The Headteacher’s Blog Issue 2

The Headteacher’s Blog Issue 2

One Course, Many Goals: The Values of parkrun

Recently, in an effort to get fitter, I’ve found myself taking part in parkrun. My son started doing it first, and eventually I decided to have a go. I can’t claim to be particularly quick, but that’s hardly the point. Anyway, there is absolutely no point competing with my son, who is blessed with a good engine, to coin a phrase.

I think parkrun is one of the most wonderful things. Last week, as I made my way round, it struck me just how closely parkrun reflects our values.

At my local event, more than 500 people take part. It’s brilliant to see people of all ages and from all walks of life lining up together: children with their parents or grandparents, people pushing prams, and runners with enthusiastic spaniels, labradoodles and Jack Russells. Some run, some walk. People of different ethnicities, religions and backgrounds all come together for a common purpose.

Respect, our core value, is everywhere. There’s room for everyone, whatever their pace or reason for being there. People enjoy each other’s company, sharing a chat and taking part together. What I notice is the simple pleasure of being with others, without an edge or any need for one-upmanship.

There’s gratitude throughout, too. Calls of “Thank you, marshal!” ring out around the course. The volunteers give their time to make it possible, and the roles often change: this week’s runner may be next week’s marshal in a bright vest.

And then there’s reach. Everyone has something of their own to aim for. Last week, the fastest participant at my parkrun finished in around 16 minutes, which strikes me as utterly ridiculous. Towards the back, someone on crutches walked the course in close to an hour. They had their own challenge, their own goal and their own achievement to celebrate.

That’s what I love about it. We share the same course, but we each have our own reasons for being there and our own ambitions. One person’s success takes nothing away from anyone else’s.

So, I celebrate parkrun here, and I’d encourage anyone who has the chance to give it a go. For me, it represents something truly brilliant about British culture: our ability to get along, join in and pursue our own goals while respecting and supporting those of others. And all without the need for a mobile.