Orpington parkrun logged its 100,000th finish on 3 October, at its 663rd event. 14,419 different people have run it. When it runs and how to join.

Orpington parkrun has passed 100,000 finishes. The milestone came at its 663rd event, in Goddington Park on Saturday 3 October.

The volunteer team’s own run report gives the running totals:

  • 100,045 finishes across 663 events
  • 14,419 different people have taken part
  • 12,235 personal bests have been set on the course

That works out at roughly 151 finishes every Saturday since the event began.

The runner who crossed the 100,000 mark was visiting Orpington for the first time. It was her 150th parkrun, the report says, and she posed for the celebration photographs.

The day itself

The milestone fell on the 22nd anniversary of the first ever parkrun, at Bushy Park. That morning, 20 volunteers looked after 222 runners and walkers in Orpington. The report records:

  • 41 people visiting Orpington’s course for the first time
  • 8 people doing their first ever parkrun
  • 38 personal bests
  • two finishers in their eighties, and five 10-year-olds as the youngest

One local regular has now completed 560 parkruns, 538 of them at Orpington.

What it means for you

Orpington parkrun is free and runs every Saturday at 9am. You can walk, jog or run. Register with parkrun once before your first visit and bring a scannable copy of your barcode, or you will not get a time.

  • Where: Goddington Park, off Goddington Lane, Orpington
  • Distance: 5k, two and a bit laps on grass and gravel track (course page)
  • Children: under-11s must stay within arm’s reach of an adult throughout
  • Getting there: the organisers ask people to walk, cycle or use public transport where they can, because parking is limited

If you last ran it in the summer, note that the course changed slightly from 12 September. The start has moved to the top of the field, and on the two full laps runners now turn left along the top of the main field rather than crossing between the football pitches (route change notice). The finish is in the same place.

The event depends on volunteers. Every role, from timekeeper to tail walker, is listed on the volunteer page. For other things to do outdoors around the borough, see our guide to things to do in Bromley.