Hundreds of thousands of runners, walkers, joggers, wheelchair athletes and fitness enthusiasts line up at the start of parkruns across the world every week.
As lovers of the sport, we – along with Michelle’s Step Forward With Lewis fitness business – decided to record our regular 5k adventures.
You can view our videos and reviews below…
OUR VIDEOS
READ OUR REVIEWS
University of Northampton parkrun
Saturday, November 15
Wet, wet, wet đŚ
But when your with your parkrun family âLove Is All Aroundâ (look it up kids đ).
It was a solo visit to the University of Northampton parkrun for Craig this week, which - coupled with flooding taking on parkruns across the midlands - meant keeping things local was the order of the day.
As a âUâ, the University of Northampton parkrun is usually a popular tourist haunt but the weather meant plenty of people had swapped the chance of a soggy 5k for a morning in the warm and dry.
Major kudus to those running and, more importantly, volunteering heroes who braved the conditions, which rewarded them by not being as bad as some may have feared!
UoN parkrun sometimes get a bad rap for its three loops and one steepish hill in the middle of each, but itâs a pretty enough course through Beckets Park and along the river, and the uni comes with good toilet đž facilities beforehand and afterwards.
The hill makes it a somewhat challenging course but thereâs a decent downhill tilt that you get to do three times afterwards as well, and the surface is all paved (bit slippy from leaves đ and rain today, but hey itâs November!).
If youâre looking for that tourist âUâ, itâs definitely worth checking out! And breakfast at Morrisonâs round the corner is a cheap and cheerful post-parkrun treat!
Gunpowder parkrun
Saturday, November 1
Baby, youâre a parkrun firework!
Well done to everyone who got their run on this morning - our 5k weapon of choice today was Gunpowder parkrun.
Itâs a run Michelle has had her eye on for a while, and with November 5th fast approaching, it seemed the perfect time to head to the edge of Essex to see what fireworks Gunpowder Park could put on!
Itâs a pretty course and a nice flat run, while milestones were celebrated with plenty of shout outs at the start - well done to those reaching their volunteering and running goals today!
Michelle also achieved her Bee Gees challenge today⌠all together now, ah ah ah⌠Staying Alive!
Correction! Martin - mentioned in the video - is from Ashford not Ashfield⌠sorry.
Eden Project parkrun
Saturday, October 18
If Carlsberg made parkrunsâŚ
The Eden Project parkrun might just be the âbest in the worldâ!
One thing to say upfront, donât go there hunting PBs. There are one or two speed humps that you have to tackle more than once, and the course is narrow in places.
But if you can get over that, have a look around as you run and you canât beat running through the worldâs garden.
This is a green parkrun, built in an eco-paradise. Towering above it all are the two giant biomes that make up the central part of the project.
The Eden Project is a global garden built in a former clay mine. The transformation from industrialised wasteland to ecological centre is incredible to see.
The temperature-controlled biomes house plants from the world's largest indoor rainforest and the Mediterranean, and features a viewing platform that had Michelle holding tight to the railings!
All parkrunners get free entry to the facility, which is pretty cool when it usually costs ÂŁ42.
The run itself is a joy, with great views, enough of a challenge to get you puffing up the hill, and a unique experience you donât get at the majority of park-based Saturday morning jaunts.
Go and do it!
Riemer parkrun
Saturday, October 4
Day two of our Unity Day parkrun experience took us to Riemer park for the regular Saturday run.
Full of cold, full of yesterdayâs Oktoberfest steins and on tired legs after tackling Westpark parkrun yesterday, this was going to be a tricky one but we braved Munichâs early morning chill to make it up bright and early.
The good news is that Riemer is set on the site of on an old airfield, which could only mean one thing⌠itâs FLAT!
This is fast course for anyone looking for a PB time, and would be even quicker if it werenât for the asphalt surface. The park itself is not as pretty as Westpark but with a lake to circumnavigate, itâs certainly not the worst parkrun youâll ever do.
The field was made up almost entirely of tourists but looking at previous events, there are normally 65-80 participants so perhaps the locals enjoyed Oktoberfest a little bit too much last night!
Prost!!
Leicester Victoria parkrun
Saturday, September 27
It was off to Leicester for Craigâs birthday parkrun.
Itâs a nice big park, but âlane etiquetteâ is appalling which makes running the course a bit tough!
It is a fast course though, generally flat with some quick downhills but a couple of ups to make up for it.
Highlight/lowlight of the day was Craig running past the finish line and on to a fourth lap⌠the lesson: always listen to the course briefing!!
Somerdale parkun
Saturday, August 30
Spinning right round into Somerdale Pavilion parkrun, featuring the infamous Curly Wurly.
Named in honour of the nearby Fryâs Chocolate Factory, where the Curly Wurly chocs were produced, it is a section of continuously reducing circles which make runners dizzy with excitement, nausea or both!
Itâs a hugely popular course for tourists who want something just a little bit different.
Whatâs it like? Our opinion is more marmite than chocolate!
Michelle loved it.
Craig? Shall we just say, not so much!!
Youâll have to check it out yourselfâŚ!
Market Bosworth parkrun
Saturday, July 12
Itâs tourism time again⌠and today we were off on the trails at the beautiful Market Bosworth parkrun.
Set in the country park, this might not be a natural PB parkrun given the uneven surface in places (although the first runner home in around 16 minutes might disagree!), but itâs a really gorgeous run through the park and woodland.
A two lap course, there is a bit of a hill but nothing to be too worried about. It was another hot one today but the recent dry weather probably helped course conditions - Iâd bet on this one getting muddy in the winter!
The important bit - thereâs only a coffee van (lovely Iâm sure but who does parkrun for just coffee!) at the course, but the good news is itâs a short walk into the pretty centre of Market Bosworth where there are loads of breakfast options.
Iâd recommend popping in just to have a look around.
Fab parkrun overall in lovely surroundings⌠get it on your tourism list (as long as you donât want a PB!).
Braunstone parkrun
May 31, 2025
The first thing to mention about Braunstone parkrun is, er, the last thing about Braunstone parkrun.
The course was designed by a sadist. This is a fact. Go there and you will find out but let me warn youâŚ
Now, donât be fooled by the beautiful park, the lovely lake, the enticing shades of green.
Please donât let the general flat nature of the course deceive you. Donât be wooed or wowed by how very runnable parts of it are.
Be warned⌠There be hills!
Undulations within a parkrun arenât exactly without precedent but what makes Braunstone particularly evil is where they are.
Or specifically where one of them is; ie.. right at the end. An uphill, grassy sprint just as youâre properly gassed.
Thank you Braunstone parkrun, thanks a bunch!
But seriously, this is a really good parkrun route. Tough enough to be challenging, flat enough to allow you to go for it, and with all the picturesque details youâd want from a typical English park.
Loses marks for a lack of a cafe (there is a mobile van that provides some really good coffee or a leisure centre, which I wouldnât bother with), but Braunstone is well worth a visit.
Just remember those hiking boots and walking poles for the last 50m.
Henlow Bridge Lakes parkun
May 17, 2025
Looped parkruns sometimes - and often deservedly - get a bad name, but Henlow Bridge Lakes is a lovely, pretty course.
It didnât feel like you were passing the same spot over and again - no school field, cross country vibes, which is always a positive. Always!
Friendly volunteers, a flat course, a touch of the trail about it⌠what more could you want?
Some say there are no winners at parkrun, we like to say everyoneâs a winner (also, there are winners, those really fast people who come first⌠sue us ).
Thank you Henlow Bridge Lakes parkrun
Seven Fields parkrun
Saturday, November 8
The ancient city of Rome was built on seven hills.
And in a similar vein, the not so ancient Seven Fields parkrun was built on, er, seven fields!
Or at least it felt like it as we criss-crossed around the course.
Fortunately, at least for Craig, the marshalls were on the ball and able to keep the runners on if not the straight and narrow, then the somewhat loopy and confusing right path!
Michelle had more issues though as the marshalls were getting confused themselves - a big thank you to local runner Gareth for his guidance!
This is a tough course, practically all on grass and it was slippery today after some overnight rain. Weâd definitely recommend trail shoes if youâve got them.
It was a rush off to watch the England A rugby afterwards so not breakfast review - sorry, we know thatâs the most important bit!
Decent challenging parkrun overall, a bit school playing field at times but with some nicer edge of trail bits thrown in.
Dare we say SEVEN out of 10?
Ps⌠music by Shed SEVEN 7ď¸âŁ đ
Northampton Halloween parkrun
Saturday, October 25
We returned to Northampton Racecourse for a spook-tacular Halloween run.
As ever, we had a fantastic turnout from our Step Forward With Lewis and Running Tales family.
With skeletons in dresses and witches with bat wings the apparent order of the day, there was a distinctly spooky, kooky and ooky feel to the run!
We always love returning from our tourist jaunts to see everyone in Shoe Town again.
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out our new Running Tales Substack article on Sarah Lavender Smith and her Hardrock 100 experience.
Watermeadows parkrun
Saturday, October 11
This was Craigâs long-avoided NENDY.
Having heard lots of negative things about Watermeadows parkrun - mainly from Michelle!! - this event hadnât been on the top of the list.
But rumours of it being âfour times round a playing fieldâ were entirely UNFOUNDED and UNFAIR!
Yes, Watermeadows is a four lap course which may put some people off, but this is a parkrun set in really pretty surroundings in what is the lovely little , quintessentially English town of Towcester.
The core team were great, and while numbers were reasonable there was a peaceful, relaxed feel about the whole event.
AND⌠itâs very flat! This is a really good course if you want to get a good time, with no hills and barely a speed bump.
The only slight delay could come from a narrow gate towards the end of each lap, but time your sprint towards it right and youâll have no problem - plus it serves as a good way to count how many laps youâve done!
Afterwards, head to The Old Bakery for an incredible selection of cakes and coffees⌠with a parkrun discount thrown in.
Conclusion: Ignore your significant other, forget any four lap fears and head to Watermeadows parkrun - you wonât regret it!
Westpark parkrun
Friday, October 3
Unity Day is a national holiday in Germany, celebrating the reunification of East and West Germany.
So, we headed to a Friday parkrun at Westpark in Munich to join the celebrations (it may also be Oktoberfest here!).
Westpark is a really pretty park, with large, wide pathways - although we were warned to keep an eye out for cyclists, who are apparently very hot on people being in the right lane over here!
There are a couple of short, sharp uphill sections but plenty of downhill bits too, while the paved surface means you can get up some speed if you want to.
Breakfast afterwards is at a Bohemian cafe by the lake, where the main food on offer is chips!
All in all, a really good parkrun - weâll be out again tomorrow for Munich parkrun part two!
Danke schĂśn Westpark parkun!
Northampton parkrun
Saturday, September 6
Thereâs no place like home! Thereâs no place like home! Thereâs no place like home
Say it three times Dorothy, and youâll be back at the RacecourseâŚ
Yes, we returned to Northampton parkrun today.
Itâs always great to come back to the Racecourse and catch up with everyone.
Michelle spent many happy years as a Run Director here and it will always be our number one event.
Itâs a lovely park, with great people and a real inclusive, community spirit.
Today, we had homeless charity Northampton Hope Centre in attendance and participants included a visually impaired runner, run walkers, deaf athletes and more.
Youâd expect us to say this, but Northampton will forever be a ten out of ten for us!
Jubilee parkrun
Saturday, July 26
A new one this week as we set off to the still shiny Jubilee parkrun in Bedford - and folks, itâs definitely one to add to your list.
The only downside (afraid itâs a big one!) was the post-run brekkie. Two waters, a coffee, a tea and two toasties which seemed to have had an argument with the toaster for ÂŁ17.
Once again, leisure centre breakfast venues maintaining their 100% record of being dreadful - Avoid!
Right, thatâs that out the way!
Everything else at Jubilee was great. A really pretty park, even if you did have to do three loops, which is wheelchair friendly and would suit those after a good time.
Friendly enthusiastic marshals, good parking and a hearty parkrun welcome all firmly in place.
Add this one to your list guys and girls, itâs a goodie⌠just eat somewhere else afterwards
Sixfield Upton parkrun
June 21, 2025
Hotter than a sauna in the Sahara!
The Great British weather Gods turned up the heat yesterday to give runners all over the country a sweaty treat.
The good folks of Sixfields Upton parkrun responded by pulling out the finish line ice pops and having plenty of water available.
This is a local run for us, but one we donât visit that often as we generally head further afield if weâre not at the Racecourse in Northampton town centre.
So, it was good to catch up with this pretty course at Upton - unlike the nearby and later formed University of Northampton parkrun, the founders of Sixfield Upton deliberately avoiding the tourist trap temptation of starting their course name with a âUâ.
This is flat course with only one or two slight inclines, that is eminently runnable in the summer months. Itâs flood plain position can mean it has the potentially to be a muddy one in the winter but the current hot spell means that certainly isnât a problem at the moment.
Runners will need to watch out for the tree straight their in your path as they start, but after that itâs pedal to the metal all the way round (or saunter in the sun works just as well if thatâs your far more sensible thing!).
With 275 participants, Sixfields parkrun balances nicely on the busy and buzzy side without getting too crammed, and you even get to run through a working farm.
For anyone - like us - who hasnât been there for a while, there is now a cafe to hand at the Elgar Centre which was very welcome after yesterdayâs contest with the heat!
One for your speedy trainers if the sunâs not out too much!
Witney parkrun
May 24, 2025
Welcome to Witney, where someone seems to have spewed a parkrun course on to a combination of a cricket pitch, some tree lined alleys and a wood.
While the pre-run prep takes place in wide open space, the rac⌠RUN⌠heads straight into the only narrow area at West Witney Sports & Social Club, a tight tree-lined lane that has you hopping around to avoid other runners and tricky tree roots.
Somehow, despite there being acres of open field nearby, runners keep closely to these âtree alleysâ - at least, that is, until they are suddenly plunged into a pretty wooded area and a short, sharp uphill section.
This weekend we had musical accomplishment as it was Witney Musical Festival, which was a nice touch, while the post-run coffee and sausage sandwich at UE Coffee Roasters was definitely one not to miss.
Yes, there was an element of the bizarre about Witney parkrun and its rambling route, but if youâre not bothered about a PB this is a unique parkrun with woods, trails and a sausage sandwich twist.
You canât say fairer than that!