Following World Diabetes Day, a runner from the Midlands has credited parkrun with helping him take more control over his health conditions.

Simon, from Warwickshire, says a regular Saturday morning parkrun has helped him find a routine to exercise and formed a big part of him rebuilding his life.

This includes helping in take control over his diabetes, as well as rebuilding his physical and mental health after a series of life challenges.

Simon explained: "I'm rubbish at running on my own, but parkrun gave me the incentive to exercise regularly and helped to rebuild my life.

"Scheduling other running and exercise around commitments in the week can be tricky but I know I can always rely upon a parkrun on a Saturday morning even when I am away from home.

"Running is the basis of my physical and mental health and parkrun is always there for me." 

Simon is one of the over 250,000 runners, walkers, and volunteers who take part in parkrun every week at 1,200 parkruns in the UK.

He is also one of the many who have been socially prescribed parkrun since the charity set-up parkrun practice in 2018 with the Royal College of GP's, an initiative to support patients with a range of physical and mental health conditions.

Over a third (2,000) of GP practices across the country are part of the programme and more than 1 in 10 (11 percent) parkrun participants have a long-term health condition that impacts their daily life.

It was a GP-led activity group, that helped Simon rediscover running and he says the supportive parkrun community has given him purpose, structure, and friendship during some of the toughest years of his life.

Simon added: "I turned to my GP surgery and they addressed my immediate physical and mental health needs, but progress was slow and painful.

"I was relying on work as the only constant in my life but at one GP consultation I was encouraged to join a practice activity group known as 'Run Talk Run' which was led with enthusiasm by practice staff, walking, then running 5k, it gave me a routine, a community to be part of. 

"Parkrun was mentioned and I started to go along with my new buddies.

"My fitness improved, my mental health started to improve and at last, for the time I was out in the fresh air on a Saturday morning, life was starting to look up. 

"Times fluctuated but that didn't matter, I was rebuilding my life, reconnecting with local friends and former colleagues, seeing a future ahead and my health issues became more under control including my diabetes.

"I gained confidence running at a second local parkrun which led to me also joining a local running club."

To find out more about parkrun and where your nearest event to run, walk or volunteer, visit here.