We occasionally get asked by people if they can use parts of the Running Challenges extension for other purposes. So we wrote this page to try to clarify how we’d like people to use (and not use) the Running Challenges code, images, and other media.

Source code licence

The source code behind the extension is publicly available on GitHub.com and is licensed with the Open Source MIT License. We used the MIT licence to make the code available for anyone to reuse in any way. Although the code is ours (our copyright), most of the ideas it implements are not. Many of the challenges come from the parkrun tourist community, and the website it extends comes from parkrun HQ.

We wrote Running Challenges as a browser extension instead of re-hosting the data in separate website because the data belongs to parkrun. We also didn’t want to take users away from the parkrun website (for sponsorship and advertising reasons). The extension just enhances what users see when visiting the official parkrun websites. If you use our code, please abide by this ethos.

Badges, text, and other images licence

Our main contribution to Running Challenges is the challenge badges: both the idea of getting badges for completing the challenges and the images themselves. We’ve licensed the images, text, and any other media, separately from the code using Creative Commons (CC-by-nc-nd).

The Creative Commons licence is really easy to read, so please start there. In addition, here are some concrete examples that hopefully clarify the ways in which we would like people to be able to use (and not use) the badges etc outside of the Running Challenges extension and website:

  1. Can I use the badge images for my local parkrun (e.g. to help sign up volunteers)?

    Yes! If our badges can help the parkrun community, absolutely just go for it. Aylestone juniors parkrun used our badges in posts on their Facebook page to help encourage parkrunners to volunteer in specific roles. Another parkrun printed out the volunteer badge images to use on their physical volunteer sign-up board at events. In both cases, they emailed us for permission first but if you’re planning to do something similar, we’re fine with you just doing it.

  2. Can I print the virtual badges I’ve gained on to physical stuff (e.g. t-shirts, pins)?

    Yes, as long as they’re for your own (or immediate family’s) personal use.

    Andy with his challenge badges (Photo by Danny Norman.)

    Specifically, we’re aware that a few people have had the Running Challenges badges they’ve gained printed as pins, magnets, etc. That’s fine, but please don’t use our images to make bulk orders for wider distribution. We get that it’s cheaper the more you order at once, we really do, but please don’t sell them on, even if you aren’t planning to make a profit. Thank you.

    Laura's cowbob with challenge badges

  3. Can I sell items using the Running Challenges images if the profits go to parkrun?

    No, sorry. As a charity, parkrun has very strict rules about accepting money and they just can’t do this, so please don’t try. Anyway, from our perspective, this counts as a commercial use of the images, regardless of your intentions.

  4. Can I use the virtual badges in my own website or apps?

    It depends. If you’re just displaying your own personal data for your own record on your own website, or posting screenshots of your Running Challenges badges gained on social media, that’s fine. If you’re providing a service to other parkrunners (as a website or an installable app), sorry, no you can’t use the Running Challenges badges or other images whether or not you’re charging for your service.

  5. I work for parkrun, can I use the Running Challenges images for official parkrun use?

    Yes. As the Running Challenges extension is made for the parkrun community, we’re happy to make this exception to the ‘commercial use’ part of the licence. Please get in touch if you have any questions (e.g. about image resolution).

The parkrun community has shown a lot of love for the Running Challenges badges (drawn or traced by Andy’s fair hand), which is awesome. So we’re happy for them to be used to support the parkrun community, just please stick to the terms and spirit of the licences and additional uses listed above.

Third-party code and image licences

There are some parts of the Running Challenges extension that were created by other people. Any contributions to the Running Challenges code are owned by the contributor and released under the licences described above. Where we’ve used existing third-party libraries (e.g. Leaflet libraries) or images (e.g. the flag images), attributions and/or licence details are given in the relevant directories of the Running Challenges source code repository on GitHub.com.

Anything else

If you have any questions, or if you want to use any part of Running Challenges in a way that you feel isn’t covered by this page, feel free to email us at [email protected].