Killing both birds with one stone is the parkrun, the modern-day phenomenon that has swept the nation and now occupies the weekly diary of hundreds of thousands of us.
It all started in 2004 when a group of 13 mates met to have a jog round their local park in Teddington, Greater London.
It ballooned into Parkrun, the collective name for more than 5,000 events that now take place every Saturday morning in 730 locations around the country.
Organised by local volunteers, all the runs are 5km in length, although they have different degrees of difficulty, and many routes follow picturesque surroundings.
The events are free and for everyone, whether you want to run, jog or walk. You can even take your dog (on a lead) and, at some venues, junior versions are set up for children, although under-11s must be accompanied by an adult.
If you fancy joining the parkrun craze in 2022, we’ve highlighted 11 of the best in and around the Mansfield and Ashfield area.
Please check the individual websites of each parkrun before you go along because some might have Covid-19 regulations in place.
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1. Mansfield parkrun
Free, fun and friendly - that's how the organisers describe the weekly Mansfield parkrun, which is held every Saturday at 9 am at the Manor Park sports complex on Kingsley Avenue in Mansfield Woodhouse. You can run, jog, walk, volunteer or spectate - it's up to you. On average, there are 94 finishers every week on a course that blends concrete paths with gravel paths, with Sam Johnson (male) and Libby Johnson (female) holding the course records. Photo: Submitted
2. Sherwood Pines parkrun
What a sight as dozens of runners follow the tree-lined course, with its stone paths and trail paths, at Sherwood Pines Forest Park at Kings Clipstone. Runners have to register only once providing they take along a scannable copy of their barcode on subsequent outings. The average finishing time here is just over half an hour, with the course records held by John Beattie and Vikki Hubbard. Photo: Submitted
3. Brierley Forest parkrun
Brierley Forest on Skegby Road in Huthwaite hosts this parkrun every Saturday at 9 am. Runners are invited to take part at whatever pace they wish to set, and all are invited for a post-run coffee in the cafe at the nearby Brierley Forest Visitor Centre. Up to 200 runners tackle the course every week, with the record times held by Stuart King and Libby Coleman. Photo: Submitted
4. Clumber Park parkrun
Time for a smile from this well-wrapped runner at the Clumber Park parkrun, even though he is well back in a huge field. On average, more than 230 people complete this 5k run every Saturday at the famous park, which is four miles south of Worksop. The intriguing course comprises Tarmac paths, stoned trails and forest paths, and its record holders are John Beattie and Amanda Crook, whose best for women dates back to 2014. Photo: Submitted