BREAKING: Britain's top athletes announced for #teamparkrun events UK wide from 9am today - August 19
You don't have to run, you can jog, or walk and you are even guaranteed to finish ahead of the big names.
The guest athletes - see full list of who and where below - will literally get behind the natio,n as so-called Tail Walkers', volunteers who ensure no one ever finishes last at parkrun events.
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Hide AdMore than 630 free parkruns (5k) and junior parkruns (2k) take place every Saturday morning in parks across the UK.
The National Lottery and UK Sport, which funds elite UK athletes from Lottery ticket sales, have now teamed up with organisers parkrun UK for a series of high profile #teamparkrun events on Saturday, August 19.
The aim is to get the nation active, while celebrating the public’s support of elite and community sport through playing The National Lottery.
It is backed by Sport England, sportscotland, Sport Wales, Sport Northern Ireland, the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association, as well as a host of national governing bodies.
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Hide AdREGISTER TO TAKE PART: It's free to take part but you need to register in advance. For full details and to register visit www.teamparkrun.com.
VIDEO: World Championship gold and Olympic bronze curler Eve Muirhead brought up the rear at a parkrun in Falkirk. Watch her four tips on how to Parkrun in the UK Sport video at the top of this page.
It is hoped some people will take part in a parkrun for the very first time – either walking, jogging, running or volunteering themselves – with a view to starting their journey to a more healthy, active lifestyle.
The #teamparkrun event follows the success of last year's I am Team GB, which inspired nearly 1 million people to take part in the UK's biggest ever sports day - with athletes joining in community sports events as part of a Rio 2016 Olympians homecoming.
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Hide AdThat day celebrated the role the nation played in supporting elite athletes by playing The National Lottery.
This year's event follows the IPC and IAAF World Athletics Championships, hosted in the iconic London Stadium, which was the epicentre of the London 2012 Games,
National Lottery players have been backing Britain’s record-breaking Olympic and Paralympic athletes for 21 years.
Dame Katherine Grainger, five time Olympic medallist and the newly appointed Chair of UK Sport, said: “The nation, and specially National Lottery players, have been backing us as athletes for 21 years now and none of us would be where we are today without their support.
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Hide Ad“While sport and activity are integral to our lifestyles, we know that for some people taking up activity for the first time can be a scary prospect. parkrun offers a free, friendly and welcoming way to start, and our athletes will be there on August 19 to make any newcomers feel extra welcome.
“If you’ve been thinking about getting active, join #teamparkrun on August 19; you’ve been right behind us for so long and now your athletes will be right behind you!”
Nick Pearson, Chief Executive of parkrun, said: “One of the most common reasons that people register with parkrun but don’t go on to take part is because they don’t feel capable of running 5k. This initiative, which will see GB athletes supporting parkrunners, will reinforce the message that not only do we encourage walkers at parkrun, but that all of our events have volunteer Tail Walkers who provide support along the course.”
Arabella Gilchrist, Head of The National Lottery Brand, said: “#teamparkrun offers a brilliant way of celebrating the support the public gives British sport by playing The National Lottery.
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Hide Ad“No one does more to contribute to elite athletes or community sports projects than our players. #teamparkrun will thank our players by connecting our Lottery-funded athletes with their local parkrun to inspire everyone, no matter what their level of fitness, to get active. We hope to see plenty of first-time parkrunners, joining their sporting heroes at their local event.”
To find your local parkrun visit www.parkrun.org.uk/events/events
Athletes scheduled to take part in #teamparkrun on Saturday 19 August:
Adam Gemili, Athletics, Cannon Hill.
Alyson Dixon, Athletics, Rising Sun
Andrew Lewis, Para-Triathlon, Lydney
Andrew Stamp, Gymnastics, Market Harborough
Ben Hazeldine, Sailing, Rushmoor
Ben Saxton, Sailing, Medina IOW
Beth Tweddle, Gymnastics, Princes
Blane Hyland, Boxing, Croxteth Hall
Bradly Sinden, Taekwondo, Doncaster
Bryony Page, Gymnastics, Rotherham
Caleb Hughes, Swimming, Bedford
Carl Fail, Boxing, Kettering
Charlie Grice, Athletics, Crane
Charlie Maddock, Taekwondo, Hanley
Chris Clarke, Para-Athletics, Linford Wood
Chris Thomas, Sailing, Trelissick
Conor Loftus, Boxing, Cross Flatts
Crystal Barker, Boxing, Worsley Woods
Cyrus Pattinson, Boxing, Druridge Bay
Dalton Smith, Boxing, Graves
Derek Rae, Para-Athletics, Kirkaldy
Eilidh McIntyre, Sailing, Portsmouth Lakeside
Ellie Robinson, Para-Swimming, Northampton
Ellie Russell, Cycling, Shrewsbury
Elliot Hanson, Sailing, Weymouth
Freddie Woodward, Diving, Cannon Hill
Grace France, Para-Triathlon, Colwick
Greg Rutherford, Athletics, Milton Keynes
Hannah Miley, Swimming, Carlisle
Hannah Mills, Sailing, Medina IOW
Harvey Martin, Sailing, Weymouth
Isobel Hamilton, Sailing, Weymouth
Isobel Pooley, Athletics, Long Eaton
Jack Cookson, Sailing, Weymouth
Jack Wetherell, Sailing, Weymouth
Jade Jones, Taekwondo, Wepre
Jade Lally, Athletics, Arrow Valley
James Ball, Para-Cycling, Heaton
James Bishop, Sailing, Weymouth
Jessica Eddie, Rowing, Sedgefield
Joanna Rowsell Shand, Cycling, Congleton
Joe Bennett, Sailing, Weymouth
Jordan Reynolds, Boxing, Luton Wardown
Josh Calland, Taekwondo, Knowsley
Joshua Bain, Para-Athletics, Colchester Castle
Kate Macgregor, Sailing, Poole
Kathryn Lane, Hockey, Rosliston
Kiaran Macdonald, Boxing, Sunderland
Kieran Martin, Sailing, Weymouth
Kimberley Murray, Skeleton, Bath Skyline
Kimberley Woods, Canoeing, Barclay,
Kirstie Urwin, Sailing, Lymington Woodside
Laura Sugar, Para-Athletics, Leicester Victoria
Lisa Whiteside, Boxing, Preston
Louis Rolfe, Para-Cycling, Penrose
Luke Jones, Taekwondo, South Manchester
Mallory Franklin, Canoeing, Gunpowder
Margaret Adeoye, Athletics, Hackney Marshes
Martin Wrigley, Sailing, Weymouth
Max Cater, Taekwondo, South Manchester
Max Litchfield, Swimming, heffield Hallam
Megan Parker, Gymnastics, Brueton, Meghan Beesley, Athletics
Kingsbury Water, Melissa Reid, Para-Triathlon
Penrose, Michael Beckett Sailing
Weymouth, Mickey McDonagh, Boxing
Colby, Mohammed Harris-Akbar, Boxing, Bradford
Montell Douglas, Bobsleigh, Grovelands
Natasha Gale, Boxing, Concord
Nick Grainger, Swimming, Rotherham
Nick Thompson, Sailing, Moors Valley
Nicola Boniface, Sailing, Eastbourne
Ollie Brown, Powerlifting Woking
Rachelle Jemma-Booth, Taekwondo, Haigh Woodland
Rebecca Mcgowan, Taekwondo, Ruchill