Norwich Eaton Parkrun: Everything You Need to Know

In this post, I’ll share with you all the details you’ll need to make the most of your visit to Norwich parkrun, and have a great 5km run.

Where is Norwich Parkrun located?

Norwich parkrun is held at 9am every Saturday morning on a 5km looped course around Eaton Park in Norwich, Norfolk. The postcode for your satnav is NR4 7AZ.

The pre-run briefing is held at the bandstand in the middle of Eaton Park, after which everybody walks en-masse to the start, which is by the skate park in the south-west corner of the park.

What is the Norwich Parkrun route like?

Comparatively speaking, the course at Norwich parkrun is flat and fast. The first few hundred meters of the course will have you running up a slight incline, but barely to the degree that you would feel it. However being a looped course, you will be running up this incline four times!

Each loop of the course (approximately 1 mile) takes you from the stary, up the initial slight incline towards the mini train tracks on your right, at which point you turn left towards the mini-golf course. You then take another left towards the play area. At this point, for the next 400m you get to run down the same incline that you started working against, but on the other side of the park. At the bottom of the incline, you take another left turn, follow that for about 300m then you are back to the start of the parkrun.

Good for New Runners?

Norwich parkrun is an ideal community-based event for new runners. While there are a number of fast runners at the front of the field, there are also participants who walk the majority of the route, and every type of runner in-between.

Parkrun as an organisation is highly inclusive. If you’re looking for ways to start running, then you’ll love the incredibly supportive community of runners that parkrun has created!

Get fit for Parkrun >>
Free Running Plan [PDF]

Personal Best Potential

With a mere 21ft elevation gain, the Norwich parkrun route definitely has huge potential for you to set a new 5km personal best time. That, of course, depends on how good you are at running up a fairly long small incline, and what the wind is doing on the day.

Eaton Park is fairly exposed, so when there’s a strong wind, the nature of the rectangular looped course means that you’ll have a headwind to battle at various points.

The good news is that while you do have the slight incline from the start to work with, you also get to enjoy the long and gradual downhill sections of the course to make up the time.

Car Parking for Norwich Parkrun

Eaton Park itself has fairly limited availability for parking, so you are probably best either arriving early or parking elsewhere. If you do manage to claim a parking space in the car park at the west end of Eaton Park, you’ll find yourself very close to the start line. Generally, I would encourage runners to either make your way there by foot or by using public transport. The 25 and 35 Norwich bus routes both stop at Eaton Park.

What is the terrain like?

Norwich parkrun is predominantly run on solid footpaths. However, as there can be over 500 runners on the looped course, it can get a little congested at times, especially as faster runners begin to lap the rest of the crowd. Keeping to the right is important, so as to allow faster runners to pass easily.

Can I run with my Dog at Norwich Parkrun?

Unfortunately, Norwich Parkrun is not dog-friendly. The sheer number of runners attending these days is such that to allow runners with dogs to partake is simply a risk not worth taking – both for the dogs themselves and for all the runners around them.

The Finish

On your final lap, you will run past the start line, and up the incline, as before. You will turn left near the railway track and then turn left again towards the bandstand for the final 50m or so. You will walk through the finishing chute and end up in the bandstand ground where you hand in your finishing tag and get your results registered. You can then walk back to your car down the hill opposite or grab a coffee and cake in the fantastic Eaton Park Cafe which is situated in the bandstand area itself!

Local Amenities

There are toilets located in the bandstand area just to the left of the cafe, and plenty of seating before and after the parkrun is finished. There is also a small boating pond opposite the bandstand, which is a lovely place to relax after your parkrun.

Learn more about parkrun

For more information about Norwich parkrun’s free weekly 5km time trial, and to register visit the parkrun website.

Last updated on March 2nd, 2021.