Runners in London looking to balance their festive indulgence with some healthy activity are in luck this holiday season. Dozens of parkrun events across the capital have confirmed they will host special runs on both Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
This year, Christmas falls on a Thursday, meaning many of the regular Saturday parkruns will also operate as normal on December 29th. While numerous events traditionally pause over the holidays, a significant number of London venues are bucking the trend by organising additional festive runs.
Festive Running on Christmas Morning
For those eager to work off the Christmas pudding on the morning of December 25th, a wide array of locations will be open. Londoners can lace up their trainers at events including:
- Avery Hill, Barking, and Beckenham Place
- Bethlem Royal Hospital, Bexley, and Bromley
- Bushy parkrun, the original event started in 2004
- Catford, Charlton, and Clapham Common
- Finsbury, Fulham Palace, and Gladstone
Additional Christmas Day options span from Grovelands in Enfield and Gunnersbury to Hackney Marshes, Highbury Fields, and Hilly Fields. The list continues with Lloyd in Croydon, Lordship Recreation Ground, Northala Fields, and Oak Hill. Runners can also choose Old Deer Park, Oldham, Peckham Rye, Richmond, Roundshaw Downs, South Norwood, Stockley Country, Sunny Hill, Sutcliffe, and Wanstead Flats parkruns.
Start 2026 with a New Year's Day Run
An even greater selection of venues will welcome participants on New Year's Day, offering a fresh and active start to 2026. In addition to many locations open on Christmas Day, several other parkruns will join the lineup on January 1st.
Exclusive New Year's Day events include Ally Pally, Burgess, Harrow, and Harrow Lodge. Runners can also head to Morden, Osterley, Pymmes, Raphael, and the Thames Path in Woolwich. Tooting Common and Wimbledon Common parkruns will also be available for those looking to begin the year on the right foot.
Important Information for Participants
It is crucial to note that junior parkruns, designed for children aged 4 to 14, will generally not be taking place on either Christmas Day or New Year's Day, with most showing as cancelled on the official schedule.
Parkrun, which celebrated its 21st anniversary this year, has grown into a global phenomenon. The organisation now hosts free, weekly 5k events in more than 2,500 locations across nearly two dozen countries, including 25 prisons. To date, more than 10 million people have participated, with the charity recording over 100 million finishes.
All parkrun events are volunteer-led and focus on community participation, welcoming walkers, joggers, and runners alike. Anyone interested in taking part must register online for a unique barcode to track their results. Participants are strongly advised to check their chosen event's individual news page for specific details and any last-minute updates, as this information is being continuously refreshed as more events confirm their plans.
