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The 20th anniversary of parkrun is being celebrated this week with its founder saying the ethos is about community spirit, health and happiness rather than huge gatherings.
Parkrun started on 2 October 2004 when 13 runners joined a free timed 5k run in Bushy Park, southwest London, which was organised by runner Paul Sinton-Hewitt while he was recovering from injury.
It now takes place every Saturday morning at more than 2,500 locations in 22 countries across six continents.
Around 200,000 people take part every Saturday across more than 900 places in the UK – and while some are experienced runners, others are building up their speed and stamina and many are taking their first steps towards a more active lifestyle.
Founder Mr Sinton-Hewitt said parkrun is about people in the same community gathering together, with numbers “at a reasonable level where you can identify other people in the community, you can identify people like you”.
He added: “Parkrun is a charity. The aim is to make the world happier and healthier.
“In order to make the world healthier and happier we need to bring our events to every single person. We need to find spaces to hold these events.”
The first event was organised to stay connected with running friends when Mr Sinton-Hewitt could not run himself, and those community connections continue to be the driving force for the event’s growth.
He was inspired by similar events in South Africa where he grew up, which saw people go for a run and then have a coffee together.
Almost 2,000 GP practices around the world are twinned with a local event, and social prescribing has seen parkrun suggested to people with anxiety, depression, asthma, arthritis, diabetes, heart conditions and cancer.
New research led by Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield, based on a study of 548 newly registered runners, showed life satisfaction increased after doing as few as two runs.
Darren Wood has taken part in 913 runs – more than anyone else in the event’s history – and said the community it creates is now more important to him than the running.
Like Mr Sinton-Hewitt, was a member of southwest London running club Ranelagh Harriers but missed the first event because he did not believe he was fast enough to join a time trial.
“It used to be about the running for me very much early on but I think my approach has changed and it is more about the community,” he said.
“It’s no longer Saturday, it’s ‘parkrun day’. It’s about going there and spending time with your parkrun family.”
Mr Wood has struggled with his mental health in the past and said, through his darkest times, parkrun was the stable part of his life and was there for him every Saturday morning, a welcoming place where he would not be judged.
Now he enjoys encouraging others to join the parkrun community, adding: “You will never regret it, just take the leap.
“Go and experience it once, it will change your life 100 per cent. Everyone is so welcoming.
“It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are. Go and experience that community, you won’t meet a finer bunch of people.”
Parkruns are also held in 25 prisons and young offenders institutions around the world and have already improved the lives of more than 10,000 people in custody.
Mr Sinton-Hewitt said GP referrals and prison runs are key to attracting people who are not already exercising.
Almost 6 million people have completed a parkrun course at least once, more than 900,000 people have volunteered and, including the junior event, people have crossed a parkrun finish line more than one hundred million times around the world.
Mr Sinton-Hewitt was made a CBE in 2014 for services to grassroots sport participation and people often tell him parkrun has changed their lives, but he is modest about his role.
