What is parkrun? The short answer is it’s a 5k run in the park! The longer answer is that it’s a free, timed run – not a race! – and, in fact, you don’t even have to run! – that takes place every Saturday morning, in over 20 countries around the world.
Photo by Anton Sweeney
The first ever parkrun took place in London, in 2004, with just 13 runners. It has grown over the years and there are now over 630 different parkruns being held every week around the world! Over 2 million people have taken part in parkruns, and between them they’ve run over 143 million kilometres! That’s only 6 million k short of running from the Convention Centre, Dublin, all the way to the sun!
What has all of this got to do with Dublin 2019, we hear you ask? Well, many runners, joggers, and walkers – yes, you can walk your parkrun! – when planning their trips and holidays, like to take in a new parkrun – parkrun tourism is very much a thing!
While we are lucky enough to have several parkruns within a short distance of the Convention Centre, Dublin 2019 Fringe would like to invite you along to Fairview Park parkrun on Saturday 17th August. We will meet at 8:30am outside the CCD, which gives us time to take a taxi, public transport – or, indeed, walk or run! – to Fairview Park, well in time for the run briefing and the start of the run at 9:30am. Fairview Park’s parkrun (www.parkrun.ie/fairview/) is a 3-lap course on grass and tarmac, that brings runners within shouting distance of Bram Stoker’s former residence in Marino Crescent!
After the parkrun, some of us may grab a coffee with other parkrunners in a local café, or feel free to return to the Convention Centre – about a 30 minute walk or 10 minutes by bus. This event is free, but if you don’t already have a parkrun barcode, please register at https://www.parkrun.ie/register/, print your barcode, and bring it with you. (Your barcode can then be used for any of the other 630+ parkruns in the world!)
Cosplayers would be especially welcome!
Parkrun organized, and article written, by Anton Sweeney, Dublin City Council Liaison for the Fringe Division.
