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.

Parkrun was initially started by runners who wanted to use it as a time trial and improve their running. The average completion time was 20 minutes. That's how it started. That is why it is organised in the way a race is, with a measured start, individual recorded times and sex categories. That is why it is set up like that, despite now marketing itself as a community health project and being for walkers.

Wanting to kick out the people Parkrun was originally formed by and for is not very inclusive of you now, is it?

Couldn't disagree more. Parkrun is for everyone.

I've been involved in over 400 parkruns - as a runner or volunteer - over 10 years. I have been extremely involved including being on the core team of a new parkrun and have done every volunteer role including Event Director. I have never had any volunteer voice concerns to me about the length of time anyone takes and I've been Run Director is some very grim weather.

I hope this thread doesn't put anyone off parkrun because it really is a wonderful community.

I was told I wasn't welcome as a beginner who wouldn't move fast enough? You can't pretend now that wasn't said. You suggested I should join running club - I understand why you consider that appropriate but you are still trying to exclude me from a running event which is funded to ensure women like me are able to run.

Shrugs. I know now I would not necessarily be welcome. That's not in the spirit. At all.

This is certainly an eye opening thread.

We regularly have people coming in over the hour and are glad to be an event that welcomes them.

It’s the small but vocal minority who love to complain that makes me question volunteering, not the time I get home.

I don't see anywhere that says slow runners shouldn't be at parkrun. As I said, it was about the people using it as a leisurely stroll. It was you who asked how you can improve as a runner, I replied and now I'm accused of saying slow runners shouldn't be there. I never said such thing as has nobody else on this thread.

oh, so it's like those cycling events for people who cant ride a bike?

You told me to go elsewhere!

But it would be better for people like that to join a walking group. There everyone would be walking at a similar pace and they could have a chat. Parkrun is not really an ideal event for people such as those. If I wanted to take up cycling I wouldn’t join the Tour de France!

YANBU OP.

My local often has people taking over an hour including people with disabilities and people in their 80s and over. I've never seen anyone be bothered by it it's totally accepted. If you don't want to be there longer than 45 mins or whatever then just don't volunteer it's not compulsory.

Parkrun is not comparable to the Tour De France and people thinking it is are more of a problem than people who like to walk round.

Parkrun is just a weird thing generally as they take great pains to say it isn’t a race, but then it’s set up exactly like a race. Countdown to start, it’s timed, everyone going off the start line together, there’s a leaderboard every week, statistics. So it’s existing in this weird space where it’s trying to be all things to all people I suppose and won’t hit the mark all the time.

https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2020/09/30/a-look-back-at-16-years-of-parkrun/

im just referencing this article. Perhaps the original founders have now stepped away. But whoever manages it now sees increasing average time as a positive thing.

So are you a volunteer or not?

Well, you just don't know what people can afford, though. £20 might be all right for us, but not for others.

Our running club charges £20 for each 6 week block, so that's been £40 for me so far. I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford it, but not everyone can.

The local leisure trust has reduced membership rates for youngsters, pensioners and people on benefits, but there's no reduction for the add-on sessions.

You can't say "I appreciate it being inclusive" followed by "but" about anything.

That's immediately saying you're about to rule someone out, therefore not inclusive.

You have no idea about those people's fitness levels or health issues.

There was a time when I was unable to walk very fast for a very genuine reason, and I would have been gutted if an inclusive event treated me like you're proposing.

If you want a serious race, join a serious race.

I agree. I’m part of a sport that has a competitive event open to all. There is one participant who pays to enter and treats it like a social event. She is always last without exception because other people retire. There have been occasions where she has missed the cut off and she still continues. Publicly the volunteers and marshals cheer and encourage her. Privately they wish she would reduce her distance (of which there are many shorter options) but she insists on doing the hardest option. Every. Time.

God I'd run a mile to get away from these things. They all end up being competitive with the usual suspects sneering at those that need inclusivity which is the whole idea. It's not a race, but is for some.

I find the statistics useful, in letting me know how I compare to my previous runs, but also to the average person of my age and sex.

There are some who do take it very seriously. On my first run, I saw one bloke complaining bitterly to a marshal that he'd turned the wrong way and had finished up in a car park, thereby mucking up his time. He seemed to want to have his time adjusted.

TBH, I'm not sure how he went the wrong way, since the wrong turnings are coned off.

I usually finish in under 35 minutes but when l did Woolacombe Dunes in the summer, it took me over an hour.

As someone who volunteers, no l don't think there should be a limit as such as l have offered so am prepared to be there til 10.30/11am if needed but l kind of see your point OP

I'm done with this. You asked how you can improve as a runner. I advised a beginners running group at a club (in genuine good faith as you said you were asking seriously) and now you've turned it back on me. I give up. I won't be responding to you anymore or giving any further advice.

I think an hour is unreasonably short, whilst I agree with a pre-announced cut off time. Allowing someone coming back from injury or illness the chance of completing the course should be considered.

Speaking as someone who stopped going when at one, the tail runner with her buggy just ran straight past me trying my hardest, and another, where I overheard two tailrunners saying 'I thought it was supposed to be park run, not park walk' when again - I'd been trying my best - alternating a trot and a walk, and my son with me was managing to be encouraging, as were the corner marshals - this is exactly the poor attitude that stops people like me going.

I'm short, fat, and unfit. I was trying to join in, I was actually, generally sub 1hr, but I've never been sub 45 minutes even doing a CT5k alone. Some people are small and slow and if you don't like that, perhaps don't be a tail runner, or marshal a community event.

Got to laugh at all the PPs who don’t even volunteer for PR slating the OP who does. OP I totally agree with you.

Many of us who do volunteer at parkrun disagree with OP are you just going to ignore us?