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Nov 2017
3:38pm, 7 Nov 2017
1,361 posts
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BrianJ
I agree with Mr Cider's post - all the parkruns I've visited the core teams have been great, and most have only a handful of runners over 40mins. Its the edicts from parkrun HQ, especially their facebook posts - I can't remember the last time they were celebrating someone running fast at the sharp end, its all about the slow folks (of which I count myself)
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Nov 2017
3:44pm, 7 Nov 2017
3,273 posts
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larkim
To be defensive for a moment about parkrun HQ, they are to an extent at the mercy of grant funding bodies. If grants are made to parkrun, either at a local or a national / international level, the chances are they are grants made to hit some priority identified by politicians or other charitable bodies. So the chances are that they are getting money through the door which is specifically aimed at outcomes related to improving fitness levels in disadvantaged communities, improving engagement for hard to reach people, raising fitness levels in the chronically unfit etc etc. And as part of evidencing how they are satisfying those grant conditions (whilst at the same time providing a nice free timed run to keen runners) they may find themselves having to make statements / policy decisions which seem to demonstrate a focus away from the "running" community.
It happens all the time to charities, they want to do (a) but find that (b) is what funders want them to do. (b) isn't so bad that they don't want to do it, and it can help to cross subsidise (a), so they sign up to it.
Perhaps they need to find a funder which prioritises running for running's sake, and perhaps even fast running - maybe a scheme aimed at identifying swift youngsters funded by UKA for example - to allow them to trumpet the sorts of running that many in this group want to see retained as part of parkrun. But with the lack of funds around these days (lower lottery takings, lower exchequer funding) maybe this is unreasonable.
I'm not saying we should give parkrun HQ a free pass to chase the money to the exclusion of running at its core, but maybe this is something of a reason for why there are perceptions that the emphasis has shifted too far?
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Nov 2017
3:56pm, 7 Nov 2017
25,929 posts
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Lip Gloss
Just to lighten the mood...our "parkrun" isn't even anywhere near a park but it's still fun....it is what it is to a lot of different people and it would be boring if we were all the same.
As you were 
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Nov 2017
4:40pm, 7 Nov 2017
9,010 posts
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Maz Heeps
I do love a parkrun that isn't in a park!
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Nov 2017
5:16pm, 7 Nov 2017
6,094 posts
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The_Saint
A lot of comments I agree with - the thing with being inclusive though is that it doesn't mean "only for people we approve of". The passive-aggressive thing about faster runners does exist because as I have observed in running clubs and in life in general some people are very competitive personalities without the ability to match and have to have a coping mechanism to deal with the fact that some people will beat them.
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Nov 2017
6:43pm, 7 Nov 2017
20,311 posts
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LazyDaisy
*considers taking umbrage at larkim's comment pages back*
*decides it's not werf it*
That's a very interesting little run of graphs, thank you!
Our fancy dress and milestone costumes are (we emphasise) completely optional, but interestingly we've had only a couple of people avoid the centurion costume for their 100th - and everyone else seems to enjoy the nonsense of it.
I think the vast majority, if not all, of participants at the three parkruns I do regularly are running/run-walking as fast as they can. I can't recall seeing anyone just strolling.
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Nov 2017
7:17pm, 7 Nov 2017
18,490 posts
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Doc Moye
I think I’m unlikely to wear fancy dress for parkrun but it makes me smile when other people do. I think I’m unlikely to ever be first at parkrun but it makes me smile when I see someone else crossing the line first. I hope I’m always able to run at parkrun rather than walk but it makes me smile when other people cross the finish line in the fastest walk they can.
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Nov 2017
7:30pm, 7 Nov 2017
326 posts
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bonners
For anyone wanting a non park parkrun, I can thoroughly recommend ours at Conwy. Lovely briskish route along the river with a castle and Snowdonia views thrown in for good measure.
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Nov 2017
7:49pm, 7 Nov 2017
26,096 posts
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Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs)
I love wearing fancy dress for parkrun when the occasion merits it, 'twas funny at southampton on NY eve last year , 600+ runners and only me and Jigs dressed up
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Nov 2017
7:51pm, 7 Nov 2017
8,347 posts
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mrs shanksi
Our parkrun has taken over our local library's window display for the month. Hopefully it will boost our numbers, we welcome everybody!
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