Parkrun...talk to me

[Plantsandpuddlesuits]

I'm debating doing parkrun. Never done it before. I used to go the gym and loved it but am looking for outdoor exercise at the moment.

I'm not that fit and substantially overweight (BMI 37) can I just waddle along at the back? Will everyone else be fit runners?!

I saw online you need a barcode do you just take a printout or do you need to buy one of the card or wristband things?

Bit nervous!

Any advice? Also how long can I expect it to take? It says they go for a coffee after but if everyone is miles ahead i won't be finished in time for coffee!

Also what do you wear, I presume gym clothes got plenty of those but what about layers for the top half? Also do people take a bumbag type thing for keys / phone / purse etc?

Thanks!

@SirChenjins

Skewing the times?! Sorry, that makes no sense

Why doesn’t it make sense to you? Average time for the course means fastest and slowest times are taken into account. If you’ve got a large number of fast runners from running clubs running the course (in comparison to the number of slow walkers) that’s going to push the average time to the faster end. Why do we even need times? Why not provide an opt in/out option?

I wish it had only been 20 or so jostling for a place - my friend’s son is in a running club and goes to our local one, he’s v competitive and one of far more than 20 at the front.

Look, it’s great you enjoy running and park run but I didn’t enjoy my local one which felt far too much like a running club. If I’d wanted that kind of atmosphere I’d have joined one of the many local running clubs. 28 minutes isn’t reassuring for those of us very new to running. Why would it be? Unless that was a dig at people who aren’t capable of running a steady speed for 3.5 miles? And no again, the fast runners on our course weren’t cheering everyone on - they were getting in their cars and heading off at the half half way point as the route lapped back on itself, they certainly weren’t hanging about for a cup of tea with the walkers or slow joggers coming in 30-40 minutes later.

I’m speaking only from my own experience - if you love the competitive element, or you really don’t care where you come compared to other runners then I’m sure you’ll love it. If, like me, you thought it would be a fun, non-competitive, friendly mix of people running, jogging, walking or ambling in equal numbers then you may need to try out a few park runs until you find one that suits you.

You can opt out of having a time by not having your barcode scanned.

@jgw1 - Our course didn’t let you do that - we had to have our barcode scanned in order to take part. They were very insistent. DS had left his in the car and I had to go back for it. The email we got beforehand hand made it very clear we had to print it out or have it available for scanning.

[quote SirChenjins]@jgw1 - Our course didn’t let you do that - we had to have our barcode scanned in order to take part. They were very insistent. DS had left his in the car and I had to go back for it. The email we got beforehand hand made it very clear we had to print it out or have it available for scanning.[/quote]
Given that barcode scanning happens after the finish, I am struggling to see how this is possible.

I’m sure we had to scan in If I’d have known I didn’t have to get my barcode scanned in I wouldn’t have - it was a faff to have them with us and our times weren’t of any interest to us.

Why doesn’t it make sense to you? Average time for the course means fastest and slowest times are taken into account. If you’ve got a large number of fast runners from running clubs running the course (in comparison to the number of slow walkers) that’s going to push the average time to the faster end. Why do we even need times? Why not provide an opt in/out option?

No, you've missed the point. Faster runners haven't "skewed" the times, they are the times.

Parkruns under 20 mins are just as valid as Parkruns over 50 minutes. Faster runners could argue that walkers are "skewing" the times. They're not. It's inclusive and all finish times are equal; that's the point.

I'm really sorry that you didn't enjoy your local Parkrun, but there are so many out there. Please do try others as I'm sure there will be one that suits you.

I'm lucky, I guess, in that I've always felt included at Parkrun even at my slowest pace (58 mins walk/running with friends) and my fastest (20 mins, absolutely killing myself for a PB).

No, I haven’t missed the point, we just have a difference of opinion. If park run promotes itself as a fun, positive, all inclusive community event open to all but the times for a particular course are heavily influenced by significant numbers of competitive runners from clubs bringing the course time down then it becomes more of a running club - the ethos of park run becomes blurred. In turn, it creates a situation where the average time for the course becomes beyond the reach of many, which can be demoralising for people like me. I wish I’d known that scanning in wasn’t required though.

I now enjoy running and walking on my own at my own pace, on my own. Much more enjoyable for me

In turn, it creates a situation where the average time for the course becomes beyond the reach of many

I honestly have never come across a Parkrun where the average time is beyond the reach of many, but appreciate I haven't run them all!

The average time for my local Parkrun (big, Northern, working class town) is 29 and a half minutes, for example. I imagine most are around that mark..?

@SirChenjins

Skewing the times?! Sorry, that makes no sense

Why doesn’t it make sense to you? Average time for the course means fastest and slowest times are taken into account. If you’ve got a large number of fast runners from running clubs running the course (in comparison to the number of slow walkers) that’s going to push the average time to the faster end. Why do we even need times? Why not provide an opt in/out option?

I wish it had only been 20 or so jostling for a place - my friend’s son is in a running club and goes to our local one, he’s v competitive and one of far more than 20 at the front.

Look, it’s great you enjoy running and park run but I didn’t enjoy my local one which felt far too much like a running club. If I’d wanted that kind of atmosphere I’d have joined one of the many local running clubs. 28 minutes isn’t reassuring for those of us very new to running. Why would it be? Unless that was a dig at people who aren’t capable of running a steady speed for 3.5 miles? And no again, the fast runners on our course weren’t cheering everyone on - they were getting in their cars and heading off at the half half way point as the route lapped back on itself, they certainly weren’t hanging about for a cup of tea with the walkers or slow joggers coming in 30-40 minutes later.

I’m speaking only from my own experience - if you love the competitive element, or you really don’t care where you come compared to other runners then I’m sure you’ll love it. If, like me, you thought it would be a fun, non-competitive, friendly mix of people running, jogging, walking or ambling in equal numbers then you may need to try out a few park runs until you find one that suits you.

@SirChenjins I completely agree with the points you make. The general tendency is to promote Parkrun as a lovely, friendly, inclusive event where everyone will make new running friends and go off for coffee together afterwards and no matter how slow/unfit you are, you'll have everyone lining the route cheering you on. I see people on MN all the time being urged to go and do Parkrun when they can barely run to the next lamp post because it's marketed as such a positive friendly experience.

Now, I'm sure many of them are, but my local one could not be less like that - it's absolutely full of club runners all doing the run in under 20 minutes to get a PB then buggering off home right away. It gets around 600 runners every week and if your time is around the 30-minute mark you're going to be in the last 30 or so runners.

Which is fine, and just as valid as any other run, but it's worth mentioning that some PRs definitely feel more like running clubs and are definitely not geared to the new runner who's looking for a bit of friendly encouragement. I did my local one a dozen times and saw no signs of anyone being particularly friendly or welcoming to inexperienced or new runners - it was a case of get the run done, get a PB if possible, go home.

Not all parkrun's are the same. I'm not fast and since our local parkrun has restarted the numbers haven't been as high as pre covid, so I've had to put a wiggle on to avoid being caught up by the tail runner.

However the flat scenic one attracts all sorts and a lot more people, so it would probably feel less intimidating if you were a new runner.

I've been doing parkrun for years but seem to be getting slower rather than faster . The simple fact is if you're >35 minutes to run it you're highly likely to be in the bottom 10% of runners, if you're >45 mins then there's a good chance you'll be with the tail walker. But I'm still 100% faster than the person still in bed who hasn't run at all.

@SirChenjins

I’m sure we had to scan in If I’d have known I didn’t have to get my barcode scanned in I wouldn’t have - it was a faff to have them with us and our times weren’t of any interest to us.

support.parkrun.com/hc/en-us/articles/200566883-Do-I-have-to-have-a-barcode-

Seems pretty clear to me.

Yes it does on that webpage @jgw1 - I obviously missed that. Perhaps the person who was quite insistent that we had our barcode could have explained it wasn’t actually necessary.

@lurkingfromhome glad it’s not just me who’s had this experience with park run. I hope the OP has a different one.

Parkrun is the best of humanity.

But, its run by humans. Some are nicer than others. I'm lucky that my local one (started off walking, was often last) is fabulously friendly. But if it hadn't been there are 4 within a 30 minute drive which I could have tried. I've run 4 courses around the country and they've all been different wonderfully welcoming. I really, really recommend giving it a try. If you're uncertain then just pop down and watch one week and remember that everybody there had to go for the first time once.

I'm going to join my local park run and take my daughter (8). Looks very family friendly

@rookiemere

Not all parkrun's are the same. I'm not fast and since our local parkrun has restarted the numbers haven't been as high as pre covid, so I've had to put a wiggle on to avoid being caught up by the tail runner.

However the flat scenic one attracts all sorts and a lot more people, so it would probably feel less intimidating if you were a new runner.

I've been doing parkrun for years but seem to be getting slower rather than faster . The simple fact is if you're >35 minutes to run it you're highly likely to be in the bottom 10% of runners, if you're >45 mins then there's a good chance you'll be with the tail walker. But I'm still 100% faster than the person still in bed who hasn't run at all.

My time today was 42ish minutes, and we weren’t last, there was a good 10 people after us.

We had our biggest field for a while today due to the next towns running club turning up for their Parkrun League fixture. (All our local clubs do it, there’s a nominated course once a month, you have to run. All times are tabled and there’s a winner at the end. It’s great because to be eligible you also have to volunteer 12 times too!).

We had over 200 today, when we started back in November there was only 50! I always get a big cheer, well not exactly me, but the moany 6 year old I make run with me