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What does the perfect trip to a new city include? Perhaps finding a good café, meeting some locals and a spot of gentle exercise while taking in some sights away from the overcrowded tourist traps? What if I told you that you could do all of this, in around an hour? In 2,500 locations in more than 20 countries. For free.
Parkrun, the London-founded mass-participation 5k running event that turns 21 this year, is a compelling proposition for the exercise-keen but time-poor traveller. All you need is a spare Saturday morning, a pair of running shoes and a phone/watch-based “barcode”, Parkrun’s system for identifying you and recording your runs, wherever you may be.
Much of Parkrun’s appeal lies in its fusion of a community-led core with a warm welcome for Parkrun tourists, whose home event might be hundreds or thousands of miles away.
Relying strictly on volunteers for course set-up, marshalling and timekeeping, Parkrun insists the event will be “free forever”. As crowdsourced events go, it’s less “gig economy”, more “jog economy” — a model that has found favour with an increasingly international network of enthusiasts.
International expansion has not been without issues. In response to the invasion of Ukraine, Parkrun suspended events across Russia in 2022 (prompting Russians to create their own copycat replacement).
In France, Parkruns have also been suspended since 2022 due to the French Athletics Federation requiring runners taking part in sporting activities to either be licensed or have completed an online safety course — something that Parkrun says would be impractical to enforce at its volunteer-led events.
Nevertheless, international Parkruns are an excellent way to see a different side to a city. In my experience, they tend to be smaller events than those in the UK, offering a more intimate mix of locals, expats and tourists.
In the US, home to more than 75 Parkrun events, I’ve run on Roosevelt Island in Washington DC and at Boston’s Jamaica Pond, each tucked far away from their respective city centres. In both locations, there was a warm welcome from locals clearly taking pride in attracting visitors to their events.
While the experience was new, the logistics were reassuringly the same as at my local Parkrun: a first-timer’s briefing to talk through the route, a welcome from the event director at the start and plenty of marshalls to guide and cheer runners along to the finish.
Parkrun 5k events always take place on a Saturday morning. For business travellers, if your schedule allows, it’s a great way to sneak in some off-the-beaten-track tourism and flush out the remnants of jet lag at the same time. Many events start at 9am, though times vary internationally (clue: earlier start times are usually correlated with hotter climes). Always check an event’s web page in addition to Parkrun’s international cancellations page before setting out as events can be postponed at short notice due to weather or adverse course conditions.
Remember, it’s a timed run, not a race. Some of the best Parkruns are those where you take the time to enjoy the surroundings rather than seek a personal best. “Parkwalking” — completing the course in a leisurely stroll — is increasingly popular, in South Africa accounting for nearly 30 per cent of those completing the event.
Those seeking a more competitive angle will nevertheless enjoy tracking their efforts alongside their peers. Finishing times for all events are published online, along with an age-graded performance score, allowing for comparisons between young and old.
Here are six Parkruns I’ve picked from across FT Globetrotter’s network of cities based on my own experience and enthusiastic reports from international runners.
London: Bushy Parkrun
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Nearest station: Hampton Court (National Rail)
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Typical finishers: 1,500-plus
I’ve picked the original event that started the Parkrun movement, but runners in the UK’s capital are spoiled for choice — there are 65 events within Greater London. Complete them all and you have LonDone them. Bushy Park, which hosted the very first event of 13 runners in 2004, saw over 6,000 finishers for its 1,000th event in August 2024.
For many Parkrunners, completing Bushy Parkrun is a pilgrimage, as I found out on a frosty January morning this year. I joined more than 150 Bushy “first-timers” in a field of 1,345 runners for a bracing run through the park. It’s flat, fast and beautiful throughout its single long lap — just keep an eye out for the deer that roam the park.
Frankfurt: Nidda Parkrun
Volkspark Niddatal is Frankfurt’s largest green space with an abundance of trails through its open and wooded areas, making it an ideal setting for this flat, fast two-lap figure-of-eight course. The event is praised by business-trip Parkrunners for its warm welcome and English-language first timers briefing, and you can join locals afterwards in trying to hunt down the Mounir Coffee Trike that services the park.
Milan: Milano Nord Parkrun
In a similar vein to Frankfurt, Italy’s largest Parkrun offers a largely flat, two-lap course in a park on the city’s outskirts, this time the 640-hectare Parco Nord. Parkrun tourists report a warm welcome from locals, who’ll happily chat with you over a coffee at Bar Enigma on Viale Giovanni Suzzani.
Vancouver: Central Parkrun, Burnaby
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Nearest station: Patterson SkyTrain station (Expo Line, 112, 125 and 129 buses)
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Typical finishers: 100-plus
One of several Parkruns in the Greater Vancouver area. I’ve picked this one in Burnaby because it’s easily accessible by public transport and the route in a historical forest park is graced with native west North American tree species like western hemlock, and western red cedar. Another option is to head for the Spanish Banks Beach Parkrun, where a 2k walk to the start from the nearest bus station is followed by an out-and-back 5k on the waterfront gravel . . .
Melbourne: Brimbank Parkrun
Melbourne — and Australia — is awash with Parkruns, so why not aim for something more adventurous? Bring your trail-running shoes to experience Brimbank’s hills and bridges, noting the 8am start time. Well-earned post-run coffees are available at Lumbar & Co.
Tokyo: Hikarigaoka Parkrun
This course is around 25 minutes away from Tokyo Station, but again note the start time is 8am, the same as all the other 39 Parkruns in Japan. A classic “park” route that involves one lap around a baseball field, followed by two larger laps of the park. Join locals for a post-run coffee at the park’s charming shop/café.
Have you done any Parkruns at home or abroad? Which are your favourites? Share your tips in the comments below
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