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?

Exactly, dogs should be on leads near children's playgrounds according to Rospa.
I have pointed that out to dog owners. I have been out jogging and asked for a dog that is barking at me aggressively to be put on the lead and I have been met with Fuck off, Fuck off, Fuck off.
Dog owners are so entitled. Park Runners don't bite other park users, sniff their arses or shit everywhere. Or wrap their 20-foot-long leads around other park users.

The best parks don't let dogs in.

You want park runners in “a remote part” of the car park. Ffs they are as entitled to any part of the car park - as is anyone else why are you making rules up @CormorantStrikesBack

go to a remote part yourself if you want total peace

For some people, routine and structure is really important. For others, safety is. A woman was raped near to me on a coast path recently in the late afternoon. So I’ve been trying to stick to more populated areas, unfortunately.

There can be lots of reasons why people choose the walks and times they do, sometimes it’s not as simple as ‘just go elsewhere’.

There can be lots of reasons why people choose the walks and times they do

And there are lots of reasons parkrun organisers choose the parks and times they do.

And to be fair, the needs and wants of hundreds of people will trump the needs and wants of a small few.

This is kind of a runners vs dog walkers debate. What about miserable walkers or people with kids who just want to enjoy the park without some little Hitler in a pink high vis or MAMILs prancing around.

The miserable walkers, as you refer to them as, may become less miserable if they give parkrun a try. They don't have to run, they can stick with the tailwalker.

Ah yes, it’s always the fault of the MEN.

Parkrun is brilliant for the community. It's literally an hour a week.

Every PR I've been to has an announcement to that effect before he start of the run.

Actually, the owner of the land will have decided that the volunteers get to stop the traffic.

But you're not entitled to do whatever you want there. I had some eejit decide it was a good idea to let his dog off the lead right into my path. He could have easily walked to the other side of me and then let him off. But no, he had to let the dog off in front of a group of runners.

If you are driving to the park, surely you can drive elsewhere.

Or pick another time.

Basically you would like a scheduled weekly event that benefits hundreds of people’s health to be cancelled so you can walk your dog at the exact time and place you prefer.

As Spock eloquently explained: “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan.

:)

I wish those of us who like going for a quiet walk were prioritised, but all these new dumb dog owners have ruined every walking area in the vicinity.

Why couldn't you just run around the dog??

Personally I'm not suggesting park rn should be banned or anything, just that the runners chill out a bit and share the space with other park users.

🙌🙌

We live by the seaside and as a result have a very popular park run near us that brings in many people form out of town every week.

It starts at a green and then goes on to a cycle path and footpath, firstly they run on both blocking the cyclists but the bigger issue we have here is that in the winter they wear the grass out at the start if the run and have been asked to alternate ends or another green along the track. They have refused saying that because people come form out of town they need to keep the start position the same.

I am a runner and I see the massive advantages to society as a whole that park run brings with health and even happiness making the world a better place to live.

however I do not do park run as I do think that having hundreds of people in a group doing anything makes them believe their need and enjoyment is more important than people outside of the group this just happens in all groups.

I do think that park run need to have a more consideration for people not doing it even the locals that want a sleep on getting woken up every week is not really on is it ?

How? He was running in front of us across our path?

Was there only space for one person/dog on the path?

Or just pause for a moment until the dog was passed...

And not once have I said that park runs shouldn’t take place where and when they do. But I don’t think that others should have to change their lives around runners, everyone should be able to share the space and use the parks together.

I don’t agree - everyone has needs, runners needs and rights aren’t greater than walkers - everyone can use the space if people aren’t dicks, run single file and don’t swear at the elderly.

Not a runner but I do like what parkrun stands for . Many local parks do it and it’s great to see people getting fit and making friends.

but one park near us - oh my - it is horrendous if you forget on a sat.

one time I was mooching along at my super slow speed( am ambulant disabled) with my trusty hound (on lead) close by my side - when the next thing I know around the corner came a herd of wilderbeasts stamping and snarling and panting towards me as million of runners with no thought for anyone else took over the whole path scattering dogs, kids, people, ducks snd anything else in their way.

Honestly it was like the stampede scene in the lion king.

Hurtling towards us and despite being a wide path where at least 6 people could easily walk alongside each other - they hurtled towards me - forcing me out of the way onto the grass.

I laugh now but at the time it was a bit much!!

Am all for fitness but just a little consideration for other park users wouldn’t go amiss!

The parent with her child waiting to get into the playground was stood there was 14 minutes before she got fed up. So that was hardly "a couple of minutes" either.

Did you sit and time that😅. It sounds like they were watching the runners rather than waiting.

I'm suprised the 'older' lady was 'very upset' if all the runner said was 'fucks sake' - he was rude but it's not the end of the world.

I suspect this isn't a problem to most people - they could come earlier or later or just come and watch the runners.

Why did you run into the path of the dog. The attitude you show in this post demonstrates the problem with park run, you are entitled to run and this person is entitled to let their dog off the lead and not wait for 500 people to run past.