In this episode of The Parkrunners Podcast, Catherine Stenson chats with Tom Sharples (@tom_tries_running), who went from never running to finishing the London Marathon after a work colleague dared him to enter the ballot — and he surprisingly got a place first time.

After crossing that finish line, Tom wanted to keep the running habit going… and that’s when he discovered parkrun. Starting at Hampstead Heath , Tom found the routine, community and mental reset he’d been looking for — and what began as a simple Saturday habit “accidentally” turned into a huge challenge: completing all 66 parkrun events across London and Greater London.

Together they talk about community, confidence, and why running can be such a powerful boost for mental fitness — especially for young men — as well as Tom’s mission to help more people simply try running, without pressure or perfection.

In this episode we cover:

• From non-runner to London Marathon finisher (first ballot attempt!)
• How to maintain the running habit after a big goal - discover parkrun!
• Discovering parkrun at Hampstead Heath — and why it stuck
• The London/Greater London Challenge: completing all 66 venues
• Simple tips for new runners (and why volunteering is a great way to start)

Sound bites:

• “If you run, you’re a runner.”
• “Parkrun is for everyone.”

Find Tom on Instagram: @tom_tries_running

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This week on The Parkrunners Podcast, I’m joined by the one and only Commeletia — and yes, she genuinely believes she may be the only Commeletia in the UK (possibly the world), which has earned her the affectionate nickname: “Señorita Commeletia.”

Commeletia is a phenomenal parkrun tourist — a true all-rounder who runs, walks, volunteers, and travels with purpose. She’s also a serious challenge-chaser: the 3rd person ever to complete all 11 Alphabet Challenges, collecting parkruns like postcards and proving that Saturday mornings can build a whole world of friendships, routines, and adventures.

And there’s even more excitement bubbling… she’s just a few parkruns away from her 500 milestone shirt — a huge moment on the horizon.

In this episode we talk about:

• What drives her love of parkrun tourism (and how she plans trips around it)
• The joy of mixing running, walking, and volunteering across different communities
• The mindset behind big challenges — and how to keep it fun, not frantic
• Why parkrun has a way of turning places into home, even when you’re far away

If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I’ll try a new parkrun one day…” — this one might just tip you into planning your next adventure.

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Thank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

What if your Saturday morning 5k didn’t just change your fitness… but changed your whole life?

In this Valentine’s Day Special Edition of The Parkrunners Podcast, I’m joined by James & Lynne Donaldson — whose relationship has been beautifully shaped by Cusworth Hall parkrun. From dating, to getting engaged, to an unforgettable moment that still makes me smile… they even spent their wedding day morning at parkrun.

This episode is pure parkrun magic: warm, joyful, and full of those little community moments that turn into life’s biggest milestones. We chat about the role parkrun played in bringing them together, the support and smiles of the Cusworth Hall community, and why parkrun becomes so much more than “just a run” — it becomes a place you belong.

Whether you’re running, walking, volunteering, or cheering from the sidelines, this one’s for anyone who’s ever felt the power of parkrun connection — and the love that grows from showing up, week after week.

🎧 Press play for a feel-good story of love at parkrun… and love for parkrun.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Lynne & James’ parkrun journey began at Cusworth Hall
• The moment their relationship turned into “something more”
• A parkrun engagement (yes!) and what made it so special
• Why they chose to start their wedding day at parkrun
• The community spirit that makes parkrun a catalyst for connection

💬 Tell me your story: Have you found love at parkrun — or a deeper love for life because of parkrun

Follow / connect:
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Thank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

This week I’m joined by Mike Seaman — founder and CEO of Raccoon Media Group and the driving force behind the award-winning National Running Show. Mike’s story is a fascinating mix of community, ambition, and doing hard things: from building a major portfolio of live events for passion-led communities, to taking on some of the toughest endurance challenges out there — including 100-mile and 200-mile ultra races and fundraising as he goes for Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Though Mike is in his early stages of clocking up parkruns, he shares why parkrun still matters, what the community gets so right, and how those same principles show up in endurance sport and in business. We also go behind the scenes of the running boom, what Mike’s seeing across the sport right now, and why sustainability in live events is becoming a non-negotiable.

A warm, grounded conversation that’s as relevant if you’re a weekly parkrunner or parkwalker as it is if you’re ultra-curious about what it takes to go further than you ever thought possible.

In this episode we cover:

• Mike’s parkrun connection — and what's bringing him back
• Why people choose big challenges (and what gets you through the darkest moments)
• Lessons ultras teach that apply to everyday running and life
• What’s changing in the running world — trends, community, and participation
• Building the National Running Show and scaling a community-led events business
• Sustainability in the exhibition industry and how live events can do better

Call to action:
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow The Parkrunners Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and share it with a friend or your running group — it helps more people discover the parkrun joy.

If you want, paste me your episode link once Buzzsprout generates it and I’ll also write 3–5 platform-ready promo captions for Instagram/Facebook/LinkedIn to match the weekend timing with the Running Show.

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Thank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

What starts as a holiday curiosity can turn into a global Saturday-morning habit.

This week I’m joined by Marcia Dubbelaar — my first Dutch guest — who discovered parkrun while travelling in South Africa and went on to become a passionate parkrun tourist and volunteer. Marcia has now completed all 27 Dutch parkruns twice (the “Double Dutch” challenge), and she’s collected stories, friendships and unforgettable finishes in 22 countries.

In this episode, we chat about:

• How parkrun tourism really works (planning, turning up solo, and feeling instantly welcome)
• What makes The Netherlands parkrun scene so special — and Marcia’s favourite moments at her local Schoterbos parkrun
• Why volunteering is the secret ingredient to belonging (and how tourists can give back)
• The joy of collecting venues — and the lessons you take home from every start line

Whether you’re a seasoned parkrunner, a curious parkwalker/volunteer, or someone who’s never tried it… this conversation might just make you want to set an alarm for Saturday morning.

🎧 Listen now, and if you enjoyed it, please follow/subscribe and share this episode with a friend who needs a little weekend motivation

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Thank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

What if your healthiest future didn’t start with a grand plan — but with one small Saturday habit?

In this episode of The Parkrunners Podcast, host Catherine Stenson is joined by Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi — GP, TV doctor, health coach, passionate parkrunner… and now a Team GB triathlete. Hussain shares his powerful story of transformation, from a once-sedentary lifestyle to elite-level sport, and how parkrun became the turning point.

Together, Catherine and Hussain explore why movement really is medicine — not as a slogan, but as a practical, achievable approach to better physical health, stronger mental fitness, and greater resilience. They talk about the unique “magic” of parkrun: the community support, the accessibility for walkers and runners alike, and the way it helps people build small, consistent habits that genuinely stick.

This conversation is especially timely if you’re making New Year resolutions, trying to rebuild your fitness, or searching for a realistic way to feel better — without the pressure, guilt, or unrealistic goals.

You’ll hear Hussain’s insights on:

• how small regular habits can create massive change over time
• why walking is one of the most underrated health tools we have
• the importance of recovery and sustainable progress
• why mental fitness matters just as much as physical fitness
• how social prescribing (including parkrun) could shape the future of healthcare
• and why action-focused support can be especially powerful for men’s mental health

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start — this episode is your reminder that the first step can be simple… and you don’t have to do it alone.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi
01:24 Hussain's Personal Health Journey
05:38 Discovering Parkrun
12:00 The Impact of Parkrun on Health
18:34 From Parkrun to Team GB Triathlete
24:09 Movement as Medicine
27:20 Building Resilience for a Healthier Life
30:11 The Importance of Mental Fitness
34:31 Prescribing Parkrun for Mental Health
39:26 Transformative Stories from Parkrun
43:25 Men's Mental Health and Actionable Support
44:01 Setting Realistic Movement Goals
49:44 De-Medicalization and the Role of Nature
54:06 The Future of Social Prescribing

#parkrun, #health, #mental wellbeing, #lifestylemedicine, #socialprescribing, #walking, #movement, #GP, #community, #resilience, #TeamGB, #triathlon

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Thank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

New Year’s Day Special 🎧
This week on The Parkrunners Podcast, I’m joined by my extra special guest Dame Kelly Holmes — double Olympic gold medallist, passionate parkrunner, and a powerful voice for honesty around mental health.

In this episode, Kelly shares the human side of high performance: the pressure that can sit behind achievement, what it takes to rebuild confidence, and why movement and community can be such a grounding force — at any age or stage.

We talk about:

• The realities of pressure, identity and self-belief
• Kelly’s openness around mental health — and what helps in real life
• Why parkrun truly is for everyone (yes, parkwalkers too)
• The value of community, routine, and simply showing up
• A gentle approach to “getting moving” that doesn’t rely on perfection

If you’re starting the year with an intention to move a little more — or you’d like to support someone else to begin — this conversation will meet you where you are.

Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts — and if it resonates, please share this episode with a friend who might need a little encouragement to take the first step.

Follow The Parkrunners Podcast for weekly stories of community, resilience and the parkrun habit in action.

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Thank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!

Eight weeks in.
An ultra-urban setting in the heart of Canberra, Australia.
And in week 2, a staggering 731 people showed up for Woden Town parkrun!

In this episode of The Parkrunners Podcast, Catherine chats with Andrew Dempster and Lili Mooney, co-founders of Woden Town parkrun – one of Australia’s newest and busiest events. Set against high-rises, roads and shared paths, Woden Town proves you don’t need a picture-perfect park to build a powerful parkrun community.

Andrew shares how a simple idea (“Why doesn’t Woden have a parkrun?”) and how they've attracted crowds often bigger than Brooklyn Bridge parkrun in New York. He also lifts the lid on how they used data and AI to predict attendance and keep 700+ runners, walkers and volunteers moving smoothly through the finish funnel.

Lili opens up about her deeply personal journey from compulsive exercise and anorexia to a genuinely healthy relationship with movement – and how parkrun, and now Woden Town parkrun, have become a joyful, sustainable part of her life.

Together, they talk about:

• What it takes to launch a parkrun in a busy urban centre
• How they created a welcoming culture for every pace and every body
• The community stories that already make Woden Town feel special
• The small details that make a huge difference when c700 people turn up at once

Whether you’re a seasoned parkrun tourist, a volunteer in hi-viz, or someone wondering if your own town could support a new event, this conversation will leave you inspired – and maybe just a little bit tempted to start something where you live.

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Thank you for tuning in. It's been great to have you here.. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay connected with us on social media (Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn) for updates and more inspiring parkrunners' stories. Until next time, keep running, keep smiling and keep on showing up!