parkrun

[madbadger]

lockhart flawse said:

lockhart flawse said:

Did my first Park Run on Saturday in Northallerton. Age 64 and 36.10 which I was reasonably happy with. I did the whole thing at the same pace without stopping and it was the furthest I have run since I did a 10k in 2003.

Really enjoyed it and hope to gradually improve my times over the year.

Time down to 31.58 yesterday. Knackered though.

That is a good improvement. : thumbup:

Northallerton isn’t a fast course. Particularly at the moment.

[madbadger]

I recompleted the North East region yesterday at Chopwell Wood. It was their 9th event after starting at Halloween. Finally they have now had more runs than cancellations. It’s a lovely woody trail route.

Also lost being a Yorkshire regionnaire yesterday with a new run starting. (With the longest name in the region) North Yorkshire water park parkrun.

[KTF]

john2443 said:

more than 10% of reported incidents involve dogs and a disproportionally high percentage of serious incidents involve dogs running ahead rather than at the side of the handler. That's why it's been changed. I don't know if this will be in the official announcement

This sort of stuff should be put in the comms as it makes it a lot easier to 'sell' than saying they are banned with no reason why.

he EDs and RDs are the ones who actually have to deal with the consequences of these emails so it would be nice to have something to respond with when people ask why.

[madbadger]

KTF said:

john2443 said:

more than 10% of reported incidents involve dogs and a disproportionally high percentage of serious incidents involve dogs running ahead rather than at the side of the handler. That's why it's been changed. I don't know if this will be in the official announcement

This sort of stuff should be put in the comms as it makes it a lot easier to 'sell' than saying they are banned with no reason why.

he EDs and RDs are the ones who actually have to deal with the consequences of these emails so it would be nice to have something to respond with when people ask why.

We have been told as ambassadors and I have passed on to my events. It was supposed to be in a blog post from HQ but I haven't seen anything directly from them yet. I suspect there has been a lot to deal with and clarify so probably all being dealt with together.


At the moment we are in an 'informing' stage prior to the new rules coming in on the 2nd April.

[FunkyNige]

downthepub said:

I run with my young Lab with a much maligned waist belt. At the start, when crowded with other runners, when overtaking people, when there are other park users, other dogs in the park, when being overtaken, I pull her close to me in order to minimise our "footprint" and to minimise inconvenience. It pains me to see other dogs on massive long leads leaping about with little control by the owner.

In some ways it would clearer for everyone, especially event teams, to cancel dogs in order to prevent arguments over the minutiae of dog leads. But then where do you stop, buggies, headphones, three/four/five-abreast. Essentially "don't be a dick" should be the mantra.

It is a tough one - obviously parkrun wants to be inclusive and allow anyone to join in but dogs, buggies, headphones are all banned in most (not all) 'normal' running races and with parkrun attracting much bigger fields than a 'normal' race would be allowed to get away with on small/narrow courses you can see why.
I quite like seeing the dogs and buggies running along, though it is frustrating when a bloody poodle just trots past, and the only issue I've had was being funnelled in after the finish line next to a wide buggy - both of us were desperately trying to slow down after sprinting but rapidly running out of room to do it.
All the briefings I've heard have said 'dogs on a short hand held lead only', is this different elsewhere?

[KTF]

madbadger said:

We have been told as ambassadors and I have passed on to my events. It was supposed to be in a blog post from HQ but I haven't seen anything directly from them yet. I suspect there has been a lot to deal with and clarify so probably all being dealt with together.


At the moment we are in an 'informing' stage prior to the new rules coming in on the 2nd April.

I got the email to both my ambassador and event account and realise it was a heads up but it didn't take other events in the area very long to post it on their pages causing much discussion and general complaining.

I suspected that it was along the lines of something has happened so they have been banned as a result.

[john2443]

KTF said:

This sort of stuff should be put in the comms as it makes it a lot easier to 'sell' than saying they are banned with no reason why.

he EDs and RDs are the ones who actually have to deal with the consequences of these emails so it would be nice to have something to respond with when people ask why.

On the ambassadors/HQ Slack someone asked "Will the evidence be included in the upcoming blog post " Tom Williams said "Yes"

madbadger said:

We have been told as ambassadors and I have passed on to my events. It was supposed to be in a blog post from HQ but I haven't seen anything directly from them yet. I suspect there has been a lot to deal with and clarify so probably all being dealt with together.

At the moment we are in an 'informing' stage prior to the new rules coming in on the 2nd April.

I'm surprised there hasn't been anything yet - normally events get a few hours advance warning!

It's somewhat annoying that events have posted in advance of the official announcement and this has lead to some FB groups going into meltdown. We've told the core team but are waiting for the blog before posting anything public.

[smn159]

john2443 said:

It's somewhat annoying that events have posted in advance of the official announcement and this has lead to some FB groups going into meltdown.

I'm on one of the FB groups and it seems to be largely populated by passive / aggressive types who spend all day arguing over whether it is or isn't a race.

As you say, the dog thing has sent them all into a self righteous frenzy

[elvismiggell]

Yeah the dog thing does seem to have been a bit of a failure of communication.

Lots of folks I know often run with their dogs, and the communication feels like it's been mismanaged. If they'd lead with "here's some numbers about the disproportionately high incident levels with waist leads that's making us feel we need to take action" then I think there might have been a marginally better response.

As it is, I've seen their SM just get flooded with replies from "well I'm not running ever again then" types.

[Stephanie Plum]

The blog has gone live this morning:

https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2022/02/28/change-to-p...

[tim2100]

Rather amusing on Saturday the day after the leash banning became know. A dog was not clipped in to the owners waist harness and then ran around the entire parkrun starting area just prior to, during and after the start. Running in and around all the runners, meanwhile the owner was pathetically trying to run after and recall the dog back.

It was very easy to point out that all the other dog runners are great, but that guy is one of the reasons why the ban has come into place.

[Smitters]

tim2100 said:

Rather amusing on Saturday the day after the leash banning became know. A dog was not clipped in to the owners waist harness and then ran around the entire parkrun starting area just prior to, during and after the start. Running in and around all the runners, meanwhile the owner was pathetically trying to run after and recall the dog back.

It was very easy to point out that all the other dog runners are great, but that guy is one of the reasons why the ban has come into place.

Was the dog called Fenton?

I'm not sure (but then usually am not sure on most things) as to why it's such an issue. Banning dogs outright would be a real shame, but just saying you need it on a short handheld leash isn't much of a hardship. I agree with previous posters about buggies at the back being annoying, especially when it's announced in briefing, but not on the webpage. I've been to a couple as a tourist and been relegated. As my buggy is a three wheeler with a long and low stance I do find runners will drift and trip on the front wheel. I used to do a 23 minute grassy 5k and a 21 minute tarmac 5k with a buggy, so I got good at overtaking.

Anyway, thanks to an above poster for an idea. I'm on 48 volunteers and 49 runs. I'm going to do a static job next, then be tail. Bag both my 50s in one go!

[Stephanie Plum]

Smitters said:

I'm not sure (but then usually am not sure on most things) as to why it's such an issue. Banning dogs outright would be a real shame, but just saying you need it on a short handheld leash isn't much of a hardship.

That gets said at every run briefing yet people still ignore it. At our event we have noticed since returning last year that some dog owners, and I hasten to add by no means all, have increasingly taken the mick with longer and longer leads, and arguing back when asked to shorten them. We have only recently, and I mean in the last fortnight, pointed out to two of them that they will spoil it for everyone, and look what happens.

We have never reported a dog as an incident, but have come close. In my experience, there are dog owners, and there are canicrossers, and woe betide if you cross swords with the latter!

[downthepub]

Smitters said:

Banning dogs outright would be a real shame, but just saying you need it on a short handheld leash isn't much of a hardship.

It throws your balance and gives an awkward running gait, at least it does with me. Fom the 2nd April, she’ll be left in the van whilst we run, or I’ll walk her round. Running with a handheld leash isn’t terribly practical. C’est la vie.

[Ivo Shandor]

The ones who say they won't run again, it might be done in a fit of pique, but it'll probably be better for them (they'll run with their pets at a different place/time) and the Parkrun, so everybody wins.

I used to think my parkrun was one of the best, the atmosphere; we had home-baked goods, brews and other drinks, it was like a lil party every week. Then the scouncil stopped the use of the hut, and the drinks/confectioneries went. Now it's like any other parkrun, still good, but not special.

[john2443]

Ivo Shandor said:

The ones who say they won't run again, it might be done in a fit of pique, but it'll probably be better for them (they'll run with their pets at a different place/time) and the parkrun, so everybody wins.

It'll all blow over in a while, if dogs had never been allowed there wouldn't be an issue but as we've grown a few things have had to change. The banned dog owners should be pleased they've been allowed for 17 years when the were allowed at other races (except the small number of cani-cross ones)

Ivo Shandor said:

I used to think my parkrun was one of the best, the atmosphere; we had home-baked goods, brews and other drinks, it was like a lil party every week. Then the scouncil stopped the use of the hut, and the drinks/confectioneries went. Now it's like any other parkrun, still good, but not special.

My scoring system for parkruns fairly much gives them all 10/10 for the run, but the coffee/cake score makes the difference, is always a disappointment when everyone just goes home as soon as they've run. At some events small groups go off here and there for coffee, but it's better if all go to one place so newcomer and visitors are included.

[RizzoTheRat]

Ivo Shandor said:

The ones who say they won't run again, it might be done in a fit of pique, but it'll probably be better for them (they'll run with their pets at a different place/time) and the Parkrun, so everybody wins.

I noticed a few people commenting on a post of my old parkrun (600ish runners) that they won't be going any more due to the dog change. That does seem a bit of an overreaction to me, but hopefully it won't be that many people

john2443 said:

My scoring system for parkruns fairly much gives them all 10/10 for the run, but the coffee/cake score makes the difference, is always a disappointment when everyone just goes home as soon as they've run. At some events small groups go off here and there for coffee, but it's better if all go to one place so newcomer and visitors are included.

Difficult for big parkruns though. My current one has abut 40-50 runners, we always mention the cafe in the brief, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 go for a coffee afterwards. At my old one you'd get big groups going to different cafe's as it's too big a crowd to get in one place, but this means you do get different groups forming that don't mix.

[Alex@POD]

RizzoTheRat said:

john2443 said:

My scoring system for parkruns fairly much gives them all 10/10 for the run, but the coffee/cake score makes the difference, is always a disappointment when everyone just goes home as soon as they've run. At some events small groups go off here and there for coffee, but it's better if all go to one place so newcomer and visitors are included.

Difficult for big parkruns though. My current one has abut 40-50 runners, we always mention the cafe in the brief, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 go for a coffee afterwards. At my old one you'd get big groups going to different cafe's as it's too big a crowd to get in one place, but this means you do get different groups forming that don't mix.

Our parkrun group(s) always meet up for coffee afterwards (not the full 4-500 runners thankfully), it's just not for me though. I usually have things to do on a Saturday morning, but mostly I desperately need a shower before any form of social interaction indoors

[Smitters]

Stephanie Plum said:

Smitters said:

I'm not sure (but then usually am not sure on most things) as to why it's such an issue. Banning dogs outright would be a real shame, but just saying you need it on a short handheld leash isn't much of a hardship.

That gets said at every run briefing yet people still ignore it. At our event we have noticed since returning last year that some dog owners, and I hasten to add by no means all, have increasingly taken the mick with longer and longer leads, and arguing back when asked to shorten them. We have only recently, and I mean in the last fortnight, pointed out to two of them that they will spoil it for everyone, and look what happens.

We have never reported a dog as an incident, but have come close. In my experience, there are dog owners, and there are canicrossers, and woe betide if you cross swords with the latter!

Yep - people are dicks sometimes. And unless HQ say exactly what "short is", it's still open to interpretation. The unfortunate fact is that RDs when faced with arguing, have only one serious recourse, which is to remove a result of a persistent offender. At which point, HQ are asking volunteers to deal with aggro. RDs are poorly supported by HQ in my view, with the most consistent problems (e.g. lack of volunteers and the associated stress) generally being ignored. For example, any process of drumming up support for an event has historically been discouraged, either by trotting out the "grow it organically" line, whilst placing ever increasing demands on volunteer numbers (every 100m at jpr?!) or by making the official press and PR content hard to get at.

The reality is that RDs and volunteers generally have to invoke the negative to get any sort of reaction at all, because the vast majority of people quickly forget the event they're at was free and decide they have some sort of rights to their behavior. Even when standing up and saying "this event will be cancelled, forever, if we do not have more volunteers" has little effect, so I can imaging the lead-discussion being white noise. I don't envy core teams at all these days.

[Evanivitch]

john2443 said:

My scoring system for parkruns fairly much gives them all 10/10 for the run, but the coffee/cake score makes the difference, is always a disappointment when everyone just goes home as soon as they've run. At some events small groups go off here and there for coffee, but it's better if all go to one place so newcomer and visitors are included.

Swansea PR has the old Surf 360 cafe, which could never cope with the numbers and was expensive for poor service.

Neath Gnoll has the visitor center. Cheap, simple and lots of room inside and out. Parc Bryn Bach is a similar place and cafe.

Porthcawl and Barry have a wide variety of sea front cafes to choose from, varying from the greasy spoon to trendy coffee and ice-cream parlours.

Maesteg has a Tesco Cafe, more recently a coffee trailor but rarely the small pavilion is open.

Penallta doesn't have any choice that I remember. Don't remember Ross on Wye either.

Liverpool was the best though, had a small zoo there, which was a great surprise