Free Weekly Timed

Radio presenter Jenni Falconer is on the pod this week to chat about her love of running and parkrun. She tells us about her quirky way of counting steps while running.

Andy Large is our guest this week who tells us how finding out he had diabetes prompted him to start going to parkrun.

The brilliant Malcolm from Bolton joins us this week to chat about his decision to retire from parkrun at the tender age of 91. He completed 100 parkruns at Bolton and has volunteered 205 times making him a parkrun legend. We also hear from Hugh Brasher, the London Marathon Event Director who tells us all about his love of parkrun.

Helen’s on her own this week as we celebrate junior parkrun turning 12. She speaks to the Crebbin family about why they got involved with parkrun and how it has become an integral part of their weekend. Volunteer Adrian Dixon also joins the pod to tell us why parkrun is so important to him and his mental health. And Helen’s kids Rosie and Aston make their FWT debuts.

Author Matt Whyman is on the pod this week to talk about his new book - ‘Failure is an Option’. He tells us his story of a love of running that developed from school cross-country through parkruns, to one of the toughest events in the world. He also recounts the story of how Muhammad Ali changed his life.

Nutritionist and author Anita Bean joins the pod this week to tell us more about sports nutrition. She breaks down some of the myths about food, and explains what we can all do to improve our lifestyles.

Wellness coach Davina Driver joins the pod this week. She tells us what wellness means and how it can be used in relation to parkrun. And Vassos receives some good news, before realising it’s not that good!

Professional triathlete, Olympic gold medallist and avid parkrunner Alex Yee joins the pod this week. He tells us why parkrun is so important to his whole family, the joy it gave him taking his grandfather to parkrun to celebrate his 90th birthday and how proud he is recording the second fastest parkrun of all time.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we hear from 19-year-old Olivia Smith who tells us why volunteering at parkrun is so important to her. Shortly after discovering parkrun three years ago, she was diagnosed with a debilitating neurological disorder that left her with limited use of her legs and arms. Determined not to let that keep her away, she is fast approaching her 70th parkrun and can be seen every week at Hillsborough parkrun.

Frances Drury from Sport England joins us this week to chat about “This Girl Can”, which is their nationwide campaign to get women and girls moving. We hear about a milestone for Mary and debate the new rules regarding dogs at parkrun.

Amy Rose O’Hanlon joins us this week to tell the story of how it took nearly 12 years for University Parks parkrun to become a reality. The inaugural event took place a few weeks ago, and Amy talks us through the journey from concept to reality. And the listeners continue to share their thoughts on the hardest and easiest parkruns.

This week we speak to BBC Politics reporter David Cornock about his love and even obsession with everything parkrun. Vassos shares his latest passport fiasco and we get more suggestions for the world's hardest parkrun.

This week we hear the story of Bedford parkrunner Marianna Slivnitskaya who contracted Covid back in March 2020, which later got diagnosed as Long Covid. Nearly two years on, she tells us that while even standing up is a struggle and the thought of running is a distant dream, the opportunity to volunteer every Saturday as part of the core team has given her a welcome dose of positivity.

New parkrun CEO Russ Jefferys is on the pod this week to chat about his promotion. Vassos has an idea to bring Valentine’s Day and parkrun together and we indulge ourselves as FWT features on a BBC podcast.

We chat to Sean Doyle - a real life parkrun miracle man. Louise is off touristing, and we hear how you’re all getting on with the challenge we set to bring at least one new person along to parkrun.

Minreet Kaur is back on the pod this week to tell us about her quest to find love at parkrun. Having gone through a divorce 13 years ago, she has decided to find the man of her dreams by going to a different parkrun every week.

We head to Australia this week to chat to North Sydney parkrunner David Crook who has just written a book celebrating parkrun’s first decade Down Under. He tells us how he went about the research for the book and shares some stories about the people and places that make parkrun in Australia so popular.

To kick off a new year of pods who better to get on than the brilliant Kirsty Woodbridge from the parkrun comms team. She tells us all about the new campaign “Start with…parkrun” and what it actually involves.

For our last pod of the year we speak to the inspirational Liam Critchett who, along with 5 other people with spinal injuries, completed his first ever parkrun a few weeks ago. Having been told he'd never walk again, he talks us through the incredible journey that saw him cross the finish line at Hull parkrun.

Nothing says Christmas more than Flying Boobies! This week we speak to parkrunner Richard Banks about his love of Saturday mornings, and why he set up the Flying Boobies to keep him and his friends connected. Helen and Vassos also talk about what their Xmas parkrun schedule normally looks like. *This episode was recorded before the news broke that parkrun in Wales is to be suspended from the 1st January*