Free Weekly Timed

Three different Helens are on the pod this week. Our Helen chats to Helen Bates who ran her first parkrun on International Women’s Day last year only for parkrun to stop the following week. She was recovering from a stroke and had made parkrun her goal. And Vassos checks in with HQ and chats to Helen Hood who is Head of Event Delivery.

Joining us this week is Carol Cunningham, who is head of volunteer management in Australia. She explains what her role at parkrun entails and why working in such a huge country has its challenges. We also hear about some of your favourite parkrun moments and Vassos gets a little obsessed with pirates!

Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams joins the pod to outline the plans for parkrun’s return in England for both junior and 5K. And we hear the lovely story of the Highbury Fields parkrun team who volunteer for the COVID-19 vaccination programme in north London.

Coach and athlete Martin Yelling joins the pod to discuss his new book “Running in the midpack”. He tells us about his love of parkrun and what inspired him to write the book. We also check in at parkrun and speak to Rowan Ardill, as well as a trip to Canada to hear from Euan Bowman.

TV & Radio presenter and parkrun enthusiast Jenni Falconer is our special guest this week. She tells us about her new series Cook with Co-op, how she got into running and why she loves parkrun so much. We also speak to Lucy Gossage, co-founder of “5K Your Way, Move Against Cancer”, who tells us all about the community she has created and how beneficial it has become to those living with and beyond cancer.

Former army major Kate Philp is our special guest this week. Kate lost her left leg below the knee in 2008 when the military vehicle she was commanding ran over a Taliban bomb in Afghanistan. She talks about how she used parkrun to become more integrated in her local community and recounts some of the amusing experiences she has had both volunteering and running. We also check in at parkrun with Jake Lodge, and Deri Thomas updates us from Sweden.

Our special guest this week is Lauren Reid, who broke the female parkrun world record last weekend in Sydney, Australia. She tells us how her preparations were far from ideal and how overwhelmed she was by all the support. Also, Claire Maxted tells us about writing her first book on trail running, Poland’s Country Manager Jakub Fedorowicz keeps us posted on how things are looking there and Cathy from the parkrun ops team makes her debut on the pod.

We chat to Tony Piedade, the founder and CEO of Jogging Buddy which connects local runners and walkers with each other. He tells us where the idea came from and how it has grown over the last 11 years. Renee Gimbert sends love from Australia where parkrun has resumed in all six states and Helen questions Patrick’s production skills.

parkrun Communications Manager Kirsty Woodbridge joins us this week to tell us how the team is staying positive at HQ and how people can register their parkrun resolution. Vassos gives his new book a plug and Helen tells us how much she is enjoying homeschooling!

Nick Pearson and Tom Williams join us on the pod this week to reflect on a tough 10 months for parkrun and share the latest from HQ.  And author and running coach Shane Benzie gives us some tips on how to improve your running technique.

Vassos is joined by parkrun’s Global Head of Health and Wellbeing Chrissie Wellington to look ahead to what we can expect from parkrun in 2021. She tells us about The parkrun Resolution and what it involves and how we can all join in.

parkrun founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt and Vassos take a stroll round Bushy Park, venue of the first ever parkrun in 2004. They chat about the early days, where the idea came from and how it has grown into what it is today.

Best mates Hughie and Freddie join us on the pod this week to share their heart-warming story. Hughie, aged 10, was diagnosed with Leukemia back in September, and his best friend Freddie wanted to do something special for him, so decided to run 2km a day for 50 days to raise money for the hospital treating Hughie.

Helen chats to international best-selling author Peter James about his love of parkrun. And Danny Bent is back on the pod to talk about his latest project - One Run, which is the first ever truly global running event. 

Physio Paul Hobrough joins us this week to tell us all about a new app he has developed to help people connect with physiotherapists around the UK . And with parkrun returning in Japan, we check in with country manager Chiaki Okada.

parkrun Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams joins us this week to talk more about the news that junior parkrun in the UK could be returning sooner rather than later, and Vassos and daughter Mary try to get us in the Christmas mood... in November!

Our special guest this week is British adventurer, author and grandmother Rosie Swale Pope. Despite running round the world, sailing solo across the atlantic and numerous other bonkers challenges, she tells us about her love of parkrun. We also hear from a listener who is taking in 7 parkruns as he aims to complete his first ever marathon.

As more parkrun events return around the world, we check in with Renee Gimbert - parkrun territory manager, Asia Pacific. She tells us about the challenges they face as more and more events re-open. And Vassos gets some advice to pass onto his son Matthew. 

This week, we check in with Eileen Clarke, one of the volunteers at Nobles parkrun, which restarted this week on the Isle of Man. She tells how the rain didn’t dampen the spirits as 132 parkrunners turned up.  We also hear from Tim Jones who set himself a remarkable running challenge that made use of the clock’s changing!

Hannah Corne, Executive Director of Mini Mermaid Running Club UK, joins us this week to tell us about the programme she has set up which uses physical activity and mindfulness to strengthen young girls' self-confidence, self-esteem and self-compassion. We also receive the most romantic email we have ever had.