Parkrun is a free weekly 5km running event founded by Paul Sinton-Hewitt in 2004 at Bushy Park, near London, with 13 runners. By 2025 it drew 200,000 participants across 880 locations in Britain every Saturday, with 3.9m people having completed at least one event. It has spread to 23 countries.
Steve Haake at Sheffield Hallam University estimates Parkrun's benefits at £668m per year. The World Health Organisation has given its approval. Some 70% of participants report improved mental health. GPs from 2,000 practices prescribe Parkrun to patients.
Parkrun describes itself as "a run, not a race". In 2024 the charity removed course records from its website. Participation is lower in deprived areas; Sport England gives £1m per year to address this, with a quarter of new parkruns in deprived areas. There are about 20 parkruns in prisons.
Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra, which suddenly flips over, pinning you underneath. At night the ice weasels come.