where I have family. In September, I ran my local parkrun 8.5 times – which is marathon distance – for Become, a charity for children in care and care leavers.
I think I’m the only person to run all the parkruns in London, including Feltham Young Offender’s Institute. At first, the kids came out all hench, with no eye contact, but they got involved in all the volunteering roles and the good vibe of parkrun was transferred to them. They got such an adrenaline boost from it. I work with children in care and I use parkrun to motivate and inspire them. I tell them how the founder of parkrun was a ward of the state and has now been awarded a CBE, as an example of what you can do.’
‘Parkrun people kept me going’
Nicki Clark, 52, Riddlesdown
‘I started running in 2009 to deal with a bereavement but didn’t feel good enough to join a club. Then someone suggested I try a parkrun. When I joined Banstead Woods parkrun, there were only four in the country, so I was incredibly lucky there was one near me. I’ve now run at 69 parkruns and I’ve volunteered at 1,028 in 16 locations.
Initially, I went along as a runner, but I soon got chatting to the volunteers and decided volunteering sounded like much more fun because there wasn’t anything like as much pain involved. I ran nine runs at Banstead and volunteered 86 times in just under two years.
Then I injured my knee and couldn’t run, but I carried on volunteering because it was giving me far more than the running was. I desperately needed a group of people because I was on my own suddenly. As a drama teacher, I was surrounded by kids all day at school and then at the weekend there was a huge empty gulf and parkrun filled that.
Initially, it was just the Saturday, but then I helped out at Bushy juniors and Lloyd juniors. Bushy is my favourite parkrun as it’s so chilled out. Then I got involved in setting up a new run at Riddlesdown and I became the race director.
I volunteer at local parkruns because it’s all about helping your community. During lockdown, I had to shield and I didn’t see a single person for 12 weeks, but parkrun people kept me going. Various parkrunners got my shopping and left it at the bottom of the steps. When there was no bread available, people made me bread. It made me realise how important parkrun is. I’ve been to every single possible event since Covid.
The community is so special. You can turn up looking like hell and no one cares. I’ve done all the volunteering roles, but I love marshalling. It’s a chance to encourage people, because when you’re running it makes a big difference.’
‘A lot of people owe their lives to parkrun, including me’
Darren Wood, 42, Bushy Park
‘I started parkrun at the second event on 9 October 2004. I didn’t go to the first as I thought it was only going to be for fast runners as it was called a “time trial”. But after I saw the names and some of the times, I decided to turn up to the second event and the rest is history. I have now run the most parkruns of anyone. I’ve done 901 at 91 locations and volunteered 407 times at 17 locations. Frimley Lodge is the one I’ve run the most, then Bushy Park. I set up Edenbrook Country parkrun in Fleet, Hampshire, as I wanted to give back to the community.
Right at the beginning, I was a Ranelagh Harriers club runner and it gave me purpose on a Saturday morning. It was all very low-key back then and done out of the boot of Paul Sinton-Hewitt’s car. But the same ethics of keeping it simple are still there today.
For me, parkrun has been the one consistent thing in my life. I’ve been married, divorced, had children and gone through mental health battles. But no matter what I’ve been going through, parkrun has always been there. After I tried to commit suicide, I knew I had to go to parkrun to put the signs out. I felt ashamed, but I went and I opened up to people. I was never judged, and I was never made to feel guilty, and people would always try to help. Similarly, when I was going through my divorce, on Christmas Day parkrun was the only thing for me as I couldn’t see my children.
I try to never miss one. I’ve nearly done the parkrun A to Z; I just have the Y to do and will be taking a trip to York soon. I went to Zuiderpark in the Netherlands to get my Z this year. Another time, I drove 371 miles when I was over in Atlanta to go to Durham in North Carolina to do a parkrun. I’ve done one in Poland and Finland, and I’ve also finished one on crutches when I was injured. A lot of people owe their lives to parkrun, including me.'
‘It’s an amazing community to be part of’
Sean Doyle, 56, Greenhead Park
‘I nearly died at parkrrun, but two parkrunners saved my life. Back in May 2013, I was doing a warm-up run before Greenhead Park parkrun in Huddersfield and I collapsed after a blocked artery caused a heart attack. There was blood everywhere because I fell straight down and took my teeth out and cracked my chin on some steps near the start line.
Luckily, off-duty nurse Dinah Coogan and my wife’s GP Emma Spencer were there, too, and they kept me alive until the first responder arrived. They did six defibrillators after the first cardiac arrest and then at the hospital I had a second arrest and they did three more defibs.
I was given a 6% chance of survival after spending 36 hours in an induced coma. After my incident in the park, they had a bucket collection the very next week and raised £700 for a defibrillator. The parkrun community also campaigned with me for the protection of the local hospital A&E that saved my life.
Since then, I have clocked up 18,000 miles running in 346 parkruns and volunteered 287 times. I also ran a parkrun PB of 20:14 after my cardiac arrest. Last year, I went back to Greenhead Park to raise funds for Heart Research UK and be reunited with the medics who gave me an extra 10 years of life.
I love that parkrun is about getting people together. Both people who aren’t runners and those who are, and friends from across the town. I now have a lot of good friends within the cardiac athlete community. When it’s a milestone event like 250 or 500 parkruns, we tend to go to that person’s parkrun to meet up and run as a group of cardiac athlete runners.
This year I suffered a setback and my heart went into atrial fibrillation, which means my heart rate is going bananas. But I’m still attending parkrun. I started off walking and gradually got quicker. Now I’m doing a walk jog. It’s an amazing community to be part of even when I can’t run.’
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