by When Paul Sinton-Hewitt created Parkrun, only 13 people went to a London park. Twenty years later, millions of people jog, run or walk five kilometers (3.1 miles) every week.
Rain or shine, runners around the world brave the constant 9 a.m. start to race to the finish line in one of 2,500 Parkruns across 23 countries.
“If someone had told me 20 years ago that Parkrun was going to be such a phenomenon, I would definitely have walked away saying it was too much for me,” Sinton-Hewitt told AFP.
“What started as a small gathering has become a powerful force for good, promoting health, happiness and togetherness.”
On October 5, the walkers, runners and volunteers who dedicate their Saturday mornings to leading the way, shouting encouragement and dutifully timing will mark two decades of parkrun.
On the green grass of Hampstead Heath, north London, around 400 people take part each week, arriving just before departure, alone or in groups, with friends or to meet new ones.
Afterwards, everyone is invited to the park cafe.
“It’s the best way to start the weekend,” said Olivia Unwin, a 26-year-old writer who took part in her first Parkrun last year and has since run 48.
“I don’t run fast but that’s not a problem. I met a lot of friends. It wakes me up and I never regret going there.”
Martin Boyle goes parkrun with his two teenage sons. “It’s a family affair, a combination of fun and competition,” he said.
“It’s good for them and they see their improvement.”
Some participants wear a blue t-shirt with “500” on it, meaning they have reached the holy grail of 500+ parkruns.
Len Voralia is one of them. At 82, he has run 612.
“I’m slowing down. I’m making an effort,” he said, promising to continue coming every Saturday until he is 90.
– Mental health –
Runners know exactly how long it took them to complete the course, thanks to an individual barcode that they hand in at the finish.
“If some people want to compete, if they want to be the fastest, they are welcome and we celebrate that,” Sinton-Hewitt said.
But anyone of any ability is welcome, he said.
“If others just want to walk and exercise, they’re just as welcome. Exercise is natural, it can be fun. It doesn’t have to be difficult,” he added.
Sinton-Hewitt was 44 when he set up Parkrun after being injured while training for a marathon.
“I was aware that I could use running as a very good tool to control my mood and help me cope with difficult times. Running helped me manage my mental health,” a- he declared.
From the first event held at his local Bushy Park in south-west London, a second was held at nearby Wimbledon.
The first overseas event was in Denmark and there are now parkruns from Australia and Zimbabwe to Germany and Ireland. Lithuania is the most recent country to join.
The phenomenon, however, fails to take hold in certain countries, notably in France, where a medical certificate to participate is mandatory.
But in 20 years, its growth has been astonishing: more than six million people have participated, with more than 100 million finishers, not counting the 900,000 volunteers to organize events.
Parkruns only stopped during the Covid crisis. They have now expanded to children’s events over two kilometers on Sunday mornings and even in 25 prisons.
The Christmas race is one of the biggest of the year and often sees runners in fancy dress.
“A lot of people feel lonely on Christmas Day and it’s an opportunity for lonely people to come together and meet each other,” Sinton-Hewitt said.
“There are families who go out now before opening their presents.”
ctx/phz/sbk
