Increasingly unfit new parkrunners and a narrowing gender gap in attendance suggest parkrun is becoming more inclusive

Abstract Background: parkrun is a weekly mass participation event that encourages people to exercise. All finishes are recorded with the parkrun results database likely to contain a wealth of potentially important public health information on the fitness benefits from attending and the participation patterns of different groups. The aim was to conduct the first quantitative assessment of performance and attendance of participants at parkrun using general linear mixed models to identify characteristics of events that might help overcome barriers to participation and to identify if there are changing patterns in the demographics of parkrun participants. Study design : The study conducted linear and binomial mixed models of age-graded performance, gender ratio and age of participants at every parkrun event held in Scotland. Predictor variables included age, gender, parkrun ID number, number of runs, date of event, elevation gain, surface type and travelling time to the next nearest parkrun event venue. Results: There was a decline in the mean performance of participants at events, however individual performances showed a trend towards improvement. The gender ratio shows higher male participation although the gender gap is narrowing. Events in the most remote parts of Scotland had the lowest age graded performance scores and the highest proportion of female participants with more females than males attending the remotest events. Events on slower surfaces had a higher proportion of female participants. Conclusion: This study reports that parkrun events are becoming more inclusive with new participants increasingly being poor performing and female. In remoter parts of Scotland more females participate in parkrun than males revealing parkrun has seemingly overcome traditional barriers to female participation in sport. Events with slower surfaces had more female participants. Prioritising the creation of events at more remote locations and on slower surfaces could increase inclusivity and widen participation further. These findings could also help general practitioners prescribe those events that are most likely to benefit new participants making the parkrun practice initiative more effective. For example, women might be encouraged to attend traditionally slower events than men. It is concluded that parkrun is not only a highly successful public health initiative but it is also increasing its attractiveness to those who would benefit most from physical activity.