Service by appointment only
Call 020 7736 0046
Call 020 7736 0046 To book
There are now over 700 parkrun venues in the UK and over 1.7m parkrunners worldwide. These free, inclusive events taking place every Saturday are a great way to get into running, with couch to 5k plans readily available online to prepare you.
Parkrun offers a way to connect with and feel part of your community, whilst being outside in nature. In fact, with so many health benefits, The Royal College of Practitioners even launched an initiative for GPs to prescribe parkrun to patients. It has proven success for patients with anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
So, if you want to make the most of your next parkrun, whether that be to avoid injury as you train for your first event, or smash your parkrun PB, here we offer some advice.
London parkruns – choosing the right trainers
This Summer, if you’re planning a trip to London, it might be a good opportunity to take part in some ‘parkrun tourism’. With 62 parkrun events in Greater London to choose from, and options at some to run with buggies and dogs, it’s something the whole family can enjoy together.
Bushy parkrun was started in 2004 with 13 friends and is now the biggest event with over 1,000 participants most weeks. This is all run on trail, so if you are considering visiting this landmark event, you might want to consider investing in some decent trail shoes. These would also be the recommended footwear for Wimbledon Common parkrun as it can get muddy!
Closer to the Profeet Sports Lab on the Fulham Road is the Fulham Palace parkrun. This 3-lap course is entirely on tarmac paths with an average of 350 runners each week and an average finish time that’s a minute quicker than Bushy or Wimbledon. Equipped with a customised road trainer and the right training approach, there is definitely PB potential!
Old Deer Park parkrun in Richmond-upon-Thames normally receives a mere 85 runners and is an entirely grass event with some ‘gentle undulation’. So, for those who prefer grass, with the right trail shoes for extra traction after wet weather, you can expect a top 100 finishing position!
Mixing it up on different terrains
Also not far from the Profeet store in Fulham, Richmond parkrun (a single lap course) and the more popular Clapham Common parkruns have a mixture of tarmac and grass. Choosing the best footwear for these can be tricky. It might be a case of seeing what the ground is like and taking different footwear options. Certainly, you may feel more confident with shoes that can give support while also adapting to different terrains, particularly after wet weather.
At Profeet we can help you with a pair of trainers that can support you on both the road and trail, as well as custom insoles that can give additional stability and shock absorption.
Parkrun footwear support
If you are new to parkrun, or just beginning your couch to 5k journey, there is nothing worse than experiencing an injury in the early days that takes you back to square one. Your footwear choice at this stage is vital to you enjoying your running and avoiding injury.
Why not pop into our store for a custom shoe fit and speak to our experts about a running analysis. The team is highly experienced and looks after some high profile running customers including Team GB hurdlers and ultra runners, so you will certainly pick up some useful tips!
For those regular parkrunners, who feel like ‘stepping it up’ and achieving better parkrun times, we’re here to help. Talk to us about your training needs and goals. We can check your running, pinpointing any issues with a biomechanical analysis. Then, we can look at different footwear options and custom insoles to take your performance to the next level.
Profeet’s run manager, Tom says:
“Fulham Palace parkrunners often come over to check out our store. It can be a great time for a running analysis as the legs are slightly tired, and that is when the issues start to really show. We can also check your trainers for wear and tear and talk through what will give you the best support for your running goals.”
To find out how we can help you call 020 7736 0046 to discuss your needs and book your one-to-one appointment with one of our qualified Profeet technicians.
OUR SERVICE IS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Profeet’s services are by appointment only, please call or book online in advance