Why I'm Quitting Parkrun... And How I got So Fast 

One for the Parkrun fans. Feel free to skip if running around a field every Saturday is not for you 😊

This channel is simply the most reasonable and grounded fitness channel on youtube. Even for me as a 26 years old guy who is in great shape, i learn alot from your thoughts about the whole fitness thing and the way you approach things.

I ran my first parkrun today, as a 39 year old woman - 30:22. So happy despite not quite breaking 30mins (I started too far back as I has so little confidence in myself despite having finished couch to 5k 3mths ago and running as often as humanly possible since then. I am SO proud of myself! Still got some weight to lose and a lot of fitness to gain, but every week I love running and exercise even more :D

I'm not sure how much you enjoy doing videos like this, but these little story-time pep-talks really help me see my own way forward. I find them helpful, so thank you.

I found your channel about a week ago. I love it! I am a 70 year old woman trying to get back in shape. I have been dealing with chronic plantar fasciitis. I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I am trying to find shoes that will work with my wonky feet . But, I have also changed my eating habits. I found you because of a shoe video. But then I stayed because of your complete honesty with food, running, excercise, and family. I have followed to long people who have crazy ideas about food and excercise. I am done with all of that. Man or Woman, you’re channel is the best and has really helped me. I know if I can find the right shoes, I will be on my way ! Thanks !

For me, parkrun has always been the event I can rock up to and measure my progress as I return to form. Whether that be after an injury, a lack of motivation to train, or simply focusing on other things. As you said fitness does not go in a straight line, and although tomorrow I will likely run about 2 mins slower than my pb from 7 years ago, it will hopefully be faster than last week, and that will bring me great satisfaction and motivation to continue training. And even if I was to run my lifetime goal of a sub 16 parkrun, no way would I view parkrun as a thing that I had now "completed".

I've been waiting for nearly 3 years for parkrun to come to my city (in Europe). This year I got fed up and started the ball rolling myself. We currently have a route, a core team and will start in September all things going well. Totally understand your decision and think you are still doing a lot getting the message of parkrun out there. parkrun means different things to different people but that's fine and all good.

How ridiculous that a man I've never met (but find very inspirational) quitting parkrun leaves me sad. Like you Mark, Parkrun is a massive part of a lifestyle overhaul for me and I'm happy to just do it for what it is, as the perfect start to the weekend and ticking the "activity" box.

I suppose it's a bit ironic posting this on the "I quit parkrun" video, but I just want to say thank you. Back in 2015 I could do a 3k in around 12 min (12.12 I think was my pb), and while I never timed myself on longer runs the pace wouldn't have been much worse on those. Then I quit the military, started university, and generally became a slob. Randomly came across your videos one night I couldn't sleep and binge watched pretty much everything in the following week. Finally got a sub 30min 5k today, and went on to do a 1h8m 10k since I was feeling so good. Still a long way off my old self, but I'm getting there. No parkruns in the town I live, so I just run on my own once a week, but I still think of it like a parkrun because of this channel

Mark, I must say, this is my favourite fitness channel on youtube. Real talk, real struggle, real progress, and hell, real humour! Thanks so much for the content, it's honestly inspired me to get after it this year (after slipping for a few) and I am training hard (and smart) and feeling great as I approach my 40's. Looking to do my first marathon for my 40th birthday. Thanks a lot, all the best from a loyal Canadian follower.

For what was basically a simple sit and chat story time video, I'm struck by how much this was a lesson in letting go. Thank you for sharing this journey with us. I also signed up for a Hyrox - thanks for introducing that to me!

As someone in my mid 20s whose now trying to lose the weight I put on in my uni party days your channel has been a real eye opener. I'd always felt as if i had to get in shape as soon as possible and that always led to 2-3 months of hard exercise followed by 2-3 months of burnout. Now I'm taking things more slowly and trusting that results will come with time.

What a great video, jam packed full of relatable experience, honest reflection, and a great understanding of the wisdom gained. I started watching your videos for some inspiration, stayed for the laughs, and now I'm increasingly impressed with everything I find on this channel. Really inspiring stuff!

Mark, you do you. That’s why we all keep watching. Your content changing will give us something new for us to enjoy. Thank you!

I love your videos , you are so relatable,e and real. Many trainers I see don’t look anything like us mere mortals, with their rippling 6 packs, and their advice feels unachievable. Your videos are so honest and your journey is amazing. Thank you

I’m about to turn 37, never done a park run and ready to start on this journey of running. I feel like I’m starting off where you did years ago. Very motivating! Thanks

I'm glad you said you might volunteer. In my case (and I'm sure yours too) the volunteers have really made the events happen so volunteering if you don't want to run is a great way to repay the favour and (more importantly) encourage more people who were like you all those years ago. I don't see myself ever giving up Parkrun. I love getting out to explore different courses. I actually feel giddy with excitement everytime I do a course for the first time. I have 11 courses in the small city I live in. They are all very unique in their own way so if I'm ever bored of a course, I can easily just jump to another.

It was a RU-vid search for Parkrun that lead me to your channel and the beginning of my Parkrun journey. Now I'm training for my first triathlon and practising drowning in a pool and the sea (the bike and run seem easy in comparison). My physio said to me the other day "have you thought of Hyrox?" and I said "no not yet, but there's this fella on RU-vid that's been doing some, he's called Mark Lewis" "No way! I watch him too!!" I told him your journey started with Parkrun and he said he might join me for one. Your reach with this channel is further than you could ever know. Thanks for the great content and inspiring so many. Keep it up!

I'm a professional and can say you are doing it correct. Consistency is king. Then add distance. Then add speed. And then add in intervals and fartleks. Fall back a little, rinse and repeat. Seek to keep it as fun as possible and/or keep your eyes on whatever goal you have. But a quick time is not the one thing that should carry you, but doing something that is important to do for your physical and mental health. Do the best you can and aspire to be above average. I'm above 60 and will never run as fast as when I was 25, but I'm still fucking fast and faster than most 25 year olds today, and loving passing them at speed for the last two K's. Some of them try to hang on, but then I just add some speed and drop them. Some of them breaks down completely and I must admit I find it so funny 😀 Yes, I'm mean and old 😀

Thanks for the video Mark. Excellent as always. I would thoroughly recommend donning the pacer bib. Helping people round to get a PB is a bigger buzz than personal PBs (for me)

If you at peace with the decision then it the right one for you. You have so many options to explore that freeing yourself up makes sense. It will be fun to see what that is and just know I have found more fitness motivation from your channel than any other fitness you tuber. I watch everyone of coach Greg’s and Will Tennyson s videos but I do so because I enjoy them. I also enjoy yours and what brought me over was your take on the 10k challenge and you brought up Will, if you hadn’t done that then most likely I wouldn’t have watched any of your videos. I find them extremely relatable and motivational and I want to say thanks.

What a FANTASTIC video this was! Thanks Mark!! I am currently helping a close friend on her introduction to Running and I sent this video to her to watch as you hit on so many points I mentioned to her, I love how honest & down to earth you keep it! Thank you, here's to the sub 18 duckpond! 🦆

Started watching your videos a couple of weeks ago and found that there was a park run right near me. Did my first one last weekend thanks to your videos. Took me 32 minutes so I have a long way to go but I enjoyed it!

Your honesty, humility, sense of humor and content keep me coming back. If I didn’t take a fluoroquinolone back in Feb and still have a Achilles issues, I would get out and try some of your tips. In the meantime I’ll still watch while enjoying my Cheetos and sweet tea.

I started running 6 months ago after a major health crisis kept me from anything active. I constantly worry because I run terribly slow, but your videos have been inspiring and give me great hope and direction in my own improvement. Thanks for all the practical wisdom in your videos, the fun jokes, and the quick wits!

Interesting to hear. I remember watching one of your videos about a year ago about improving your 5k by running 10k. I took your advice and it really changed my running for the best

Mark your videos, in particular Parkrun videos, have helped this 51 year lump more than you’ll know. Understand your reasons but not partaking in the Saturday morning Parkrun is unimaginable- it’s a cornerstone for me. I’m sure there’ll be a ‘Return to Parkrun’ video someday and I’ll be there to watch it.

Great video. I don’t have that same type of mindset but can appreciate it all the same. Your tips for running faster times are also really good. Put nice and plainly, which I appreciated 👍🏻

Mark your videos always bring a smile to my face, particularly this one at the end! Good luck with the sub 19 minutes and I hope Jen captures you in the moment as well, otherwise you know you're going to have to give it another go. 😜

You should try parkrun tourism! Just another way of getting enjoyment out of it and you can combine it with your travels.

It feels sad knowing your last Parkrun is coming up but I am rooting for you to get that time, Mark! I have a similar relationship to Parkrun where i’m jealous of the community aspect and mainly turn up for the aim of a quick time, so I can appreciate where you’re coming from if this is your last Parkrun goal. Give it hell and all the best with it!

Mark, your stories are great, you will never run out of content, your life is a series of fun, fitness based adventures, chapeau!

Good video! I haven't run a parkrun in a long while but it still sits as a reminder of what I was able to achieve in a short-ish space of time before having kids placed different priorities on my time. I am looking forward to getting back and trying to break my pre-fatherhood PB in due course but, more than that, I also really hope it is still around in 25-30 yrs so that I (by then a pensioner) can go and trundle round a field with likeminded folk while hopefully keeping the ageing process at bay.

Thanks Mark - I still ParkRun in a similar way re. Progression. The weekly nature of it means it gives a fixed part of my training regime. I’m current just at the sub ‘24 mark (having started out at around a 40 mins 5k). Now aiming to get to 20m. Thanks for the inspiration and guidance!

lost 44,7kg last year by running, started all the way from 0 till a half marathon, if my knee didn't fail me I'd attempt a marathon soon, this has been a great channel for motivation, recently picked up rockclimbing after my knee injury and started gaining weight again in muscle form (down in the high 50 low 60 kg zone now), this has been a life changing experience and I'll never ever let it get that badly ever again

This is really good Mark. Thank you. After about 3 years of running I'm somewhere at the 20km per week coming back from injury. I keep getting to about 45km per week then getting injured. I just keep avoiding doing the proper strength training that would help me avoid injury and get me able to run marathons. Need to get my act in gear. I believe that the beginning is the same for most people and the more people that talk about it the better. People who pretend they didn't have to struggle, aren't helping anyone. It's hard, it doesn't get easy quickly, but it does get easier and your confidence builds proportionately. It's worth it and it's great. Stick at it.

Good luck going sub 19 and I can see where you are coming from in terms of your target. Of course, that doesn't take away the fun element and the various beautiful courses we have. Never say never!

Good luck on your sub 18. I hope it happens soon. I do like your channel; your honesty. With volunteering for parkrun, i started off doing it from a sense of duty but now i love it as much as i do running them. I look forward to volunteering days as much as running days. I often do my Saturday run before parkrun and then i really enjoy the coffee afterwards.

You’ll be hanging up the running shoes with an awesome AG %. Good luck Mark on the sub-19. I did 18:48 a couple of years ago, a byproduct of triathlon training. But struggled to get under 21 mins this year but ran sub-20 yesterday, and would hope to register a time of sub-19 by end of the year. Good to have goals. Highly recommend the volunteering too, give that a go, or Parkrun Volunteer Bingo and tick off all the main roles.

Inspirational as always. Thanks for your insights. Hope to get where you are with my pace at some point in life.

I would think hard and long about stopping doing park runs. I have just taken up running again after many years. I have just managed to dip under 30 minutes in the last of two park runs but my daughter found the record of the one I did before that in 2009. I ran it in 21.16 when I was 60. (15.26 is my best recorded 5k. Everything was in miles then) At 74 I’m not likely to get into the low 20’s again but I do hope to shave a few minutes off. The rather long winded point I’m trying to make is that I very much regret stopping running and I would advise anyone to keep it going. Yes, it’s inevitable you will get slower with age but that is something you have to accept. The real beauty of it is that you and I can run no matter how fast. I really appreciate your videos. Please keep it up.

Thank you . You have inspired me - I am a big aging man too and had dismissed running as not my thing a few years ago. Did my first my first park run over winter and times are improving steadily and can 'get round ' triathalon runs.

Just to add you are a massive inspiration Mark, I’m 6’8 294lbs and 46. To think I could get close to 19 mins keeps me going 👍

Great video Mark. Thanks for the humorous and informative content.

Thanks for sharing your story, and being honest about it. The fitness industry needs more "real" stories like this.

Well done on your progress. So surprised at how much I enjoy intervals and hills etc. It's actually fun. My dog lives it too. My dog is my running buddy, I get it.

OUTSTANDING advice, Mark! All true and tested.

Parkrun is a great community and a large part of my running journey. I do like going to them, but sometimes I want to run further or slower (or both) and so I choose to run somewhere else. I think you have to do whatever is best for you.

You are my favorite‼️.We are about the same age. I started running last July much like you started. It is good to gauge myself against a man in my generation. I now do Multiple 5k- 10k official races a year. I have came a long way since July. I have my fist official half marathon this November. Thank you for what you do‼️

I relate to this quite a lot mark. I'm run focused I don't do other sports. I ran a huge half mara pb and like you thought, "am I going to be any happier if I run faster than this". I'm hoping to run a marathon and do that right but after that I may, like you, transition to other things. Really enjoyed the video

Personally I found it extremely liberating to just start treating parkrun as something relaxed to give my Saturday mornings a great start. Some weeks I might want to race, and others I'll happy poodle along chatting to friends then grab a coffee afterwards. Like you I spent my first parkruns constantly chasing PBs, constantly tracking my progress on each course, always gunning for the win. I'd spend Friday night feeling stressed, knowing I had a potentially painful 5K in the morning. I've known people who chase a "perfect record" and will step off the course and not scan their barcode if they get overtaken at the end. In hindsight it all seems a bit ridiculous! I wouldn't close the door on parkrun entirely Mark, they are fantastic events and it'd be a shame to not have it as an option.

I would like to thank you for a lot of great content. I have followed you for some time now, and I found the videos from parkrun quite interessting. I just discovered that parkrun arranges runs in my hometown of Trondheim. I have done two runs here and one in Manchester. It really helps me to have those runs as a motivation for going out running during the week.

I'm hitting 50 soon, and I still enjoy park runs. I know I will never be as fast as I was but it still gets me out of the door on a Saturday morning, love your vids.

I used to live for goals, like how far or fast I should run, b/c I thought I'd find fulfillment once I achieve them. So I'd stick to the schedule, the meal plan, the grind and it's true, there were a few moments of happiness when I reached my destination but overall I didn't enjoy the journey all that much... until one day I realized that all that fulfillment I was looking for, and hoping to get from achievements, is right here in the present moment in the experience of life itself. So I let go of my goals, plans, schedules and simply ran for the experience of running, and that's when I started enjoying every moment of it. \o/

Great video ... and a perfect 'laugh out loud' final sentence!! Nice job, Mark 👍

Thanks Mark, great breakdown. I found this video really helpful 👍

Great video as always, Mark!

Love your wit and honesty Mark. "The Littlest Hobo" , NICE!

Love your logical approach to this and even though I don't run any more I've always found your rationale useful in other areas of life

You're a legend mate - inspiring. Go well!

I’m currently trying to get my 1.5 miles down to around 13 minutes. It’s been tough but videos like this help me know that even people that can run ultra marathons struggled at the beginning too.

really cool perspective about finite experiences, thanks Mark

Ha ha love this. Everything just seems to slowly work itself out doesn't it. I started running during covid at night in a park and genuinely couldn't jog more than 200 metres in one go without stopping for a rest. Didn't want to come back again but did and was shocked how much easier it was the second time. Doing the Thames Ultra in under a month and genuinely can't wait to see how I go. Without trying to sound overly dramatic running has completely changed my life, given me back the confidence I thought I'd lost forever and opened the door to so many other activities I now enjoy.

Thankyou I am early 40s still single and my progression has been the same over the past 10 years. It is good to hear another human being who has the same journey. Most either sit in the too hard camp or straight line consistent progress camp

Good on you Mark and looking forward to the sub 18 video.

Started with Parkruns because of one of your videos maybe a year ago. Came from 35min to almost 25min. For me (51yrs) this is some achievement. But I'm old enough that I know that there is a ceiling for me. I guess somewhere around 22min. Nevertheless I enjoy the runs or just helping out, especially when I travel. Not every Saturday is "PB Day" for me: I choose one or two runs in 3 months were I really try to get it. The other days are just tempo runs for training...

I can't mention how much this is helpful. I have a little bit of social anxiety. I'm able to function but I hide it out of shame. I want to run along with my biking but feel incredibly self-conscious. I am a few years past going through a bout of AML and I want to be as healthy and strong as I can be now that I realize how important it is. Even knowing that people feel self-conscious when they don't have that anxiety is helpful (I honestly feel like I'm one of the only one at times). I was thinking of getting a trainer so I could run in the "dark" but I'm going to try to use you as inspiration to do it outside.

great posts Mark...found them very useful as moderate runner trying to improve

Although I’ve not done that many park runs I have done them in several locations. The one thing I’ve realised is you do not a achieve a best park run time per se, just a best park run time for that course. So a good idea would be to quit your local course when you hit that target but then do a percentage adjusted best time to try and beat on harder courses. Apparently the Great Yarmouth park run is a killer. Plenty of future content for vids as I would imagine it’s bloody hard to keep coming up with new stuff. Still, really great vids, funny and inspirational. I’ve now got to get ready for park run at beautiful Holkham Hall in Norfolk..

At the start of my journey on Parkrun here (2 so far) - I can't wait to be in a position to consider it having done it's job!

Great video, bro! Great tips. Will follow them.

I totally get your explanation. Thanks for introducing me (and a bunch of others!) to Parkrun.

Enjoy the honesty mate ! 👍

Just a quick thank you. I'm 23 years old and quite into all kinds of sports, but even still you managed to inspire me to try harder and sign-up for quite a few races comming up. Training daily and love the video's and podcasts (as a patreon).

Great video Mark!

I'm the same age as you Mark. Just because your about to hit 50, it doesn't mean that you won't become a faster or better runner. I finally managed a sub 40 minute 10k last month. That had been my goal for years. I had become very frustrated as I had come close on so many occasions and I thought I was never going to do it. I felt great during the run and I smashed it out the park. I also Park Run most Saturdays. My times have started to come down recently too after having plateaued over the last year or so. I have no intention of stopping. I love it too much. I'm sorry you've decided to give up on them. Best of luck in your running.

I know it's a corny quote but "the reward is the journey" is something that always resonates with me with exercise / sporting achievements. Once you dip under 19,youll be satisfied for a day or two and then your calibration is reset, just like it was when you went under 20. The time itself is irrelevant, it's the thrill of the chase and process which keeps us all coming back and I think this is the beauty of parkrun and why I don't think I'll ever stop, whichever way the calibration goes over time.

Seems to me Mark you need to take the pressure off and maybe try being a tailwalker or pacer. Its a parkrun or a run in a park. Its not a race. Helping others by volunteering will give you a much bigger boost than goung for a sub 19, i garentee it. Good luck but please dont give up on parkrun, time to give back to parkrun instead.

Top stuff as always!

Love the story about self-consciously running past the kids ! Too real.

We need more stories like this, thanks alot for sharing 😊

I can understand that Mark. My 10k's now feel like the 5km Parkruns, but I run the event to support others including my partners who has only been running for 6 months. I also have incorporated in fun by using the 5K app to complete challenges!

Great video man!!!!

Elements of your progressing in 5k times resonate for my efforts over the past couple years in the pool to swim for cardio exercise and fitness after getting plantar fasciitis and I couldn't run. Initially I was gassed after 25 or 50 yards and watched older and much heavier individuals go lap after lap. But I challenged myself to keep pushing to improve my stroke via study (youtube videos) and after figuring out my breathing et al I "suddenly" (over 6+ months effort) I pushed much further distances such as 2 miles at a clip I now find that considering swimming a 100 or 200 yard set is not the monumental challenge it was in the past. All that to say I enjoyed your video that I can translate into my efforts in swimming and how I expect to continue to improve. Thanks

Good luck with the sub-19 run! Can’t wait to see it. 👊

I don’t think I’ll ever consider parkrun over even if I did get to a magical PB. I enjoy PR for the other reasons, meeting my friends, seeing different locations, getting up and out on a Saturday and not sitting in my pants watching Going live.

OMW I did my 50 and I am done. In South Africa we have massive parkruns. Up to 2000 people on a single track there are so many other places to go. Yes grateful they got me started but there is a definite time when you are done. Love the video

Good luck in getting that Sub 19 👍 I achieved it as a 48 year old last year by running 18:50 and still think I could have gone a little quicker than that but have no real desire to do so again. I still do attend parkrun and use it as an enjoyable run with others while using it as my own workout. That could be an easy run, a speed test or a comfortable steady effort where I just add a few up tempo bits in here and there. I also sometimes use them at the end of quick finish LR's during Marathon training. I have no desire to go quicker than 18:50 or really knock much time off my Half Marathon PB of 87 minutes either. If those things come about as part of the process of attacking the only two time related goals that I have left for Marathon and 10k distances then great but I do believe that the 5k time especially is unlikely.

Love this channel, I can relate in so many ways and it gives me the nudge I need to crack on. Definitely getting Morpheus vibes here...

Just got in from my run. You and Russ Cook got me off my arse again. Still over 7 mins per km but i'm getting there.

18:XX is quite a lofty goal, especially with the start of the journey! And totally in sight. I understand the thing about not being keen to continue without progressing. It's like sharks and moving forward. And sharks are great at aquatic 5ks.

It’s interesting how much of a doorway or pivot Park run is for me and so many people like you say.

Well done Mark. I'm pretty much the same age as you and 10 years ago I was running marathons and finishing sub 3.30 and HM's in sub 1.30. But haven't run a 10k in 5 years... a 5k in 2 years... just let things drift. I run a short 2.5km circuit most days now, but that's it... even 5k seems a painful world away. But may well give Parkrun ago as I need some structure and goal to get my running / general life mojo back.

Good luck with the sub 19 Mark, end of an era for sure. A proper curry the night before and a tailwind will see you through , and probably see you follow through

Hi Mark, I actually subscribed to your channel because of your hilarious video about improving at Parkrun (and the Bob comment😂). You’re a great communicator and I hope you don’t say goodbye to Parkrun, as someone said, try pacing, tourism, volunteering). Achieved my 5K PB last night in a local race after 3 years of training, so happy (only 23:43 but I’ll build from here🚀).

I get where you are coming from. I trained hard and didn’t go to ParkRun until I was ready to give it my all and went sub 22 on my first effort…..and hated it. I now plod round, using run/walk and take anywhere between 25 and 35 minutes. Usually use ParkRun to end my long run on a Saturday morning and really enjoy seeing all the different types of people in the middle and back of the pack.

Hi, Mark I was all your videos a big fan of your attitude to being fit. I am a triathlete who has completed every distance, triathlon some of them multiple times. I have only ever done one Full Ironman but decided I didn't want to be a serial ironman athlete, my time wasn't life changing I was just elated I had finished such a distance. I however have now done 8 half ironman races and as I get older everyone with diminishing returns really. So I am really at a cross roads really do I now just be happy I did all these things and look to other sporting and fitness goals or do i just keep plodding on? I love the idea of Hydrox but every time I find an event they are possibly maybe because of your influence sold out way before the event date. I love your attitude and find every video informative and very funny. Thank you for discovering your talent for doing these as your job, because you inspire this now jaded 61 year old triathlete to keep pushing. Cheers.

😂love your videos mate whatever you decide to give up don't stop the vids

I love your honesty, I’m shooting for my first sub-20 in a few months

Gave me a chuckle at the end 😆