To think ParkRun need to consider banning racers?

[justletusrun]

My local parkrun has been overtaken by drama this week, after some men attended and basically turned the entire thing into a glorified race for themselves. They were pushing people out of the way, swearing at them and shouting at them to let them through.

I always thought the point of parkrun was to go and enjoy a 5k run and some socialising after. But it seems that across the country they’re being overtaken by people who are obsessed with “winning” it and getting the PB as a “chip time”.

i understand the sense of achievement you get from getting a PB, but I don’t think parkrun is the place to do it. Myself and many other women who have been attending for years are now considering not going again because it is so unpleasant.

AIBU to say they need to clamp down on this, before it becomes a big men’s club?

At my local PR, were reminded each week that we share the area with other users, and pushing them ( or slower runners) out of the way, swearing, tutting ect is totally unacceptable. On occasions when I have been marshalling, I have told runners off for pushing others.

That's a great attitude and you sound like a real asset to the organisation. Contrasts starkly with the 'get in the sea' person a few posts ago.

Sorry for the experience you had. The swearing/pushing others should not be tolerated, and the Run Director should have been notified and would likely raise as an incident with Head Office to manage those individuals.

However I do not agree with you that faster runners treating parkrun as an opportunity to run fast/beat their personal best should be banned. They should of course run the parkrun respectfully to other users but as parkrun is inclusive to ALL that includes faster runners aiming for fast times as much as it does walkers and slower runners (I say this as someone who is far from the definition of a fast runners!).

I do hope this incident is a one off at your parkrun and not the experience of the many parkruns each week, and that it does not impact your attendance in future and enjoyment of parkrun.

Obviously swearing or pushing shouldn't be tolerated and if the culprits found out be excluded from results but not sure how it would be possible to exclude "racers" anyway. There are fast people who can run for example a 19 min parkrun as a pacer so that's a comfortable pace for them , while another person might be "racing" to get a 29 minute pb /beat their parkrun rival! They should both be equally welcome just as if the faster runner wants to race it, and the 29 minute runner wants to take it easy..
It would be seen as discriminatory if they said only runners who can complete it in under 25 minutes are welcome - it is equally discriminatory to exclude people for being too fast. Particularly since a lot of fast people have become fast by doing parkrun!!!

They never did find the "Putney pusher" did they

https://news.sky.com/story/police-give-up-hunt-for-putney-pusher-who-shoved-woman-into-path-of-london-bus-11419339

Parkrun was a nice idea, but it’s been taken advantage of by people who pin their self-esteem on mediocre, sub-elite personal bests. Usually, but not always, men.

Parkruns were friendly safe alternative to more serious male orientated competition competitions. An opportunity for women to run in groups and feel a little safer. I’ve had it where some overly competitive men have been absolutely awful, using swear words and aggression at people on the track and then not seeing the problem when confronted afterwards. Gaslighting people by pretending that was normal and completely acceptable sportsmanship and somehow it’s the women who need to toughen up (yeah it’s a Parkrun, not a qualifier for Boston)

It might not be so bad if it was just one or two and they were a regular part of that particular PkR community (every group has someone who takes it a little too seriously). Sadly ‘collecting’ PkR locations has become a competition in itself so there are regular transient groups. These types of runners are like parasites, they turn up to different PkRs and ruin it for everyone while offering nothing back in terms of volunteering.

I’ve gone back to running alone.

I think it’s fine to try for a personal best! And if you’re doing it for a more leisurely purpose just start towards the back, then you won’t get pushed and shoved. People do parkrun for different reasons and if people are trying their hardest to get a PB that should be respected just as your sociable run should be.

Why do you think the size of a man's penis has any relevance to his worth as a person or his behaviour. You are expressing contempt for these men. Are you contemptuous of men with small penises who don't behave this way? If not why are you tying penis size to a person's character? Do you insult men with small earlobes? How would Mumsnet react if you said that a woman's bad behaviour was tied to her being flatchested with no boobs?

Theres nothing wrong with faster runners/racing for your PB - whatever your pace, or club runners - who often do volunteer takeovers and generally core members of running clubs are also the volunteer backbones of many local parkruns.

What there is a problem with is manners and self awareness from all varieties of runners it seems - slower runners and walkers taking all the path and not giving way to anyone faster than them and being affronted by anyone who might be running fast, runners of all paces who think they’re the only ones there, chat in the briefing and spit on the course and some faster runners who are unable to navigate themselves around runners slower than them.

Maybe if everyone was a bit more self aware of their environment, considerate of other people of all paces parkrun might just be even more enjoyable!

At the parkrun I was at this week someone (OP?!) got bumped by a faster runner as he was finishing - it was clearly and accident and the slower runner was in the wrong for their awful reaction to him.

I said the people who on purpose choose to walk their dogs on the parkrun course at exactly 9 every Saturday JUST so they can moan about parkrun can get in the sea.

And I stand by that. Some people go out of their way to find things to irritate them.

I find some of the faster parkrunners rude, but some of the slower ones equally rude. If you walk a parkrun in around an hour why not just walk to the shops instead? Then you won’t have a whole field of Marshalls hanging around just for you.

People can walk their dogs where and when they like. And ParkRun participants can understand that they're in a shared space and not think they own it. Maybe stick to the rules and be considerate.

Nobody is going to walk their dogs just so they can complain about ParkRun. That's a silly idea.

Actually, you said 'As someone who started a parkrun those that moan about parkrun’s can get in the sea'. You then followed this by telling people they didn't have to walk their dogs at a set time, seemingly not realising that parkrunning is equally optional. It did not make you sound good.

The idea that there are people going to parks specifically to moan is, in any case, complete supposition on your part. So you standing by that only tells us about your overactive imagination.

Harsh. What would you have as the cut off time? What about people who start at an hour with walking, feel welcome and gradually get faster?

Actually, you said 'As someone who started a parkrun those that moan about parkrun’s can get in the sea'. You then followed this by telling people they didn't have to walk their dogs at a set time, seemingly not realising that parkrunning is equally optional. It did not make you sound good.

And also told me that there are other places to walk my dog. Which is rather presumptuous, and fails to take into account that I prefer to go to the woods 100m from my house!

I have a feeling that we've found a ParkRunner who fails to give way to other users of the space.

I think some people actually do come out deliberately at that time, stand in the middle of the path, wait to be almost mowed over by 400 people, then go and complain - at least there is one person that does that frequently where I live! You’re correct though, although If I was taking my dog out for a walk, I would 100% avoid any location a parkrun was - parkrunners can absolutely be considerate to anyone who thinks this is a good Saturday morning plan!

Most of the dog walkers I know do try to avoid it, but sometimes timings go a bit awry, or there are other life events going on which means you end up clashing at some point.

However, it's a shared bloody space and ParkRunners should be considerate if they happen upon somebody on their route. If I accidentally come across a bunch of runners, I'll give way, rather than do my 'salmon going up stream' impression. It would be nice if sometimes the runners moved over once they've thinned out a touch though!

What it comes down to is, everyone should be considerate. It's an equal obligation on all users. Being in the park is a choice, whatever you're doing, and nobody gets to decide that others shouldn't be there.

I would always avoid and say thank you/sorry depending on how much avoidance I had to do! Or I would get sidetracked by the dog - which happens more frequently than I’d like to admit! I love parkrun, for myself and for the running community, it’s really important that it’s a cohesive environment and we are considerate to each other and locals! Rude people really piss me off.

Totally agree. I'm certainly not trying to ban them. It'd just be nice if some of them were more considerate, and the organisers moved people along a bit at the finish line so the whole - very wide - path isn't blocked.

yanbu - if they want to compete, they should book a race … they shouldn’t be shouting and swearing, there should be zero tolerance on that ..

We had a woman like that in our park for a while. 9am on a Saturday moaning on the path and complaining loudly at the parkrunners.

I saw her being a dick in town too so she was clearly just one of those weird idiots.

Doesn't ring any bells at any parkruns I've attended so maybe they are wondering if it's somewhat exaggerated People do parkrun for a variety of reasons, including besting their PB.

There are many of those around, so I suppose it's not out of the realms of possibility!

Well it isn't happening now so there is that. Yes we knew it was happening so does that mean a disabled man of almost 80 shouldn't be able to get exercise at a time he can manage to walk because people who are able to run are so rude and entitled? I guess park runners really are that entitled.