Perfect for any parkrunner, or wannabe parkrunner, this concise and joyful book reveals how a Saturday 5km run in the park has become a worldwide phenomenon.

The Ultimate Guide to parkrun (always with a lower case p!) covers how parkrun started, how it is staged every week, how to get involved as a runner, walker, or volunteer – and even how to start your own run.

Written by a running writer and qualified athletics coach, this celebratory book goes behind the scenes to tell the heartwarming human stories behind parkrun. But it also brims with practical information, with training plans for different types of runners so that you can (if you wish to) improve your own finishing time.

Published to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the founding of the mass participation event in Autumn 2024, the book delves into parkrun’s origins as the brainchild of Paul Sinton-Hewitt, an unemployed man in London. Just 13 runners competed in the first Bushy Park Time Trial on 2 October 2004.

Now parkrun has more than 9 million runners at more than 2,200 parks in 23 countries, with the most popular countries being the UK, Australia, and South Africa.

The book features all aspects of parkrun, including how public-spirited volunteers put on the event, sustainably and for free, every week, and fun boxes such as the most interesting courses around the world, from Poland to the Falkland Islands.

If you're a mum who wants to run, there's nothing stopping you! When busy mum Leanne Davies set up a social media group for her and a couple of friends to encourage one another to go running, she never imagined it would quickly become a nationwide network of thousands of women, all sharing a passion for the sport and a penchant for colourful compression socks. Gathering the very best of the advice and tips from the Run Mummy Run network, Leanne and co-writer Lucy have created this comprehensive beginner's guide to running that includes sections on: From starting with a Couch To 5k plan to building up the confidence to race Fitting in running around work and family life Overcoming barriers to exercise How to keep on running when motivation wanes, and much more! Not just your average practical go-to, this book is filled with down-to-earth advice, training schedules and inspirational stories that'll help you to be fit, healthy and happy.