Dame Kelly Holmes Why I love parkrun.

At Brooks, we share this love for parkrun and for the past three years, we have partnered with parkrun in the UK and Ireland, offering advice to parkrunners, along with free running shoe trials at 30 of the weekly free events. And thanks to the success of the partnership, we’re now going footwear global!

We recently visited Dame Kelly Holmes at her local Tonbridge parkrun in Kent to explore what it is about parkrun that Kelly loves. You might find you relate to some of these responses too!

Love for parkrun…

‘The great thing about parkrun is there’s hundreds of them.'

In the United Kingdom over 4.9 million parkrunners have registered for the free Saturday morning runs. A total of 446 parkrunners joined Dame Kelly at Tonbridge parkrun on a rainy July morning with all kinds of paces. Whether they were running, jogging, or walking, they all covered the same distance and made it to the finish line.

‘There is a tail walker at the back, you’re never last at parkrun.’

Parkrun community

‘I’ve met so many people from the parkrun community who are so different.'

Dame Kelly enjoys parkrun for friendships and meeting the diverse group of runners and walkers you see at parkrun locations all across the UK. Kelly founded ‘Military in Motion’, a fitness community who she has encouraged to begin their own parkrun journeys, especially since coming out of lockdown. Six members from the Military in Motion community also joined Kelly at Tonbridge parkrun.

Wellbeing and fitness

parkrun believe exercise should be fun, and highly visible in hundreds of locations across the UK every Saturday morning. As Dame Kelly high-fives parkrunners finishing their weekly 5K this is clear, ‘Going to something like parkrun allows you to be happy whilst exercising.’

Taking part in parkrun

‘Everyone is running 5K at the end of the day, how you want to run it is up to you.'

Free for everyone forever, parkrun has become a cornerstone of the UK fitness community. None of this would be possible without the volunteers making it happen each week. Over 50,000 parkrunners a month volunteer to ensure parkrun happens.

‘At parkrun you see a team in their pink jackets, they’re amazing.’

New parkrunners

Have you tried parkrun yet? There’s no time like the present.

‘I think you’ll surprise yourself…when you’re immersed in that environment where everyone is enjoying themselves you will do more than you think you could.'

Head to parkrun.org to find your local parkrun locations and run, jog or walk a leisurely 5k with your community this weekend.

Meet Dame Kelly Holmes

For Dame Kelly Holmes, a 2-time Olympic Champion, and TV presenter, parkrun is a way for her to stay connected to the running community at her local Tonbridge parkrun. Check out what Kelly is up to in the running community by following her on Instagram. Follow Dame Kelly Holmes!