parkrun is back

[PaulB]

Talking of running, it was three years ago today.....

...that I met this bloke. It was between the B race (me) and the A race which featured his chosen runners. This is a race that might upset some of you purists because it is run on the Steven Burke Cycling track! And not only is it run on there, it counts as a bona-fide ROAD race! Runners come from all over the country to do it (usually 5K but the occasional 10K is run on there) because it is traffic-free and virtually pan flat throughout its approximately 1kilometre distance. There's usually one per month and it's normally on either a Friday or Saturday evening. We've had runners come from as far away as Aldershot to run this and as I understand it, the current British ROAD running record for 5,000 metres was set on this very track.

Talking about mixing running and cycling! I do both disciplines on a very regular basis on this track which is exactly two miles from my front door to its entrance gate.

 

[Milkfloat]

Talking of running, it was three years ago today.....
View attachment 578222

...that I met this bloke. It was between the B race (me) and the A race which featured his chosen runners. This is a race that might upset some of you purists because it is run on the Steven Burke Cycling track! And not only is it run on there, it counts as a bona-fide ROAD race! Runners come from all over the country to do it (usually 5K but the occasional 10K is run on there) because it is traffic-free and virtually pan flat throughout its approximately 1kilometre distance. There's usually one per month and it's normally on either a Friday or Saturday evening. We've had runners come from as far away as Aldershot to run this and as I understand it, the current British ROAD running record for 5,000 metres was set on this very track.

Talking about mixing running and cycling! I do both disciplines on a very regular basis on this track which is exactly two miles from my front door to its entrance gate.

I recognise you, but who is the bloke in red?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I recognise you, but who is the bloke in red?

One in red looks like Paul Daniels, not a lot but..

 

[ColinJ]

I recognise you, but who is the bloke in red?

I've cycled with @PaulB a few times and that random runner that he found pictured with Steve Cram does look a bit like him. Only shorter and balder...

 

[PaulB]

I've cycled with @PaulB a few times and that random runner that he found pictured with Steve Cram does look a bit like him. Only shorter and balder...

Crammy's tall and I shave my head for religious purposes now, I'll have you know!

 

[ColinJ]

Crammy's tall and I shave my head for religious purposes now, I'll have you know!

He's the same height as me!

And about 20 kg lighter...

 

[PaulB]

He's the same height as me!

And about 20 kg lighter...

That's right, I am!

 

[stephec]

I don't know if anyone's aware of it but there's a parkrun book relay going on, in about two hours time I'll be setting off on the last leg of today.

At the moment I'm tracking it's progress here - https://live.opentracking.co.uk/bookrun2021/

 

[matticus]

Meanwhile, in an American park ...

View: https://twitter.com/keithdunn/status/1373038287795916804?s=19

 

[Beebo]

Sounds like the reopening has been postponed due to 50% of the park owners not approving the return.
I hope they are not using Covid as an excuse to ban Parkrun.

 

[PaulB]

Sounds like the reopening has been postponed due to 50% of the park owners not approving the return.
I hope they are not using Covid as an excuse to ban Parkrun.

I was amazed at this initially, especially as I've been training especially for the resumption on the 5th June. But I suppose it does make sense as unless there is at least an 80% take up, the ones that do go ahead will be swamped with runners. We are lucky to get over 100 for our local one but it is one of the most difficult given the amount of climb involved but our next nearest one, (Burnley) has had to put in finishing funnels as the numbers who finish at the same time as others can overwhelm the time-keepers. I know there are some events that can get over 1,000 participants turning up.

 

[matticus]

But I suppose it does make sense as unless there is at least an 80% take up, the ones that do go ahead will be swamped with runners.

Yes. It really is a shame that human nature is preventing something this good from returning (or at least is playing a big part).

I had been thinking that Parkrunners would work this out amongst themselves ... but then I think of the crazy Qs of cars parked on Pen-y-Pass during lockdown. The Parkrun peeps are probably dead right

 

[cougie uk]

Sounds like the reopening has been postponed due to 50% of the park owners not approving the return.
I hope they are not using Covid as an excuse to ban Parkrun.

But why would they have allowed parkrun in the first place ?

It'll be interesting to see when it does start up again - will everyone be back in week one or hanging back a little bit to see how things go ?

Will there be thousand of new lockdown inspired runners ?

Fingers crossed that they can come back after the delay anyway.

 

[matticus]

But why would they have allowed parkrun in the first place ?

For the same reasons they allowed their land to be used in 2019-and-before. If some have COVID concerns, they should just ask whether the government scientists are in favour; Answer: Yes

You're unlikely to catch COVID yourself from a parkrun using your land (it is basically 1-hour a week), even in times of high infection numbers.

In fact, from reading the press-release, virtually no landowners are actually *blocking* the return; there is just too much bureaucracy, and not enough people trying to cut through it quickly.

This is all so bonkers :-/ I don't mean to criticise parkrun, but every other major branch of sport has found some compromise to get people playing in limited/safe numbers. [pre-booking etc etc] Some waited longer than others; parkrun look like being last back!

 

[Beebo]

Sadly it seems it’s still postponed.
Not enough landowners signed up. I get the feeling that “free” is the main issue. If the landowner made money then there would be no issue.
You can go shopping, go to the pub, go to a football match but you can’t do a group run in the local park at 9am on a Saturday morning when most people are in bed.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/57414145