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?

Your really unlucky OP, I have come across many, many Parkruns and have never been caught up in one the way you have.

There are 3 regular ones close to us, none have inconvenienced us in any way. what is it, an hour tops?

Pick another time to go, or join in. They have walkers at the back…

The problem is that park runners do not see or care about anyone else this is the issue there is no reason that everybody can’t share the space but on here there are park runners saying non PR should not use the park at this times.

Some parkrunners do not see or care about anyone else - the very people who don't see or care about anyone else in the rest of their lives.

I suggested a single poster could use a different park as she said "most of the local parks have PR" and her autistic son struggles. I am not suggesting that this is how is MUST be, or that PR trumps her son's needs - just that this is the way it is. If that makes me ableist, then I guess parkrun is as well and it should be challenged.

@MasterBeth but park runners aren't demanding exclusive use of the park.

Everyone is still allowed to use the park when the event is on. In fact runners are told to be mindful to other park users.

No one is banned from entering any area of the park while the event is on,

You may find it inconvenient or annoying but it is a shared space and runners are part of that.

It's one hour (probably less) once a week when people get together to do something fun, it's good for health and fitness, it's a great social activity and yet people are complaining. I really can't understand why.

In my experience it's families of four, all holding hands it is so annoying!!! You do not need to be walking in a horizontal line like that on a path blocking not only runners but others too.

Most people who are bothered by parkrun are bothered because of runners' attitudes, not because people are running. Move left, single file, give way to walkers, look for people needing to cross the path, things like that.

No dogs should be off leads in parks. The owner might know they're harmless but no one else does. I know children who refuse to leave their parent's side in parks if there's a dog off lead.

And nobody has said that non park runners shouldn't be in the park.

Just that if you hate it so much there are other parks and also 168 hours in a week and parkrun takes up just one of those hours.

In our town park I see lots of park users alongside park runners. I'm not a runner myself. I can't say the run causing much of an inconvenience at all.

Unfortunately it sounds like there is some bad behaviour from certain runners. But you could say that about anything. Badly behaved dogs, people who don't pick up dog poo. Inconsiderate cyclists and so on

Literally never been to a parkrun where that hasn't been the case, bar a few areseholes who will be aresholes everywhere they go because that's life. I'm not sure where this mythical idea of the entitled park runner has come from, I am usually at the back walk-running and chatting to some lovely older ladies.

Which is precisely what I have said, over and over.

Evreryone needs to be aware of everyone else, because everyone has rights. I am responding to the people in this thread who think that the runners take priority. No one does, everyone can share providing everyone just uses a little common sense.

This is not the problems of dog owners if kids are scared of crossing the road should they be educated on it or should cars stop using the road ?

This problem is down to parents not educating children.

most dogs are far less risk to pedestrians than 500 single minded adults trying to charge down a 10 foot path. Perhaps there are children scared of crowds and need to stay close to their parents when there are hundreds of runners gathering.

the whole idea of not trying to address a fear and just avoiding it is beyond stupid

@bridgerbelle I agree, the park feels very safe when park run is on and the vast majority of runners and volunteers are very friendly, decent, considerate people.

It's the drug users and dangerous dogs at other times of the day that make me feel intimidated if anything.

Yes of course your dog is perfect. All dog owners believe this.

Baffled why some dog owners would insist on walking him through a weekly organised route with runners though. Is it defiance or stupidity?

I haven’t seen anyone on here who has said they push and barge, I know I certainly don’t when I attend.

Well perhaps the parkrun could take a less “premium” hour as you are suggesting others should maybe 10pm on a Tuesday night ?

Not all times are the same probably 20 hours over the weekend and park run takes 2-3 of these hours. So it’s not 1/168th is it ?

@Cromwell1905

The problem is not parents not educating their children.

How can they educate them about dogs they've never met?

It's a beyond selfish attitude.

Dogs off leads shouldn't be in busy public parks.

I'll be sure to tell my sister to just educate my autistic niece out of her fear so that you never be inconvenienced for a single moment. The entitlement of some dog owners is shocking, they should be on a lead in a public park for everyone's sake.

Read the thread if you have not seen where people have said they push and barge then it’s probably best your refer to others stupidity.

i think rather ironic when you fail to accept people who have both said they have been pushed and others that have said they have pushed to suggest all dog owners think their dog perfect.

I would argue that my dog is better controlled and behaved than any child !

But I'm not suggesting that others don't use the park.

No one has said that non park runners can't use the park. But if you really hate being there with the runners you could avoid that hour. It's not even an hour because most will complete the run in 30 minutes.

Yes it is a peak time but if it was on at midday that would be even worse. Saturday morning makes sense for an organised run.

Again, no one is stopping others from using the park at the same time.

I do not suffer for your relations fear she does ! If you don’t help people to address fears they will be prisoner to their fears all their lives regardless of whether it’s dogs storms or spiders.

my dog would not even approach her or anyone else even if being offered food. If my dog is no risk to anyone why should he be on a lead all the time ?

I understand that if an owner does not have full control of their dog or if their dog approaches and jumps up but if the dog does not do these things they are entitled and should be encouraged off leads. You do know that dogs are more likely to get aggressive if on the lead than off do t you ?

I love batshit threads like this😂😂
Posters get so angry and adamant about things whereas in real life you might get momentarily annoyed about something but then never give it a second thought.

But park runners should suffer because the hour or so a week annoys you? The irony of you complaining about park runners being selfish when you are proudly declaring your lack of consideration for anyone else. Your dog should be on a lead in a busy place. Everyone always thinks their dog is beautifully behaved, it's almost never true.

In my experience, parkrun is over, or at least very thinned out, by 9.45 a.m, so perhaps it can be worked around? People shouldn't be getting in your way - it's usually made clear that runners don't have sole use of the park, and that's why there are marshals.

Unfortunate that they take up ALL of the paths in your park - this hasn't been the case at any parkrun I've done, but obviously I've not done all. As others have said, send an email if you think the route is unfair.

@Icecreamfairylightsblanket

@MasterBeth but park runners aren't demanding exclusive use of the park.

Please do me the courtesy of responding to what I've written, not what you'd like to think I've written.

Park run doesn't commander exclusive use of the park. Park run does commander exclusive use of the most used and valuable part of the park (the pathway network) during the session. This is the best bit of the park that most people want to use. It is precisely because it is the most important shared space in the park that it is unreasonable when park run monopolises it.

"You other people are welcome to walk on the boggy lower field or try and push your buggy across the bumpy grass while we do our important running" is a shit attitude to take.

I've never seen any pushing and to be honest if someone pushed me in the park I think I'd call the police.

It's being made out to be some kind of brawl rather than a peaceful 30 minute run.

Sadly as is often seen on mumsnet there seem to be some people who are completely intolerant of anyone or anything that they don't like or understand and they want everything banned.

I'm not a parkrunner or a runner of any type.

Group exercise like parkrun is a good thing and we should be glad that it is going on and giving people a way to do exercise that is not highly competitive and is supportive. Relatively early on Saturday morning is usually a quiet time for other park use hence the timing.

Therefore I suggest that OP finds another time across the entire week apart from the hour of parkrun to use the park in such a way that they must be on the parkrun route. Either that or they are just someone who likes to get professionally annoyed.

Improper usage of high speed electric scooters and poor dog control are far bigger issues in our parks than parkrun.

I am assuming it’s all dogs she is scared of not just mine. I would suggest that the selfishness is someone who suggests a well trained and well behaved dog should be kept on a lead, Muzzeled as well perhaps ?