parkrun is back

[Beebo]

Have you looked on their Facebook page??

A few park users seem to get annoyed that “their” park is taken over for 30 minutes a week on Saturday mornings.
That is the only grief I have ever seen. But having 500+ joggers stampeding towards you can be intimidating, especially at the start when it is still bunched up.

 

[stephec]

A few park users seem to get annoyed that “their” park is taken over for 30 minutes a week on Saturday mornings.
That is the only grief I have ever seen. But having 500+ joggers stampeding towards you can be intimidating, especially at the start when it is still bunched up.

We get some dog walkers like that, ours starts on a disused railway line so is a bit congested at first.

When it's pointed out to them that it's clear if they walk past five minutes later we sometimes get the attitude of, 'it's my right to walk here whenever I want so that's what I' ll do.'. 😂

 

[BrumJim]

Had one really upset member of the public a couple of years ago. It was the New Year's Day run, and it was a filthy wet day. After the end of the run a large number of them went to the park cafe for a warm up and shelter from the drizzle turning to heavy rain. Which upset one cafe resident who clearly thought it was her right to read a book quietly on a table on her own.

 

[Cathryn]

You can never please everyone.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Excellent!!

It'll be huge numbers, hopefully!!

I'm saying that, as when I was in the running club, we had about 120 members (some regular, some 'once in a blue moon'), but I saw one of the committee members a couple of weeks ago, & he told me there's 300+now

So, if they all go to the local ParkRuns, plus any comparable increases in other local clubs.............

 

[Rusty Nails]

A few park users seem to get annoyed that “their” park is taken over for 30 minutes a week on Saturday mornings.
That is the only grief I have ever seen. But having 500+ joggers stampeding towards you can be intimidating, especially at the start when it is still bunched up.

One of my frequent bike rides includes a section that is used by Parkrun, and I have learned the hard way to avoid that route early on a Saturday morning. On the odd occasion I have forgotten I just accept my mistake and crawl along until I can detour. There is never any bother and the marshalls are always very helpful.

If I was still able to run that distance I would love to join in, but I know my body's limitations.

 

[PaulB]

I LOVE the park runs, me. I've actually won seven outright and still own a few age records. But I never mention that!

The saddest thing I saw (prior to March last year of course) was a woman who turned up at my local one New Years Day. We always do that one at 10.30 to allow people to do a nearby one at 9.00 to start the year on a double and get three in a week. She'd turned up because the year that ended the day before had seen her and her husband attempt to do 52 different courses in that year (2018) and all had been going extremely well...until they were on their 50th. Her husband fell awkwardly on an icy patch and he went down ripping his ankle ligaments. His attempt was sadly over but she stayed with him, providing assistance and eventually helping him back to their car but by the time she got to the finish line, they'd all gone so her time couldn't be recorded. So close and so cruelly snatched away from her on her 50th run!

But we have a club house our runners use and it's usually the highlight of my week with all the happiness and endorphins blasting out, catching everyone in its wave of pleasure, relief, talk of progress/setbacks/awful-good conditions. Can't come back soon enough for me.

 

[Johnsop99]

A year ago this weekend, 29th February 2020 we had a Park"leap"run for leap year. A photographer set up about 500m from the finish and we were all encouraged to leap as we went past! Looking forward t getting back in the summer. I regularly cycled 8 miles there, did the run then cycled 12 miles home (the scenic route)

 

[Beebo]

I LOVE the park runs, me. I've actually won seven outright and still own a few age records. But I never mention that!

That’s impressive stuff. The guys that win my local one are usually under 25 and built like Mo Farah.
I’ll just be happy to go sub 25 mins again.

I fell very badly once, ankle total knackered and off to A&E. The marshals and a couple of runners helped me up, found my stuff which I had left at the finish line and one even drove me home. The guy who drove me home came back and completed the course registering a time of around 1 half hours. It’s a shame your lady wasn’t given the same courtesy.

 

[matticus]

I LOVE the park runs, me. I've actually won seven outright and still own a few age records. But I never mention that!

Quite right too - that sort of fact can quickly spread round the internet!

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

View: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10158936005235631&set=gm.10158719125606928

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

If the projected figures are correct, it'll be inundated

One of my local events is Pontefract Park/Racecourse
I ran the very first one there (7th May 2011), 42 of us ran

The last pre 'put on-hold' run (14th March '20) there were 411

 

[Beebo]

If the projected figures are correct, it'll be inundated

One of my local events is Pontefract Park/Racecourse
I ran the very first one there (7th May 2011), 42 of us ran

The last pre 'put on-hold' run (14th March '20) there were 411

That is why they are being so cautious. They could have done some runs in the autumn and could open up sooner but they don’t want bad publicity.
Some big ones get 1000+ every week which is a huge crowd in current times. Especially at the start.

 

[PaulB]

That’s impressive stuff. The guys that win my local one are usually under 25 and built like Mo Farah.
I’ll just be happy to go sub 25 mins again.

I fell very badly once, ankle total knackered and off to A&E. The marshals and a couple of runners helped me up, found my stuff which I had left at the finish line and one even drove me home. The guy who drove me home came back and completed the course registering a time of around 1 half hours. It’s a shame your lady wasn’t given the same courtesy.

It's not that impressive at my local parkrun. My first win happened to be my 100th and I set off just intending to traipse home in about 10th but after 200 yards I was in the lead and nobody challenged me after that so I thought I'd make it a double celebration. It's reputed to be the 14th toughest in the country based on the amount of climb so we don't usually get a lot of people running it but usually get curious visitors wanting to see the feared hill.

And that wasn't my lady and it wasn't our course where it happened, just at our course she was telling me about it. She was taking advantage of a twofer on day one of the year and was recounting her tale of woe that had occurred two weeks previously at another course.

 

[BrumJim]

It's not that impressive at my local parkrun. My first win happened to be my 100th and I set off just intending to traipse home in about 10th but after 200 yards I was in the lead and nobody challenged me after that so I thought I'd make it a double celebration. It's reputed to be the 14th toughest in the country based on the amount of climb so we don't usually get a lot of people running it but usually get curious visitors wanting to see the feared hill.

And that wasn't my lady and it wasn't our course where it happened, just at our course she was telling me about it. She was taking advantage of a twofer on day one of the year and was recounting her tale of woe that had occurred two weeks previously at another course.

I was using the sort function on parkrun to see if there was one with such a high winning time that I could possibly win one. Turns out that the only ones where I would have a chance have an entry criterion I would find it hard to meet. Given that I have absolutely no criminal record and many people who would attest to my good character!