To think ParkRun need to consider banning racers?

That used to be a real issue for my local Parkrun as well - don’t know if it still is as I’ve moved and no longer need to go through the park. The path that they were monopolising was a footpath through to the railway station, so well used by others even on a Saturday morning. Organisers weren’t at all interested when people complained - it wouldn’t have been difficult for them to leave a small space for people walking through, but they wouldn’t.

It really is an issue and the fact that park run participants claim it isn't shows an unfortunate arrogance.

Many other groups (football teams, open water swimmers, personal trainers, groups of people playing frisbee, dog training) use the park during the week. Park Run is the only one that makes the park actively unusable while they are there (8:15. - 10:30 every single Saturday), marking out their territory and blocking the paths.

Same here. Expecting others to modify their day to suit ParkRun really isn't acceptable. If the location really isn't suitable to be a shared space, they shouldn't hold them there.

But the part of the park you use is the paths - i.e. the part of the park that everyone else needs to use.

In my local Parkrun, they monopolise the paths. I think that is unacceptable.

Not true. Loads of the paths in the woods near to us are so narrow that they're not really usable for the whole time, due to the pack spacing out. And the runners really don't like giving way where the paths are wide enough to share.

Then, the finish line stretches across a 12ft path, and people congregate round there, blocking the entire path, instead of just moving down the path a bit and standing to the side so they don't create a blockage / pinch point.

I think I'm well aware how bad it is for the run near me!

Park run occupies some of the path for for about 20 mins when you get the initial surge of runners. After that the field typically thins out to single runners or those jogging in pairs. Its not really an issue unless you deliberately and knowingly decide to take walk against the tide of runners 5 mins after the start. Over the course of a week when said paths are available its hardly a big inconvenience.

Its one hour a week and pretty early. Thousands of people use it as a great way to get motivated, start being healthier and feel far safer as part of an organised event. On balance, I think.one hour out of 24x7 is a fair trade off.

Nonsense. Those things you try to compare to ParkRun just aren't analogous, as they take up a small, confined, area of the park. ParkRun takes up loads of the paths in the park (or woods, as per the one nearest to me), some of which are really narrow and barely have room for the runners, let alone anyone else wanting to use the paths at the same time.

It's quite clear if I happen to be in the woods at the same time, that many of the runners don't appreciate that it's shared space and will quite happily run you off the path. One bloke tutted and glared at me when I was keeping to the grass at the side of the path, because he chose to cut the corner and run across the grass straight at me instead of following the path. No hope with people like that!

If this has happened contact parkrun and the owner of tbe park. Event directors are in regular contact with the owners of the park and parkrun HQ and can clamp down on any poor behaviour by participants.

Amazingly my disabled husband has never been pushed or sworn at by kids from the local nursery. Never seen a Pilates group in our park so can't comment on how violent/selfish/foul mouthed they might be. I can say how runners behaved because I've seen it.

Nonsense. Parkrun is no more an issue than a game of football or a pilates group or the local nursery bringing the kids down for a picnic. All things that take up space for a short period but make the park more accessible to all. People who complain about it are usually those who see the park as their own personal dog toilet.

Schrodingers Parkrun - simultaneously so trivial for women that its ridiculous and weird for them to want to change the rules yet so important for men that any suggestions of rule change has life destroying consequences for a whole group of people.

The beauty of park run is that it is whatever you want it to be, a casual social jog or a fast competitive sprint, nobody really cares what you opt for.

My local Parkrun is Bushy Park where you get several hundred people participating. If watch the start line the first 100 people are most definitely taking it seriously as they tear off down the course jockeying for position and ultimately a fast time. At the back you have people pushing buggies, walking, jogging with dogs etc.

So the ‘Great North Run’ isn’t a race and doesn’t have records?

Came here to say this

When I walk it I shout up ahead to let people know the faster runners are coming through and lapping us. Better to shout than there's an accident.

The only person who really pissed me off, and is now my nemesis, is a woman in my age group who stepped in front of me after the finishing line and took the 1st in our age group when it should have been me. I make sure I beat her every week now. Silly cow never even volunteers either. <<bitter 😁>>

It's called "Park run" not "Park Race". That tells me it wasn't meant to be a "race". Duh

You've just told the fat kid to go somewhere else and time/motivate themselves when they were clearly getting lots of health benefits and confidence running with others.

It is timed so a race for the individual.

You do you and allow others to do their own Park Run.

If groups are rude l/physical mention it to the organisers so everyone can be reminded it's fun and to be considerate.

Very much my experience. Thankfully now no PR in my local park.

Then (on certain courses where there clearly isn’t room for both groups to coexist easily eg narrow paths) why don’t for the first 20 mins allow the fast runners to go around from everyone else and then start everyone else? Wouldn’t that be a solution so that the super fast people can already be on the their second lap by the time the slower starts? That way you can have 2 distinct groups who are relatively kept apart?

it just seems that for some courses both groups can coexist happily because of space but on other they can’t. Lots of people have come on here a said they won’t join because of this problem which seems a shame when there surely must a workable solution so everyone is happy.

Parks are meant to be for everyone, but selfish people often ruin them for others - cheeky "personal trainers", ridiculous professional dog walkers, big parties with loud music and bbqs, idiots on electric bikes and scooters , no thought for others who want peace and quiet.

Starting first is fine but our park run is twice round a loop, so they have to pass ALL the slower ones. I tried it once when it was first starting up about 10 years ago, got shoved on a narrow bit by some bloke presumably going for his PB and never bothered to go back.

True. The whole ‘identity’ thing has become a big problem for Parkrun, particularly their stance on men identifying as women, but you could say that it is a symptom of its popularity. There are always going to be people who are prepared to lie and cheat to come out on top.

I do find it annoying that the inclusiveness message has been pushed so far that there are people who think that no-one should be allowed to be competitive.

Pathetic generalisations…..

Men just have to make everything a competition - any women who cycle know this. Pathetic, fragile male ego.