Search  •  FAQ  •  Other events  •  Return to parkrun home

The Course

The course is 5000m (5K) long. This has been accurately measured by us with a professional measuring wheel. The course is in Finsbury Park, and entirely on tarmac paths, although some sections of the course do accumulate mud, leaves and puddles after rain. Dependent on availability, marshals will be at key sections of the course, or temporary signs in place.

Please remember that the parkrun uses shared paths. For the continued success of the event, please give way to other park users. This won't hurt your time, it won't stop you from getting a PB and it will make sure everyone continues to to enjoy the event.

Please, wherever possible walk, jog, cycle or use public transport when attending the event.

If you do have to drive, please consider car-sharing to reduce our impact on both the environment and other park users.  Please also watch out for other park users when arriving and leaving. Parking is available inside Finsbury Park, however there are a restricted amount of spaces and you must pay and display.

As the paths are sometimes narrow, runners with dogs are welcome only if the dogs are under control and on a short lead.

Course Safety

The Finsbury parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. We wish to make the run as safe as possible, so runners, spectators and helpers are asked to take care about the following:

  • Please be considerate to the park and other park users at all times.
  • Please arrive by foot, by pedal-power or by public transport if you can - your efforts help to reduce our impact on the park and the planet.
  • Please consider volunteering to help occasionally - this event survives only because of your generosity - please vist the volunteer page for more information.
  • Take care near roads and car parks - some vehicles drive very quickly. Please congregate away from the cars and be careful in particular if you have children. If you’re driving to the run, please drive carefully even if you’re late!
  • When running, take care on uneven surfaces - whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other runners, pedestrians, children, deer, dogs, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
  • Runners with dogs are welcome, but please keep dogs on a short lead or harness and under control throughout the event.
  • Runners pushing buggies are also welcome, but please take extreme care of other runners around you. If possible start from the back of the field and try to keep to one side of the main body of runners.
  • Please make sure you’re fit enough to run 5k (3.1 miles) – if you’re in any doubt, please consult your doctor.
  • Remember to warm up before the run.
  • If you see a runner with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
  • If you’re watching, keep clear of runners on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
  • This is a free training event, so all run and attend at their own risk.

We hope these tips help to ensure that Finsbury parkrun is fun and safe for everyone.

Age Grading

All parkrun events use Age Grading to help athletes compare results.

Age Grading takes your time and uses the world record time for your sex and age group to produce a score (a percentage). This score allows you to compare your personal performance against other people's performances even though they might be a different age and a different sex to you - the higher the score the better the performance. The scores can also be compared across different run distances - to allow you to, for example, compare a 5km time against a marathon.

For more information, please see the Running For Fitness website.

Course Map


View Finsbury parkrun in a larger map

Course Description

The route consists of almost two complete anti-clockwise laps. It starts on the road around Finsbury Park near the cafe just past the black gates. The route follows the road around the park before taking the path on the left (heading uphill) just opposite the bridge over the canal and just after the black gates on the road. At the top of the hill the route meets the road but veers straight around the boating lake, past the Athletics track, before heading through the gardens past McKenzie Pavilion and the playground and back to the start. On the second lap after rounding the lake and going through the gardens, the finish is on a first track next to McKenzie Pavilion.

Getting There

Getting There by Public Transport

Bus

Buses 4, 19, 29, 106, 141, 153, 210, 236, 253, 254, 259, 279, 341, W3 & W7.

Tube

Finsbury Park (Piccadilly & Victoria lines) or Manor House (Piccadilly line).

Train

Finsbury park

Getting There by Bike

Covered, staffed bike park (pre-registration required - see http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11947.aspx) - room for 125 bikes.

Getting There by Car

Access to pay & display car park within Finsbury park via the Hornsey Gate entrance.

Coffee at Finsbury Park Café

The start and end point of the run is Finsbury Park café and therefore a great meeting point to speak to people after the race and socialise. Please join us.