June 29, 2026
Grinnell parkrun in Ahrens Park draws runners & walkers of all ages
Whether walking or running, everyone is welcome to join the parkrun every Saturday in Ahrens Park. Runners and walkers gather to begin the 5K course at 8 a.m. each Saturday behind the Ahrens Family Center building. The Grinnell parkrun, now three months old, has already hosted participants from several other states and England. Parkrun participants have ranged in age from high school students to Mayflower Community residents, and organizers are hoping for participants from across the country during the July 4 parkrun, taking place during the GHS All-Class Reunion. — Submitted photos
With a dozen events under its belt, the Ahrens Park parkrun is becoming a Saturday morning institution on the east side of Grinnell. Parkrun welcomes all runners and walkers and is looking forward to being joined by many attending the GHS All-Class Reunion the morning of Saturday, July 4.
The weekly 5-kilometer run or walk, all occurring within Ahrens Park, began April 4. It is one of almost 100 parkrun events in the U.S., and one of some 2,500 worldwide. The free, volunteer-led event is intended to promote wellness and community. But the attraction goes beyond the Grinnell city limits.
“We have had runners and walkers from as far away as London, England,” said organizer Bill Menner. “And in our inaugural event April 4th, there were visitors from Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia and the District of Columbia.”
The parkrun concept launched in England 21 years ago and just celebrated its one-millionth event. It started in the U.S. in 2012 and marked its one-millionth participant the same weekend as the global one-millionth event occurred.
“We were excited to play a role in reaching both the one-million event threshold and the U.S. one-million participant mark,” Menner said. “This is a remarkable global effort built around a Saturday morning 5K routine — whether you walk it, run it or volunteer.”
The Ahrens Park parkrun has averaged 28 participants since it began 12 weeks ago. The largest crowd to date was 48, buoyed by the out-of-town parkrunners eager to be part of Grinnell’s inaugural. But chilly April temperatures were a deterrent to some.
“We are there every Saturday, rain or snow,” said organizer Barbara Trish. “Only lightning or dangerous wind chills will prompt us to cancel — and that hasn’t happened, yet. But there have been a few cold, damp mornings.”
The first three months of Ahrens Park’s parkrun have been transitional: the construction of the new elementary school prompted a course change, scheduled baseball tournaments created a busy venue for a few Saturdays and word of the event is still getting out.
“We were thrilled to have high school athletes from Grinnell, Montezuma and Newton join us,” volunteer Barb Baker said. “We have also seen a number of Grinnell College students, faculty and staff participate, as well as some residents of the Mayflower community. And they all have a different pace.”
Organizers say they have been thrilled with weekly turnout to date, but they add that the July 4 weekend, coinciding with the Grinnell High School All-Class Reunion, creates an opportunity to share the parkrun experience.
“This is a great opportunity for returning GHS alums and their families to take a leisurely stroll — or a quick run — around Ahrens Park, take a peek at the school construction site, and enjoy a Saturday morning outside,” Menner said. “It may open the door for alumni who live near a parkrun location to start a weekly routine when they get home.”
Ahrens Park parkrun takes place every Saturday at 8 a.m. The time will change to 9 a.m. in October. The 5K begins on the trail just east of Grinnell Community Early Learning Center.
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