# What is parkrun, and do you have to be fast? Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/what-is-parkrun/ Section: Zestasy Wiki > Movement · Updated: 2026-10-13 · Publisher: Zestasy *Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.* parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5k held on Saturday mornings in parks around the world and run entirely by volunteers. You do not have to be fast: walking is welcome, and many events have a volunteer tail walker who goes round at the back, so nobody is ever last. parkrun is the rare running event that is free, happens every week and does not care how fast you are. It is also, on a cold Saturday in January, a surprisingly cheerful place to be. ## How it works According to the [Wikipedia entry on parkrun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkrun), it was started by Paul Sinton-Hewitt on 2 October 2004 at Bushy Park in London, originally as the Bushy Park Time Trial. Every event is 5 kilometres, free to enter and organised by volunteers, and events take place on Saturday mornings in more than 2,000 locations across many countries. You register once online and get a personal barcode. Bring it with you and it works at any parkrun. At the finish, volunteers scan your barcode and a finish token, and that is how your time gets recorded. Forget the barcode and you can still take part; you just won't get a time. ## Do you have to be fast? No, and this is the point. Local councils that host events describe them as open to people running, jogging or walking: [Wandsworth Council's page on Battersea parkrun](https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/news-march-2025/volunteer-at-battersea-parkrun/), for example, describes the free weekly 5km in exactly those terms, and lists the tail walker among the volunteer roles, the person who walks the full course at the back and makes sure everyone finishes. The front of a parkrun field can be quick. The back is a mix of walkers, people pushing buggies, people with dogs, first-timers, people coming back after a long break and people having a chat. The middle is everyone else. Nobody is looking at your pace except you, and only if you want to. ## What a first parkrun is like - **Arrive early.** Ten or fifteen minutes is plenty. Find the start, find the toilets, find the bag pile if there is one. - **Listen to the briefing.** First-timers often get a short welcome explaining the course, which is especially useful if it is two laps of something. - **Start near the back.** It is friendlier there, and you will not be swept along faster than you meant to go. - **Walk whenever you like.** Plenty of people run-walk the whole way. Our piece on [walking during a run](https://zestasy.com/wiki/walking-during-a-run/) explains why that is a perfectly respectable method. - **Stay for coffee.** Many events have a café nearby where people gather afterwards. This is arguably the main event. ## Volunteering counts too Every parkrun is run by volunteers: marshals, timekeepers, barcode scanners, the run director and the tail walker. Volunteering is a good way in if you are not ready to take part yet, or if you are injured, or if you simply fancy standing in a park cheering at strangers. It is also how most people make friends there. ## Why it suits nervous beginners It removes most of the reasons people give for not trying a running event. It costs nothing. There is no entry deadline. It happens again next week, so a bad morning is not a disaster. And because the same people tend to turn up, it quietly becomes a habit with a social side, which is how habits tend to stick. If you find you like the weekly rhythm and want more company, a [running club](https://zestasy.com/movement/finding-a-running-club/) is a natural next step. ## FAQ ### Is parkrun a race? It is a timed run, not a race in the usual sense. There are finish positions and times, but most people use them to compare with their own past runs, if they look at all. ### Can I bring my dog or a buggy? Many events allow both, with some guidance about where to start and how to keep everyone safe. Check your local event's page before you go. ### Is there a version for children? Yes. junior parkrun is a 2km event for children aged roughly 4 to 14, held on Sunday mornings at some locations, according to the same Wikipedia entry. ### Do I need special kit? No. Comfortable shoes and clothes you can move in are enough. Bring a layer for afterwards if you plan to stay for coffee. ## Sources - [Wikipedia: Parkrun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkrun) - [Wandsworth Council: Volunteer at Battersea parkrun](https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/news/news-march-2025/volunteer-at-battersea-parkrun/) ## Related - [Is there any point running if you're slow?](https://zestasy.com/movement/running-when-youre-slow/) - [How do you prepare for your first race without making it your whole personality?](https://zestasy.com/movement/first-race-without-obsessing/) - [How do you find a running club that isn't intimidating?](https://zestasy.com/movement/finding-a-running-club/) - [Is it OK to walk during a run?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/walking-during-a-run/) - [How do you start seeing yourself as "a runner" or "a cook"?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/seeing-yourself-as-a-runner/) - [All Movement answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#movement)