Parkrunners Podcast

Two marathon majors in two weeks. 1,200+ parkrun volunteer roles completed. And a London Marathon place for 2027, raising funds for parkrun Global.This week I’m joined by Gill Manton. Gill has been parkrunning since September 2013. She has completed 335 parkruns at 131 locations and has 509 volunteer credits at 48 locations, covering 1200+ volunteer roles across 28 different jobs. She became a Run Director and the Event Director of Bracknell junior parkrun, helped launch California Country parkrun in February 2019, became an Event Support Ambassador and is now a Regional Event Ambassador. Having run Berlin and Chicago, she now takes on London in April 2027, fundraising for parkrun Global.We talk about: • How it all began at her local parkrun, and the road from there to Berlin and Chicago • Running two marathon majors just two weeks apart • Why parkrun’s biggest gift to mental health might come from those who volunteer rather than run • Her role as a Regional Event Ambassador and what it takes to support events across a region • Her London Marathon 2027 challenge for parkrun GlobalWhether you’re a first-timer, a tail walker or chasing your next milestone, Gill’s story is a reminder that there’s a place for everyone at parkrun.💛 Support Gill’s London Marathon fundraising link: 🎧 Hosted by Catherine Stenson 📸 Instagram: @parkrunners_podcast ✉️ [email protected] you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate and share. It really helps other parkrunners find the show.Send us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

Alice Couldwell spent years waking up the country with the news on Heart Breakfast. These days her week looks rather different.Twice named National Newsreader of the Year, Alice has anchored from Buckingham Palace for the Coronation, reported from Centre Court at Wimbledon and covered a Women’s FA Cup Final at Wembley. Then she left national radio to lead communications for junior parkrun — the free, 2km Sunday morning event for children aged 4 to 14.In this episode she tells Catherine about growing up in a house full of vinyl and news bulletins, the years when her alarm started with a three, and the morning a self-described non-runner found herself on the start line of her first parkrun in Leeds. She has since completed the London Marathon and reached her 100th parkrun on the very last event of 2025.We also talk about what makes a Sunday morning junior parkrun a different animal from a Saturday 5k, what happens to a child when you hand them a stopwatch, why teenage girls drift away from sport and what two kilometres in a park can realistically do about it, and why, for Alice, movement is a kind of meditation.Her answer to anyone still carrying the belief that running isn’t for them is worth the listen on its own.IN THIS EPISODE•  Growing up in a house full of radio•  Heart Breakfast, and two National Newsreader of the Year titles•  The Coronation, Centre Court and Wembley•  "I absolutely wasn’t a runner"•  A first parkrun, and a roar of applause for the first-timers•  Reaching 100 parkruns•  The leap from reporting stories to shaping them•  Inside a Sunday morning junior parkrun•  Teenage girls and falling away from sport•  Movement as meditation, and the pull of the mountains•  The Personal Best Foundation•  One millionth parkrun at Bushy Park•  "Just show up"Send us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

What keeps a World Champion and Olympic medallist coming back to a free 5K in the park on a Saturday morning?This week, Catherine is joined by one of Ireland's greatest ever athletes, Sonia O'Sullivan, 5,000m World Champion, Olympic silver medallist and, these days, a passionate parkrunner with more than 200 events to her name.But this isn't simply a conversation about medals and elite athletics.Sonia shares how she discovered parkrun in its early days at Bushy Park, how it fitted around family life and training, and why she now seeks out parkruns on her travels around the world. She even arrived for this conversation fresh from a parkrun in Krakow.Sonia and Catherine talk about longevity in running, learning not to train harder and faster all the time, the importance of building from the fitness you have today, parkrun tourism, family, dogs, post-parkrun coffee and the simple motivation of having somewhere to be on a Saturday morning.And for anyone who has been thinking about trying parkrun but hasn't quite made it to that first start line, Sonia has a wonderfully simple message: once you decide to do it, you may walk away wondering why you didn't do it sooner.From World Championship gold and Olympic silver to the enduring pleasure of running in a park with everyone else, this is a warm and uplifting conversation about what keeps us running long after the finish lines that once mattered most.And Sonia's three words for parkrun?“Saturday wake up.”🎧 Listen now to Sonia O'Sullivan on The Parkrunners Podcast.Send us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

What does it take to turn a Saturday morning idea into a movement that half a million Australians now call part of their weekly routine?In this episode, Catherine sits down with Tim Oberg, the founder of parkrun Australia, for a warm, candid and often surprising look back at how it all began, including the true story of how a rescued street dog from Montenegro named Clarence was the reason Tim discovered parkrun in the first place (dogs used to get their own barcodes — yes, really).Tim, a former national junior weightlifting champion who "actively avoided" endurance running for most of his life, talks about the email that started it all, the coffee meeting with parkrun founder Paul Sinton-Hewitt, and arriving in Australia in 2011 with nothing but a licensing agreement, three stopwatches and no idea what he was about to build.From the first 110 finishers at Main Beach to parkruns now running inside Australian prisons, on Hamilton Island, and in the country's smallest regional towns, Tim shares:The real reason parkrun works so well in the modern world - his theory of the lost "third space"The candid, funny truth about working with parkrun's famously blunt founder, Paul Sinton-HewittHow he borrowed a idea from Flight Centre's "Family Village Tribe" model to scale parkrun across the countryA moving tribute to the late Professor Richard Scolyer and fellow parkrun advocate Lisa MillarWhy he walked away from parkrun in 2022 after 11 years — and the new mission driving him now: getting a million Australian kids moving before Brisbane hosts the 2032 Olympics, through his Healthy Kids Project and RAD Run ClubThis is a founder's story about community, purpose, and knowing when it's time for the next chapter.Find out more about Tim's current work: radrun.club🎧 Listen now — and if this episode moves you, share it with someone who needs their own "third space."Follow us: Instagram: @parkrunners_podcast Email: [email protected] us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

What happens when an ordinary Saturday morning at parkrun suddenly becomes a matter of life and death?Dr Wendy White is an NHS GP, passionate Bushy parkrunner and self-confessed former non-runner who once hid in the bushes during school cross-country.Today, she has more than 300 parkruns behind her, has completed a 54K ultramarathon and describes parkrun as her “church”.But in 2022, Wendy was waiting among around 1,500 people for Bushy parkrun to start when a man arriving on his bike suddenly collapsed and went into cardiac arrest.Wendy and a small group of fellow medics stepped in. A defibrillator was rushed through the crowd. He was shocked more than once — and survived.Wendy was subsequently recognised with the Spirit of parkrun award, although she's characteristically quick to credit the whole team who helped save his life that morning.In this warm, funny and refreshingly candid conversation, Wendy joins Catherine to talk about:Her journey from hiding during school cross-country to 300+ parkruns and an ultramarathonThe extraordinary morning a fellow parkrunner's life was saved at BushyWhy she believes parkrun is an enormously powerful public-health toolWhy nervous first-timers don't even need to run or walk — they can simply turn up and watchHer own experience of movement and weight lossMidlife and women's health, and why there's really no such thing as an “average patient”Why Saturday morning parkrun has become her “church”And why she describes parkrun as “possibly the only useful addiction I can think of.”From medicine and midlife to movement, community and the extraordinary things that can happen in a park on a Saturday morning, this is an uplifting conversation about just how far the impact of parkrun can reach.🎧 The Parkrunners Podcast —> stories from the people who make parkrun much more than a 5K.Send us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

What happens when parkrun becomes more than a Saturday morning habit and grows into a family legacy spanning three generations?In this warm and uplifting episode, Catherine is joined by Sonya Byers OBE, a parkrun trustee, dedicated volunteer and CEO of Women in Transport.Sonya’s own parkrun journey began through volunteering at junior parkrun before she finally took on her first 5K in Kraków, Poland, in temperatures of minus eight degrees — where her 70-year-old father beat her in a sprint finish.She shares how her involvement at Barking junior parkrun  led to community outreach work, an ambassador role and eventually a seat on parkrun’s global board of trustees.Sonya also introduces us to her extraordinary parkrun family. Her father, now 80, has completed more than 550 parkruns and over 500 volunteer occasions. Her mother is fast approaching her 500th volunteer credit, her brother is a junior parkrun Run Director, her husband is also a Run Director, and her young daughter already has an incredible record across both adult and junior parkrun.Together, they offer a remarkable picture of parkrun as a truly multigenerational community built on participation, generosity and belonging.Catherine and Sonya also discuss:• Why volunteering builds confidence, skills and friendships• The growth and impact of junior parkrun• parkrun’s role in public health and community wellbeing• Creating welcoming and inclusive events• Safeguarding and trust within local communities• Sonya’s work supporting women across the transport sector• Why keeping parkrun simple is central to its global successThis is a joyful conversation about family, service, inclusion and the lasting impact of showing up for others.Listen now to The Parkrunners Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Send us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

We all want to live longer. But perhaps the better question is... how do we live better?This week on the Parkrunners Podcast, Catherine is joined by Tim Howe, founder of The Longevity Games, former parkrun Run Director, passionate volunteer, and someone who believes that healthy ageing isn't about expensive gadgets or miracle supplements—it's about movement, community and purpose.With 235 parkruns, 122 volunteer credits and years spent inspiring others to become more active, Tim shares why he believes parkrun may be one of the greatest public health initiatives of our time.Together they discuss:🏃 Why parkrun is about far more than running💛 The surprising connection between community and longevity🙌 How volunteering can be just as rewarding as taking part💪 Why functional fitness matters as we age👴 The remarkable lessons Tim learned from his grandfather, who lived independently until the age of 97🌍 His mission to help more people enjoy healthier, happier and more connected lives through The Longevity GamesWhether you're chasing a PB, walking your first parkrun or simply looking for inspiration to move a little more, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and uplifting stories.Because getting older doesn't have to mean slowing down.🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.Send us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

For more than three decades, Lisa Millar has been one of Australia's most respected journalists and broadcasters. From reporting around the world as ABC's Bureau Chief in Washington and London, to becoming a familiar face through ABC News Breakfast, Back Roads and Muster Dogs, Lisa has spent her career telling other people's stories.But on Saturday mornings, none of those titles matter.Like thousands of others, Lisa is simply another member of the parkrun community.In this warm and uplifting conversation, Lisa shares her journey from a tiny Queensland town to international journalism, why she always knew she wanted  "A BIG LIFE", and how parkrun became an unexpected source of friendship, routine and mental wellbeing during some of the most demanding years of her career.We talk about:🟡 Growing up in rural Queensland🟡 Reporting from Washington and London🟡 Discovering parkrun while living in London🟡 Why parkrun  became so important for her mental health🟡 The power of volunteering and community🟡 Albert Melbourne parkrun and life in Australia's most liveable city🟡 Back Roads, Muster Dogs and returning to what matters🟡 Why ordinary human connections still matter mostLisa's warmth, humour and love for people shine through this episode, making it a conversation about far more than running.Whether you're a parkrunner, volunteer, walker or simply someone who values community, this is an episode full of hope, kindness and perspective.Enjoy!Hosted by Catherine StensonThe Parkrunners PodcastSend us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

This week I’m thrilled to welcome my very first parkrun Japan guest — Akihiro Matsuda — whose beautiful mantra is:“parkrun exists in every place I call home.”Akihiro’s parkrun story spans Singapore and Japan, and it’s packed with warmth, community-building and quietly brilliant leadership. We begin with his early parkrun days at East Coast Park parkrun (Singapore), and follow his journey back to Japan where he helped bring parkrun to life close to home — launching Gongendo 2gou Kouen parkrun (GGD2) and building an event culture based on belonging, friendship, and shared responsibility.We also chat about Akihiro’s recent experience supporting the launch of a brand-new event in Toyama — Fuganunga Kansuikouen parkrun (FKK) — and two powerful “connection moments” that show just how deeply parkrun can weave into our personal history and sense of place.And there’s a standout section where Akihiro shares his simple, memorable view of “parkrun and happiness” — and how Saturday mornings can help unlock the feel-good chemistry that keeps us coming back.In this episode we cover: Why “home” can be a feeling — and how parkrun helps create it  Starting and growing a new parkrun event community in Japan  The leadership “secret” behind GGD2’s success (including shared leadership and junior Run Directors)  The magic of new event launches — and what they reveal about community  A wonderfully practical happiness model you’ll want to share If you’ve ever travelled, moved, started again, or simply needed a place to belong… this one will land.🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts) 💛 If you enjoy the episode, please follow/subscribe, leave a rating/review, and share it with a fellow parkrunner.Send us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

This week on the Parkrunners Podcast, Catherine Stenson is joined by one of the UK’s most recognisable broadcasters — but also one of the parkrun community’s most inspiring runners — Sophie Raworth.Many people know Sophie as a trusted BBC News presenter, but away from the newsroom she has quietly built an extraordinary running journey that began in her 40s and continues to redefine what’s possible in later life.Now aged 58 — and fitter and stronger than ever — Sophie has completed more than 220 parkruns, countless marathons and ultra-distance events, including the legendary 250km Marathon des Sables across the Sahara Desert. She also achieved an astonishing parkrun PB of 20:31 at the age of 51 — proof that progress doesn’t have an expiry date.In this uplifting and deeply honest conversation, Sophie shares:🏃‍♀️ How running transformed her life after 40🌳 Why parkrun became such an important part of her story💪 Recovering mentally and physically after a fractured ankle forced her to stop running for a year🔥 What drives her to keep challenging herself📖 The inspiration behind her new bestselling book Running on Air❤️ Why community, movement and Saturday mornings still matter so muchFrom her Richmond Park parkrun memories to ultra marathons in the desert, this episode is a powerful reminder that it is never too late to begin — and that one small step can truly change everything.Whether you’re chasing a PB, coming back from injury, walking your first parkrun, or wondering if it’s “too late” to start… Sophie’s story will leave you inspired.🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Buzzsprout and all major podcast platforms.Send us Fan MailThank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!