There’s something special about London at dawn. The city is barely awake, the streets are quiet. While most of the 15,000 people heading to Big Data LDN are still stirring in their hotel rooms, a small group of us from the DataFitClub lace up our shoes and head into Hyde Park for what has become a bit of a tradition: the sunrise run that kicks off the second day of the conference.
Conferences like Big Data LDN are an exhilarating whirlwind: talks, panels, vendor halls, old friends to catch up with, new connections to make. It’s easy to get swept into the noise and intensity. For me, running is a great way to reset after the first day and whatever social gathering I might end up at the night before. This year, it was the MotherDuck party!
The sunrise loop through Hyde Park is more than just exercise. It’s a moment to breathe, to reconnect with myself before the day begins, to meet others from the event, and to share an experience that feels refreshingly different from the polished floors and bright lights of Olympia. In a profession defined by dashboards, governance frameworks, and emerging AI, there’s something grounding about starting the day with the rhythm of footsteps, the chatter of a few like-minded runners, and the natural rhythm of first light.
This isn’t a one-off. For three years now, in a tradition started by George Mccrea, I’ve made it a point to get out for a run on the second morning of the conference. For the last two years, I’ve led it. We gather near the park, sometimes bleary-eyed after a late night of networking events (and yes, the occasional vendor party), but always with a sense of anticipation.
The route has become familiar: a sweeping loop through Hyde Park, finishing along the Serpentine, with a group photo at the Albert Memorial. Each year brings new faces, and this year a few personal records on Strava.
It’s not about pace or distance. It’s about the shared experience, the camaraderie, and the joy of moving together through one of London’s most iconic green spaces.
One of the best parts of the sunrise run is the conversations along the way. They’re not the same polished chats you have over a booth demo or at a coffee stand in the expo hall. There’s something disarming about talking while you run. The usual hierarchy drops away, replaced with shared effort and mutual encouragement.
I’ve met colleagues and made connections that carried through the rest of the conference and sometimes beyond, simply because we ran together before the day began. In a way, these runs remind me that professional communities aren’t just built in meeting rooms. They’re built in moments of genuine human connection, even if that’s a slightly sweaty one at 6:30 am in Hyde Park.
Each year, I look forward to these early mornings as much as the keynotes and panels. They’ve become a quiet ritual in the middle of a noisy event, a reminder that the data world is full of people who also care about wellness, movement, and connection.
If you find yourself at Big Data LDN next year, I’d encourage you to join us. You don’t have to be fast, and you don’t need to know anyone beforehand. Just bring your shoes, your curiosity, and your willingness to start the day a little differently.
Because sometimes the best insights don’t come from the stage or the expo floor. They come from the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other, with others beside you, as the sun rises over Hyde Park.