Walking a parkrun on a Saturday morning

parkrun is a free weekly 5k, and walking the whole way is allowed. Someone always finishes behind you.

Movement · By the Appetite Journal team · 1 min read · Monday 21 September 2026

parkrun is a free, timed 5k held every Saturday morning in parks across the UK. Events start at 9am in England and Wales and 9.30am in Scotland and Northern Ireland. You can run it, jog it or walk the whole thing.

Signing up

You register once on the parkrun website and get a personal barcode. Print it or keep it on your phone, and have it scanned at the finish so your time comes through by email later that morning. You can turn up without registering, but you won't get a time.

Being at the back

Every event has a volunteer tail walker who goes round last, so nobody finishes on their own. At plenty of events, a good number of people walk. Start near the back of the crowd and go at your own speed.

Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather, since some courses are on grass and get muddy by October. If you have a health condition or haven't been active for a while, check with your GP before you start.

Afterwards

Many events have a café where people go afterwards. You don't have to join them, but it's a good way to learn the course from people who've done it for years.