Are you keen to get into running, but don’t know where to start? Well, come along to Bishop’s Park in Fulham at 9am any Saturday morning for a great taster to show you that endorphins do really work!
Park Run is a great initiative. All around the world, every Saturday morning, there is a volunteer community organised 5km run (check the website for locations). The run is organised purely by volunteers who are motivated to give local residents (and visitors) a great physical and mental start to their weekends. You may be hesitant because 9am is early, but once you try it, you won’t be able to stop.
The Park run community is simply amazing and brings together people from all walks of life. It is international, intergenerational and definitely interconnected. On any given Saturday, you can see a huge mixture of runners and volunteers, including children, pensioners, dogs, people pushing babies in buggies, groups in fancy dress, tourists, Olympic athletes and even celebrities occasionally. Although there is an element of competitiveness (times are properly recorded and runners are always vying for their PBs), the atmosphere is supportive, inclusive and most importantly, fun. For example, as you can see in the photo above, a couple recently decided to bring their stag/hen parties to Fulham Palace park run to start off their wedding day!
If you can’t run or simply aren’t in the mood, being a volunteer fully still immerses you in the Park run experience. There are so many jobs to do from timekeeping, being a marshal by supporting the runners from the sidelines, giving out finish tokens, tail walking and even if you are still keen to run help before and afterwards is always appreciated!
Fulham Palace park run is a huge weekly undertaking, with over 400 runners every week and often many more when the sun is shining so volunteers are always required! It is worth noting that Park run is a great way to do the volunteer section of the Duke of Edinburgh programme – you definitely won’t be the only teenager helping out!
Park run is constantly on a mission to improve people’s health and wellbeing and encourage everyone to get moving. For instance, many locations now have a “park walk”, which is perfectly summed up in its name, the 5km walk!
It is all well me describing to you the wonderful atmosphere here but here is a quote from Matt Clark, who has volunteered over 80 times Fulham Palace park run, “Park run is a brilliant way to help people with their physical and mental well being[…]the fact that people are prepared to come out on a cold damp Saturday morning and run round the park is great and it gives people a sense of achievement to set them up for the day”.
I hope that even if you are not a keen runner, you are convinced that it is worth coming out and experiencing the wholesome, welcoming and inspiring atmosphere at Fulham Palace park run.
