Medibank kicks off Australia’s first national parkrun road trip

• Australia’s first national parkrun road trip is set to launch in Melbourne this Saturday 4th Feb
• The free community event will arrive at 12 locations nationwide – wrapping in Cairns in July
• The Medibank parkrun Road Trip will see a bespoke lounge pop-up at all locations, offering healthy breakfast snacks, singlet, and t-shirt giveaways, massages and more
• Appearances from Medibank Live Better Ambassadors Tim Robards and Emily Toner

Medibank and parkrun have today announced a free, national community event that will hit the road this February – touring Australia for the first time. The tour will commence in Melbourne and venture across Australia from February to July, stopping at 12 key parkrun locations and will finish up in Cairns, Queensland.

Featuring appearances from fitness and wellbeing icons Tim Robards and Emily Toner, the Medibank x parkrun Road Trip will kick-off in Melbourne’s Albert Park before making its way around the country.

Whether you identify as a runner or not, parkrun is for everyone. Approximately 13% of Aussies who take part in parkrun do so as walkers, and the average parkrun finish time gets slower every year – a sign that more people are walking parkrun and seeing it as a social community event with fitness benefits. This national tour aims to encourage Australians from all states and territories to get active and connect with their local communities through physical activity, including volunteering.

The travelling Medibank Live Better Lounge, an outdoor space featuring umbrellas, seating, massages, giveaways, and refreshments for parkrun participants, will pop up at 12 key parkrun locations throughout the six-month road trip.

Medibank Group Executive, Customer and Brands, Rob Deeming, said: “We’ve been proudly sponsoring parkrun since 2016 as we share a commitment to support the health and wellbeing of people in Australia.”

parkrun creates opportunity for regular exercise and social connection, which are so important for our overall wellbeing. We have a lot of Medibank employees who actively volunteer at their local parkrun each week because they love the social side of it, and helping people improve their fitness.

“parkrun is for everyone, and I encourage everyone to give it a go and make it a part of your weekly routine.”

Medibank Live Better Ambassador, Tim Robards, will also be rallying Australians – encouraging everyone to get involved and better their health and wellbeing in 2023.

“I’m not as constant with my running these days and don’t identify as a ‘runner’ as such, but what I love about parkrun is that it’s always there, consistently when you are ready for it. You can get your friends together and make it a healthy catchup rather than a beer at the pub and you’re able to participate at any fitness level. I’ve got mates in Adelaide and Newcastle that do it regularly and it’s nice to know I can keep my Saturday morning free and tie my catchups in with a good run and some even better endorphins,” says Tim Robards, Medibank x parkrun Road Trip ambassador.

“Whether you’re just starting out, or a regular participant, parkrun is designed to help make exercise and community engagement accessible, affordable, and fun for Aussies of all ages and abilities.”

To find out more about the Medibank x parkrun Road Trip and to find your nearest parkrun event, visit www.medibank.com.au/parkrun

parkrun is a community-led organisation helping more than 850,000 participants across Australia feel connected and energised in the outdoors. Held every Saturday morning at more than 450 locations around Australia, parkrun is a free 5km community event that sees an average total of 60,000 walkers, runners and volunteers participating each week.

A major partner of parkrun Australia since 2016, Medibank is the official presenting partner until 2025. Over the coming years, Medibank will continue to support parkrun’s goal to have 600 parkruns in community locations and to increase participants to 900,000 people by the end of 2025.

Want to know more about parkrun? Visit here for more information and to find your nearest parkrun.

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