Writer posing with young adult in tiger costume and man in suit in parkrun frame (Karen Blakesley)
Looking for a new fitness challenge to kickstart 2026? Our family has a Saturday morning ritual: we put on our running kit and join our local parkrun. Although well known in the U.K., where it began in October 2004, it is relatively unknown amongst the U.S. community. Beginning with just 13 runners meeting each week in a London park, parkrun is now a global running community with more than 10,000,000 registered runners joining their local event every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. local time. They are free, and held in a park or green space, making it safe for runners and walkers of all ages.
While living in Wiesbaden, my regular parkrun is in Maaraue. The course follows a route along the Rhine with beautiful views of Mainz Cathedral and the city. However, it isn’t just for runners; people also walk the 5K route, some with strollers and others with their dogs. It’s about friendship, community and improving fitness at any level. At Maaraue, we stay afterwards to enjoy coffee and pastries with friends we’ve made there. My German is basic at best, yet everyone is happy to converse in English; even the course briefing is given in English.
Writer and man posing with parkrun Little Sugar Creek Greenway sign (Karen Blakesley)
Globally, there are more than 2,500 parkrun locations in 26 countries, including Finland, Austria, the U.S. and Denmark, with new ones added all the time. If there isn’t one near you, you can always start one! When I visited family in the U.K., I joined their local parkrun in Bedworth, where I was warmly welcomed and invited to join other runners at a cafe afterwards for coffee and a bacon roll.
While most people are there to meet friends and enjoy a morning run, others challenge themselves to beat their personal bests. At the finish line, you receive a token with a barcode that’s scanned to record your official time.
There are fun challenges too. For example, if you’re looking for a unique way to plan your travels, there’s the parkrun “alphabeteer” challenge: visiting parkruns in locations beginning with different letters of the alphabet. Currently, X is the elusive letter; a parkrun beginning with it doesn’t exist. Maybe you’ll be the person to set it up?
If you’re planning a trip to London, why not include the Victoria Dock parkrun? You’ll collect another hard-to-get letter: V. I always check if there is a local parkrun when I travel and in October 2025, I was able to add Charlotte, N.C. to my alphabet of letters.
“Each location is run by volunteers, and all participants are encouraged to help. The parkrun community is welcoming and inclusive and everyone is welcome to join. Best of all, it’s free.”
So, what are you waiting for? Why not discover your local parkrun this Saturday?
In Germany, Wiesbaden residents have several parkrun locations nearby: Maaraue, Bad Vilbel, Eichwald and Frankfurt Nidda. Ramstein’s nearest location is in Saarbrücken, about 43 kilometers away. Stuttgart locals can choose between Esslingen and Kräherwald. For more information search parkrun.com.
Writer posing with coffee, pastry and parkrun sign (Karen Blakesley)
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of Defense.
