What is parkrun tourism?
Parkrun tourism is running at different parkrun events rather than always going to your local one. Your barcode works at any event in the UK, Ireland, and over 20 other countries. You do not need to register for a specific event. You just turn up, run, scan your barcode and your result is recorded.
For most regular parkrunners, tourism starts as an accident. You go on holiday, there is a parkrun nearby, you pack your trainers. Then it becomes a habit. You start looking at the map of events when planning a trip. You start choosing hotels partly based on how close they are to a Saturday morning 5k. For a lot of people that is the entire appeal.
There are over 750 parkrun events in the UK alone. Running all of them would take well over a decade of consecutive Saturdays.
The Explorer challenge
The Explorer challenge is the informal name for the goal of running at as many different parkrun locations as possible. It is not an official parkrun programme in the same way the 50 or 100 milestone is, but it is widely recognised in the community and tracked obsessively by plenty of runners.
Parkrun records your full history. Every event you have ever run at is logged against your profile. You can see this by logging into parkrun.org.uk and looking at your results. Third-party tools like parkrun.ath.cx let you visualise your events on a map, see which ones you have ticked off and plan which ones to visit next.
There is no single finish line for the Explorer challenge. Some people aim for 50 different events. Others aim for 100, or for running every event in a particular county or region. The UK parkrun alphabet challenge, where you try to run at least one event starting with each letter, is another popular variant.
Events cancel more often than most people realise. Check SaturdayOff and the official event page before making a long trip. Turning up to a closed gate after a two-hour drive is a terrible start to a Saturday.
Tips for visiting a new parkrun
- Read the course guide before you go. The official event page gives you the basics. A proper course guide tells you where parking actually is, which km is the tough one, and whether you need trail shoes or road shoes.
- Arrive a few minutes earlier than usual. At your home event you know the layout. At a new one you do not. Give yourself time to find the start, where to leave your bag, and which marshal to follow.
- Introduce yourself at the start. Saying it is your first time at an event almost always gets a warm welcome. Run Directors often mention tourists at the briefing.
- Stay for a coffee. The post-run social is often where you learn the most about a course. If you are travelling specifically for the event, it is worth the extra 30 minutes.
Common questions
- What is parkrun tourism?
- Running at different parkrun events rather than always attending your local one. Your barcode works at any parkrun in the UK and internationally.
- What is the parkrun Explorer challenge?
- The informal community goal of completing parkruns at as many different locations as possible. Tracked through your parkrun profile history and third-party tools like parkrun.ath.cx.
- How do I track which parkruns I have visited?
- Log in to parkrun.org.uk and view your results history. Every event you have run at is recorded. Third-party tools let you map this and track progress toward tourist milestones.
- Can I run a parkrun while on holiday?
- Yes. Your barcode works anywhere in the world. Arrive before 9am, bring your barcode and join in. Visitors are always welcome.