How to use parkrun in your triathlon training

Hampstead Heath parkrun has everything! Mud, hills, views… definitely recommended!

Parkrun isn’t just a brilliant community event—it’s also an incredibly effective training tool for triathletes. Whether you’re working towards your first triathlon or fine-tuning your race-day performance, incorporating a weekly 5K into your plan can help build endurance, improve pacing, and develop race-day confidence.

This blog will explore how you can use parkrun for different types of triathlon training, including structured sessions like the parkrun sandwich and bike-to-run brick workouts.

What is parkrun?

For those unfamiliar, parkrun is a free, weekly 5K event held in parks across the UK and around the world. It’s a timed run, not a race, meaning you can approach it however best suits your training. Whether you want to push yourself, run socially, or just enjoy the atmosphere, parkrun welcomes all abilities.

For triathletes, it offers a regular opportunity to train in a race-like environment, helping you get used to pacing, running in a crowd, and pushing yourself in a supported setting.

How to Incorporate parkrun into Your Triathlon Training

1️⃣ Threshold Run – The parkrun Sandwich

One of the best ways to use parkrun for endurance and threshold training is through a parkrun Sandwich. This involves:

• A longer warm-up (1-10K) at an easy, conversational pace.

• Parkrun at threshold effort—not an all-out sprint, but a controlled hard effort (around 80-90% of max effort). The goal is to sustain the pace without blowing up.

• A longer cool-down (1-10K) at an easy pace, helping build endurance while allowing your body to recover.

This is an excellent way to build stamina and get comfortable running at higher effort levels without focusing on time or chasing a PB. By sandwiching parkrun within a longer session, you teach your body to sustain effort and recover effectively—key skills for triathlon racing.

💡 Example session:

• Warm-up: 5K easy jog

• Parkrun: Threshold effort (comfortably hard)

• Cool-down: 5K easy jog

You can adjust the distances to suit your ability and race goals, keeping the total session anywhere between 7K and 25K.

2️⃣ Brick Session – bike & parkrun

Brick sessions (back-to-back bike and run workouts) are crucial for triathlon training, helping your legs adapt to the “jelly legs” feeling that comes after cycling. Parkrun can be a great way to structure this type of session:

🚴 Ride 30-40K at moderate effort.

🏃 Arrive at parkrun, transition quickly, and go straight into the 5K run.

🚲 Cool down with an easy ride home.

This mimics the bike-to-run transition in a race and helps you practice running on fatigued legs. If you struggle with heavy legs off the bike, try focusing on a quick cadence (shorter, faster strides) for the first 1-2K of the run.

3️⃣ Race-Pacing Practice

If you’re targeting a sprint or Olympic-distance triathlon, parkrun is the perfect way to fine-tune your pacing. Many athletes start triathlon run legs too fast, then fade—parkrun allows you to practice finding and holding your goal pace.

✅ Try running even splits (keeping your pace steady throughout).

✅ Work on a negative split (starting conservatively and speeding up).

✅ Learn to run by feel rather than relying on your watch.

Getting familiar with your race pace will make triathlon day feel smoother and more controlled.

4️⃣ Fuelling & Race-Day Simulation

Triathlons involve pre-race nutrition, pacing, and in-race fuelling strategies. Parkrun offers a controlled environment to test these elements before your goal race.

💡 Tips for using parkrun as a race simulation:

• Pre-run fuelling: Eat the same breakfast you plan to have before your triathlon and see how your stomach reacts.

• Hydration: If you struggle with hydration strategies, test different approaches before parkrun.

• Running in crowds: If you’re not used to racing, parkrun helps simulate the experience of running in a group.

Practising these elements will help you feel more prepared and confident on race day.

5️⃣ Recovery & Social Runs

Not every parkrun has to be a hard session! Some weeks, using it as a social or recovery run is just as beneficial.

🏃 Run at an easy, conversational pace—great for active recovery.

🧘 Use it as a shakeout run after a heavy training week.

🙌 Volunteer—giving back to the parkrun community is a great way to stay involved while taking a rest week.

Triathlon training can be intense, so balancing hard sessions with easier efforts is key to staying healthy and avoiding burnout.

Final Thoughts

Parkrun is an incredible tool for triathletes of all levels. Whether you use it for threshold training, brick workouts, race-pacing practice, or social recovery runs, it can be a valuable and enjoyable part of your training plan.

💬 Do you use parkrun in your triathlon training? Share your experiences in the comments!