|
Jan 2019
5:11pm, 2 Jan 2019
802 posts
|
edison
Letters of the alphabet baffles me too. Or people that spell out `parkrun' with the first letter of consecutive events. Maybe if i start doing them regularly I'll start sending messages to people I don't like - starting with Fulham palace, then I dunno, Upton Court...
|
|
Jan 2019
5:36pm, 2 Jan 2019
321 posts
|
iRicey
I did Bushy followed by Upton court on NYD. I was visiting a mate in Windsor so this made perfect sense with the former being en route and the latter close by (and my mate's local). I'm a little bit of a tourist, but living in SW London there are many close by or accessible by public transport
We spoke to some people who had driven down from Prestwick (presumably the Scottish one(!)) who did the same double. When asked if they were hanging around to spend time in Windsor they said they were driving straight back....
I'm sure this and others are extreme examples which you would get with any endeavour, but not sure what kind of community a 15 hour round trip in a car to run for 45 minutes engenders.
|
|
Jan 2019
5:54pm, 2 Jan 2019
803 posts
|
edison
I was added to a parkrun whatsapp group based on the fact i used to do a bit of tourism. Members of the group look forward to visiting new runs and meeting each other, having food afterwards etc. Some of these trips involve long round trips, but they all seem to enjoy it. The thing that baffles me most, however, about the chat group is that `collecting' events or racking up a significant number of runs is seen as an accomplishment to be celebrated above something like a PB, or volunteering.
|
|
Jan 2019
6:49pm, 2 Jan 2019
167 posts
|
philip_m_jones
I think a lot of the tourist thing is more about publicity than reality. The two current podcasts both have (uber) tourists on their teams and it adds some variety to the content. If I look at my regular parkrun we have a few tourists each week and they come from near and far but, as we are only a few minutes away from the M40 and en-route to or from Heathrow for many it is an obvious point to break a journey. I also run at Upton Court and that is a "rare" U for the alphabeteers and there are a few more there, but not huge numbers compared with week in, week out regulars.
Personally, I wouldn't do a big drive just to add a new parkrun, but I would adjust plans to allow me if I am passing near. Having said that, my daughter used to drive for hours and stay overnight to do heats, semis and finals for a 100m event so 2 days away for 300m in total.
|
|
Jan 2019
7:54pm, 2 Jan 2019
6,395 posts
|
larkim
Things like the Most Events table helps to support the concept that racking up individual counts of different parkruns is "important" somehow.
I can see how the distributed cliques of uber tourists getting together and seeing each other can be enjoyable, but don't see the appeal of sitting in the car for a long drive just to head away straight at the end - and then do the same the next weekend, and again and again.
Geocaching is the nearest equivalent where I know people do ridiculous driving amounts for seemingly trivial outcomes. But it does appeal to some!!
|
|
Jan 2019
8:05pm, 2 Jan 2019
5,347 posts
|
Dooogs
"Geocaching" is how I explain WSW to people who get utterly confused by my silly square-hunting routes.
I've nothing against uber-tourism as long as no-one tries to tell me that it's the fullest, parkrunniest experience.
|
|
Jan 2019
8:16pm, 2 Jan 2019
6,396 posts
|
larkim
I think that's the nail on the head Dooogs. Listening to the two parkrun podcasts you'd think touristing was the epitome of parkrun. Whereas quietly turning to run most weeks, occasionally volunteering, sometimes PBing, sometimes chatting, sometimes running with your kids, sometimes finishing off a long run etc is the more common parkrun experience and probably closer to PSH's expectations on day 1.
|
|
Jan 2019
1:03am, 3 Jan 2019
142 posts
|
mascott514
I love my home parkrun, and ill go to extraordinary lengths (being a bad parent and trying to get of Dad duties etc) to ensure I get there (on foot)
I do love a bit of tourism if our one is off, and then ill travel about to try a different course, but not crazy distances
I did however travel about three hours from my holiday to try a French one - so possibly slightly obsessed!
|
|
Jan 2019
9:10am, 3 Jan 2019
18,226 posts
|
DeeGee
Again, geocaching is something I do because I'm at a place, not a reason for being there in the first place. And again, it's mainly motivated by a desire to be outdoors doing something interesting with my eight year old which will capture his interest and stop him shouting at Fortnite.
|
|
Jan 2019
9:26am, 3 Jan 2019
562 posts
|
Dibble
Interesting thoughts on tourism and prompted me to look at my runs. I've done 221 parkruns at 32 different courses in 8 countries. Nearly every one has been simply going to the most convenient parkrun to where I was at the time. I would only classify 2 as real tourism. When our local run was cancelled a group of us made a visit to Bushy. Secondly (in different times) when Rach E wanted a record inaugral turnout at Newbury. Having said that, there are so many local ones I would like to make an effort to visit this year.
|
parkrun Café
Jan 2025
