Discussion
Halb said:
Barcodes are not chips, the time starts from when the whistles goes, people who want to get a PB will start on the line, that means slow and fast alike. So by saying slow are sent to the back, you DID say that.
Can you show me your briefing please? I looked on thew website.
OkCan you show me your briefing please? I looked on thew website.
Hopefully this is clearer
The slower runners are ASKED in the briefing to start towards the back (on the run I attend)
Halb said:
Maybe she wants to break her time every week? A person who is 40 mins has the same 'right' to start next to a person who is after 16 mins.
Whinging about this is the sort of thing I thought parkracerun was meant to be the opposite of?
Like I said, if they start on the line but stay to one side then it's no issue. Creating a rolling roadblock is not ideal. Whilst parkrun is open to all you do need to apply a bit of common sense.Whinging about this is the sort of thing I thought park
KTF said:
Like I said, if they start on the line but stay to one side then it's no issue. Creating a rolling roadblock is not ideal. Whilst parkrun is open to all you do need to apply a bit of common sense.
Well I agree with that. I am aware of my size when I trundle along. Yesterday I started midpack because as my first run back, I just wanted to get round. There was a bottleneck on the first turn (which I mentally grumbled at 
), but one accepts that, as it is a run, not a race, and I cannot grumble, if I wanna get past someone the onus is on me to get faster, not to think I have a right to a special place. I like the ethos of Parkrun.If I get back to going for PBs, I'll started on or near the line, as it should be for all.
Here's my tuppence on the matter: start roughly where you think you'll be finishing in the field.
In my first year of Parkrun, I seeded myself somewhere in the middle of the 200-300 pack because finishing around 25 minutes was roughly the average finish time back then. As I progressively became faster, I would recognise those I was finishing with and would slowly work my way up the starting grid. It wasn't until I was regularly breaking 20 minutes where I had the balls to start in the first 3 rows or so.
In my first year of Parkrun, I seeded myself somewhere in the middle of the 200-300 pack because finishing around 25 minutes was roughly the average finish time back then. As I progressively became faster, I would recognise those I was finishing with and would slowly work my way up the starting grid. It wasn't until I was regularly breaking 20 minutes where I had the balls to start in the first 3 rows or so.
Cybertronian said:
Here's my tuppence on the matter: start roughly where you think you'll be finishing in the field.
Yes.It is a tricky one but when there are 4-500 runners and a 4m wide start it's dangerous to have 40 min people starting at the front whether they're at the side or in the middle.
I'd love to be able to give them a 400m wide start line so that everyone gets a fair go, but it just isn't practical.
If you always start in about the same place then your times are comparable anyway and if you want a precise/chip time then you have to pay £20 to enter a race, or time your self as you cross the line, we do our best to give accurate results based on a low-ish tech and cheap system.
Even when there isn't such a disparity, such as between the 40 minute lady and 16 minute runners, there's a need to stay with the flow off the line.
The other week, a teenage lad parked himself in front of me on the actual line itself. He normally finishes in the mid-20s, and I thought he would be looking to go for it and crack out a new PB. Starter shouts "Go" and everybody starts moving, including the folks behind me, but the boy in front of me is stood dead in his tracks, daydreaming away and completely oblivious that we were all starting! People behind began to push me, so I had no choice but to give him a nudge to get him moving for fear of me and him being trampled on!
The other week, a teenage lad parked himself in front of me on the actual line itself. He normally finishes in the mid-20s, and I thought he would be looking to go for it and crack out a new PB. Starter shouts "Go" and everybody starts moving, including the folks behind me, but the boy in front of me is stood dead in his tracks, daydreaming away and completely oblivious that we were all starting! People behind began to push me, so I had no choice but to give him a nudge to get him moving for fear of me and him being trampled on!
We have kids that line up on the start line. They generally out sprint the quick guys for the first few hundred meters then go backwards in a hurry as they blow up.
Personally I position myself to the side of them so there is no need to weave around when they drop back. Our start line is 10-15ish people wide I guess - me on the left in the black top with best over pronating heel strike pose
Personally I position myself to the side of them so there is no need to weave around when they drop back. Our start line is 10-15ish people wide I guess - me on the left in the black top with best over pronating heel strike pose
Edited by KTF on Sunday 19th June 19:09
I've just done my first Park Run in two years. I noticed that there was a pace guy out there who ran the course in 24 mins. Why 24 mins in particular? I could see that 25 would be pacing you for a nice even 5mins per km, but I don't see the logic for 24mins? What am i missing? As it would happen i ran it in 23:38, so he was a handy bloke to have on the track...
johnwilliams77 said:
Halb said:
"Or pay a few £ to enter an open track race where you know it's flat and exactly 5000m. Parkrun are about participation and community. Performance is covered by all the races available."
Read it again. If you want to race, you can go to a race. Slower runners will naturally fall behind anyway, but to place them at the back at the start to satisfy selfishness goes against that. YOu might have missed my question, Where is your parkrun, please?
Halb said:
I've bolded the bit which espouses the spirit of parkrun for you.
"Or pay a few £ to enter an open track race where you know it's flat and exactly 5000m. Parkrun are about participation and community. Performance is covered by all the races available."
Read it again. If you want to race, you can go to a race. Slower runners will naturally fall behind anyway, but to place them at the back at the start to satisfy selfishness goes against that. YOu might have missed my question, Where is your parkrun, please?
I would tell you if I thought you were someone who is genuine and not someone who gets kicks from arguing over the Internet. Use some common sense."Or pay a few £ to enter an open track race where you know it's flat and exactly 5000m. Parkrun are about participation and community. Performance is covered by all the races available."
Read it again. If you want to race, you can go to a race. Slower runners will naturally fall behind anyway, but to place them at the back at the start to satisfy selfishness goes against that. YOu might have missed my question, Where is your parkrun, please?
johnwilliams77 said:
I would tell you if I thought you were someone who is genuine and not someone who gets kicks from arguing over the Internet. Use some common sense.
As if it affects you. You cannot stand behind what you originally stated. Any long time poster here knows I am not an argument seeker.Halb said:
As if it affects you. You cannot stand behind what you originally stated. Any long time poster here knows I am not an argument seeker.There's nothing wrong with asking people to seed themselves appropriately. We ask the juniors to on a Sunday morning. However I did have to laugh once when a chap you thinks he's quite quick (PB 18:30ish I think) told some teenagers on the front he hoped they were quick enough not to get in the way. Both put in sub-17s.
johnwilliams77 said:
How is giving you the park run location standing behind my argument or otherwise? I am telling you what they say in the briefing. I will record the next one and email it to you/put it on YouTube if you don't believe me.
Well, thank you.I do believe! Please do not think I am implying you lie! I just feel it goes against what I thought Parkrun was/is.
For reference, I run Vicky Park, Warrington and Penny Flash, I have run Worsly Woods and one other, I would like to run others...though I am no natural born runner. I like seeing 'tourists' at mine.
Thanks the offer.
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