Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Bell believes parkrun will ‘always be part of my story’ as she looks back on an extraordinary year which has also seen the global running event celebrate its 20th anniversary.
The British middle-distance runner raced to a surprise 1500metres bronze medal in Paris this summer, just months after stepping back from her full-time job and taking a sabbatical to concentrate on athletics.
Back in March 2022, racing over five kilometres in London’s Bushy Park helped Bell fall in love with the sport again after injury had made her step away and, for a while, give up on her Olympic dream.
The 30-year-old was a hugely talented junior but after heading to America to study and train, a series of physical setbacks saw her quit athletics.
However, after a tentative return to running during lockdown, Bell’s improving performances at parkrun encouraged her to head back to the track and see just what she could achieve.
‘For me and my story, parkrun has featured in so many periods. It’s been there when I’ve been flying and feeling really good and when I’ve had moments that triggered me to say “I want to get back into elite running” because I’ve found form and fitness. Parkrun was a really good measure of that,’ Bell told .
parkrun turns 20!
This year Metro has partnered with the iconic charity parkrun to bring you a thriving new content series.
In a coming together of two game-changing powerhouses, Metro has been chosen as the first official media partner for parkrun as it celebrates its 20th birthday in 2024.
It’s not just for the runners, though – it’s for everyone.
Come with us as we embark on a series of boundary-pushing wellbeing content designed to elevate and champion, but also to support mental health and societal cohesion. Whether you run, walk, jog or strut…
Read the stories of those who have found their calling, their community or had their lives changed through the simple act of lacing up their trainers (not that you have to do parkrun in trainers…as we’ll show you later on).
Get ready to be empowered, inspired, and energised!
Register for parkrun here. The best part is that it’s free and you only need to register once.
‘It has also been there in times when I’ve been really unfit and just haven’t run for ages but it was an event to do with friends, it was socialising. It will always be a part of my story.’
Parkrun’s origins are in Bushy Park, where the first event featured 13 runners on October 2, 2004. Since then it has grown into a worldwide phenomenon.
As parkrun marks its 20th birthday this week, Bell acknowledges the importance it plays in so many lives, having run it many times herself.
‘It’s something that is so good for the UK. I know it’s international but I feel there’s a very British vibe to it having originated in the UK,’ said the athlete, who is trained by husband-and-wife duo Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows.
Join the country’s biggest running club (even if you’re a walker)
Joining parkrun is free – it doesn’t matter if you’re a keen runner, a jogger, a walker, a social stroller or are keen to volunteer and cheer from the sidelines.
Did we mention it’s free (tick) and you only need to do it once (tick tick).
‘I love the way you see everyone from all age groups – boys, girls, kids, people with dogs, people with babies – and I feel it has such a nice feeling of community, from the volunteers who are giving up their time and are so happy and upbeat, cheering you on, so you get a real feelgood feeling from it plus of course the fact it’s free and accessible to anyone.
‘The main thing is, which I really believe, is it doesn’t matter which level you are – you’re racing against yourself and although it’s nice to win, it really doesn’t matter.
‘All the people I know who do parkrun just look for improvement. My dad will say “this is my fastest time” or “I’m this much quicker than last week”. It’s such a simple idea and has had an incredible impact on people.
‘Seb Coe did our local one, Kelly Holmes I’ve seen too. On Christmas Day, we’ll usually get four of us from the family doing it and we’ll always wear something Christmassy. Christmas Day parkrun is a really nice start to the day.’
Bell will follow her success with marriage to fiance George this month before returning to full training ahead of the 2025 world championships.
She has now quit her job to focus fully on athletics, adding: ‘I was juggling the full-time job in software sales, which was pretty demanding.
‘Being able to go full-time with running is an adjustment. Now I’m really keen to see what we can do in the future.’