Parkrunners, assemble!

[WeTalkAboutBruno]

Good point. When there’s too many park runs in the same area or a 10 mile radius for example, of course they’re going to struggle. Possibly fewer parkruns would be better in that case

I have two parkruns within 3 miles of where I live. I don't know what numbers are like but I think it's becoming oversaturated!

 

[Millennial Pink]

Does anyone have a screen shot

For posterity. Maybe HQ had a word.

 

[Northernscumpet]

Aww man my summer holiday wasn't planned around whether there was a parkrun locally...I'd best cancel

 

[Lastqueenofscotland]

My issue is with groups turning up with no warning, or when a running club brought nearly 80 extra runners… an email the night before. Does it really hurt to email a week before so we know that’s not a week we can do with a skeleton crew?
---
I would also add my issue with the group mentioned was usually small groups of a certain type of tourist, slightly older, slower than average, slightly larger women, ALWAYS in tikiboo (does it make you behave like a moron?) who were with remarkable frequency, rude to volunteers, sent weird complaints in (see barcode scanner wasn’t cheery, marshal was patronising), and insisted on running four abreast regardless of other runners or park users

 

[Lurkeryaar]

Or go to Great Yarmouth where no one is fast

 

[WeepingCassandra]

Yeah I also can’t get under 40 minutes running it. I don’t want to be overtaken by walkers… I’ll stick to solo jogging

I wouldn't worry. I've never seen it and I'm not disputing @emmer_moans 's mums ability but average walking speed is around 20 minutes per mile, 42 minutes for a 5k is 13:30 minutes per mile so she is super super speedy and an exception!

Our local parkrun has people who take well over an hour to finish. Check the results of your local one and see what the finish times look like - if the last person came home in under 45 minutes maybe it's not for you, but if you're seeing 55/60 minutes then it will probably be a fun experience to try

 

[Melian]

Prison ones?! I’d never considered that would be a thing

It is indeed a thing. And very positive - https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2023/07/25/the-positive-impact-of-parkrun-in-custodial-estates/

 

[Giggling Squid]

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.

 

[Doriangray]

If anyone is up for re-igniting the convo... Below is an exchange when I bumped into some acquaintances at parkrun
- one of them (sporty but doesn't identify as a 'runner' particularly) a bit disparaging of people wearing race flats/super shoes and trying to start further up a busy start as "it's parkrun, it's not meant to be taken serious sand against the ethos"
To which another replied (and reminded me!) that results yet uploaded to power of 10/run Britain like an "official" race. Some athletes may not want to go super easy at parkrun as time will go on their profile alongside races... Yes you could not scan your barcode but that kinda defeats the point a bit for me because then you may as well do your own run.

But for me the fact that the results are uploaded to PO10/run Britain - used to compile national event rankings - is kind of at odds with the super inclusive, run not race ethos. I feel like parkrun need to pick a Lane?

 

[Hellojanuary]

Tail walker should be able to disqualify participants if they’re walking too slow. I do it in 40-45 mins pushing two kids in a pram. An hour and a half is taking the piss!

 

[Runninggirl]

It was the lady who posted her alphabet top yesterday with her barcode on it bragging it was scannable….. well done, so is the one on my keys but I don’t need to brag.

I’m not scanning anyone’s sweaty t-shirt. It’s bad enough having to kneel down in the mud when the bar code is attached to their shoe laces!

 

[Rxt156]

No need for all that waffle for a free 5k is there. Bloody hell. Someone thinks highly of themselves

 

[runrun321]

What’s wrong with this? It’s a mixed gender category and they aren’t trans

It was more about the fact that in Sydney we have a challenge named after someone because they were the first person to complete all Sydney based parkruns.
There was no mention or thought of trans row in my my mind.
however there is someone in NSW that has started a petition to have the records etc reinstated. Not many realise the actual reason why and where it’s come from

 

[Millennial Pink]

this is the worst thing with juniors (and most competitive sports for children tbh) parents who push their kids to the point of tears, it’s supposed to be fun.

One of the reasons I dislike my local parkrun and tend to volunteer there but run at others is the pushy parents. The event team have tried to stop parents pushing kids round to the point of tears, but it's still happening.

Surely a great way to make your kid hate exercise is to drag them round a park kicking and screaming?

 

[GalofHal]

Morning parkrunners, freezing this morning.

Was looking at stats, and a year ago I was tailwalker. 1hr34m in December. Nobody was waiting at the finish, they'd gone home or moved on to the café.

It was a couple visiting from Australia so I had to stick with them.

Where do you draw the line? It's meant to be for all abilities but that was too much imho.

 

[Millennial Pink]

Just seen on a Facebook parkrun page somebody talking about wanting to do a parkrun while on holiday but there isn’t one nearby. Instead of just doing their own run local to their holiday, they are being advised to get up early and drive for 1.5 hours so they can do parkrun. Just why?

This is where the tourism tends to go into unhealthy obsessive places imo. I wouldn't dream of not taking a holiday somewhere over a weekend because parkrun didn't exist there. I wouldn't go miles out of my way to do one on holiday, either. I wouldn't travel overseas solely to do a parkrun.

I understand the appeal of doing stuff like this with your mates, but you could do the same nice social run in your own area (or at least your own country) without spending a fortune on flights and hotels and still have a lovely time.

As I've done more tourism, the appeal of getting up earlier and earlier and spending more and more money to reach new events has really declined. I'm more likely to circuit around my few local ones or volunteer nowadays.

 

[*twinkletwinkle*]

We have an older tail walker who spends more than an hour because she's just in bad shape, but I don't mind waiting for her at all. If you think there should be a time limit at parkrun it's not made for you, there's so many races you can sign up for with a limit.

I think it’s more how parkrun has changed over the years. Back in the day, there was parkrunner of the month, the annual points competition where you could get points for volunteering up to three times and when you did, it was over by 9:40 and you could be home by 09:45. My old parkrun was 40 people on average, now it’s 500+ every week. That element of community and competition has been lost sadly.

 

[Millyve]

I will say, standing in the rain yesterday was not fun, didn’t want to wipe away any droplets of rain in case I accidentally reset my app, was a good 15 minutes between the last of the mass finishers to the final couple with the tail Walker.

 

[Millennial Pink]

Another annoying thing that became popular due to the podcast (carrying on my moans from the runners thread). Just say thanks if that’s what you want to do.

I've had THANK YOU MARSHALL screamed at me when I've been barcode scanning

 

[Millennial Pink]

A dog stopped before the first corner today to do a poo (attached to one of the walkers). They do pick their moments