Parkrunners Podcast

What keeps a World Champion and Olympic medallist coming back to a free 5K in the park on a Saturday morning? This week, Catherine is joined by one of Ireland's greatest ever athletes, Sonia O'Sullivan , 5,000m World Champion, Olympic silver medallist and, these days, a passionate parkrunner with more than 200 events to her name. But this isn't simply a conversation about medals and...

What does it take to turn a Saturday morning idea into a movement that half a million Australians now call part of their weekly routine? In this episode, Catherine sits down with Tim Oberg , the founder of parkrun Australia , for a warm, candid and often surprising look back at how it all began, including the true story of how a rescued street dog from Montenegro named Clarence was the reason Tim...

What happens when an ordinary Saturday morning at parkrun suddenly becomes a matter of life and death? Dr Wendy White is an NHS GP, passionate Bushy parkrunner and self-confessed former non-runner who once hid in the bushes during school cross-country. Today, she has more than 300 parkruns behind her, has completed a 54K ultramarathon and describes parkrun as her “church”. But in 2022, Wendy was w...

What happens when parkrun becomes more than a Saturday morning habit and grows into a family legacy spanning three generations? In this warm and uplifting episode, Catherine is joined by Sonya Byers OBE , a parkrun trustee , dedicated volunteer and CEO of Women in Transport. Sonya’s own parkrun journey began through volunteering at junior parkrun before she finally took on her first 5K in Kraków,...

We all want to live longer. But perhaps the better question is... how do we live better? This week on the Parkrunners Podcast , Catherine is joined by Tim Howe , founder of The Longevity Games , former parkrun Run Director, passionate volunteer, and someone who believes that healthy ageing isn't about expensive gadgets or miracle supplements—it's about movement, community and purpose. Wi...

For more than three decades, Lisa Millar has been one of Australia's most respected journalists and broadcasters.  From reporting around the world as ABC's Bureau Chief in Washington and London, to becoming a familiar face through ABC News Breakfast, Back Roads and Muster Dogs , Lisa has spent her career telling other people's stories. But on Saturday mornings, none of those titles...

This week I’m thrilled to welcome my very first parkrun Japan guest — Akihiro Matsuda — whose beautiful mantra is: “parkrun exists in every place I call home.” Akihiro’s parkrun story spans Singapore and Japan , and it’s packed with warmth, community-building and quietly brilliant leadership. We begin with his early parkrun days at East Coast Park parkrun (Singapore) , and follow his journey back...

This week on the Parkrunners Podcast, Catherine Stenson is joined by one of the UK’s most recognisable broadcasters — but also one of the parkrun community’s most inspiring runners — Sophie Raworth . Many people know Sophie as a trusted BBC News presenter, but away from the newsroom she has quietly built an extraordinary running journey that began in her 40s and continues to redefine what’s possib...

Chaarlee E astmond never thought running was for people like him. Growing up overweight and struggling with confidence, food, and identity, Chaarlee eventually reached a serious health crossroads at 28 stone and pre-diabetes. Following the end of a toxic relationship, he made the difficult decision to undergo gastric sleeve surgery — not to become a runner, but to save his life. What happened next...

In this heartwarming episode of The Parkrunners Podcast, I’m joined by Christine Wilson and her 13-year-old daughter Layla from The parkrun family — a lovely grassroots story of Saturday mornings, milestones, parkrun tourism, shared memories Together, Christine, Layla, Steve (Dad) and Chloe (10yrs) have completed an incredible 983 parkruns — just shy of the 1,000 mark. But this episode is about mu...

In this uplifting episode of The Parkrunners Podcast , I’m joined by the wonderful Priti Kaur — a 75-years-young parkrunner from Osterley parkrun whose story is full of grit, resilience and abundant positivity. Priti is taking on the London Marathon for the second time , determined to cross the finish line and finally earn the medal she has dreamed of for so long. After first attempting the race i...

After a short pause (and a few behind-the-scenes technical podcasting hurdles!), I’m so excited to be back with a truly global parkrun story — and this one is worth the wait. This week, I’m joined by Sue from South Africa , whose parkrun journey didn’t exactly start with love at first run… In fact, Sue was a very reluctant parkrunner at the beginning. But everything changed when she and her husban...

What starts as a simple Saturday-morning 5k can grow into a life of community-building, adventure… and purpose. In this episode of The Parkrunners Podcast , I’m joined by the remarkable Chris Seymour — co-founder of parkrun New Zealand and the founder of Queenstown parkrun (my personal favourite parkrun outside of Bushy Park!). Chris is also one of a tiny group**  worldwide to complete the legenda...

In this episode of The Parkrunners Podcast , Catherine Stenson chats with Tom Sharples   (@tom_tries_running), who went from never running to finishing the London Marathon after a work colleague dared him to enter the ballot — and he surprisingly got a place first time. After crossing that finish line, Tom wanted to keep the running habit going… and that’s when he discovered parkrun . Starting at...

This week on The Parkrunners Podcast , I’m joined by the one and only Commeletia — and yes, she genuinely believes she may be the only Commeletia in the UK (possibly the world), which has earned her the affectionate nickname: “Señorita Commeletia.” Commeletia is a phenomenal parkrun tourist — a true all-rounder who runs, walks, volunteers, and travels with purpose. She’s also a serious challenge-c...

What if your Saturday morning 5k didn’t just change your fitness… but changed your whole life? In this Valentine’s Day Special Edition of The Parkrunners Podcast , I’m joined by James & Lynne Donaldson — whose relationship has been beautifully shaped by Cusworth Hall parkrun . From dating, to getting engaged, to an unforgettable moment that still makes me smile… they even spent their wedding d...

This week I’m joined by Mike Seaman — founder and CEO of Raccoon Media Group and the driving force behind the award-winning National Running Show. Mike’s story is a fascinating mix of community, ambition, and doing hard things: from building a major portfolio of live events for passion-led communities, to taking on some of the toughest endurance challenges out there — including 100-mile and 200-mi...

What starts as a holiday curiosity can turn into a global Saturday-morning habit. This week I’m joined by Marcia Dubbelaar — my first Dutch guest — who  discovered parkrun while travelling in South Africa and went on to become a passionate parkrun tourist and volunteer. Marcia has now completed all 27 Dutch parkruns twice (the “Double Dutch” challenge), and she’s collected stories, friendships and...

What if your healthiest future didn’t start with a grand plan — but with one small Saturday habit? In this episode of The Parkrunners Podcast , host Catherine Stenson is joined by Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi — GP, TV doctor, health coach, passionate parkrunner… and now a Team GB triathlete . Hussain shares his powerful story of transformation, from a once-sedentary lifestyle to elite-level sport, and ho...

New Year’s Day Special 🎧 This week on The Parkrunners Podcast , I’m joined by my extra special guest Dame Kelly Holmes   — double Olympic gold medallist, passionate parkrunner, and a powerful voice for honesty around mental health . In this episode, Kelly shares the human side of high performance: the pressure that can sit behind achievement, what it takes to rebuild confidence, and why movement...

Eight weeks in.  An ultra-urban setting in the heart of Canberra, Australia.  And in week 2, a staggering 731 people showed up for Woden Town parkrun! In this episode of The Parkrunners Podcast , Catherine chats with Andrew Dempster and Lili Mooney , co-founders of Woden Town parkrun – one of Australia’s newest and busiest events. Set against high-rises, roads and shared paths, Woden Town proves y...

This week, Catherine is joined by storyteller, creative director and much-loved parkrun volunteer Emily Fleuriot   — a woman who brings imagination, compassion and community spirit into everything she does. Emily’s parkrun journey spans run reporting, co-event directing at Figges Marsh junior parkrun , supporting parkrun inside UK prisons, and being an active member of Tooting Run Club . In this b...

This week’s episode is a little different – it’s just you and me , your host Catherine Stenson.  When a planned guest recording needed to be rescheduled because of a family emergency, I decided not to skip a week but to celebrate the incredible parkrun stories we’ve shared so far – and give you a sneak peek at who, and what’s, coming next on The Parkrunners Podcast . In this feel-good solo episode...

In this episode I’m joined by Ben Roach , Brit abroad, sports & media lawyer, and founder/Event Director of Brooklyn Bridge parkrun – the very first parkrun in New York City and New York State. Ben and his American-born wife Beth moved from London to NYC with a shared mission: bring parkrun to their new home. Ben shares a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how that dream became a weekly 5k...

In this episode of The Parkrunners Podcast , Catherine is joined by Labour MP Nick Smith, Member of Parliament for Blaenau Gwent in South Wales and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on parkrun. From a New Year’s resolution in 2017 to more than 240 parkruns and 50 volunteer stints, Nick shares how a Saturday morning 5k became a non-negotiable part of his life – for both his health a...