To think Parkrun shouldn't take priority over the rest of the public?

[MaryRoze]

9.30am every Saturday, our biggest park is inundated with Parkrunners. There are hundreds of them.

They take up the 3 biggest car parks (including the one at the start of the dog walking trail), meaning I need to park at the furthest away one. Not a problem except I can't get to the furthest away one because volunteers stop the traffic to let the runners go past.

Once I get parked, I'm pushed to the side of all the main paths because they're running 3 or 4 abreast. I try to go down the muddier gravel paths, but they're down there too. An older couple today got a "fuck sake" because they couldn't move out of one runners way quick enough.

Parents are being stopped from crossing the path between car park and playground with their kids because the runners are passing by.

I get that Parkrun is fantastic for people's physical health and mental health, and it's clearly very popular but AIBU to think they need to be courteous of other park users too?

Dh has been a runner for 52 years.
Many half marathons and a few full marathons.
He’s heard of parkrun but had no idea it was a regular thing.
He takes himself to an empty training field every Sunday and does 10 circuits, stopping to do 10 pushups and 10 sit ups after each circuit.
He would be the elderly person in the park getting in someone’s way according to some ageist pp’s on here.
So smug some of these runners.

"Its only an hour a week"

Briefing is 15mins before start time
Many people take 45mins plus
Its actually on Saturdays and Sundays... Junior Parkrun (but not everywhere)
So realistically... its a massive volume of people from 8.30-10.30 (in England, ad the start time is different in different countries!!)

Plus people seem to presume that everyone should magically know where and when it is.

Overall its a good thing... but It does impact other people

If you’re finding your use of the park is being impeded by park runners then approach the organisers and explain your experiences.

I think you have a fairly obtuse take on it though.

Which park run event are you talking about?

It's not 'retarded' to prefer to run around an open green space than along a road.

Do decent people actually use the word 'retarded' these days?

You keep ignoring the fact that other park users may not be as bothered by the park run as you are.

Either keep going at the same time and start your Saturday with irritation and frustration or go at a different time and enjoy a relaxed dog walk.

The park run is the immovable object, you are choosing to behave, at your own detriment, as the unstoppable force.

@MaryRoze why do they all have to run together? why cant they do their running near their homes? its not as if they can merrily chatter with each other on the way!

I tried to start a Junior Park Run in our local park but got shot down by the ‘Friends of the Park’ group because it would mean there was 45 minutes a week where there would be children running and therefore upset the elderly people.

Ridiculous that we weren’t allowed to set it up for that reason. Park Run is such a brilliant health initiative.

They might not be "reminders" for everyone though, because some people will have never been before.
And unfortunately, as has been said previously yes there probably are some parkrunners who don't think the rules apply to them in the same way that you get obnoxious people who don't abide by requests, signs or rules anywhere else! I often run beside a field that is sometimes used for livestock. There is a marked footpath and signs requesting dogs are kept on leads....and I see many people disregarding that.

Overall its a good thing... but It does impact other people

As does everything we all do. I accidentally pushed a bloke whilst out running the other day, because I stumbled. A woman pushed a buggy in front of me because she didn't look before changing direction.

If we choose to be in spaces where there are other people, we can't assume that they'll all act in accordance with our preferences.

I accept that Parkrun is a weekly event and that won't change. All I'm asking for is a bit of consideration for other users.

I'm not the one who was sworn at today, it was a woman in her 80s who was very upset by it.

When I was there last month, it was a woman and her kid being blocked from entering the playground.

I'm not the only one this is impacting.

Also "just use an empty training field" is not an option for many in urban areas - we don't have any empty fields - which is why parkrun started.

Most urban dwellers are used to sharing their parks with all sorts - childrens birthday parties, groups of young peolle chilling, informal fottie kick abouts, dog walkers yoga groups etc..

Suggesting a 9pm start is ridiculous 😂😂 the run I do is fairly quiet at 9am on a Saturday and is a huge park so plenty of room for other park users. The bulk of the runners are finished within 30 minutes and the stragglers like me barely taking any of the space

I think your whinge is just that, what a killjoy. Why don’t you walk your dogs at 9pm instead?

Everything affects other people, that's life.
One of my favourite things is to walk my dog in the park first thing in the morning when nobody else is about. It's lovely and peaceful. However on occasion someone else might be there. They might have an unruly, off lead dog and it might approach us and ruin the walk. It's annoying and changes the experience but I'm in a public place, I can't expect it to be free for my sole use at the times I want it.
In cases such as parkrun you have to think of the benefits to the wider community which are clearly plentiful. I would argue that most people using the park at the same time don't particularly care either. My kids and I love watching the runners. However if it's a problem then you'd just avoid the park at that time.
Op says she doesn't want it scrapped but has listed the things that annoy her and has been advised to contact parkrun with her concerns but it seems to me that she just likes to have a moan about things that inconvenience her personally. Sorry but the world doesn't revolve around individuals.

The park run is the immovable object, you are choosing to behave, at your own detriment, as the unstoppable force

Brilliantly put, @FOJN

I assume some runners are more motivated if they meet up with others.
My dh much prefers running on his own and wouldn’t talk anyway.

Exactly. It’s a public space

That's the point it's a public space ,the organisers have no right to block paths or tell others where they can't be. They have not paid to hire the park.

I was being facetious.

I know 9pm is not practical for Parkrun. I'm just responding to pp's "there's plenty more time in the day" comments. It can go both ways.

All I'm asking for is a bit of consideration for other users

Yes, @MaryRoze but you're not asking are you? Have you actually asked Parkrun to deal with the issues? Or just complaining that a handful of people have been inconvenienced. I was inconvenienced by someone standing in my way in Sainsbury's the other day. Do you think Sainsbury's should be 'doing something about it'?

Disgruntled of Tunbridge Wells

Overall its a good thing... but It does impact other people

Yes, it does. It means some people might choose to do their dog walk a bit earlier, or go to a different park if they absolutely must go to a park in that window of a Saturday morning. People make such a fuss! A public, bookable space being booked for a regular event for a couple of hours once a week seems like a pretty normal, reasonable thing to me.

I have done lots of Parkruns in the past and also this morning walked my dog in the park where Parkrun was going on (dh was running). I kept off the paths while runners were passing, which I didn't at all mind doing. Other dog walkers were on the paths and runners went around them. Of course there will be occasional arsehole runners, but tbh there's no shortage of arsehole dogwalkers or inconsiderate parents and other pedestrians.

Agree, I have been pushed into the bushes many a time with the pram by runners at our local one

yabu

parkrun is a phenomenon which has helped get tens of thousands (possibly far more) get fit, who otherwise wouldn’t have done.

it’s also an hour a week. You’d have a point if it took up all day.

that being said, at ours we are always mindful of non park runners enjoying the park at the same time

This! 👏

its not going to change from 9am. Do what others have suggested and contact organisers.

I’ve been doing park run since January, and have enjoyed the physical and mental benefits I’ve experienced. It’s free, and I enjoy the surroundings. Sorry that you have such an issue with park runners, don’t you think you’re being a bit insulting towards the majority of them who enjoy it and are considerate.

I find a lot of dog walkers to be inconsiderate with their stupid extendable leads across the full double width cycle path. I would never suggest they are all like this

Which park run are you so against?