The best ideas are often the most simple ones.

The concept behind the extremely popular parkrun is certainly a simple -but effective.

Everyone meets in a park at 9am on Saturday mornings and goes for a run. That's it.

But parkrun has become nothing short of a phenomenon in Carlisle. Launched in January 2013 the first session attracted more than 100 people, now approaching its 250th event Carlisle parkrun averages about 220 runners a week.

"From when the first runners turn up until everyone is finished and had a coffee it only takes about 90 minutes to two hours," says Andrew Graham, the co-event director.

"It's not a race and we go great lengths to let people know that. But if you want to improve and beat your own times then it's there for you to do that, it's very accessible.

"Obviously we do get friends turning up who want to compete against one another, which is fine. It's completely free too."

The parkrun setup is run completely by a team of volunteers. Andrew has even taken on a wider role and is one of parkrun's ambassadors for the north west. This is still a voluntary role but he's part of an 11-strong team who helps support the parkrun movement across the region, helping groups to launch and prosper.

"We're about as close to staff as they come but we don't get paid, we're still volunteers," Andrew, of Denton Holme, adds.

"Any team can phone us up with an issue and we will try and help them out. If a team is trying to set up a new parkrun then we will take them through that process."

Andrew, and other leaders, put parkrun's success down to a range of factors including that sessions are free, it's not designed to be competitive and there's a great social aspect to it.

"Running is an extremely good way to form bonds with people," Andrew continues.

"It can be quite a difficult hobby at times, even if you want to do it at a low level it's still a challenge. But the support you get from people you meet in running just make it that little bit easier.

"It's the camaraderie that goes hand in hand and people just want to come back. Plus it's the same time every weekend so people can just dip in and out.

"There's no pressure on people to perform.

"A lot of similar running clubs you would have to pay to go along to and therefore people, especially families who come with children, might then only be able to do it once in a while so they can all do it together. The only cost is if people wish to stay afterwards and have a cup of coffee or a pot of tea."

Mr Graham, 37, adds that some running clubs have levels of expectation.

"That can put people off because the first thing they think is that they are not fast enough or not good enough.

"parkrun constantly breaks down those barriers to participation and makes running accessible. If it wasn't readily available without the pressures of performance then people wouldn't come back."

The team behind Carlisle parkrun are constantly looking to make the event as accessible as possible. A recent example is how they have ditched the role of "tail runner", a marshal who essentially ran at the back of the pack making sure no one got left behind and was there to help should anyone get into difficulty.

Mr Graham, who runs the event with wife Lindsay, says this role led some people to believe they had to complete the course in Chances Park, Morton, at a certain pace. So they changed it, the tail runner was no more and the "tail walker" was born.

It was redesigned to highlight to people that they can complete the course at their own pace.

"We say to people come down and have a go, even if you want to walk round, then if you want to come back and maybe jog a bit then you can," he adds.

"It's to get people out and doing things, if it's a 40 minute walk or jog it's something that they hadn't done before."

What is parkrun?

Today runners across the world are celebrating international parkrun day, which is now in its 13th year.

Each parkrun event follows the same format, same location, same time and a 5km course.

Runners who sign up each get a unique athlete number and their weekly results in each event are processed and uploaded online after the run by volunteers.

The first event was the Bushy parkrun, which was founded by Paul Sinton-Hewitt in 2004. Originally called the Bushy Park Time Trial, it grew into a small collection of events called the UK Time Trials.

A second event was launched in London about three years later, while the first outside of the capital was launched in Leeds later that year. It renamed as parkrun in 2008.

Since then the series has gone international. Firstly in Denmark but now weekly events take place right across the globe from Australia and Canada to South Africa, Poland and the Czech Republic. A parkrun event was established at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

By December last year parkrun number exceeded three million.

It isn't just adults who caught the parkrun bug either. Youngsters right across world have got in on the act and the first Junior parkrun was launched in Carlisle in summer last year.

It runs the same format but the junior version operates on a Sunday morning from Bitts Park, starting at 9am.

It was started by Vanessa Strickland, now the event director, who is from the Stanwix area of Carlisle, and had gone to the main parkrun in the past.

"It was just something that I was really passionate about and thought it was something that would get children involved," she tells the News & Star .

"I knew it was happening elsewhere and thought it was a good idea to get one started here.

So far they've ran 60 junior parkruns with a total of 720 unique runners taking part. About 90 runners come every week and it is open for four to 14 year olds.

"I think it's successful because it's in the same place, at the same time and it's for free," Vanessa adds.

"You can get your results each week which is important to those who want to improve.

"I know it's early when it starts but it sets people up for the day. Plus it's a social thing.

"Even from a parent's point of view, they can run alongside them and take part with their kids. It suits everybody."

Where you can take part in parkrun:

* Carlisle (Chances Park)

* Workington (Workington Leisure Centre)

* Keswick (Keswick Railway Path)

* Penrith (Frenchfield Sports Centre)

* Fell Foot, Newby Bridge (Fell Foot Park)

* Barrow (Barrow Park)

* Millom (Millom Network Centre, Salthouse Road)