August 2020 - Special Announcement

COVID-19 Update

Earlier this week we announced we had completed our COVID-19 Framework, describing how events will operate in countries where an underlying level of community infection still remains.

We’d also like to stress that as part of our strategy to return we took the decision to separate defining the way events should be reopened, from deciding the date when that process would be considered safe.

Today we are announcing the process, not the date, and as such, there is no immediate obligation or impact on any parkrun community. However, by publishing our COVID-19 Framework we are better able to progress conversations around when and where our events may be able to return safely.

At the front of our minds has been the importance of not over-burdening volunteers, not presenting significant barriers to participation, not creating precedents we cannot maintain, and not setting unrealistic expectations. Our vision for parkrun events as they reopen is also that, whilst proximity and interaction will be significantly reduced, the essence of parkrun is very much there. Because of this, it may take longer for our events to return in some places, however, we have always believed in being patient and protecting the parkrun ethos.

We also wish to clarify that whilst we consider this Framework to be complete, it is very much provisional and as such we welcome feedback from both within and outside of the parkrun community. Aspects or details may still change, and we will continue to provide weekly updates through each parkrun country’s blog page.

We understand that this is a significant moment for parkrun, with longer-term implications for many millions of parkrunners. We are also mindful of the responsibility we have in guiding the parkrun family through these challenging times.

We therefore remain committed to transparency around the decisions we make and why we make them. As such, we are publishing our Framework alongside an in-depth discussion on the Free Weekly Timed podcast that will explain the rationale of the framework in detail. We will also be creating a number of opportunities for members of the parkrun community to ask questions and challenge decisions, starting next week with a further question and answer session on the Free Weekly Timed podcast.

Please do listen to our COVID-19 Framework discussion, available now in this week’s episode of Free Weekly Timed.

And you can find our COVID-19 Framework in the Volunteer Hub.

Many thanks for your continued patience, understanding, and support.