Parkrunners, assemble!

[Melian]

There’s loads of them. Trains at 5am… get a life

I'll get a hotel if I need a train at that time. 730 (I'm currently in Scotland) on Saturday was early enough

 

[Northernscumpet]

I actually do this - partly because there's one i want to do in Scotland but can't justify traveling that far just for a parkrun.

I think that's fine, I think considering cancelling because you've discovered you can't do the one that's there as mentioned in this thread is a bit OTT

 

[fireflies]

Done 9 park runs now I alternate between 2 locally.
The one that's more central just off motorway my least fave as over 500 runners hard get a good pace on lap 1 as so many trying to start.
Lap 2 is around a lake.
Lap 3 around whole park then half to finish.
Issue is after Lap 2 coming up hill from lake to start Lap 3 you share the same path as those who are super fast heading to finish line as get to end of path and some turn right to finish but I'm straight head to 1.5 more laps feels mentally hard see so many finished before.
I'm always in final 50 to 60 places and my personal best is 36mins 11 seconds.
What annoys me about results.

Is never tell you how many female runners.
How many in your age group
Percentages think 43% around highest yet the bench mark for good is 60%.

Was so cold minus 2 yesterday went to smaller ones so half the number of runners but basically each Lap is up one big hill and down.
More of a rough path than the others I came 194/ 225 runners with 36.56 finish time.

I never look forward to it but feel great afterwards.
Definitely getting faster and volunteers always seem lovely.

Find hard get past buggies and nearly tripped up over a few dogs.
---

To be honest, thanking marshalls for giving up their time is basic manners, seems a strange thing to be annoyed about

I think most say thank you just some runners defiantly more enthusiastic and extra chatty with marshalls than others was the point.

 

[Millennial Pink]

(Not aimed at you)

I've noticed a lot of people complaining about those of us who will organise a group to go a parkrun but no one seems to have an issue with the two (that I know of) who have constantly been touring for the last 10 odd years plus. I remember a parkrun saying one of those men are visiting and they'd (the parkrun) be disappointed to cancel due to lack of volunteers.

For me with the groups, it's mainly thinking of the impact the inflated numbers have on the event team. I saw that Bicester parkrun ran out of finish tokens this week because there were a vegan runners group visit with a far higher turn out than anyone was expecting.

On the two individuals, would I find them on the top of the most events list? Depressing that whoever it is is treated like royalty.

 

[GalofHal]

The expansion in the U.K. has seriously slowed down, you used to have 1/2 new ones most weeks back in the day (I’ve been parkrunning since Henry Viii was on his first wife).
I think the US if they can get it to take off there, has enormous potential as an expanding market, so imagine it’s the overseas ones that will get the focus now

Not here in France. We've not been allowed to hold them for over a year due to an ongoing dispute about medical certificates being required. We've all been contesting the parkrun HQ decision but they're refusing to budge.

 

[Millennial Pink]

I love how they talk about the "Bushy Park pilgrimage" like they're doing Hajj

I'm actually able to make parkrun this weekend which is quite a novelty for me

I'll be down in London in a few weeks time, and I was considering doing Bushy, but 1000+ people?! No thanks, I'll try a quieter one.

 

[fireflies]

Somerdale Pavilion is the curlywurly one! You go round in a spiral to the circle centre and back out again. My friend PBd there (Eastville is her home parkrun) which surprised her given the curlywurly bit.
I actually like Ashton Court, yes, it's 1.5 mile uphill, but it's then 1.5 mile down. I h so far ave my Strava fastest mile ever recorded there doing parkrun!
Bath is skyline but I don't think it's hilly. There's also Severn bridge, or Blaise Castle (bit hilly and uneven grass in places, so unlikely a PB course).

I forget about blaise.
Ashton so far from me
Do they actually shut the bridge to run over it?
---

Yep, it's flat but it gets quite congested at the start so you have to factor that in. It's relatively unexciting though compared to others. I've heard rumours of a new one in the Bradley Stoke area, but they've gone quiet recently. Also heard rumours of a St George one, which might alleviate some of the Eastville pressure. That'd be good!

They used to have one little Stoke then council wanted to charge then made the national news.
A St George one might solve the Eastville problem.
It's just too busy to even get a decent pace as over 600 runners some weeks.
Unless you push past run on grass.
Some of the runners are crazy fast and the sharing same path with those finish last lap when I still have lap and half around play area feels mentally hard.
Actually quote like the lake bit.
Think come spring will try somewhere different.
Think the elite runners skew the % at Eastville as freind says based average time most complete the course.

Another 16 runs and I can buy a 25 t shirt.
They also planning one new years day I'm contemplating.

 

[chickhicks86]

I think this guy has quite a sensible opinion on it all.

 

[emphiii]

Is it St Albans parkrun?

Sounds like Eastville to me!

 

[Bonbon76]

The parents who get in the way in the finish funnel! One sort of propelled his child by pushing them in the back right in the funnel, completely getting in the way of my child!

The ones with their own stopwatches amuse me the most...

 

[snapdrag0n]

Weirdly this summer we’ve not struggled at either of ours this year. Even had some tourists volunteering.
---
(Wouldnt know about our other option though, because I don’t like it ha)

 

[Melian]

I've seen that plus the arbitrary 200 t shirt

 

[Melian]

I,don't like my home parkrun - that hill is a bitch!

 

[emphiii]

The cynic in me suspects that they got a bollocking from HQ and said sod this

Oh no, I hadn't considered that, but you might be right. Rubbish if that's the case though

 

[Millyve]

A question on volunteering - Do you only get one credit per event you volunteer at? Just looking at my home park run future roster and seen someone’s doing multiple roles.

 

[RunRunRun]

(Not aimed at you)

I've noticed a lot of people complaining about those of us who will organise a group to go a parkrun but no one seems to have an issue with the two (that I know of) who have constantly been touring for the last 10 odd years plus. I remember a parkrun saying one of those men are visiting and they'd (the parkrun) be disappointed to cancel due to lack of volunteers.

Are we talking about DN again?

 

[runrun321]

But then why also have parkrun records and age grading?

 

[Melian]

I draw the line at getting a train at 7. Any earlier and I'd rather get a hotel for the night

 

[Lastqueenofscotland]

I went to a parkrun last week (was holidaying nearby) and there were two groups of runners who had flown into the city for the day. I like a bit of parkrun tourism and visiting new places when I'm nearby with family or travelling short distances with friends, but it highlighted that a daytrip by plane is definitely a step too far for me.

I was in Köln for a friends “big” birthday a few years ago (there Thursday to Monday) and there were two lads who’d got the latest Friday flight and had an 11:30an flight back, not spending any time in the city at all

 

[Melian]

It was a good excuse to travel further for a parkrun. But I'm not surprised it was stopped.