A huge U.K. study backs up what many parkrunners have long suspected: parkrun boosts happiness. As reported by News Medical, researchers surveyed nearly 80,000 participants to see how running, walking and volunteering affect life satisfaction. The results, published in PLOS Global Public Health, clearly demonstrated that taking part in parkrun has a real, measurable effect on well-being. Smaller studies had hinted at this connection before, but this one’s scale gives the findings serious weight.
Life satisfaction on the move
Parkrun is a weekly, free, timed five-kilometre walk or run, and it’s open to all. Researchers found that about 76 per cent of participants reported improved life satisfaction from running or walking, while 73 per cent of volunteers noticed a boost in happiness. The top benefits included a sense of personal achievement (90 per cent), better fitness (88 per cent) and improved physical health (85 per cent).
King Charles pulls up to local U.K. parkrun
Participation was linked not only to feeling happier, but also to general mental health and the chance to have fun with others. Older participants reported slightly larger gains, while gender differences were small. Health status also played a major role: those with better health saw bigger jumps in life satisfaction.
Why it works
Parkrun combines movement, community and consistency, things that are all considered to have an impact on health and longevity. Even small increases in weekly activity (like joining in your weekly parkrun) are linked to measurable gains in life satisfaction. Older participants reported slightly higher improvements, while women were less likely to see a change. (The study didn’t explain the difference between mental well-being and happiness, but one could assume it is considering mental well-being as feeling stable and at an even keel, versus happiness as finding joy.) It considered both, along with the opportunity to have fun and gain personal achievement, as the strongest contributors to improved life satisfaction.
Putting a price on happiness
The study also looked at the broader impact using the U.K. government’s WELLBY (Wellbeing-Adjusted Life Year) approach, which assigns a monetary value to changes in life satisfaction. The estimated benefit of parkrun to the U.K. economy in 2024 was around £668 million (more than C$ 1.2 million), highlighting the social and economic value of encouraging active lifestyles.
How to give it a try
Parkrun is a free, weekly 5K event open to everyone, regardless of pace or age. With more than 2,500 locations across 23 countries, there’s likely a parkrun near you. To participate, simply register online at parkrun.ca, print out your barcode and join the community on Saturday mornings. Whether you’re walking, jogging, striving for a 5K PB or volunteering, each parkrun is an opportunity to improve your physical health and connect with others. Don’t be intimidated—it’s a welcoming environment, and the focus is on participation and enjoyment, rather than competition (though you’re welcome to treat it as a race if you like).
