You don’t have to run or be a runner to get involved in the free weekly 5k parkrun events across Southland.

In fact, the month of October is dedicated to getting more walkers to turn up to the 39 parkruns held around New Zealand each Saturday. There are events every Saturday morning at 8am in Invercargill at Queens Park, in Gore at Hamilton Park, and in Te Anau at Lake2Lake Trail.

Thousands of people who complete the 5k NZ parkruns (the branding is lower case 'p') do so as walkers, but the organisation is keen to significantly increase this number.

The campaign will see parkrun change its logo to ‘parkwalk’ for October, with bright pink branding designed to capture the attention — and the imagination — of people who might not think that parkrun is for them.

Invercargill parkrun volunteer event director Liz Henry says: "Parkruns are social events where there is no time limit and people of all ages and abilities take part, including people pushing prams or with their dog on a short handheld lead. It’s all about getting involved in a way that is fun and comfortable for you.

"Walking is a great way of soaking up the parkrun atmosphere and chatting with people while being active. It’s one of the best entry points into parkrun, especially for those who may be taking their first steps towards healthier and happier lifestyles. Walking at parkrun is a great way to meet new people too, or you can walk with your family or friendship group.

"One of the great things about parkrun is that you can never come last. Each week we have people who volunteer as tail walkers, who provide support and encouragement for walkers and are the last people to finish."

In addition to the tail walkers, a new volunteer role of ‘parkwalker’ is being introduced from the first Saturday in October. These volunteers will wear a blue vest labelled ‘parkwalker’, and their role will be to mix with other walkers and have a chat during the 5k walk.

Parkrun Asia Pacific’s Communications and Health & Wellbeing Manager, Glen Turner, said the campaign builds on the fantastic work parkrun events do to create a positive experience for walkers.

"People who participate in parkrun know how much we love to celebrate walkers, so the ‘parkwalk’ campaign is designed to take this message to people who may never have considered that they could get involved in parkrun.

"Walking can help you manage or prevent health conditions, enhance your mood, boost fitness and bring you into contact with some amazing people and places. By actively encouraging people who don’t currently do parkrun to walk at our events, we can expand the incredible impact that parkrun has on a wider range of people."

Thousands of people at parkrun take more than an hour to complete the event. In fact, the average finish time at New Zealand parkruns is getting slower all the time — a statistic the organisation is incredibly proud of because it shows that parkrun now appeals to a broader range of people.

Invercargill parkrun takes place at Queens Park, Invercargill meeting at the Southland Cricket Pavilion carpark every Saturday at 8am.

Hamilton Park parkrun takes place at Hamilton Park in Gore every Saturday at 8am.

Lake2Lake Trail parkrun takes place in Te Anau – meeting at the Kepler Track carpark every Saturday at 8am. (Due to another event in Te Anau, the Lake2Lake Trail parkrun is cancelled on 1 October 2022)

Registration is free at www.parkrun.com.co.nz/register