This is written by a Navigator who, because of their ministry context, prefers to remain anonymous for now. 

1. Meeting people you know

‘Parkrun’ is where we regularly and easily see friends for running, coffee and conversation. Hundreds of people come to our local Parkrun in Birmingham every week, so as well as meeting our close circle of friends we’re also likely to bump into colleagues, playground parents, fellow running-club members and visiting family. 

2. Meeting people you don’t know

It’s also a place to make unlikely new friendships. I talk most weeks with a Muslim from another part of the city – a friendship that began through a common footballing affinity. Every week I saw him running in his football shirt and would shout, ‘Come on Chelsea!’ We started chatting at the end of the run, sharing footballing celebrations, commiserations and frustrations.  

Then the week I lost my Dad my new friend stepped into my world with great compassion and empathy, offering some of his thinking about life and death from his perspective as a Muslim. Recently he lost his own father, and I was able to be alongside him in return, assuring him of my thoughts and prayers for him and his family. This feels like sacred ground.

3. The actual running 

Everyone finds their place and pace at Parkrun – from walking the 5K to the near elite athletes at the front. We cheer each other on, whatever our running goals are or how fast or slow we are moving.  

I love seeing people who are avowedly not into running catching the bug for sport and exercise as they get carried along with the magic of Parkrun, or maybe the deeper magic of rhythm and community.