Page 6 | Reality Rules Parkrun Launch 3 October 2026

IwantToRetire · 2026-08-30T23:48:13+00:00

^Today was another Parkrun Saturday and like every weekend the achievements by women was demoted by men running in the female category.^ ^We are hoping to change this! In only a few weeks time, we will debut Reality Rules Runners UK at Parkrun. We hope that many hundreds (hopefully thousands) of you will join us to send a clear and strong statement to Parkrun about the huge support there is for fairness and sex-based categories at their events.^ ^All sports events are responsible for putting on fair events. This includes free, volunteer run, community events like Parkrun.^ ^So ^*^please tell people about Reality Rules Runners UK, as we are hoping to attract lots more supporters before our debut at Parkrun on 3 October.^* *^Thank you! 🙏 ^* [[https://realityrulesrunnersuk.substack.com/p/another-parkrun-down-only-a-few-weeks https://realityrulesrunnersuk.substack.com/p/another-parkrun-down-only-a-few-weeks]] Came across this by chance, so dont know more than this! They are also on X for anyone on X [[https://x.com/RRRunnersUK https://x.com/RRRunnersUK]]

Coatsoff42 · 02/09/2026 19:06

Doowoddy · 02/09/2026 18:29

It seems obvious to parkrun has an identity crisis and needs to pick a lane.

Either it's non competitive fun run- in which case participants receive only their own timed result, plus whatever points towards the various challenges. No rankings, no 'first finisher'.

Or it's a lightly competitive run with fair rankings and an expectation of honesty and integrity from its participants.

It cannot be a competitive run with rankings for men, and a fun run where rankings don't matter for women.

I suspect they're terrified of removing rankings completely as they know how many men actually do care about them, despite shouting at women that they don't matter at all.

So they are stuck, but only because of their intrinsic sexism. They are truggling to find a fair way for women that won't upset men, and they consider these two things to be equal priorities.

I think they need a WNBA style interloper to make the point clear.

I can’t see why they don’t say women’s or open, assume everyone is honest, and then delete their results and ban them if found to be cheating. Isn’t that what you would do for some sprightly 50yo competing in the over 60s category?

murasaki · 02/09/2026 19:00

ArabellaScott · 02/09/2026 18:57

Exactly. I don't exactly 'prefer not to say'. I have a lot to say on the matter. I want to record my sex, not how I feel about some nebulous miasmic approximation of arbitrary stereotypes.

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Excellent use of miasmic, I doff my cap.

ArabellaScott · 02/09/2026 18:57

ahagwearsapointybonnet · 02/09/2026 18:03

It does, but then you can't even get a rough approximation of sex-based data, and will only be able to compare your performance to the whole field (including all the men), or (possibly) to other "PNTSs" (not actually sure if that option is available or not!). So the majority of women, who would like to be able to see how they did against other women, will naturally be discouraged from doing that.

Then there's also the fact that many people signed up some time ago, when "gender" still meant "sex" and the only options were male, female and (I think) PNTS. A lot of those people, I suspect, still aren't aware that Parkrun is now claiming their choice of "Female" (or "Male") was actually them stating an "internal feeling of womanyness" (or something?) rather than saying they're, y'know, female.

If PR was being honest about this, they'd first of all need to ask people whether they have a "gender identity" at all, as I don't believe most people do (when it's made properly clear that this doesn't just mean "yeah, I know I'm female, it's bloody obvious!", but some sort of separate, innate feeling - I'd love to see them try to define that!), and then only if they then say they do have one, ask what it is. If that was genuinely done, alongside a separate option for actual sex, I'd be prepared to bet the "No gender identity" group would end up the biggest...

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Exactly. I don't exactly 'prefer not to say'. I have a lot to say on the matter. I want to record my sex, not how I feel about some nebulous miasmic approximation of arbitrary stereotypes.

Doowoddy · 02/09/2026 18:54

Helleofabore · 02/09/2026 18:39

Didn’t they say they were removing rankings and had huge push back?

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Possibly, and of course they would because parkrun is actually competitive for a lot of people, no matter how much they want to deny it when convenient!
I'm not sure if removing the rankings would kill it, it's so huge now and the super speedy competitive people are a minority, but those people would probably stop going and it would change the culture a lot. It'd be a real shame not having them flying off at the start, it makes it feel a bit exciting.
I don't care about my own rankings, but I do care about the other runners who do.

ETA I do think it would be a good thing for every parkrunner to feel the affects of this, not just competitive women.

Helleofabore · 02/09/2026 18:39

Doowoddy · 02/09/2026 18:29

It seems obvious to parkrun has an identity crisis and needs to pick a lane.

Either it's non competitive fun run- in which case participants receive only their own timed result, plus whatever points towards the various challenges. No rankings, no 'first finisher'.

Or it's a lightly competitive run with fair rankings and an expectation of honesty and integrity from its participants.

It cannot be a competitive run with rankings for men, and a fun run where rankings don't matter for women.

I suspect they're terrified of removing rankings completely as they know how many men actually do care about them, despite shouting at women that they don't matter at all.

So they are stuck, but only because of their intrinsic sexism. They are truggling to find a fair way for women that won't upset men, and they consider these two things to be equal priorities.

Didn’t they say they were removing rankings and had huge push back?

TheKeatingFive · 02/09/2026 18:34

Doowoddy · 02/09/2026 18:29

It seems obvious to parkrun has an identity crisis and needs to pick a lane.

Either it's non competitive fun run- in which case participants receive only their own timed result, plus whatever points towards the various challenges. No rankings, no 'first finisher'.

Or it's a lightly competitive run with fair rankings and an expectation of honesty and integrity from its participants.

It cannot be a competitive run with rankings for men, and a fun run where rankings don't matter for women.

I suspect they're terrified of removing rankings completely as they know how many men actually do care about them, despite shouting at women that they don't matter at all.

So they are stuck, but only because of their intrinsic sexism. They are truggling to find a fair way for women that won't upset men, and they consider these two things to be equal priorities.

Exactly

They need to pick a lane.

TheKeatingFive · 02/09/2026 18:33

Heggettypeg · 02/09/2026 17:49

Gender as a sporting category, unlike sex or age or weight, is intrinsically meaningless and unfair. It groups random individuals who have nothing physical in common.

So either use sex, or don't have a category at all.

Gender as a category for anything at all makes no sense.

What am I supposed to have in common with a trans identifying man, that I don’t have in common with any other man?

Doowoddy · 02/09/2026 18:29

It seems obvious to parkrun has an identity crisis and needs to pick a lane.

Either it's non competitive fun run- in which case participants receive only their own timed result, plus whatever points towards the various challenges. No rankings, no 'first finisher'.

Or it's a lightly competitive run with fair rankings and an expectation of honesty and integrity from its participants.

It cannot be a competitive run with rankings for men, and a fun run where rankings don't matter for women.

I suspect they're terrified of removing rankings completely as they know how many men actually do care about them, despite shouting at women that they don't matter at all.

So they are stuck, but only because of their intrinsic sexism. They are truggling to find a fair way for women that won't upset men, and they consider these two things to be equal priorities.

RowsOfFlowers · 02/09/2026 18:28

Wishesandhorses · 02/09/2026 18:18

I genuinely don't understand why trans woman wants to enter Park Run in the women's category, rank first and get women course records, pissing people off in the process.

Why is this? It's not compulsory to rank, you don't need a barcode, there's often anon runners. Happy to hear an explanation.

It is hard to think of one, honestly, beyond the emotional experience of 'I am being a woman, in a labelled women's situation, given exclusive access to things other men are not, and I'm outwomaning them and getting lots of recognition'. And inevitably, going on the evidence from men with gender identities' own words, there is enjoyment in doing down and trampling on women, and knowing and enjoying that those women cannot stop them, because there is a whole lot of sexist belief about the rightfulness of the superiority and priority of people born with a penis and XY chromosomes. (As demonstrated on this thread, with hurt confusion at women arguing back about it.) And about the proper place of a woman. And about the fun for a man in controlling and taking things off women.

Whole lot of things I could mention alongside that, beta males and sexual fetish just some of it, but I won't since I am trying to find the more generous framing.

And no one having fun in that way has the faintest confusion on whether sex is binary, and which sex wins by standing on which other sex.

Edited

I think that’s the problem with gender identity. There is so much heterogeneity in the motivations for people who identify as a different gender - some do for sexual gratification, others don’t, maybe some do it out of a superiority thing… there’s just no way of knowing.

I do personally think that the majority of trans women who want to participate in the women’s category are doing it because it “validates” them in the same way using a women’s loo does. However, I can’t help but feel that some of them are doing it because they get a kick out of being superior to women (and they otherwise wouldn’t rate very high in the men’s category). I felt a similar way with the olympics.

Wishesandhorses · 02/09/2026 18:18

I genuinely don't understand why trans woman wants to enter Park Run in the women's category, rank first and get women course records, pissing people off in the process.

Why is this? It's not compulsory to rank, you don't need a barcode, there's often anon runners. Happy to hear an explanation.

It is hard to think of one, honestly, beyond the emotional experience of 'I am being a woman, in a labelled women's situation, given exclusive access to things other men are not, and I'm outwomaning them and getting lots of recognition'. And inevitably, going on the evidence from men with gender identities' own words, there is enjoyment in doing down and trampling on women, and knowing and enjoying that those women cannot stop them, because there is a whole lot of sexist belief about the rightfulness of the superiority and priority of people born with a penis and XY chromosomes. (As demonstrated on this thread, with hurt confusion at women arguing back about it.) And about the proper place of a woman. And about the fun for a man in controlling and taking things off women.

Whole lot of things I could mention alongside that, beta males and sexual fetish just some of it, but I won't since I am trying to find the more generous framing.

And no one having fun in that way has the faintest confusion on whether sex is binary, and which sex wins by standing on which other sex.

Wishesandhorses · 02/09/2026 18:10

Ah. So we've gone from 'I'm calling this extremely sexist position 'middle ground' but I don't like having all the issues pointed out and having to actually face what I'm doing' with reproach at being argued with and leaving....

to flat out batshit.

Oooookay.

There really isn't much going for this argument whoever tries it, is there?

ahagwearsapointybonnet · 02/09/2026 18:03

PollyNomial · 01/09/2026 13:21

The 'prefer not to say' option allows you to not sign up by giving a gender for goodness sake...

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It does, but then you can't even get a rough approximation of sex-based data, and will only be able to compare your performance to the whole field (including all the men), or (possibly) to other "PNTSs" (not actually sure if that option is available or not!). So the majority of women, who would like to be able to see how they did against other women, will naturally be discouraged from doing that.

Then there's also the fact that many people signed up some time ago, when "gender" still meant "sex" and the only options were male, female and (I think) PNTS. A lot of those people, I suspect, still aren't aware that Parkrun is now claiming their choice of "Female" (or "Male") was actually them stating an "internal feeling of womanyness" (or something?) rather than saying they're, y'know, female.

If PR was being honest about this, they'd first of all need to ask people whether they have a "gender identity" at all, as I don't believe most people do (when it's made properly clear that this doesn't just mean "yeah, I know I'm female, it's bloody obvious!", but some sort of separate, innate feeling - I'd love to see them try to define that!), and then only if they then say they do have one, ask what it is. If that was genuinely done, alongside a separate option for actual sex, I'd be prepared to bet the "No gender identity" group would end up the biggest...

ThisFunSheep · 02/09/2026 17:53

Thanks for @ArabellaScott for defending the inclusivity point I also was making, and all the usual regulars on here.

R.e. Empathy someone mentioned. I genuinely don't understand why trans woman wants to enter Park Run in the women's category, rank first and get women course records, pissing people off in the process.

Why is this? It's not compulsory to rank, you don't need a barcode, there's often anon runners. Happy to hear an explanation.

Heggettypeg · 02/09/2026 17:49

Gender as a sporting category, unlike sex or age or weight, is intrinsically meaningless and unfair. It groups random individuals who have nothing physical in common.

So either use sex, or don't have a category at all.

RowsOfFlowers · 02/09/2026 17:39

murasaki · 02/09/2026 17:37

Yes, I could see that, but it's the language confusion that has caused so many issues. Sorry if I sounded rude, didn't mean to.

No worries, I understand your point.

murasaki · 02/09/2026 17:37

Yes, I could see that, but it's the language confusion that has caused so many issues. Sorry if I sounded rude, didn't mean to.

RowsOfFlowers · 02/09/2026 17:33

murasaki · 02/09/2026 17:31

Sex categories, not gender, it's gender identity that's the issue here.

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Ok well that’s what I meant

murasaki · 02/09/2026 17:31

RowsOfFlowers · 02/09/2026 17:08

This is not a non issue because you said so.

As previously stated by myself and others, where does this end? If we aren’t even entitled to our own gender categories in public “fun runs” or however you want to refer to parkrun as, it’s the beginning of the erosion of women’s rights. It’s pretty important tbh.

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Sex categories, not gender, it's gender identity that's the issue here.

RowsOfFlowers · 02/09/2026 17:08

ProtectTransLives · 02/09/2026 16:24

No, I compare my results tbf, but I never once thought “omg it’s so unfair, there are women with better results than me because really they are a man boohoo 😡😡” i just… move on with my life? Because as I said before, it’s not competitive, there is no prize for winning parkrun

this is such a non issue like I get why the argument has popped up but feels like it’s all been blown out of proportion and it’s doing more harm than good. Can you not see that?

im guessing you don’t have any trans women in your life. It might do you some good to ask someone who is, how they feel about all this stuff.

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This is not a non issue because you said so.

As previously stated by myself and others, where does this end? If we aren’t even entitled to our own gender categories in public “fun runs” or however you want to refer to parkrun as, it’s the beginning of the erosion of women’s rights. It’s pretty important tbh.

Raspbellies · 02/09/2026 17:00

SadiraOfTyr · 02/09/2026 12:15

Out of interest, how would you feel about a 20 year old registering as a 7 year old and running in junior ParkRun?

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It will take decent men doing this for parkrun HQ to open up their bigoted little brains and expose their sexism. Start thrashing the speeding running club teens and their parents will go mental.

(Won't work if women do it though, we're too tiddly and squeaky for them to hear us)

iwishitwouldstartraining · 02/09/2026 16:56

It really does become evident on threads like this that, despite the claims of some posters, pretty much nobody believes that Trans Women are Women.

ArabellaScott · 02/09/2026 16:52

ProtectTransLives · 02/09/2026 16:24

No, I compare my results tbf, but I never once thought “omg it’s so unfair, there are women with better results than me because really they are a man boohoo 😡😡” i just… move on with my life? Because as I said before, it’s not competitive, there is no prize for winning parkrun

this is such a non issue like I get why the argument has popped up but feels like it’s all been blown out of proportion and it’s doing more harm than good. Can you not see that?

im guessing you don’t have any trans women in your life. It might do you some good to ask someone who is, how they feel about all this stuff.

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I don't care how men feel on this issue.

I care how women feel.

iwishitwouldstartraining · 02/09/2026 16:47

ProtectTransLives · 02/09/2026 16:29

What has this got to do with ‘lefties’? It’s not about political leaning really. If you’d said ‘my trans friends’ then maybe you’d have a point, have you even asked a trans person how they feel about all this? I guess you probably don’t care do you

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have you even asked a trans person how they feel about all this?

Nobody is expecting a trans person to be treated any differently to anyone else.

Either sex is unimportant and it can be ignored, or it is important (as it is in a competitive time trial in a sport like running) and sex classifications are necessary.

This is even made clear in the GRA, so it shouldn't come as a surprise.

iwishitwouldstartraining · 02/09/2026 16:42

ProtectTransLives · 02/09/2026 16:24

No, I compare my results tbf, but I never once thought “omg it’s so unfair, there are women with better results than me because really they are a man boohoo 😡😡” i just… move on with my life? Because as I said before, it’s not competitive, there is no prize for winning parkrun

this is such a non issue like I get why the argument has popped up but feels like it’s all been blown out of proportion and it’s doing more harm than good. Can you not see that?

im guessing you don’t have any trans women in your life. It might do you some good to ask someone who is, how they feel about all this stuff.

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You may not be intensely competitive, but many participants are intensely competitive, including the club runners who set up the whole thing in the first place.

You really are showing your prejudices: Women should not care about competition (regardless of how they identify). Men's egos should not be wounded (regardless of how they identify)

Rollingpinofdoom · 02/09/2026 16:37

ProtectTransLives · 02/09/2026 16:24

No, I compare my results tbf, but I never once thought “omg it’s so unfair, there are women with better results than me because really they are a man boohoo 😡😡” i just… move on with my life? Because as I said before, it’s not competitive, there is no prize for winning parkrun

this is such a non issue like I get why the argument has popped up but feels like it’s all been blown out of proportion and it’s doing more harm than good. Can you not see that?

im guessing you don’t have any trans women in your life. It might do you some good to ask someone who is, how they feel about all this stuff.

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But if it’s no big deal, surely trans people will be fine registering in the category of their sex? If not, why not?