If you've never experienced a parkrun, you definitely should! parkrun is a joyous experience. Hundreds of people of all ages, shapes, sizes, genders, religions and races, joining a weekly celebration of movement, community, energy and life.

parkrun is now over 20 years old. There are now 10 million parkrunners, with 2,400 locations around the world, including junior parkruns and over 40 in prisons and young offenders' institutions. It is quite simply a phenomenon. If you've never been, then here's the lowdown:

• parkruns are 5K runs/walks on Saturdays at 9 a.m. in England, 9:30 a.m. in Scotland. Junior parkruns are 2K and on Sunday mornings. 🏃‍♂
• It's free. For an official record, register on the website and bring your barcode.
• You don't need to be able to run 5K to take part. Lots of people walk all 5K. 🚶
• It's run by enthusiastic volunteers who give up their time each week. 📣
• You can mark your progress with parkrun milestones. There are T-shirts for completing 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, and even 500 parkruns. 🎽

🌸 Google Pixel: Spring Into Action: Lighter evenings, fresher air — time to shake off winter and get moving. Complete the challenge for exclusive rewards 🌿.

🎧 Audible Movement Challenge (UK): Press play and get moving. Log 12 hours over 2 months and unlock a 2-month free Audible trial.

🌤️ Jet2: Beat the Cold – Chase the Sun: The days are getting brighter — now’s your moment. Complete 25km for the chance to win prizes.

🏊 UltraSwim Virtual Challenge: Dive in and swim 33.3km this March to earn the badge — and serious bragging rights 💦.

This week our inspiration is none other than Harry Styles! Not for his music, but for being so open about his running.

This month’s Runner’s World magazine has a great interview between Haruki Murakami, the celebrated Japanese writer who wrote What I Talk About When I Talk About Running and who’s completed 25 marathons, and Harry Styles, the global pop sensation who ran his first marathon last year and achieved a sub 3h time (congrats!).

Styles obviously enjoys the control that running offers. “The thing that I’ve found, in the rest of my life but particularly in running, is the idea of trusting myself to do exactly what I say I’m going to do.

To say to myself, I know that you can do something difficult and that you can get up and train when you don’t want to train – and that you’re able to push through hard things.

Having that kind of self-integrity – nobody can run a marathon for you. Whereas there are a lot of people who help me make music, put the music out, put on a show and make me look good at it! But running is a conversation with myself.”