parkrun is a free, timed 5k run that happens every Saturday morning at 9am at 250 different locations around the world.
You need to register at www.parkrun.org.uk/ and will be emailed a barcode which you need to print out and take with you - tuck it in a pocket as you won't need it until the end. There is a huge map showing all of the locations on the website and you are free to attend anyone you want - no pre-booking or further registering required. I usually try to turn up 20-30 minutes in advance to make sure I'm parked and have found the start line, there will be a briefing from the local Run Director (RD) and off you go. As you cross the finish line, you'll be handed a position chip which you take, along with your personal barcode, to one of the volunteers scanning. They'll scan both, give you your personal barcode back to reuse and within a couple of hours your results will be on the website. If you include a mobile number when you register, you'll get a text with your result too. You can see your time, overall position, how you did within your age group and what your age graded score is. After you've done a few, you'll be able to see all your runs and compare times.
parkrun 'tourism' - where you travel to visit new parkruns - is becoming a bit of a 'thing' and I've done a few. I've yet to find an unfriendly one. Everyone is welcome whether they're sprinting round in 15 minutes or walking round in an hour. There should be a tail runner who makes sure everyone gets back OK and everyone is cheered over the finish line.
It's brilliant and I love it. It makes getting up on Saturday and running around the park one of the highlights of my week. As scared as I am about training to be an RD, I'm also really excited to be a part of the organisation of it all.