Bit upset about Parkrun experience today

I know nothing about Parkrun, but raising it with the organisers sounds perfectly reasonable if the ethos is inclusivity and that walkers of all speeds are fully as welcome and accommodated as runners.

I would definitely email, but phrase it in a kind way because they will have been volunteers. Make it clear you're grateful for their service, but suggest that they hang back a bit when sweeping/tailwalking, because it can make people feel rushed and bad about being slow, which is not what Parkrun is about.

Parkrun is full of competitive arse holes these days. I gave up as a volunteer’s child made a loud comment about how slow I was and I was nearly taken out by the crazy speed freaks who will barge you out of the way for a PB.

I would say that 45 minutes is reasonable. Taking say over an hour to get around is unfair on the volunteers.

That's not the actual message, though is it.

I've never done adult Park Run, because my ABSOLUTE fastest 5k has been 43 minutes and that's after months of training. And I've feared being in OP's position, despite all the inclusive messaging.

Definitely email the event organiser. I've been the tailwalker before and over an hour is expected. This is very much against the ethos - they shouldn't be tailwalkers.

It’s a good job you aren’t in charge of parkrun. Parkrun is for everyone. Except annoying competitive arseholes and people who want to exclude people.

I would email, very politely, to explain what happened. I think the comments are just as bad as the tailgating, which may just be them being a bit inept.

Don’t stop going to parkrun, please, we have loads of finishers 45 mins plus at my local.

Definitely contact the organisers, volunteers are kind for giving up their time however if this is their behaviour then it really doesn’t mesh with ethos of Park Run.

Around an hour is normal for the ones I participate in. When I tail walk we tend to keep 100m or so back from the last walkers unless they drop back to chat and walk with us. I would email in but keep it constructive. They should be ready with the finish tokens until the tailwalkers are through as well.

Its not just the tail walkers though is it. Its the whole volunteering team that are impacted. Someone has to record the time, issue the barcode and do the barcode scanning. In addition to marshalling and taking down the funnel etc.

It all depends on what people feel is reasonable.

When I volunteer I want to be finishing up and maybe going for a coffee after an hour or so. Much longer than that and I would reconsider volunteering.

Email the event and explain how uncomfortable you felt and the comments. The overtaking in particular is totally unacceptable. You shouldn’t sign up to tail walk if you’re bothered about your pace!

The reality is that the vast majority of people who do Park Run are competitive on some level. Even if you are just competing with yourself.

Most of us would not do it if they did not record times and give all of the stats to do with PBs, age grading and gender positioning etc. Without the competitive element there would be no point in doing Park run no matter what head office says.

Please stop volunteering if you can’t be bothered to wait for everyone to finish. Or pick a role that won’t keep you from your coffee. You do not subscribe to the parkrun values and you are making the event less inclusive with your attitude and actions.

Ah, but this is where I carefully distinguished my comments. It’s only competitive arseholes who are the problem, not competitive people. Plenty of competitive people including major event winners I can think of who don’t feel the need to denigrate others or push them off the course.

Park runs are busy. If you do not like being in proximity then walk alone some place else.

I don't really get why people turn up to walk in a crowd for 5km. It makes sense if you are running to have other people pushing you. But turning up to walk 5km in 45 mins? What's the point?

For many people, including the poster, their health or injury is currently preventing them from running. For many people brisk walking is a lot of effort. For many people, they have a community through parkrun.

None of them deserved to be harried or made to feel like the problem. When and if you are in charge of parkrun, you can try to change the rules, but there’s a lot of us who prefer the ethos as it is, thanks!

Sounds like one of today’s tailwalkers found the thread,

45 mins isn’t long to walk 5k. My running time is 38 mins 🤣

I would pop the organiser a friendly email and provide constructive feedback.

What? It’s not unfair at all.

And you are the problem and why Parkrun is becoming less inclusive.

Absolute arseholes thinking they own the course.