week in pictures: May 13 2023

Wow, another parkrun week, another USA record broken! This past Saturday we beat our previous attendance record (set just last week) by over 200 finishers! For the first time in history, we had 61 events in action, for a total of 2,908 finishers. Think we can break 3,000 this summer? Let’s take a look at the pictures!

 

 

In addition to our attendance record, we had 640 volunteers around the country this past week – the most volunteers on a single day we’ve ever seen! Shoutout to our high vis heros from coast to coast (like this run director at Des Moines Creek parkrun), we couldn’t have done it without you!

 

 

And off they go at Baltimore and Annapolis Trail parkrun for their out and back course. What’s your favorite type of course? Out and backs are great for seeing everyone else out there or encouraging high fives as you pass, and if you’re lucky, it’s uphill on the way out and downhill on the way back!

 

 

You know what goes great with your parkrun apricot shirt? A tailwalker vest, of course! At Hamlet Park parkrun, Terri and Patty were matching in their parkrun attire, showing us just how fun the party at the back can be.

 

 

Livonia parkrun, the oldest event in the country, celebrated yet another 250 milestone this week as Karen finished her 250^th parkrun! Livonia turns 11 in a few weeks, and so does parkrun USA! If you’re passing through Michigan on June 3^rd, this is the place to be.

 

 

Exploration Place parkrun in Wichita, Kansas saw their third highest attendance ever! That’s one of our favorite parts about last week’s national attendance record, we didn’t have any single event that totally blew it out of the water to push us over. The record was a combined effort of individual events doing what they do best – providing a free 5k for their local community, and bringing people back week after week. Keep it up!

 

 

There are few things more important than the first timers welcome (or refresher!), such as this one at Northside Beltline parkrun in Atlanta. It’s a great way to make sure any newcomers to parkrun feel welcome, and that everyone knows what the course is!

 

 

An absolutely gorgeous morning at South Boulder Creek parkrun in Colorado! It’s been a while since we’ve said it but… Looks like perfect parkrunning weather!

 

 

Deep Run parkrun in Virginia is back after a few weeks off, and we didn’t have a single cancellation last weekend!

 

 

Joe Creason parkrun in Louisville, KY showing us that the “run” in parkrun can be misleading – it is more than just a run! It’s a 5k however you want it. Walk, jog, hop, jump, etc, your parkrun, your terms!

 

 

There’s a rumor going round that “it never rains at parkrun”. And you may say, “well it’s raining in that photo!” and we will say “yes but not under the picnic shelter!”. These first timers at Sippo Lake parkrun in Ohio weren’t bothered by a little bit of precipitation on Saturday, and hey, we technically don’t know if it rained during actual parkrun time… The clouds have been known to clear for an hour on Saturday mornings!

 

 

We really can’t get enough of our volunteer photos from the weekend! These high vis heroes at Courthouse Lake parkrun in Minnesota just look great in those volunteer vests. If you haven’t volunteered yet but think “wow I’m missing out!”, reach out to your local event today and see where you can help!

 

 

There were some rare milestone shirts seen at Warren County Armco parkrun in Ohio last weekend. We don’t have any homegrown 500 shirts yet, but those green 250s are becoming more and more common on home soil, as US parkrunner Bill demonstrates here!

 

 

College Park parkrun in Maryland had their 500^th unique volunteer this past weekend – that’s pretty cool! And hey, you can never have too many tailwalkers!

 

That’s it from us this week, but let’s do it all again this Saturday!