There are some people that adore running and others that struggle with it a little. There is no shame in that, but there are organisations out there looking to persuade you that running is great fun and an excellent way to spend your time. One such organisation is ParkRun, which organises a 5k every Saturday morning in places up and down the country. You don’t even need to run it, if that isn’t really your thing, in spite of the word ‘run’ being in the title. Many do, though, with this being all the information that you need about the ParkRun in Guildford.
What Is a Park Run?
First things first, then, and a look at what, exactly, a Park Run is. The most important thing that you will want to know front and centre is that it is a free event that is open to the community. The entire point of it is to try to encourage people to get out and about, taking part in some form of exercise on a regular basis. For adults, the event takes place over five kilometres, whilst there is also a Junior Park Run for those aged between four and 14 years of age and their families. This takes place on a Sunday, usually in the same location.
The ethos of Park Run is that it is a positive and welcoming experience, open to people of all ages and abilities. There isn’t a time limit, so you don’t need to worry if you can’t run for the entire 5k or even if you just want to walk it. You can head along and volunteer or just stand on the sideline and offer encouragement to those taking part. Equally, if you’re the sort of person that takes your running really seriously then you can head along and see if you can beat your Personal Best, but you’re only competing against yourself.
There are more than 1,000 Park Run events taking place around the country every weekend, so you can take part in the one in Guildford if you’re there or you can head along to one that is taking place local to you if you’d rather do that. You need to register once, regardless of whether you’re running or walking or a mix of the two, after which you can head along to Guildford’s Park Run or a Park Run elsewhere in the United Kingdom and get involved, improving your fitness or simply putting yourself in the community that revolves around the runs.
All About the Park Run in Guildford
Now you know all about what is involved in a Park Run, it is worth taking a closer look at what the one that is held in Guildford entails. The first thing that you will want to know is where and when it takes place, with the Guildford Park Run following in the footsteps of the others within the chain by being held on a Saturday morning. The Guildford one gets started at 9am, which might well seem a little early for anyone without kids or who likes to go for a drink on a Friday night, yet promises the chance to blow the cobwebs away.
If you’re wondering where you need to head to in order to join in the fun, the event takes place at Guildford’s Stoke Park. The people look to gather opposite the Spectrum, with anyone driving to the location asked to park in the car park for the Park & Ride, which is located at the Guildford Spectrum Leisure Centre. The best thing to do is to put the post code into your sat-nav, which is GU1 1UP. Of course, many people taking part in a run will be wanting to avoid driving where possible, so if that’s you then public transport is available.
You can walk to the start of the Guildford Park Run in about 15 minutes or less if your starting point is the London Road Railway Station. You can reach that from the main Guildford Railway Station in the centre of the town, making it is accessible as possible. There are also a number of buses that run from the town centre bus station to close to Stoke Park, such as the 6, the 18, the 462 and the 715. They run towards Burpham, so they’re the buses that you’re looking out for, with the same ones taking you back into town after the run.
Anything Else You Need to Know
The Park Run takes place over 5,000 metres, which is what makes it a 5k. It is measured out using a professional measuring wheel, with some of the run being on grass and some of it taking place on tarmac. That is the kind of thing that you’ll want to bear in mind when it comes to your footwear, especially if it has been raining beforehand. It also means that some parts of the course can see puddles accumulate, whilst the grassy sections run the risk of becoming muddy either before the race or after people have run over them.
The park isn’t closed for the purpose of the Park Run, so those taking part in it are asked to remember to give way to other users of the park. Don’t forget, this is a free event that is only able to take place thanks to the fact that volunteers are willing to give up their time to act as stewards and organisers. That also means that everyone who takes part is encouraged to try to find the time to volunteer themselves, especially if you live in or close to Guildford yourself. If you happen to see someone who looks like they’re struggling, help them out and look to a volunteer if you can.