The evidence library

Studies built from real journeys.

Every study below is drawn from millions of observed activities and race results — everyday runners, not elite athletes. Patterns we found, written plainly, with the method in full view.

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Latest studies

7 studies · the evidence is public
Consistency

Which parkrun 5K series show the most consistent finish-time patterns?

Descriptive analysis of finish-time consistency across 1,039 parkrun 5K series from 2020 to 2026, using 43,032,659 observed result records in SEL.

Published June 2026
Beginners

Does Finishing Near The Back Discourage New Runners?

This study examines how first recorded finishes in the final 10% of a same-series 5k field relate to being observed again within four weeks.

Published June 2026
Recovery

How Timing Changes Affect First Finishes After a Break in 5 km Events

An analysis of first finishes after a 4+ week break across 5 km events based on 600,422 results from SEL's high-confidence dataset from 2020 to 2026.

Published June 2026
Running curiosities

The Many Shapes of a Marathon Major Finish

Sports Evidence Lab analysed 169,902 valid marathon finish times across 30 event-year groups, comparing finish-time bands and pooled medians for London, Boston and Chicago.

Published June 2026
Running curiosities

The Parkrun Personality Types: Which One Looks Most Like You?

SEL looked at 136,996 observed running journeys from 524,777 public 5k results to find playful patterns like Local Loyalists and Comeback Runners.

Published June 2026
Community

When Clubs Turn Up Together, Race Results Do Not Simply Get Faster

Observed evidence from 527,602 non-parkrun race records shows that larger same-club groups were not usually the faster cohort within the same event.

Published June 2026
Parkrun

Uncovering Changes in Parkrun Participation and Demographics (2023–2025)

This article examines changes in parkrun participation and demographic composition, revealing observed trends in finish times and field sizes from 2023 to 2025.

Published June 2026
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