Parkrun (5km). Why so little interest in the US/Canada?

Running
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5km, free, held every Saturday of the year.

Just turn up and race… or chat while walking your dog…or set a PR with your dog! :slight_smile:

Originating in the London almost 20 years ago, with now almost 800 weekly events across the UK, the concept has spread globally. Parkrun is insanely popular in Australia, with over 450 weekly events.

Yet there are less than 60 events in the US and about 40 in Canada.

A simple idea, parkrun is a real testament to how a sport can be expanded when as many possible barriers to entry are eliminated; no cost, achievable distance, no registration required (unless you want an official finish time/result), no age barriers, no performance standard (walkers welcome), dog friendly, no great time commitment for either competing or training, convivial social atmosphere…

Why are some countries so slow on the uptake?

https://www.parkrun.com

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I think it’s Australia that is exceptional, with 450 locations in a country of 27 million. As you note, even the home of parkrun - Britain - has 786 locations for a population of 67 million. Fewer per capita than Australia, where people have to run among spiders in the burning heat on a 2000 km long desert road!

Australia and Britain are not a good yardstick for the global popularity of parkrun. All Asian countries combined (including the 126-million Japan) have fewer than 50 locations.

France has only 8 locations despite a population of 67 million. Poland has 87 locations for 38 million people. Austria: 9 locations for 9 million.

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I think it’s Australia that is exceptional, with 450 locations in a country of 27 million. As you note, even the home of parkrun - Britain - has 786 locations for a population of 67 million. Fewer per capita than Australia, where people have to run among spiders in the burning heat on a 2000 km long desert road!

Australia and Britain are not a good yardstick for the global popularity of parkrun. All Asian countries combined (including the 126-million Japan) have fewer than 50 locations.

France has only 8 locations despite a population of 67 million. Poland has 87 locations for 38 million people. Austria: 9 locations for 9 million.

There are at least 3 here in Canberra (for a population under 500,000). A per capita comparison with France is not wise for the following reason : https://blog.parkrun.com/fr/2022/12/21/parkrun-france-an-update/

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I was about to say France (& Italy) will require a medical certificate, so it’s never going to work there.

Us Brits are crazy for stuff like this, organised sports events and challenges etc (& Aussies and Brits are pretty similar). I moved to Switzerland a while back and was shocked at the lack of runs/triathlons/swims in mainland Europe compared to the UK (where there is probably a marathon somewhere every weekend of the year).

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Yes, I totally get that Australia is an outlier. It’s even more popular in the city I live, Perth with about 35 events and a population of 2 million.

It’s pretty big in NZ too with about 40 events in a population of 5 million. I’m sure it would be even more popular there if they let you run with your sheep.

In Australia, the most deadly spiders only emerge to wander at night, so I don’t think that’s it. Even then, their activity is only seasonal.

I’m just curious how parkrun grows organically in some environments (it’s not actively promoted or advertised, bar the website) and basically relies on a volunteer base, mainly drawn from encouraging returning participants to sign up to spend an hour occasionally.

I’ve been involved in the running scene in Aus for a long time. Long enough to see many events come and go, and running participation peak and trough. But parkrun is a different model all together. Parkrun works and it’s so blatantly obvious why when you see it in action, I can’t help wonder why it hadn’t been done before. Or why it’s yet to take off in some countries.

I’m more than happy for a European perspective too, or those from anywhere else for that matter.

Other than the obvious origin of most ST posters, I just asked about the US/Canada because so many trends in running/endurance sport seemingly emanate from the US. The '70s running boom, the resulting rise of mass participation fun runs (Bay to Breakers, etc) and big city marathons (Boston, NYC), 100 mile trail ultras, triathlon, Ironman, etc.

You guys seem to get your mitts over everything, but not this.

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The medical certificate requirement in France is crap, but it sounds like lobbying has some weight behind it.

Yes, loved racing in England in the mid '80s. I picked up a hire car at Heathrow and was at a half marathon in Hertfordshire within an hour of clearing customs. So much racing available.

7

It has come to Wichita Ks this year, and has become a big hit, growing every week.

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8

5km, free, held every Saturday of the year.

Just turn up and race… or chat while walking your dog…or set a PR with your dog! :slight_smile:

Originating in the London almost 20 years ago, with now almost 800 weekly events across the UK, the concept has spread globally. Parkrun is insanely popular in Australia, with over 450 weekly events.

Yet there are less than 60 events in the US and about 40 in Canada.

A simple idea, parkrun is a real testament to how a sport can be expanded when as many possible barriers to entry are eliminated; no cost, achievable distance, no registration required (unless you want an official finish time/result), no age barriers, no performance standard (walkers welcome), dog friendly, no great time commitment for either competing or training, convivial social atmosphere…

Why are some countries so slow on the uptake?

https://www.parkrun.com

I think you forgot “And volunteer once in a while”. Thise things only survive if it is not the same 2 people doing the volunteering each week :slight_smile:

9

I was about to say France (& Italy) will require a medical certificate, so it’s never going to work there.

Us Brits are crazy for stuff like this, organised sports events and challenges etc (& Aussies and Brits are pretty similar). I moved to Switzerland a while back and was shocked at the lack of runs/triathlons/swims in mainland Europe compared to the UK (where there is probably a marathon somewhere every weekend of the year).

no mc required for parkrun in italy. that’s only for competitive events (which parkrun is not)

10

5km, free, held every Saturday of the year.

Just turn up and race… or chat while walking your dog…or set a PR with your dog! :slight_smile:

Originating in the London almost 20 years ago, with now almost 800 weekly events across the UK, the concept has spread globally. Parkrun is insanely popular in Australia, with over 450 weekly events.

Yet there are less than 60 events in the US and about 40 in Canada.

A simple idea, parkrun is a real testament to how a sport can be expanded when as many possible barriers to entry are eliminated; no cost, achievable distance, no registration required (unless you want an official finish time/result), no age barriers, no performance standard (walkers welcome), dog friendly, no great time commitment for either competing or training, convivial social atmosphere…

Why are some countries so slow on the uptake?

https://www.parkrun.com

I think you forgot “And volunteer once in a while”. Thise things only survive if it is not the same 2 people doing the volunteering each week :slight_smile:

very true

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11

I was about to say France (& Italy) will require a medical certificate, so it’s never going to work there.

Us Brits are crazy for stuff like this, organised sports events and challenges etc (& Aussies and Brits are pretty similar). I moved to Switzerland a while back and was shocked at the lack of runs/triathlons/swims in mainland Europe compared to the UK (where there is probably a marathon somewhere every weekend of the year).

no mc required for parkrun in italy. that’s only for competitive events (which parkrun is not)

correct parkrun is not a race

12

It has come to Wichita Ks this year, and has become a big hit, growing every week.

nice!

I can think of two places in Maine that have summer race series - one isa 5k every week on a weeknight, the other cycles through 3k / 5k / 8k. The latter is $60 for the summer; IDK how much the weekly 5k one is.

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I think you forgot “And volunteer once in a while”. Thise things only survive if it is not the same 2 people doing the volunteering each week :slight_smile:

I think you forgot to read post #5. :wink:

Yes, like every other running event, or any sporting event including the Olympics, volunteers are required.

For what it is though, parkrun operates with relatively few, not uncommonly fewer than 10.

An on-the-day race director/announcer, course marking and on course marshals are generally limited, start/finish infrastructure is limited to some cones and a couple of banner flags. No drink stations or traffic management. There’s always a “tail walker” out there. A couple of people handing out finish place tokens as you cross the line and a couple scanning barcodes. And some magic fairies transfer the scanned results to the event website and generate an email of your result.

Arrive 30 minutes prior to the event and you wouldn’t know you’re in the right place. Packing up literally takes 5 minutes before organisers and regulars are ready to adjourn to a cafe.

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I was about to say France (& Italy) will require a medical certificate, so it’s never going to work there.

Us Brits are crazy for stuff like this, organised sports events and challenges etc (& Aussies and Brits are pretty similar). I moved to Switzerland a while back and was shocked at the lack of runs/triathlons/swims in mainland Europe compared to the UK (where there is probably a marathon somewhere every weekend of the year).

no mc required for parkrun in italy. that’s only for competitive events (which parkrun is not)

correct parkrun is not a race

In reality it is no more or less than a race than any event where participants aren’t earning prize money. Which for the vast majority of us, is every event we line up in.

Some will walk, others will run at puke threshold pace and there’ll be varying levels of commitment and effort in between.

Ultimately, it’s a running event over a relatively accurate distance that times participants and records their results from fastest to slowest, by gender, by age group, by age-graded index. It’s hardly the Olympics, but very occasionally attracts Olympians.

If it’s not a race, it certainly runs like a duck and quacks suspiciously like one.

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Ultimately, it’s a running event over a relatively accurate distance that times participants and records their results from fastest to slowest, by gender, by age group, by age-graded index. It’s hardly the Olympics, but very occasionally attracts Olympians.

If it’s not a race, it certainly runs like a duck and quacks suspiciously like one.

.
https://youtu.be/zHiCvgZD-eI

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I love the concept of Parkrun, and have intended to get out to try them for a number of years. I suspect that there are a few reasons why the popularity hasn’t soared in North America. Firstly, very few people know about them. I only found out about the ones here (I believe their are two the national capital region, one in Kanata and one in Orleans) because I kept seeing UK friends talk about ParkRuns, and googled it and found out we had some. Events like these tend to strive on word of mouth for awareness, but it’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation, you need a decent crowd for the word to spread, but you need the word to spread for a decent crowd… Secondly, in some of the bigger cities, where they have ParkRuns, there are also other races nearly every weekend throughout the warmer months, so many people end up there. Thirdly, there are also other free runs/run groups around town, which also draws some of the crowd away (and in some cases they are marketed better).

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https://instagram.com/parkrunusa

“Parkrun USA
Creating healthy communities with free, weekly, timed 5K events”

Ok, that sounds reasonable

Then there’s this part …

“Shop Brooks full collection: http://www.brooksrunning.com/.../running-in-the-heat”

Perhaps if Brooks put all of its marketing might behind parkrun - the way Reebok did with CrossFit - maybe it would gain momentum?

There a few large parks near me with multi-use paths that could support a 5K distance without multiple loops - in fact, many times D’Wife & I have been walking/hiking around and I’ve said "this would be a great course for a 5K - and sometime we’ve driven up to see a crowded parking lot, heard fun music, and maybe smelled the fragrant aromas of food trucks, but it’s not for a running or biking event … it’s all for pickleball!!!

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Secondly, in some of the bigger cities, where they have ParkRuns, there are also other races nearly every weekend throughout the warmer months, so many people end up there.

Thirdly, there are also other free runs/run groups around town, which also draws some of the crowd away (and in some cases they are marketed better).

I don’t know about in other countries, but in the US, this feels like these are a major barrier.

It doesn’t take a large metropolitan area to have a weekly 5k. I’m in small-to-medium midwestern town and there’s multiple 5ks a month here and while not free, aren’t expensive. I’m 40 minutes from Indianapolis and there are multiple every weekend.

There’s also a large running club scene, even in the smaller towns. Some more formal than others, but the couple I’ve run with have been social focused rather than performance focuses. These aren’t track teams. Show up, run as far/short/fast/slow as you want and hang out after at a coffee shop if on the weekend or run and have a beer if in the evening.

19

I love the concept of Parkrun, and have intended to get out to try them for a number of years. I suspect that there are a few reasons why the popularity hasn’t soared in North America. Firstly, very few people know about them. I only found out about the ones here (I believe their are two the national capital region, one in Kanata and one in Orleans) because I kept seeing UK friends talk about ParkRuns, and googled it and found out we had some. Events like these tend to strive on word of mouth for awareness, but it’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation, you need a decent crowd for the word to spread, but you need the word to spread for a decent crowd… Secondly, in some of the bigger cities, where they have ParkRuns, there are also other races nearly every weekend throughout the warmer months, so many people end up there. Thirdly, there are also other free runs/run groups around town, which also draws some of the crowd away (and in some cases they are marketed better).

I would suggest local running clubs and RDs are the key to growing parkrun.

I know my old running club ran test events for a parkrun in West London.

Its also a useful way for a club to attract new runners via couch to 5k or similar

20

For what it is though, parkrun operates with relatively few, not uncommonly fewer than 10.

An on-the-day race director/announcer, course marking and on course marshals are generally limited, start/finish infrastructure is limited to some cones and a couple of banner flags. No drink stations or traffic management. There’s always a “tail walker” out there. A couple of people handing out finish place tokens as you cross the line and a couple scanning barcodes. And some magic fairies transfer the scanned results to the event website and generate an email of your result.

Arrive 30 minutes prior to the event and you wouldn’t know you’re in the right place. Packing up literally takes 5 minutes before organisers and regulars are ready to adjourn to a cafe.

This idea that parkrun is a really simple thing to organise each week and takes no more effort than 90mins on a Saturday morning really annoys me, and is really dismissive of the effort that actually goes in to each event. There’s a lot more that goes on each week that goes totally unseen (not least, making sure there are enough volunteers every Saturday - that takes a lot more effort than it should).

Those ‘magic fairies’ that process the results are also a person who often has to spend a long time sorting out issues when people ducked out of the finish funnel without taking a token, two finish tokens were stuck together, or various other things that easily go wrong. For a run director, who’s setting up and processing results it can easily be an entire Saturday morning given up, and then for the event directors the whole process of getting ready for the next week instantly starts again.

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