To think Parkrun should have an hour cut-off

[SummerAsh]

200+ participants, all but two completed in under 54 minutes… but the last two women ambled around chatting and took over 1 hour 10 minutes.

I appreciate that Parkrun should be inclusive, but that’s taking the piss, and unfair on the 20 or so volunteers who give up the first part of their Saturday mornings…. It’s hard enough getting volunteers as it is, without expecting everyone to be saintly martyrs with endless patience.

To complete in an hour requires a pace of 3.1 mph (I.e 5km = 3.1 miles)… According to Google, that’s a casual walking pace.

AIBU to think that if you can’t or won’t complete a park”run” at even a casual walking pace, then parkrun isn’t for you. I think that an hour cut off is more than accommodating enough, and an appropriate line to draw.

Otherwise, what is reasonable? Is it reasonable to accommodate a 90-year old taking 3 hours with their zimmer? If not, where the line if not an hour.

They’re moving. Marshals aren’t. Big difference.

They’re moving. Marshals aren’t. Big difference.

I’ve done amateur races with no hope of winning so go be condescending elsewhere. Park run is an entirely different vibe. Amateur races do have cut offs so not for everyone at all. They are fun if you’re fit enough to be in the timings, sure, but it’s a different event feel more suited to people like op.

Aaah, and there it is. The nasty, entitled parkrun attitude coming out. Didn’t take long did it?!

It’s because of people like you that some are scared to do parkrun or take part in exercise classes for fear of being ridiculed or made to feel “less”.

Let us know which one you go to so people can avoid it (and you).

"I know Parkrun aims to be inclusive, but I wish they'd stop that"

No fat people, old people, new-to-running people, lonely people. Just fast fast FAST runners only. You must beat your PB every time or you're a big fat slow fatty loser who's ruining the lives of the volunteers. WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE VOLUNTEERS?!?!???

No, you really don't, do you (have any shame, that is)

Apparently. Otherwise why say nobody comes last.

But 45 mins is fine, and well
within the hour cut off… I never suggested that parkrun was for elite, or even just fit, people. Just that it needs a sensible cut off point to avoid people being excessively slow.

And if I can't afford it? Or my lo al running g club isn't at a convenient time? I mean you have basically said that I'm not welcome if I don't run at the correct pace. That's not in the spirit, is it?

I do think funders and sponsors need to have a good look at this thread.

I said the cut off point should be an hour, not half-an-hour! That’s a casual walking pace…

I marshal at Parkrun (as well as run it) and I don't feel the same way.

Can point out that OP's attitude is very rare, especially among those who do actually volunteer, every parkrun I've been part of has gone out of it's way to welcome those at the back.

If a parkrun is doing parkwalk, that's a double confirmation that walkers are welcome.

Utter bollocks

parkrun is explicitly inclusive of walkers:
The official global policy of parkrun is that everyone is welcome to walk, jog, or run at whatever speed they choose. It is entirely designed to be a community event, not a competitive race

Try looking at their website - https://www.parkrun.com/about/join-us/walk-jog-run/

"People walk at parkrun, others jog, some run and a few do a bit of everything! You can take part however you want, at whatever speed you want. There is no time limit. Every parkrun event, everywhere in the world has a volunteer tail walker who is always the last one to cross the finish line.
^^
If you have a health condition, disability, you’re taking your first steps to fitness or you just want to soak up the atmosphere and have a chat, you can. Simply register in your country here and bring your barcode"

didnt the original makers of parkrun say their core KPI was to see the avg completion time go up (eg take longer) as it indicated it was serving its purpose and getting people back into moving their bodies? So as an org they want to see the avg time go from 30 mins to 40 mins as it means more beginners are taking their first foray into exercise?

im less annoyed by those that take ages and more annoyed by those that use it as a competitive time trial as most courses aren’t set up for that if it’s going to be a fun and inclusive event.

Running club memberships are £20 a year (approx). I doubt anyone will be priced out at that price. Paying for parking at parkrun could be more than that. Going to a running club means you have access to qualified coaches who will train you. You don't get that at parkrun.

Hmm, I don’t think this is the volunteer role for you. Maybe you should try coaching elite gymnastics instead.

Or you could set up your own competitive version that meets up for 40 minutes before actual parkrun.

It would be great if there could be a separate event called park walk.
I don't think the 2 should be mixed up, it's asking too much of 1 event

If you're posting stuff like this when Parkrun is so very clear about what it is
(walk, jog, run) - https://www.parkrun.com/about/join-us/walk-jog-run/ - you're not ready to put fingers to keyboard and post!

Ok. I just looked at Park Run funders. Sport England are funding expansion of the groups for under represented groups including females and those on a low income. And you still want to exclude me for not running fast enough? And you want me to pay despite Sport England funding criteria? This thread is embarrassing for Park run. I do hope funders start to ask questions.

It really isn't. It's perfectly suitable to have runners and walkers at the same event as evidenced by the thousands of parkruns doing this successfully every weekend.

What a mean spirited post.

I agree with the OP and I’m a slow park runner and whilst I’m not last, I’m certainly nearer the back than the front. But I’m running. If I want a leisurely stroll around the park and a chat to my friend whilst walking my dog, I’ll do that in my own time when people aren’t standing around waiting for me.

I’ve seen people at Park Run who are clearly at the beginning of their journey to fitness and are wheezing around doing the world's slowest jog looking at you DH but at least they’re trying and everyone is very, very supportive and encouraging.

Unless you are ambling along chatting to a friend, I don't think this thread is about you anyway. It was about people not putting any effort in and dawdling along in over an hour. I don't think you need to take offence on their behalf.

Its become inclusive of walkers. It was an event started to support runners.

It should be okay for events for runners to stay for runners.

I object, in general and in principle, to the idea that things have to become for everyone to be inclusive. Its okay for things to have boundaries.

Parkrun has become for walkers to enable its survival as a large corporate body. As it became a large organisation that needs funding, it needed to become a community health project to access that funding. I've outlined all this in previous posts, and how Parkrun has had to adversely affect some in the running community it used to be for to achieve this.

Some people preferred its focus on supporting runners. Some prefer it becoming a community health project. Different people like different things.

But no, I don't think making everything inclusive is not a universal good. Its okay for things and people, to have boundaries and say no, ' this is about this and for these people, and for these reasons.'