In promoting exercise and connections between newcomers and Australians of all backgrounds, Sanctuary Runners Australia encourages participation in existing running and walking events.
While local Sanctuary Runners groups participate in local fun runs from time to time, most group activities focus on free local parkruns organised each Saturday morning in parks around Australia.
Parkrun is a free weekly community event where participants can walk, jog, run or participate in a wheelchair over a 5km course. Organised by local volunteers, they are designed to be positive, welcoming and inclusive. There is no time limit and no one finishes last, as a volunteer “tail walker” always finishes behind everyone else.
Beginning with a single event in London in 2004, parkruns are now held in more than 2500 locations in 22 countries.
In Australia, parkruns are held in more than 540 locations and more than one million Australians have completed a parkrun. On most Saturday mornings, it is common for more than 80,000 Australians of all ages to take part as walkers, runners or volunteers.
People do not have to run or walk to be involved in a parkrun event, as there are multiple opportunities for people to be involved as a volunteer. People interested to see what parkrun is about can come along and watch.
People running, walking or volunteering at a parkrun event must register online once to receive a personal barcode. This barcode can be printed or stored on a mobile phone and is used to track times at any parkrun worldwide.
To see where parkrun events are held, visit parkrun.com.au
For a brief explanation of how to register for parkrun and what happens at your local parkrun, watch this video.
If you are worried that parkrun is all about running, here women explain why they walk at parkrun events.
Since its foundation in Ireland in 2018, Sanctuary Runners has enjoyed a positive collaboration with parkrun, bringing a diverse group of new participants along to local events and encouraging people to assist as volunteers. We are delighted by the welcome that Sanctuary Runners Australia members have received from local parkrun volunteers in Australia.
