Anyone any idea when Parkrun will be back?

[Somethingmavelous]

It's my lockdown fitness goal to get back to park run, but I haven't been for years and no idea if they were running last summer after the lockdown?
Does anyone know when they might be back? Eg were they one of the things that were allowed after lockdown was eased last year?
I find it really motivating to have a bit of a target!

[AuntieStella]

Even though I appear to be talking to myself, I thought I'd update the thread

blog.parkrun.com/uk/2021/06/14/statement-in-response-to-roadmap-announcement/

Resumption of parkrun has been delayed, and is now set for 24 July

[AuntieStella]

Yes!!

parkrun has enough landowner permissions to restart!

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/57438195

But it's all contingent on the 21 June step taking place on time (and news on that is a bit gloomy today)

[CalmConfident]

@BogRollBOGOF - great idea I would say !

[skeggycaggy]

BogRollBOGOF I’ve just volunteered with my junior Parkrun having never been. Good idea?!

[ClaraTheImpossibleGirl]

Thank you @CalmConfident. With my running 'skills' I won't be gutted to not get a time

All the DC's activities (indoor and outdoor) are planning to restart by May at the latest. Hopefully Parkrun will be on a similar schedule!

[SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun]

The risks of transmission outside are quite low. Have you read the parkrun Covid framework and FAQs? I think it sounds like they have thought it all through and I would be confident to go in June with or without my vaccine. The start line will be the most risky place but if you are worried you can start a bit behind everyone else or off to the side. The briefing will only be 2 minutes long and then everyone will spread out. Also round here there are a few different parkruns and I could choose a smaller one. Not sure I would go to one that regularly had 1000 people. Also anyone that feels it is too risky for them has the choice to wait.

Of course we don’t know now what the numbers will be like in June or how safe we will feel doing anything but I hope that with the vaccinations and the warmer weather the cases will be very low by then and hospitalisations and deaths very low indeed.

volunteer.parkrun.com/principles/open-with-covid-19-management-system

volunteer.parkrun.com/principles/open-with-covid-19-management-system-2

[VanillaAndOrange]

Who here thinks it will actually feel safe in June? I've heard that you should actually stay a lot more than 2m away from runners and cyclists because breathing deeply means the virus potentially travels further on their breath. Unless the figures are practically zero by then, I'm not it's a good idea to have that many people close to each other, all panting and puffing away. I'll have had my second vaccine by then (I got it because of my job), so I personally might not be at much risk, but a lot of people who are fit enough to take part in parkrun won't have had theirs yet.

I'd love to start going again, but I'll be keeping an eye on various things before I decide when to start.

[CalmConfident]

@ClaraTheImpossibleGirl - you can run with your son, you just do not get a time or cross the finish line :)

[CalmConfident]

11th April juniors is the age 4-10 only, 11-14 will be later

[ClaraTheImpossibleGirl]

I was planning to take DS1 to Junior Parkrun at the beginning of last year when he turned 4. He had a minor op to get out of the way first, but loves running, so it seemed like a great plan. Of course as soon as he had recovered everything shut down

I'm hoping that it will restart soon for both of us (he has borderline ASD and is quite clingy, I was going to run it with him, which the organiser said was fine). @BogRollBOGOF if he likes it (and is willing to run on his own!) I'll volunteer at our local one to give us both some motivation to turn up!

[OrangeBananaFish]

I think the rational for the return dates is really sensible
Me too. Technically they can all start Easter weekend, but for sensible reasons they are holding off. 14* more virtual parkruns to go (not that I'm counting)

NB I obviously realise that things might get delayed along the way, but I like counting down so will continue to do so.

[minniemoocher]

5th June they are saying for adults as technically they could start sooner as long as numbers are under 1000 but they feel that it might be overwhelmed so early

[AuntieStella]

blog.parkrun.com/uk/2021/02/26/restarting-parkrun-in-england/

11 April for juniors
21 June for 5k parkrun

(which is, presumably, based on the assumption that each step will take place on the date currently announced as the earliest target, of everything is going well)

[SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun]

More detail and more crying to be heard here: www.freeweeklytimed.com/uncategorised/parkruns-return-in-england/

I imagine I will cry too on the first Saturday back.

I do hope that this time it will happen. I think the rational for the return dates is really sensible (much as I was all set for an Easter Saturday 5k)

I just need to see if I can get my soon to be 9 year old to regain some running enthusiasm so we can join in for the first wave.

[skeggycaggy]

My goal in lockdown one was to do C25k so I could run 5k when Parkrun came back. I think I will cry when I run my first Parkrun (did my first 5k way back in lockdown 1...).

[CalmConfident]

I better get my junior RD head back on !!! How exciting !!

[OrangeBananaFish]

found it

blog.parkrun.com/uk/2021/02/26/restarting-parkrun-in-england/

14 weeks to go for us adults

[OrangeBananaFish]

@emmathedilemma

plans for England just been released.....

Where? I've just searched after my local junior parkrun has just stated that they are back in April. I can't find anything else.

[emmathedilemma]

plans for England just been released.....

[BogRollBOGOF]

My practical concern as a Juniors RD is the volunteer base. It's less well established and a much smaller pool of people than the 5k on the same site, and more prone to families moving on after so long. Our RD core has reduced as some of the longest serving took the natural opportunity to move on. Fortunately our small core has children still with a few appropriate years to go. Our DoE volunteers will have moved on too. The previous winter was tough so it's been over 18m since we were on substantial numbers (summer core 80+, winter core 50, 35 in dire weather)

Gosh I miss it and not just because the bix is gathering dust in a corner. Fortunately my children still miss it too.

I hope it's not so long to go, especially when we've come relatively close to getting going again a couple of times in the autumn/ winter.

[OrangeBananaFish]

most people albeit with some reluctance, thought step 4 (not before 21 June, with summer lifting of wider SD limits)

That sounds like me. With some reluctance. I know that is the most likely, but I just wish it could be sooner.

Oh well will (hopefully) find out a little more detail tomorrow

[AuntieStella]

I've been chatting online to other runners.

It would be a huge change in ethos for parkrun to change to a limited numbers event, or to swop away from gun time (you'd need start tokens!)l. So even though some were hoping for step 1 timing (not before 29 March, with grassroots sport), most people albeit with some reluctance, thought step 4 (not before 21 June, with summer lifting of wider SD limits)

EA letting number-controlled, covid-secure events from April?

[SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun]

Here is England athletics response to the road map.

www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

It’s not the same as parkrun as they can limit numbers and stagger starts but it does sound very positive.

[emmathedilemma]

@AuntieStella Event & Run Directors haven't given any news ahead of what's made public so far. The announcement that they were planning to resume last October came as a big shock to a lot of people.

[OrangeBananaFish]

I really miss parkrun so have taken a keen interest in to as and when they might come back. When they were thinking about it last year I listened to their podcast (free, weekly, timed) and it was explained how they would bring it back and how it was safer than it previously was. They were saying things like having the speech at the start lasting no longer than 2 mins, no high fives and having more barcode scanners at each event. It was very well explained. Their biggest argument was the mental health benefits outweighed any possible risks.

I too, have done a couple of surveys from them about their return. One was for normal parkrun the other for junior parkrun (both of which I volunteer at regularly)

I don't think you can compare the UK with Australia as they have a completely different approach to Covid than we do.

I shall look forward to Friday's announcement. I really can't see how it will be as late as next year though. Personally I think May is optimistically possible, but I think by the end of June is more likely. Obviously assuming if case numbers, vaccines, hospitalisations etc continue in their current trend.