Barriers to initiating and maintaining participation in parkrun

Junior parkrun pilot in Australia: A real world evaluation

ISSUE ADDRESSED

Regular physical activity is important for children's health. Parkrun supports communities to deliver free, weekly, 5 km events in 22 countries around the world and is the largest physical activity model delivered at scale in the world. Junior parkrun aims to encourage children aged 4-14 years to be active outdoors through providing safe, cost-free and non-competitive weekly timed walk, run or jog over a 2-km distance. The aim of this study is to evaluate the junior parkrun pilot in Australia.

METHODS

A process evaluation was conducted using routinely collected data of junior parkrun participants, as well as a self-completed questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 1827 children had registered and participated in at least one junior parkrun over the course of the pilot period. Participants had, on average, attended 10% of the junior parkrun events including and subsequent to their first participation by the end of the study period. Majority of parents (61%) said that junior parkrun had increased their child's physical activity either a little or a lot, and most agreed or strongly agreed that junior parkrun was fun (90%), enjoyable (91%), energising (85%) and challenging (70%).

CONCLUSION

The junior parkrun pilot appears to show promise in Australia for enabling children to engage in physical activity, in their local communities in a fun and inclusive way.

SO WHAT

Parkrun junior can co-exist with other organised sports programs; however, it can also specifically target those not participating in any sports, given the high levels of enjoyment in a non-competitive, non-team environment.

Do Exercise-Based Prevention Programs Reduce Injury in Endurance Runners? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Endurance running is a popular sport and recreational activity yet is associated with a high prevalence of injury. Running related injuries (RRIs) are a leading cause of drop-out and represent a substantial financial burden to runners and healthcare services. There is clear evidence for the use of exercise-based injury prevention programs in games-based and youth sport settings, yet the research investigating the use of exercise to reduce injury risk in endurance runners has not been adequately reviewed recently.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this review and meta-analysis was to systematically summarize the current research that has investigated the effect of exercise-based prevention programs and their state of supervision on the risk of RRIs in endurance runners.

METHODS

Three databases were searched for relevant studies. Selection and review were completed by two independent reviewers using the following inclusion criteria: (1) study population used endurance running training for health, occupational, or performance outcome(s); (2) participants performed running as their main form of exercise (> 50% of their total training time); (3) study was a randomized controlled trial; (4) a non-running-based exercise intervention was used; (5) a running-only or placebo exercise control group was included; (6) injury rate or incidence was reported; (7) injuries were recorded prospectively alongside the exercise training. Two meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models, one based on log risk ratio and one based on log incidence rate ratio. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool 2 was used to evaluate the quality of studies and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach was employed to grade the certainty of evidence.

RESULTS

A total of nine articles containing 1904 participants were included in analysis. Overall pooled results showed no significant differences between intervention and control groups in injury risk (z = - 1.60; p = 0.110) and injury rate (z = - 0.98; p = 0.329), while a post hoc analysis evaluating supervised interventions only showed that injury risk was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (z = - 3.75, p < 0.001). Risk of bias assessment revealed that seven studies included in the analysis were of low quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise-based interventions do not appear to reduce the risk and rate of running-related injuries. Supervision may be essential for exercise-based intervention programs to reduce risk of RRIs, possibly due to increased compliance. Studies with more robust designs that include supervised exercise interventions should be prioritized in the future.

TRIAL REGISTRY

Clinical Trial Registration: PROSPERO CRD42021211274.

Study protocol - assessing parkrun for walking rehabilitation for people living with, and beyond, cancer: acceptability, adherence, social support and physical function

INTRODUCTION

Due to a variety of barriers, the majority of cancer survivors do not do enough physical activity to meet current recommendations. This study will assess the feasibility of participation in parkrun walk-run events as a novel mode of community rehabilitation exercise.

METHODS

This protocol describes a single-arm intervention study with participants acting as their own controls. The study accepts adults diagnosed with any type of cancer, undergoing treatment or in remission. Participants must be able to walk and have medical clearance to exercise. A sample of 100 participants will be recruited across the Sunshine Coast over two years. Data will be collected over 9-months at 4 time points: Baseline (T1); after 4-weeks of usual daily activities and cancer management prior to parkrun participation(T2); after a 6-month parkrun intervention (T3); at 2-month follow-up (T4). The primary objectives are to assess the acceptability of, and adherence to, parkrun as rehabilitation exercise. Secondary outcomes include wellness, health-related quality of life, anxiety, depression, mood, physical function, parkrun metrics, dietary intake, and diet and exercise behaviour.

CONCLUSION

This study will be the first to examine the long-term effects of parkrun as a cancer rehabilitation modality with regard to physical function, psychosocial outcomes and dietary intake.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12623000473662 registered 09/05/2023.Approved by UniSC Human Research Ethics Committee (A221828) and the UK parkrun Research Board. Original protocol. Authors SB, RB, HHW, MM, YK.

Engaging underrepresented groups in community physical activity initiatives: a qualitative study of parkrun in the UK

BACKGROUND

Underrepresented groups, including racial/ethnic minority groups and individuals with low socioeconomic status face complex barriers to engaging in community-based health initiatives. This research uses parkrun, an outdoor, mass-participation, weekly physical activity and volunteering initiative, to explore the engagement strategies ('outreach activities') that have been used to promote the inclusivity and diversity of parkrun events.

METHODS

Ten adult parkrun Ambassadors who fulfilled volunteer roles that involved promoting parkrun to underrepresented groups in the UK were interviewed. Interviews took place via telephone or video call in April-July 2021. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically.

RESULTS

Engagement strategies implemented by Ambassadors varied from opportunistic promotion within communities to strategic negotiations at higher decision-making levels. Approaches were characterised by a community-centred focus that ensured community networks and assets were utilised. Stories were considered valuable indicators of successful outreach. A common challenge to outreach for Ambassadors was limited personal and organisational capacity that impeded the widescale scope, reach and scalability of parkrun's engagement attempts.

CONCLUSIONS

Parkrun Ambassadors have used a wide range of outreach activities at different levels of influence. A number of challenges to doing sustainable and effective outreach have been highlighted that need to be addressed. Working with and alongside communities where community-based health initiatives events take place to understand how to address inclusivity issues could contribute to greater participation by underrepresented groups.

Predictors of successful return to parkrun for first-time adult participants in Scotland

Physical activity is essential for promoting good health and reducing burdens on healthcare systems. parkrun organise free weekly events where participants complete a 5km route. Studies have identified characteristics of participants associated with lower levels of participation. The aim of the study was to identify predictors of the likelihood of returning to parkrun for first-time adult participants. The return rate of adult first-time participants was determined for all 5km parkrun events in Scotland over a 1-year period from February 2019. The dataset consisted of 20,191 adult participants made up of 11,459 females and 8,732 males across 58 venues. A General Linear Mixed Model was used to identify factors associated with return rate. Return rates were negatively correlated with event size and positively correlated with the proportion of first-time adult participants at the event. Age was positively correlated with return rate and males were more likely to return. New participants that finished in a relatively slow time were disproportionately less likely to return. Return rates were positively correlated with the amount of freshwater and woodland on the route. These findings provide potential opportunities to manage events to enhance their efficacy. Specific events could be promoted as first-timer days to encourage new participants to attend together. New events could be prioritised in proximity to events that currently experience high attendances to reduce attendances locally. As the presence of freshwater and woodland are associated with higher return these habitats could play a role in generating the benefits of green exercise. If so the creation of more routes running through or alongside these habitats could be beneficial. The findings are likely to be widely applicable to other mass participation events and those interesting in understanding the mechanism by which green exercise provides its benefits.

New Parkrunners Are Slower and the Attendance Gender Gap Narrowing Making Parkrun More Inclusive

Parkrun is a weekly mass-participation event. Finishes are recorded, with the resulting database potentially containing important public health information. The aim of this study was to identify characteristics of events that overcome barriers to participation, and to identify changing patterns in the demographics of participants. GLMMs were generated of age-graded performance, gender ratio and age of participants at Scottish parkrun events. Predictor variables included age, gender, participant, runs, date, elevation gain, surface and travelling time to the next nearest venue. There was a decline in the mean performance of participants at events, yet individual performances improved. The gender ratio showed higher male participation with a narrowing gender gap. Events in the most remote parts of Scotland had lower performance and a higher proportion of female participants. Events on slower surfaces had more female participants. Parkrun events are becoming more inclusive, with more females and participants exhibiting low performance. In more remote parts of Scotland, more females participated in parkrun than males, suggesting parkrun has overcome traditional barriers to female participation in sport. Prioritising the creation of events at remote locations and on slower surfaces could increase inclusivity further. General practitioners prescribing parkrun might want to prescribe attendance at slower events for female patients.

parkrun and the promotion of physical activity: insights for primary care clinicians from an online survey

BACKGROUND

To support efforts to increase social prescribing and reduce levels of physical inactivity, parkrun UK and the Royal College of General Practitioners together developed the parkrun practice initiative to link general practices to local parkruns (free, weekly, timed, physical activity events). General practice staff are encouraged to take part in parkrun events themselves and to encourage patients to participate.

AIM

To provide insights for primary care clinicians about parkrun participants (parkrunners), especially those with characteristics of patients who might be signposted to physical activity.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Secondary analysis of an online survey of parkrunners in the UK.

METHOD

Responders were ranked into 13 categories using mean parkrun finish time, allowing the following definitions: front runners; median runners; slower runners; runners/walkers; and walkers. Measures included demographics, health conditions, motives for first participating, and perceived impact on health and wellbeing.

RESULTS

The survey included 45 662 parkrunners. More than 9% of all participants and 45% of walkers were found to have at least one long-term health condition, including arthritis, obesity, depression, hypertension, chronic pain, anxiety, type 2 diabetes, and asthma. Walkers were less likely to be motivated by fitness or competition, and were more likely to be motivated by physical health. Despite these differences, perceived improvements to wellbeing were broadly similar for all parkrunners, regardless of their finishing time.

CONCLUSION

Parkrunners are a diverse population in terms of their physical health. Information provided by this study could be combined with other research on the barriers to participation and successful brief interventions to help address the key issues of primary care clinicians' knowledge and confidence about social prescribing to increase patients' physical activity levels.