Parkrun to remove course records

[Ingenieur]

In response to criticism of its "gender categorisation policies", Parkrun are now removing a suite of details and records from the site.

https://twitter.com/Cantspekl/status/1755170910787490028

One more thing taken away...

Parkrun discussion in Daily Mail that covers JKR's contribution.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13086339/jk-rowling-parkrun-row-Jonathan-Liew-transgender-athletes.html

Don't expect a reply. Plenty of comments on X from people still waiting months for a response from Park Run.

Good to see JKR calling this little chauvinist out.

The Daily Mail’s proofreader obviously had the day off, though… 😳

Isn't that a lovely picture of Martina Navratilova in the DM article. I love the jacket and the shoes.

The Guardian have published four readers' letters about the Park Run piece - three of them speaking strongly against Liew's argument. Hopefully, that reflects the weight of responses they've had. The one letter in support seems to think that a right-wing organisation wants to stop transgender people from running at all...

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/feb/15/parkrun-trans-athletes-and-fairness-to-women

Only one of those letters withheld the name and address, interesting.

Oh it'll be to protect the writer from all the "hateful right-wingers".

Teen DD did her first park run today. She was in the top 30 and the first female (based on looks and, now the results have been published, names too). The next woman was about 10 places behind her.
I had heard that it was a friendly and supportive event but was slightly surprised at quite how many people commented on her having been the fastest woman, first female and so on. This was both volunteers and other competitors and it wasn't just the competitors who finished immediately in front or behind of her but a good 15 or so, some of whom called across the car park or doubled back to congratulate her. I got the impression that a lot of those in positions 10 - 35 run there regularly and recognise each other so probably knew DD was new and perhaps wanted to be particularly welcoming but I did wonder if any of it related to the recent changes. Her time won't be listed as fastest woman for this week's event but they certainly let her know that she was.

Well done to your DD, that's a fantastic run and she should be very pleased. Results are still listed in finishing order with sex and age categories so you will be able to see that she was first female when you look at "latest results" on your event.

Screenshot it!

I might go get a screen shot of the two times I was first lady actually. 😆

Amazing- well done to your DD

Her name will still be listed as first female for that event under event history and will stay there. It is just that she can’t now see what the female or age grade record was or the historical list of times for her age grade. (If you get the 5K app you can still see some of this).

@parkrunfirsttimer that's so lovely! My teen DD has had the same reaction when she's 1st woman. Especially actually from the blokes, who have also always been really encouraging to her when she's flagging! She's not fast enough to be among the '1st tier' of terrifying sub-19s! But the older guys still running a really good time will sometimes even encourage her to get past them! It's so great. And I so wish this stupid TWAW idiocy hadn't tainted it for me.

And here is an example of why parkrun is so important for female sportswomen:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/georgia-bella-from-parkrun-to-world-indoor-championships-final-glasgow-k700rfpf7

There is an organisation called Xempo that does coloured t-shirts based on times - eg if you run a 5k in 30 minutes you "earn" a certain colour etc. So eg you'd get green for 24 minutes and purple for 27 minutes (disclaimer, these are just examples, I don't know the actual colours).

I thought it was unfair that they don't adjust the times for female runners as it is much harder for them to run a really quick time than it is for men. This was a few years ago. I raised it with them but they just said it meant it was a bigger achievement for a woman to get one of the "faster colours".

I thought the same about swimming awards and having to swim in a certain time for Honours.

Now of course I realise what a can of worms it would have opened!