Perfect for any parkrunner, or wannabe parkrunner, this book will reveal how a Saturday 5k run in the park has become a worldwide phenomenon. The book will cover how parkrun started, how it is going, how to get involved as a runner, walker, or volunteer – and how to start your own run.

There will be real-life stories from people whose lives have been transformed by parkrun, and training plans for those who want to beat their Personal Best time.

Timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the founding of the free mass participation event, The Ultimate Guide to parkrun tells you everything you need to know about the most popular 5k run in the world.

The book covers the extraordinary origins and growth of what began as a timed run at Bushy Park in London, organised by an unemployed amateur runner, Paul Sinton-Hewitt. Just 13 runners competed in the inaugural Bushy Park Time Trial on 2 October 2004.

Three years later, a second run popped up at Wimbledon Common near Bushy Park and then rapidly spread over Britain, Ireland, Europe, and the rest of the world. Now parkrun is staged weekly at more than 2,000 parks in 22 countries across five continents, with the most popular host countries being the UK, Australia, and South Africa.

Written by a running writer and qualified running coach, The Ultimate Guide to parkrun (always with a lower case 'p') goes behind the scenes to find out the human stories behind parkrun, and the people who have made it so special.

It reveals the impact of volunteering on stewards and the most interesting courses around the world, from Poland to the Falkland Islands.

It shows how different types of runners, from beginner to elite athlete, compete in different runs and how a small army of public-spirited volunteers put the event together, sustainably and for free, every week.

Also included are training plans for different types of runners so that you can (if you wish to) improve your own finishing time. The joy of parkrun, though, is that regardless of how competitive you are and your stage of life or running ability, the main thing is turning up and taking part.

Research, revealed in the book, shows this helps you, the volunteers who stage the event, and local communities. Join the parkrun revolution!

About the author

Lucy Waterlow is a journalist, ghostwriter and author who has contributed to numerous titles including The Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail, Women’s Running, Runner’s World and OK! magazine.

She contributes to Women’s Running and Runner’s World magazines, is a keen amateur runner, and a qualified England Athletics coach in running fitness.

She is the co-author of Nell McAndrew's Guide To Running (published by Bloomsbury) and Run Mummy Run: Inspiring Women to be Fit, Healthy and Happy (published by Summersdale).

Lucy is also the ghostwriter of accomplished ultra-runner Mimi Anderson's two memoirs: Beyond Impossible: From Reluctant Runner to Guinness World Record Holder, and Limitless: An Ultrarunner’s Story of Pain, Perseverance, and the Pursuit of Success (both published by Summersdale).