Parkrun - what's it all about?
Parkrun is a great opportunity for athletes of any level to run competitively over a timed 5km course.
It is held on a weekly basis and is coordinated entirely by volunteers, making it a free event. People of any ability – from beginners to Olympians – are encouraged to take part, it’s a very friendly environment and a great way to supplement additional training. Parkrun events attract hundreds of participants of all ages and abilities who all run together – Bushy Park parkrun for example attracts over 1000 runners every week. This means that all runners have others to run with and race against throughout the course. All courses are marshalled and are free from traffic, and times are recorded and uploaded online.
Parkrun was founded by Paul Sinton-Hewitt as a way of getting together regularly with his friends. The original parkrun took place in Bushy Park in October 2004 with just 13 runners and 4 volunteers. Today it attracts nearly 2 million people at 587 locations in 20 countries around the world, including Australia, Namibia, Singapore and the United States, and Sinton-Hewitt was awarded a CBE in 2014.
Parkrun has created a global community of runners, volunteers and supporters that is totally inclusive. Parkrun is now a UK based charity supported by Sport England and other sponsors. In 2017, the first parkrun for prisoners took place at a prison in Cumbria, and parkrun is now prescribed by over 600 GP practices for boosted physical and mental health.
Photo Parkrun
Momentum Sports feels that parkrun is friendly and accessible way to run, and it provides an accurate way to record and track your progress. However, there are a few drawbacks to bear in mind; some of the larger events get overcrowded and the course becomes congested, and the popularity of the event has drawn some runners and funding away from athletics and running clubs. Additionally, participating every week can lead to over-racing, and loss of participation in other events.
The closest parkrun events to our main training base in Kingston, our main coaching base, are:
| Event Location | Day and Time | Start Line Location |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston | Saturday 9am | Adjacent to the Hawker Center on the tow-path |
| Bushy Park | Saturday 9am | Near Diana Fountain car Park |
| Richmond Park | Saturday 9am | On the Tasmin Trail, approximately 200 meters left of Richmond Gate entrance and before the Cambrian Gate |
| Old Deer Park | Saturday 9am | Near car park and Pools in the Park |
| Nonsuch Park | Saturday 9am | Adjacent to the Mansion House |
| Crane Park | Saturday 9am | Off Chertsey Road by the Hospital Bridge Roundabout, by the children’s playground |
| Wimbledon Common | Saturday 9am | Close to the Windmill car park |
You must register before your first run.
For more information and to register visit: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/