I Attempt The Parkrun World Record - Mark Lewis

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of “I Attempt The Parkrun World Record” from Mark Lewis. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points: • The world‑record park‑run (5 km) is 13 min 45 s (Andy Butchart). • Mark breaks the run into 200‑m repeats aiming for ≤33 seconds each. • He uses track spikes (“dragonfly”) for speed and balances rest between intervals. • Managing fatigue by starting slightly slower and tightening intervals as he warms up is crucial.

Workout Example:

Warm‑up 5‑10 min easy jog.
Run 200 m at ≤33 s, then jog or walk recovery until you feel ready (≈30‑45 s).
Repeat 25 × 200 m (total 5 km).
Try to keep cumulative time under 13 min 44 s (≈1 min 20 s per kilometre). Adjust the 33‑second target up or down based on your fitness.

Practical Tips: • Use lightweight track spikes for better turnover. • Record each 200 m split and recovery to monitor pacing. • If 33 s feels too fast, start at 35‑36 s and gradually speed up. • Keep recovery short enough to stay warm but long enough to avoid form breakdown.

Closing Note: Give it a go and see how fast you can fly through those 200 m repeats – and feel free to customize the paces in the Pacing app to match your own goals. Happy running!