Why You Should Sign Up To Parkrun This January, From The People Who Love It

When Charlotte Saunders signed up to Parkrun in January 2018, she’d recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune liver disease. On her first attempt, the student could barely complete the first kilometre of the free 5K run.

She walked most of the way round but, thanks to the encouragement of other runners, kept attending races every week. Seven months later, Saunders ran her first 10k, while also raising more than £600 for the British Liver Trust.

“I’m really proud of my achievements,” Saunders, 20, tells HuffPost UK. “The good thing with Parkrun is that there’s always a tail runner, so even if you’re slow, you’ll never be the last person.”

Like Saunders, Linda Kibble, 41, and Peter Johnson, 49, also took the plunge and signed up to Parkrun last year – and if your New Year’s resolution is to get fit or make new friends, they’re convinced you’ll love the hobby, too.