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?

I made that point about dogs earlier and was told by @Cromwell1905 that it was my problem and they shouldn't be inconvenienced by putting their dog on a lead. And no, they did not see the irony or hypocrisy in that.

As I have said I run three times a week in a local park and can not remember a dog jumping up at me. Yet every time you run a dog hassles you that is not true is it ?

Point still stands, why don't you just leave slightly earlier and avoid the runners, grab a coffee before you catch your train? Trying to force you way through a well known mass participation event and expecting everyone else to cater to your individual preferences is a bit entitled and stupid.

But why does Parkrun need ALL the space when it would be easy for them just to move over slightly to let others get through.

I wasn’t the only person using the path and complaining, by the way.

Very selfish for one group of people to take over to that extent, particularly when there is a solution that would have allowed everyone to use the route.

I hope it’s crap organisers rather than Parkrun ethos, but from a lot of the posters here I suspect not.

It's common courtesy to leave a bit of space for others to share the path going the other way. Hardly individual preferences.

I'm surprised (because it hasn't been my experience in about 180 parkruns as a runner or volunteer) that a park is crowded, blocked or unusable with several hundred people simultaneously blocking all paths from 8.30-10.30....
Obviously I haven't been to all parkruns but the general timescale seems to go like this....

8am - a few volunteers arrive to course check (not busy)
8.30 - more volunteers and possibly a few runners arrive (not busy)
8.40-8.50 Majority of runners arrive and gather in groups chatting or maybe warm up (fairly busy)
8.50- 9am other runners arrive and everyone gathers at the start (very busy)
9am - 9.35am parkrun happens (very busy)
9.35 - 9.50 fewer runners out, others milling about, going to the car park/cafe (less busy)
9.50 - 10.15 last runners finishing and volunteers packing up (not busy)

It's not as if it's a march or protest with 500 people crowded together, moving as one , for 90 minutes. It's an event that might have people involved for up to 2 hrs , with a very busy 40 or 50 minute "peak" period in the middle.

I did a 10k race this morning with hundreds of runners, predominantly on a footpath. The first 2 km were quite crowded but then runners spread out and it was quite feasible to share the path with cyclists, dog walkers and walkers. I overtook one walker at about 8k and an elderly man walking a dog at about 9k, there was plenty of space.

It has been pointed out on here many, many times that ParkRun tells runners they must give way to other park users, and that apart from the few moments after the start the runners will be spread out and not in a crowd. I run-walk and it's never been an issue when I'm walking, I've never been pushed or shouted at or any of the other things people are claiming. I have been able to walk the route without incident. If there are arseholes it's not the fault of the ParkRun, it's the fault of those individuals and they'd probably still be arseholes if they were running alone.

Who said I was running? Mostly I take a long stroll whilst listening to my audio book, and yes, I would say I have had a dog come up to me and try to lick or jump up pretty much every time I go. But even on those times when I've been lucky enough for it not to happen, I don't know if it's going to happen so am on edge the whole time. I'm pretty sure the lady who's disabled husband was pushed hasn't had it happen to him every single time he has been in the park at the same time as the Parkrun. Doesn't stop them blaming Parkrun.

Just as I don't see much of what goes on at Parkrun that others are complaining about, you have to see that what you encounter isn't the same as what I have to deal with..? Or are you just calling me a liar, because what I am saying doesn't fit with your agenda and asks you to give a response you can't give?

So, what's the answer, you've avoided my question? Ban all running and all dogs from the park? That would be very sad and limiting wouldn't it be? How about we all just get on and accept that some individuals are rude and not blame everyone that comes under the umbrella of the given activity?

On the car park access point, parkruns are not allowed to block access to roads or car parks in public parks. Not all parkruns are in public parks though. There are a handful of parkruns that do cross and block off access roads, but they do not occur in publically owned parks. They are therefore blocking off private access roads with the permission of the landowner. The landowner allows the blocking of the access road/car park for free by parkrun due to the benefits it brings them. Most probably in car park fees and cafe income. The access routes cut off are not public paths, or rights of way. However, the landowners may allow permissive access along those routes the rest of the week.

In fact several such large landowners (National Trust, Forestry Commison, etc) encourage parkrun to set up on their land due to the benefits it brings. Clumber Park mentioned by a previous poster is not a public park and the National Trust can block off their own car park if they wish to.

People may be used to driving into their local stately home, forest or manicured parkland and using that same road and car park each week. But that doesn't mean it is publically owned and they don't actually have a legal right to access it 24/7. Whether it's parkrun, a fair, concert or private event that's cause the estate to close access.

parkruns in town, in publically owned parks, do not have exclusive use of the paths. In either type of location parkrunners are reminded to share the paths and they do not have right of way. However, for probably 10 minutes towards the start of a run, it may be fairly inconvenient/intimidating to be walking/cycling as hundreds of runners, walkers are all heading down the same route. After that initial burst, everyone should have spread out enough to make it much easier. Nobody should be swearing at or pushing anybody during that time.

It’s for an hour on Saturday morning stop moaning walk at a different time fgs

Ok I am getting a bait fed up with this rubbish about dogs. My dog is a trained working gun dog he will not approach anyone unless commanded to, he will not jump up, he will walk at my heal and sit all day if told to. He will never even take food from other people and labs are hungry dogs. Please tell me one good sensible reason why he should be on a lead ?

Initially you you stated “And I don't like the fact that I can NEVER go to the park on ANY day at ANY time and not have at least one encounter with an off-lead dog” now you are saying “I would say I have had a dog come up to me and try to lick or jump up pretty much every time I go. But even on those times when I've been lucky enough for it not to happen,”

so one of these statements is not true or if you prefer a lie isn’t it ?

My dog doesn't approach people or jump up at them either. But rules and social expectations are generally created to deal with the majority, and unfortunately the vast majority of dogs are not as well trained as yours.

The point seems to have flown over your head. But then, so has any point that hasn't sided with your sense of entitlement.

Isn't it rather like people asserting that all parkrunners are rude and pushy? Or that a few rude parkrunners make the park a no go area?

I'm well aware that many (most) dogs are perfectly well under control, but when one's running towards me I don't know whether it's one of them or not.

It's an hour once a week. You know where and when it is so just avoid that time if it is so inconvenient. You say Parkrun is fantastic for mental and physical health. Have you thought of giving it a go?

But people are implying that because some park runners are rude and push people it’s only a few so park run is ok, yet when you may have one or two badly behaved dogs all dogs should be on a lead. To me and perhaps I am thick it does not make sense.

Please tell me what benefit there is to anyone for my dog to be on a lead as I genuinely can’t see one.

Seriously? It’s a wonderful community event that has so many positives. And it’s one hour on a Saturday morning. I suppose you’ll always find someone who needs to have a moan about everything under the sun.

Seriously? You're ok with your dog jumping up at randomers?

Have you read about my dog ? My dog has never and will never jump up at anyone other than me. He is a working lab, if I thought he would jump up he would be on a lead but he won’t do that he is a properly trained working dog ! 🐕

And I'm getting a bit fed up with the rubbish about Parkrunners. I stay left, I do not run into people, push disabled people over, block the path (I'm fat, but not THAT fat!) or swear at people. Please give me one good reason why I shouldn't be able to run with other likeminded people on a Saturday morning?

You don't like being tarred with the bad dog brush, I don't like being tarred with the bad runner brush...

parkrunners are constantly reminded during the pre-run briefing that they don’t have sole use of the park and to be considerate. They have as much right to use the car park as you. It’s first come first served presumably. It starts promptly and after the bulk of people have gone through starts to spread out so even if they are doing laps there isn’t a solid constant stream of runners. If you can’t beat them, join them? Dogs are welcome too 🤷🏻‍♀️

Everyone always says their dog is friendly and perfectly behaved, but even if I believed you, even a well behaved dog is a trip hazard, and many children are scared of them regardless of how they're behaving in that moment. Why are you so against having them on a leash and having some consideration for other park users? I can't believe you really can't see the hypocrisy.

No, that's exactly what most of us are NOT saying. We are saying we don't blame all dog owners for a small minority of bad owners and haven't demanded that the park make ALL dogs walk on a lead or ban them entirely. Just as not ALL Parkrunners are bad runners so why do people want to ban Parkruns due to a few bad runners?