Discussion
Halb said:
I can't see why a billion dollar company would walk away from the goodwill generated by handing out Tees for a profit-free organisation.
adidas weren't a parkrun sponsor for all countries, I know they wouldn't take on the USA, so maybe parkrun walked away from them in order to be with someone who would be worldwide? Who knows! The main thing is that free Ts for everyone is guaranteed, unfortunately with a delay. It would have been easy to just stop giving them out at all so it's good that the will is still there - 300,000 shirts expected do be given during the 5 years of the agreement, it's a big commitment! Very cold and frosty today but still a record turnout of 388 (Preston Park Brighton) and with the added speed from some more serious training ready for Chichester 10k I upped my age grade % by about .2 - still 30 secs slower than my time PB but it's about the only advantage of getting older!
Yes, bloody 10 yr olds, you think they're knackered and from nowhere they manage a sprint
Yes, bloody 10 yr olds, you think they're knackered and from nowhere they manage a sprint
Management team discussion at 8.58 this morning about whether it was too slippy.....decided to go ahead with severe warnings to the leaders to take it easy - first guy did it in 16:44, which may be slow for him but didn't sound like he took much notice of the warning!
Relieved that everyone finished OK, taking the U turn at full pace would have been a bit dodgy though.
Pleased with my 24:12, considering that I set off a bit gingerly, didn't want to risk injury with a 10k race next weekend - is anyone else doing Chichester 10k?
Relieved that everyone finished OK, taking the U turn at full pace would have been a bit dodgy though.
Pleased with my 24:12, considering that I set off a bit gingerly, didn't want to risk injury with a 10k race next weekend - is anyone else doing Chichester 10k?
grumbledoak said:
My first go at volunteering this weekend, handing out the finish barcodes. I got to run one lap before I did it, so off like a stabbed rat and hang on, getting a 1km Garmin PB in the process. 
I have a similar plan, I want to write down non scanning barcodes for a few weeks to be sure no one gets away with bringing them on their phones or in their brain- we do tell volunteers but it's not fair to ask a vol to argue with a runner who's insistent, whereas as Event Director I can more confidently refuse to write them down!We do 3 laps, I can easily do 2 before the leaders finish so I'll do that at 'stabbed rat' pace, about 3.5k, as a training session working towards doing it all at that pace, determined to get to 22:59 at least once!
Not running today as I was Run Director.
377 runners, more volunteers than we had HiVis for because one of the local clubs provided the vols and a load of pacers
We were watching finish on our 3 lap course, 3 speedy guys came through and then a lady who looked less sweaty than them and then a load more sweaty guys so either she was an Olympian jogging round at a relaxed pace or someone who couldn't count to 3. We all agreed it was the latter.
Later I had a very apologetic email, she'd realised that 18:16 was a bit quick and could we take her out of the results. She needn't have worried about that, we never put her in as she obviously hadn't done all 3!
This afternoon went for a walk round the park pushing a measuring wheel to check the exact distance for our juniors event starting April or May - everyone's very excited about that, and then we've got a possible new seafront 5k one on its way and also trying to build momentum for an off road one near the big council estate.
I know it's not very PH, but if we can get that going in that area it's going to change people's lives much more than the existing ones in the nice end of town have done.
377 runners, more volunteers than we had HiVis for because one of the local clubs provided the vols and a load of pacers
We were watching finish on our 3 lap course, 3 speedy guys came through and then a lady who looked less sweaty than them and then a load more sweaty guys so either she was an Olympian jogging round at a relaxed pace or someone who couldn't count to 3. We all agreed it was the latter.
Later I had a very apologetic email, she'd realised that 18:16 was a bit quick and could we take her out of the results. She needn't have worried about that, we never put her in as she obviously hadn't done all 3!
This afternoon went for a walk round the park pushing a measuring wheel to check the exact distance for our juniors event starting April or May - everyone's very excited about that, and then we've got a possible new seafront 5k one on its way and also trying to build momentum for an off road one near the big council estate.
I know it's not very PH, but if we can get that going in that area it's going to change people's lives much more than the existing ones in the nice end of town have done.
PGM said:
Managed a PB of 28.25 this Saturday at Aylesbury. I'm a cyclist, just took this up as a family thing to do and a bit of cross training and we're all enjoying it (done 5 of them so far).
What's the protocol for adding to the results wiki?
You just edit it to push everyone below you down a row and type your age grade % in - it's shown in your results email and on the events results page.What's the protocol for adding to the results wiki?
Well done, only 495 more and you'll get your photo on this thread
RizzoTheRat said:
I often wonder how many people must sign up and then only come once or twice. Frimley Lodge tends to get 15-20 new runners every week, yet our numbers seem to stay pretty constant at around the 320-350 ish mark.
There are nearly 1.5million registered and only about 100k run each week, I think I've read that 600k different people have run so there are around 900k who have never run and probably a load more that have only run once or twice.Even with that huge drop out rate parkrun's still by far the biggest running event in the world!
Yes, we lose one or two tokens most weeks, although last week 2 of the takers sent embarrassed emails afterwards to say they'd found them in a pocket when they got home. We can't complain too much because most of the core team have done it at some point, usually because we run then immediately get caught up in dealing with problems (or gassing with runners!) and forget.
I've even been sorting tokens and cursing whoever hasn't returned token 125 and then realised it was in my pocket...oops!
What we really need is ANPR cameras on the finish line then we wouldn't need barcodes at all
I've even been sorting tokens and cursing whoever hasn't returned token 125 and then realised it was in my pocket...oops!
What we really need is ANPR cameras on the finish line then we wouldn't need barcodes at all
Gilhooligan said:
When I actually hit 50 parkruns, does anyone know how long it will take to get my t shirt? Am I right in saying they haven't got it all set up fully yet with the new sponsor?
It is all set up but supplies haven't started to arrive yet, you'll get an email. The shirts are being manufactured but there's quite a backlog.http://www.parkrun.com/news/2015/02/08/parkrun-mil...
KTF said:
We always put our names down to be token sorters at the end. That way we can a +1 on a run and a volunteer on the same day 
Some of the quicker runners also put themselves down as a barcode scanner as they finish before the 'rush' for the same aim.
Someone has to do those jobs so we're always happy to for people to run and volunteer, we particularly encourage a quick runner to be 3rd scanner in order to engage the quick runners with the idea of volunteering without discouraging them by missing a run and it also minimises the number of non running vols we need.Some of the quicker runners also put themselves down as a barcode scanner as they finish before the 'rush' for the same aim.
I met my co Event Director during a chat while token sorting so our event would never have started without that chance meeting, it's probably the best job to do if you want to meet people.
addey said:
I did 19:56 which I'm pretty happy with. Was hoping to duck under 20mins but to be honest didn't really know what to expect as I've never "raced" before and haven't done many intense runs to enable me to predict pace. Interestingly my GPS watch ticked off 5k in 19:46 so not sure if the course is long? Did pretty even splits 3:58, 3:56, 3:58. 3:58 and 3:54 which was good although I probably could have done more of a sprint finish! Legs are going to be sore tomorrow though (where's the wheelchair smilie 
)
GPS watches aren't accurate, courses are measured with a wheel by the shortest route and it's unlikely, particularly at Bushy with 1000 people, that you ran the shortest route, it's surprising how much difference it makes taking the outside of a bend. Event directors love it when we get a mail to say someones (comparatively) cheap GPS that has a stated accuracy of 5% doesn't agree with the measurement that was walked or cycled 2,3,4 or 5 times 5k to measure ) The target for a 5k is 5005m in order that it's never short, ie +0.1%, hence Marathon courses have 42m added.19:56 isn't bad! I managed a 1 sec PB for 23:13, getting close to my outright parkrun PB of 23:10 which was on a flatter course and 3 years ago. Age grade calc says I lose about 13 secs a year so I'm sort of 35 secs faster. I still want to get 22:59 before age catches me up!
Halb said:
john2443 said:
Age grade calc says I lose about 13 secs a year so I'm sort of 35 secs faster. I still want to get 22:59 before age catches me up!
That would presuppose one stays at the same fitness? If one was to increae one's 'fitness', lactic acid buffering, VO2 max, lose weight etc, one could still easily smash times?KTF said:
Southsea came up short yesterday (under 3 miles by everyone's watches) and the results had to be tweaked to compensate.
I assume the course isn't measured each time so I guess someone put a cone in the wrong place.
Oooops! No, not measured every week. Compared to the 13k 10k a few weeks ago and the Brighton half-plus-a-bit-Marathon a couple of years ago, Southsea isn't too much of a disaster.I assume the course isn't measured each time so I guess someone put a cone in the wrong place.
We have a painted mark for our U turn so everyone knows where it is. One week we forgot to put the cone there and were short of marshals so there was only the painted mark, but everyone was very well behaved and ran round it!
Cybertronian said:
Anybody making their way to Birmingham for the Ambassadors' Conference this weekend?
It's usually hosted at my local event, but due to a food festival in the park (yes, a fitness initiative has been over-ruled by a food festival...), the nearest-neighbour of Perry Hall will be welcoming runners and tourists. Paul Sinton Hewitt will definitely be there, as will Chrissie Wellington; no clue about who else will turn up. Should really help to promote the Perry Hall venue and get their numbers up from the typical 50 or so.
Not me, but one of our RDs is there with his ambassador hat on. Numbers will certainly be up from 50 with the HQ staff and all the ambassadors. No pressure on the organisers It's usually hosted at my local event, but due to a food festival in the park (yes, a fitness initiative has been over-ruled by a food festival...), the nearest-neighbour of Perry Hall will be welcoming runners and tourists. Paul Sinton Hewitt will definitely be there, as will Chrissie Wellington; no clue about who else will turn up. Should really help to promote the Perry Hall venue and get their numbers up from the typical 50 or so.
Start dates confirmed for France and Italy, http://www.parkrun.it/uditore/ [/url] and [url]htt...
Slight problem with the start date in Italy though "A causa della necessità di effettuare la disinfestazione del parco, non è possibile inaugurare Uditore parkrun sabato 16 maggio."
Even if like me you don't speak Italian you'll be able to get the general idea, I don't know what they are infested with!
Slight problem with the start date in Italy though "A causa della necessità di effettuare la disinfestazione del parco, non è possibile inaugurare Uditore parkrun sabato 16 maggio."
Even if like me you don't speak Italian you'll be able to get the general idea, I don't know what they are infested with!
23:12 today, a 1 sec PB for my home event, still 2 secs off my overall PB, but we have a new one starting next week (Hove Promenade) that's as flat as a flat thing in Flatsville, so as long as there's a week when it's not too hot or windy I'll be trying for a 22:59 there soon!
It was a bit hot this week though!
It was a bit hot this week though!
Zigster said:
PB at my local parkrun today of 22:01 - didn't quite beat 22, unfortunately, but knocked 1:20 off my previous PB and I've no idea how that happened. "Hilliest parkrun in Sussex", so I might pop down to that flat one in Hove to see how much quicker I could be there.
I guess you were at Clair which also has the disadvantage of being the narrowest in Sussex. Hove Prom should be a lot faster providing there isn't a strong wind. They are cancelled on 1 Aug and I think 29th so check their website.I ran the test event but was taking it easy before a race so don't know how much quicker it is. One of my friends Garmins showed 1m altitude change so if it's accurate there is a slight change from 1 end to the other.
I want to go over there as well to see if I can get sub 23, PB at Preston Park is 23:12 so hopefully the lack of hills will get me a few seconds.
Cybertronian said:
The previous version of the Bushy start line was already pretty wide as well. Good to hear you like the new course.
I've decided to give Fulham Palace a bash. Easy to get to and allows for a quick getaway back to Kensington. Looks like a surprisingly deep field for an event only in the 200s.
Danny Norman did suggest that FP was a bit short, if so you should get a good time I've decided to give Fulham Palace a bash. Easy to get to and allows for a quick getaway back to Kensington. Looks like a surprisingly deep field for an event only in the 200s.
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