What is the hardest parkrun then?
The hardest one that I’ve done myself is RICHMOND PARK. It’s only really hard because of the two hills towards the end; maybe exposure to a bit of wind and a few hundred metres on grass. You won’t get a PB there unless it’s the only one you do. It’s typically reckoned to be 30 seconds slower than your PB.
Any others?, Anyone?
3 years on, and we can answer a bit more scientifically:
parkrun : difficulty ratings, adjusted times for toughest / hardest / easiest courses
Fastest parkrun, Hardest parkrun & Easiest Courses in UK | difficulty ratings
Last Updated on 13 January 2026 by the5krunner
My favourite kit and nutrition
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro — I’ve just bought one.
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- Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
- Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Wahoo. I use this model.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
- Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
Pomphrey Hill (by experience) and Yeovil Montacute (by reputation) are pretty tough
Dewsbury is hilly
BARNSLEY has not got any flat terrain anywhere IIRC ! ASHTON COURT is a testing 2.5K up, then a knee-threatening 2.5K down and climbs 110M. YORK, OTOH, is psychologically tough as you can see the whole 5K to do at all times !