Getting motivated to enjoy the outdoors in Winter: Free weekly parkrun in Brisbane

Enjoy the outdoors every Saturday morning at 40 locations around Brisbane with a free parkrun at 8 am to kickstart your weekend.

Not just for runners … at parkrun you can walk, jog, run, push the pram or bring your dog along.  It’s a free weekly social activity run by volunteers and as it’s non-competitive (you only compete against your own weekly times) encourages all ages and fitness capabilities to join in.

parkrun is now recognised as the largest mass participation sporting activity on the planet and in Australia up to 50,000 people enjoy it every week.

In Brisbane there are currently 40 weekly parkrun locations, including awesome suburban parks, around waterways and pathways in a variety of communities.  You can easily find the locations at Events on the parkrun website.  There are the iconic locations such as South Bank or New Farm Park as well as lots of suburban locations, St Lucia, Stones Corner, Wishart, Rocks Riverside, Ashgrove or Forest Lake.

Winter is a great time to get started in Brisbane, here are some top tips:

• Register online once only before you arrive.  Find your closest parkrun at parkrun Events, check the meeting location and time. 
• Don’t be nervous.  Every week lots of people join parkrun for the very first time.  You will never come last as there are dedicated volunteer “tail walkers” to always be the last home.  parkrun is all about community, plenty of high fives and there’s always next week. 
• Motivation – talk some friends or family into joining you. parkrun is multi-generational, you will see kids through to great-grandparents taking part.
• Dress comfortably in layers and shoes.  Our locations may have differing terrain from pathways, grass, sand, dirt.
• Pace sensibly – Let your muscles warm up.  It’s non-competitive and parkrun tracks your own times so you can look to come back weekly and improve.
• Thank our high-vis heroes.  parkrun is possible every week thanks to the amazing volunteers.
• Stay warm afterwards – throw on a jacket and the highlight of the week for many is the socialising over a cup of hot tea or coffee in a café afterwards.
• Have fun – parkrun is not a race and everyone is welcome at parkrun. Enjoy the fact you are up on a Saturday morning in the great outdoors.
• Try different locations – once you have registered at parkrun.com.au – you can take your barcode and visit any other parkrun location in Brisbane, Australia or the World.