Parkrunners Podcast

Ever wondered how parkrun actually got started in Australia? 🇦🇺

This week on the Parkrunners Podcast, we sat down with Tim Oberg, the founder of parkrun Australia for one of the most honest and entertaining founder stories we've shared yet.

Tim wasn't a runner. He was a national junior weightlifting champion who used to actively avoid endurance running. It was only after moving to London in his twenties that running became his thing - and even then, it took his rescued dog Clarence to lead him to his very first parkrun at Wimbledon Common (dogs used to have their own barcodes back then!).

A few months later, Tim brought the idea home. In April 2011, with the support of the legendary middle & long distance runner - the late, great Ron Clarke - he launched the very first Australian parkrun at Main Beach on the Gold Coast with 110 finishers. Fifteen years on, that single event has grown into a nationwide community with hundreds of parkruns across the country — from Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays to regional towns to, remarkably, two Australian prisons.

In this conversation, Tim opens up about:
✅ The real reason he thinks parkrun has struck such a chord in the modern world
✅ What it was really like working with parkrun's founder, Paul Sinton-Hewitt
✅ A heartfelt tribute to the late Professor Richard Scolyer, one of parkrun's most inspiring advocates
✅ Why he stepped away from parkrun in 2022 - and the new mission now driving him: helping a million Australian kids get moving before Brisbane hosts the 2032 Olympics

Whether you're a weekly parkrunner, a volunteer, or just someone who loves a good origin story - this one's worth tuning into. 🎧

👉 Listen to the full episode now (link in comments below)

What happens when your ordinary Saturday morning parkrun suddenly becomes a matter of life and death?

My latest guest on The Parkrunners Podcast is the fabulous WendyWhite NHS GP, passionate Bushy parkrunner and someone whose journey with running began in a rather unlikely place…

Hiding in the bushes during school cross-country! 😄

Fast-forward to today and Wendy has completed more than 300 parkruns, 27 volunteer credits and a 54K ultramarathon.

But one Saturday morning at Bushy parkrun in 2022, everything changed.

A man arriving at the start collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. Wendy and a small group of fellow medics stepped in, a defibrillator was rushed through the crowd and together they fought to save him.

He survived.

Wendy was subsequently recognised with the 'Spirit of parkrun' award — although, as you'll hear, she's characteristically quick to credit the whole team who helped that morning.

There is so much more to our conversation.

We talk about why Wendy calls parkrun her “church”, why she believes it can be an extraordinarily powerful public-health tool, her own experience of movement and weight loss, women's health and midlife — and her wonderfully simple advice to anyone who feels intimidated about going to their first parkrun:

You don't even have to do it. Just turn up one Saturday and see what it's like.

And when I ask Wendy for one word to describe parkrun?

“Addiction.”

As she puts it: “parkrun is possibly the only useful addiction I can think of.”

A warm, funny, refreshingly candid conversation with a terrific guest.

🎧 Dr Wendy White — The Parkrunners Podcast. Out now wherever you listen to podcasts links in comments below

🎙️ New episode: Sonya Byers OBE — Three Generations of parkrun, Volunteering and Belonging

Sonya Byers’ first 5K parkrun was certainly memorable.

It took place in Kraków, Poland, in temperatures of minus eight degrees and ended with her 70-year-old father beating her in a sprint finish!

That first event has developed into an extraordinary parkrun journey.

Sonya is now a parkrun UK trustee, an experienced volunteer and a passionate advocate for inclusion and community. She is also part of a remarkable multi-generational parkrun family.

Her father, now 80, has completed more than 551 parkruns and over 500 volunteer occasions. Her mother has 508 volunteer credits. Her brother and husband are both Run Directors, while Sonya’s six-year-old daughter has already completed 51 adult parkruns, 85 junior parkruns and volunteered on 101 occasions!

In this warm conversation, Sonya shares how volunteering at a small junior parkrun in Barking and Dagenham eventually led her to become an ambassador and global trustee.

We also explore the growth of junior parkrun, the importance of safeguarding, the role parkrun plays in public health, and how volunteering can build confidence, skills and a genuine sense of belonging.

It is a joyful story about family, service and the power of showing up for others.

🎧 Listen now - links in comments below

Can community help us live longer?

That's the question at the heart of my latest conversation on The Parkrunners Podcast with Tim Howe, founder of The Longevity Games and former parkrun Run Director.

Tim believes healthy aging isn't about finding a miracle solution. It's about consistently moving, building friendships and becoming part of a community.

In this episode we explore:

🏃 Why parkrun is about so much more than running

💛 The power of volunteering

👴 The remarkable story of Tim's grandfather, who lived independently until the age of 97

💪 Why functional fitness matters as we get older

🌍 Tim's vision for helping more people enjoy healthier, happier lives

It's a conversation full of warmth, practical advice and hope.

I'd love to hear what resonates with you after you've listened.

🎧 Available now wherever you get your podcasts - see links in comments below

NEW EPISODE 🎙️

I'm delighted to share my latest conversation with ABC broadcaster and Back Roads presenter Lisa Millar.

Lisa talks about growing up in rural Queensland, her extraordinary international journalism career, discovering parkrun in London, and why Saturday mornings at Melbourne parkrun have become such an important part of her life.

We also talk about volunteering, friendship, mental wellbeing and the power of ordinary human connection.

I absolutely loved this conversation with Lisa and hope you enjoy it too.

🎧 Listen now - link in comments below

New episode day — and I’m genuinely excited about this one 🇯🇵💛

I’m joined by Akihiro Matsuda, my first ever parkrun Japan guest, sharing a message that really stayed with me:
“parkrun exists in every place I call home.”

Did you know parkrun Japan now has 53 venues and has reached 333,333 cumulative participations? Such a brilliant reminder of how the movement is growing — and Akihiro’s story shows exactly why it’s thriving.

Akihiro takes us from his early parkrun days in Singapore to launching 権現堂2号公園 parkrun - Gongendo 2gou kouen parkrun (GGD2) in Japan, plus a wonderful chat about community, shared leadership (including junior Run Directors!), and his simple view of parkrun & happiness.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts / Spotify- link in comments below
I’d love to know — what parkrun feels most like “home” to you?

NEW PARKRUNNERS PODCAST EPISODE 🎙️

This week I’m joined by the brilliant Sophie Raworth — BBC News presenter, bestselling author of Running on Air, passionate parkrunner, marathon runner and ultra athlete.

Sophie only started running when she was 38… and has since completed over 220 parkruns, multiple marathons, and even the gruelling 250km Marathon des Sables across the Sahara Desert.

At 58, she says she feels fitter and stronger than ever — despite setbacks including a fractured ankle that stopped her running for an entire year.

This is such an uplifting conversation about:
✨ starting later in life
✨ resilience and recovery
✨ the magic of parkrun community
✨ movement and mental wellbeing
✨ challenging limiting beliefs
✨ and why it’s never too late to begin

And yes… her parkrun PB of 20:31 aged 51 is seriously impressive too! 👏

I absolutely loved this conversation and I think you will too.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all major platforms - links in comments below

With Osterley parkrun – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

This week on the Parkrunners Podcast, Chaarlee Jay shares an honest and uplifting story of rebuilding his life through movement, community and parkrun.

After reaching a serious health crossroads at 28 stone and pre-diabetes, Chaarlee began with walking — before discovering the atmosphere of the running community and eventually finding parkrun.

Now:
✅ 26 parkruns completed
✅ 7 volunteer credits
✅ Taking on the LonDone challenge
✅ Racing 5Ks, 10Ks & half marathons
✅ Dreaming of the London Marathon

What shines through most in this conversation is not transformation in appearance — but transformation in confidence, mindset and identity.

If you know someone who could benefit from a transformation story like Chaarlees, be sure to share this episode. Of if you know someone feeling nervous about starting exercise, please share this episode with them ❤️

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more links in comments below