Parkrunners, assemble!

[Baby Giraffe]

I did not even realise before this thread people were so devoted to park run, to the extent it shapes their life or is an actual hobby in itself.
Soooo, who did parkrun this morning? How was it?

I do parkrun occasionally and do quite enjoy doing it if there’s one nearby on a weekend away as it gets me up and I see some of the area without me having to plan a route. That said, it’s almost a year since I did one and I keep well away from the nutters that refer to Saturday as parkrun day (don’t use an upper case P or th3 world might end) and print their own t-shirts. I follow a parkrun page on Facebook for the comedy value, there’s some absolute obsessive there, it’s hilarious.

 

[snapdrag0n]

Hardly a snowflake thing not to volunteer. I think (and as we’ve discussed previously) some events have more welcoming teams than others. There’s three main parkruns where I am and there’s one I like to run but I’ve never volunteered again at after the first time because no one on the core team spoke to me properly, just chucked the high vis at me and put me in the furthest away (least desirable) marshal spot. The runners were ace, but it was a bit flat and dull. The other two I split my volunteering time between, they’re both lovely core teams and some of us have a coffee after token sorting, which is nice.

 

[Lalalemon]

The parents clearly aren't aware it's meant to be fun and not competitive

Has anyone said anything to them?

I think fast lad is fairly into his athletics generally, so he's obviously using it as a training session, which is fine, he's flipping mental fast! It's just his Dad that is comical.... I don't think he realises how daft he sounds!

Ooh and i've just remembered another from daughter's friends Mum... daughters friends shoelace came undone so she had to stop to tie it obviously (DD stopped with her which was proper cute) friends Mum then said 'well that's her race ruined, no PB today then!'

 

[Millennial Pink]

I wonder if HQ could get it closed down. The bloke running it seems like an absolute creature with such a bee in his bonnet about parkrun HQ 'gatekeeping' these events.

The temptation to join it with a made up event...

 

[Giggling Squid]

When I used to RD I wouldn’t read out milestones of people who hadn’t volunteered…

The power

 

[Lastqueenofscotland]

Tail walked this morning, I get it, people walk/run/jog what ever, but the “walkers” arrived 2 minutes late and then proceeded to put all their belongings down before taking a leisurely walk round the course…. To get lapped by multiple under 10’s and an 75yo…

I’ve come to love park run and really enjoying myself but I now completely get people frustrations but when you can’t even arrive on time I think it’s slightly rude.

At every parkrun I’ve ever done it’s been a case of if you are late and can’t catch up with the tail Walker, tough tits.

 

[Lastqueenofscotland]

Yep, U.K. based idiots are the reason and it ruins it for locals. Like doing away with the new years double because people were taking huge risks (driving wise) to try and get to the furthest away double. It’s tragic, and for what? To pose on Facebook.

 

[WeepingCassandra]

I was hoping to take our LO to junior parkrun in a few years but I think I'll skip it if there's hundreds of pushy parents there. I grew up in a competitive dance atmosphere, I don't need that shit!

 

[Millennial Pink]

Omg I can't believe I've found my people!! I'm so happy!
I actually hate running now but I used to be a fairly keen runner. I did parkrun about 5 times, my last one was local to me and I came last I was really embarrassed, I know that it's apparently "not the point" of parkrun but I felt pretty crappy about myself so stopped going. That's not the only reason, I just think it's becoming an elite event where before it supposedly isn't about times, when it clearly is. Totally agree with the comments about parkrun becoming a personality trait. They're really clichey events as well and I don't find them friendly and welcoming. It's fast becoming a cult for smug morons.

Interesting you say that about the elite event and the times. Parkrun have made (sometimes controversial) moves to include walkers and the average time overall has become slower over the years. I think it depends on the event- my town has many running clubs so there are a lot of fast runners at my local parkrun. We do get walkers, too so the course can be quite difficult to navigate when you're trying to give faster runners room to get round you, but also overtaking slower runners and locals going about their business.

I saw a man elbow a woman in a pushchair out of the way a few months back, so I can understand people who aren't in the top finishers feeling alienated. The events team tend to dismantle the finish area as the last finishers are coming in so it definitely feels different to come in at the end.

 

[WeepingCassandra]

Having had the misfortune of tail walking a 1.17 parkrun I wholeheartedly agree that there should be a cap. We’ve also had a couple of situations where a super slow (30mm) walker has dropped out half way round, leaving the tail walker to catch up. Both totally unfair on all volunteers.

Eek.

My local really struggled to get a tailwalker for a few months because we had an individual like that. They'd take over 1hr 15 and stop multiple times along the way as they were out of breath, sometimes not completing the course. I've also heard of tailwalkers who've had the person they were accompanying stop and chat with a friend they saw coming through the park as well, or turn up with a coffee in hand and just amble around (why wouldn't you just go on your own!?)

 

[Lastqueenofscotland]

Some of the Facebook parkrun groups are absolutely nuts

The main U.K. tourist one is unhinged. There are people getting up at 2am to spend 6 hours on trains to do a new parkrun. I wonder how many of them are divorced. The ridiculous trips to this new one on where Father Ted was filmed, the same day return flights to Poland. I want to leave but i sort of can’t… i like to scroll through the insanity occasionally.

And they are such bores as well, I don’t know if anyone else knows who I mean but I think the lady who posts for brunch recommendations on that group is actually funny, and she got told to tone her language down because the admin got complaints? I bet they are fun at parties

 

[Baby Giraffe]

“It’s a run not a race” as per the parkrun propaganda. So don’t time it then. Or highlight placings/age gradings etc. Like I said, they need to pick a lane and stick to it. They can’t be all things for all people.

I don't think that's necessarily true, I'm not competitive and don't care where I finish in relation to anybody else but it's a nice measure of my fitness to compare my times I time all my runs but rarely race. I do have a fancy watch but most people starting out in exercise don't so it's nice to get that text to let you know. As far as people walking, it depends a lot on the attitude of the person. Somebody wandering along and stopping to chatting isn't good at all but (I think I've posted previously about this), one of the most inspiring parkrun events I attended was when a quite badly handicapped kid made it round on calipers with his mum, he was putting a fantastic amount of effort in and a large proportion of the runners stayed to cheer him on. He normally volunteers with one of his parents so is well known and so gives a lot normally so it seems fair to give him something back. I wouldn't want to put people like that off but then again, for me, the most rewarding role is back marking as it can really make a difference.

 

[RunRunRun]

Yep. Hard agree about Power of 10/Run Britain Rankings. Fair enough it was changed years ago from 5k to parkrun as a category (but that was due to it not being chip timed and because the course isn’t measured every week to ensure accuracy), but if it’s on those sites then it is competitive. They celebrate fast times/world records very publicly, which again shows that they do care about that stuff.

I think as an organisation it has lost its way. I’ve even seen/heard hardcore parkrunners (10+ years involvement, EDs, regular volunteers, Ambassadors etc) be negative about recent decisions and approaches. It can’t be all things to all people.

 

[zetta buttons]

I’m ashamed to say I did a parkrunathon. It was for charity but thinking back now, travelling round the region in a coach, doing 8 park runs on a Saturday was .

I don’t go anymore, partly because of work but mainly because my local one has been booted out to a worse route by the uni and the next nearest is full of overtaking, moaning horrors.

 

[Gym&Tonic]

I love my local Parkrun. But it’s very addictive isn’t it? And yes I agree a bit cultish with the people who travel miles and the ‘thank you Marshall‘ stuff. I’m not fast and always near the back somewhere, but I don’t really care. It’s in a really nice country park and I just like the scenery there, it’s quite hilly though so I couldn’t do it every week. I’ve just found out about a new one a fifteen-twenty minute drive away and got really excited about it. People looked at me like I was mad

 

[Millyve]

Tail walked this morning, I get it, people walk/run/jog what ever, but the “walkers” arrived 2 minutes late and then proceeded to put all their belongings down before taking a leisurely walk round the course…. To get lapped by multiple under 10’s and an 75yo…

I’ve come to love park run and really enjoying myself but I now completely get people frustrations but when you can’t even arrive on time I think it’s slightly rude.

 

[Matisse182]

Happy parkruneve everyone! Its as cringeworthy as people saying its only (for example) 14 weekends until Christmas!!

 

[Lalla]

Don't worry about them. It's a nice bench mark event I find and if I'm up and about, child willing, on a Saturday morning I'll keep going back. You won't be bringing up the rear at 50 minutes but like I said before, it's always worth checking your local for what their normal times are around - for example, Sale Water this weekend had finishers around the 1 hour mark but Phillips Park 5k down the road had everyone home under 50 minutes. Some of that will be course variability but some of it will just the crowd that parkrun attracts.

Thanks - just looked at my local one which I went to previously (it's at the end of my road so couldn't get much closer!). Lots of sub 20 min finishers but 2 people were over 50 mins, so I might be ok there provided those 2 go every week
Checked the next nearest group, no one over 47 mins. Definitely NOT going to that one!

 

[Fifah1907]

As requested on the running instagrammers thread. Wasn’t sure where to put in so went for off topic!

 

[Lastqueenofscotland]

I think that tourist group encourages the insane trips as it’s so competitive for who’s done the daftest shit. Just leave it out