London parkrun: I took part in the Crystal Palace park run and absolutely loved it

Hello, this week I took part in one of London’s most inclusive and community driven events - Parkrun.

If you're not familiar with it, Parkrun is a free weekly 5k run that brings together runners of all abilities, ages and backgrounds. And here in Crystal Palace, it's become more than just that, it's a vibrant, welcoming, running community. Parkrun isn't about being the fastest, it's about setting your own personal goals and achieving them.

Whether that means sprinting to a personal best or simply enjoying a brisk walk with friends, what makes Parkrun special is the sense of community across London. Everyone from seasoned runners to first timers shares a common goal to enjoy the run, support one another and be part of something bigger than just the race.

Watch my review above or on Daily Motion here.

While on the run, you'll see volunteers and cheerleaders alongside the runners and the energy is really infectious. It's not just about where you're going, how fast you're going, but it's about connecting with people that you're running with and celebrating every achievement.

Now, if I'm honest, I play football, I play cricket, but running is definitely not my thing. So I was a little nervous going into this. But the great thing about Parkrun is that you're running alongside so many other people of all abilities. And to be honest, that does take the pressure off.

Unfortunately, Crystal Palace Park, where I'm here today, is one of the harder London Parkruns because of how hilly it is here in South East London. But I really started to get into it after the first lap. And I was buzzing when I finished in just over 30 minutes. And sure, that's no Mo Farah time, but it is better than I expected.

I actually tried Parkrun last year, but without proper running shoes. And genuinely, it made such a difference this time around. So the one piece of advice I'd give anyone is that it's safer and easier to run in proper running trainers. So bear that in mind if you decide to sign up.

Parkrun is popular in the UK alone. It regularly attracts 100,000 participants every Saturday, with over three million people taking part annually. There are over 700 Parkruns across the country, and a lot of those are in London as well. So whether you're chasing a personal best or looking for a weekly walk with friends, it's definitely something to get into.

The Parkruns are all over London, whether it's the flat and fast course of Hyde Park, the iconic setting of Bushy Park, which is actually the birthplace of Parkrun, or the scenic routes in Richmond and Hackney, each Parkrun has its own charm.

You can find one near you no matter where you live, and it's a great way to get involved in your local community here in London, meet new people, and get some exercise without any pressure.