‘I tried parkrun in London and loved it!’

Is Park-run one of the best things to do in London for fitness?

Transcript

00:00Hello, this week I took part in one of the most inclusive and community driven events

00:12around Parkrun. If you're not familiar with it, Parkrun is a free weekly 5k run that brings

00:19together runners of all abilities, ages and backgrounds. And here in Crystal Palace, it's

00:24become more than just that, it's a vibrant, welcoming, running community. Parkrun isn't

00:30about being the fastest, it's about setting your own personal goals and achieving them.

00:35Whether that means sprinting to a personal best or simply enjoying a brisk walk with

00:39friends, what makes Parkrun special is the sense of community across London. Everyone

00:45from seasoned runners to first timers shares a common goal to enjoy the run, support one

00:50another and be part of something bigger than just the race.

00:56While on the run, you'll see volunteers and cheerleaders alongside the runners and the

01:00energy is really infectious. It's not just about where you're going, how fast you're

01:05going, but it's about connecting with people that you're running with and celebrating every

01:09achievement. Now, if I'm honest, I play football, I play cricket, but running is definitely

01:14not my thing. So I was a little nervous going into this. But the great thing about Parkrun

01:19is that you're running alongside so many other people of all abilities. And to be honest,

01:24that does take the pressure off.

01:27Unfortunately, Crystal Palace Park, where I'm here today, is one of the harder London

01:31Parkruns because of how hilly it is here in South East London. But I really started to

01:36get into it after the first lap. And by the time I finished in just over 30 minutes, I

01:41was buzzing. And sure, that's no Mo Farah time, but it is better than I expected. I

01:46actually tried Parkrun last year, but without proper running shoes. And genuinely, it made

01:52such a difference this time around. So the one piece of advice I'd give anyone is that

01:57it's safer and easier to run in proper running trainers. So bear that in mind if you decide

02:03to sign up.

02:05Parkrun is popular in the UK alone. It regularly attracts 100,000 participants every Saturday,

02:13with over three million people taking part annually. There are over 700 Parkruns across

02:18the country, and a lot of those are in London as well. So whether you're chasing a personal

02:22best or looking for a weekly walk with friends, it's definitely something to get into.

02:27The Parkruns are all over London, whether it's the flat and fast course of Hyde Park,

02:32the iconic setting of Bushy Park, which is actually the birthplace of Parkrun, or the

02:36scenic routes in Richmond and Hackney, each Parkrun has its own charm.

02:42You can find one near you no matter where you live, and it's a great way to get involved

02:46in your local community here in London, meet new people, and get some exercise without

02:51any pressure.