EACH WEEK, PARKRUN CHANGES LIVES IN A PARK NEAR YOU – BUT JUST WHAT GOES INTO SETTING UP AND MANAGING THIS RUNNING PHENOMENON? LISA JACKSON FINDS OUT

PARKRUN

It’s been the most momentous thing to happen in the running world since Bill Bowerman used his wife’s waffle iron to create Nike’s world-famous Waffle Trainers in the Seventies. Parkrun, which started in 2004 with just 13 runners completing a time trial in London’s Bushy Park, has become a global phenomenon that boasts 2.5 million participants in 17 countries. However, what few runners seem to consider is that even though they’re free to attend, parkrun events don’t just magically happen. There’s an awful lot of planning – and financial outlay – involved in setting one up.

“Here in the UK, we operate as a not-for-profit organisation, and we ask volunteer teams to source £3,000 locally before an event can be set up,” says Helen Hood, parkrun UK’s head of event delivery. This money can be raised through local authorities, public health funds, county sports partnerships, local running clubs and a range of other sources.

“This is always a one-off cost and we commit to supporting every event indefinitely, including training, new and replacement equipment, website development and IT support,” says Hood. “Each new event also needs to have access to a defibrillator prior to starting, and we support teams through this acquisition process too.”