Parkrun is a free, weekly 5 km run.
It happens every Saturday morning.
In parks. Everywhere.
It started small. One run in London.
Now it runs in more than 20 countries.
It’s simple.
Show up. Run or walk. Get a time. Go home.
That simplicity is the point.
Two mistakes I see all the time
Mistake one: not running parkrun at all.
Some runners ignore it.
They think it’s “just a race” or “not serious enough.” A "cult".
That’s short-sighted.
A weekly, timed 5 km is a useful training tool if you know how to use it.
Mistake two: racing it hard every single week.
Others do the opposite.
Every Saturday is a full effort.
Chasing PBs. Chasing places.
That adds stress.
Week after week.
It catches up eventually.
Use parkrun as a tool
Parkrun doesn’t need to be the same thing every week.
Sometimes I run it easy.
An aerobic run.
Chatting with friends.
Just getting the work done.
Sometimes I use it as a time trial.
To check fitness.
To practise pacing.
To refine my pre-race routine.
Sometimes I turn it into a session.
One minute hard, one minute easy.
Or 800 metres hard, 200 metres easy.
It depends where I am in the training block.
It's fun to get creative.
Same event.
Different purpose.
Practise the boring stuff
Travelling to the venue.
Packing gear.
Warming up properly.
Managing nerves.
That friction is useful.
It’s a rehearsal for your A-races.
You get better at the process before it really matters.
It’s also a community
You meet other runners.
You find people at a similar level.
Training partners appear naturally.
And sometimes, you don’t run at all.
You volunteer.
You give back.
You see the event from the other side.
The point
I encourage everyone to do parkrun.
But don’t treat it like a weekly exam.
Use it deliberately.
Use it lightly when needed.
Use it hard when it fits.
Parkrun is a tool.
Use it to become a better runner.
