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I preferred the spiritual take: BBC Radio 4: 'Thought For The Day', 16.4.16 at around 0745
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_radio_fourfm
You're missing the point entirely. If you're lacking in confidence then its probably taken a lot to get out there. You know you should but you don't feel worthy and are scared. It's not easy for everybody (good for you if it was for you, not everybody is so wonderfully talented) and when people make fun of you it's very easy to hide away again. I found being spat at when out on my bike remarkably off putting and it took quite a while to go out and risk it happening again.
Giles Coren's column in the Times today is along a similar theme to the radio piece. Dan Jones had a more measured column in the Standard last night.
Where both are right of course is the huge over reaction. People in tears as if the whole world had collapsed. Let's be clear park run isn't banned from the park, the council have decided - and again, the only council nationwide to do so - to levy a charge. So Park Run fanatics reduced to tears can continue and pay £1, or they can simply do another run.
Personally I think the council are in the wrong but let's get some perspective.
swittle - thanks for that. I wasn't sure if he was for or against parkrun in the end, but it was interesting to hear his take on it.
On a masive tangent, does anyone know 3's involvement in parkrun? I'd be interested to know if they (3) provide technology or something to enable parkrun to deliver (text or email) the results to runners, and if so how it is done. Just interested really, from a tech point of view.
Except they can't (continue and pay £1) - parkrun have said many times that the one option they won't consider is letting the runners pay. They'll stop the event if the charge is implemented. Doesn't stop anyone running in the park, obviously, but not under the parkrun banner.
Dustin, being picky but that's not quite right. It's not in the hands of the runners really. If parkrun stop the event, the runners won't have the choice to pay the £1 to continue the parkrun.
Actually, I can understand why people may be reduced to tears. I won't go into details on this thread as it's not really relevant, but I personally have cried my eyes whole-heartedly whilst running a couple of parkruns, and then I had a couple of nice people put their arm around me, and bought me a coffee as they knew the reason why I was so upset. This wouldn't have happened on a "normal" run around on my own.
I am a huge advocate of parkrun, and I honestly do think it can change lives, so I can kind of see why some people may be upset. I know the "change lives" comment seems like a massive cliche, but I do believe it to be true.
However, I do (kind of) get your point as well, and if you're in a position where you don't have to rely on something like parkrun to get you out the door, then that is great. But not everyone is in that position, unfortunately, for lots and lots of different reasons.
OK, so I take the point about the £1 not being paid directly but if there was a benefactor that paid it on behalf of the franchise then I assume it may continue?
I guess the main issue that I see is that just the one park run is likely to disappear, but more positively many councils have stepped forward with their support of the event. This episode is therefore likely to be an aberration.
Sorry but I don't get the tears. If it indeed does change lives or provide tear jerking emotions, then is it really such a big ask to travel 5-10 miles to the next closest one, as undoubtedly many of those effected will do? Or is it life changing only up to the point of an extra 20 minutes travelling?
Undoubtedly one or two may not be able to undertake the travelling for various reasons, but that is a small minority.
I'm not a big park run fan (although I did my local one today), yet I do get why they are popular. As an athlete, supporter, coach and official I'm naturally in favour of anything that gets people running, but as per my earlier message, let's get a bit of perspective.
Not a dig Dustin, but I suppose with what happened to me has made me slightly more empathetic than I used to be (this is one advantage, and there aren't many others!), and although I can see why some reactions may appear OTT, I can see why some may have strong feelings about this issue.
Dustin. If they closed your local running track I expect you might feel some anger. there is always another track in a nearby town but somehoW I feel you might be slightly more aggrieved
I found DeanR7's post about the lady who finished her Parkrun in 50mins so moving. I'm constantly amazed by how Parkrun is the introduction/catalyst for a healthier lifestyle for so many people. One person I know was depressed & overweight, and Parkrun has been the largest single catalyst for him. He now takes his 5yr old son to the junior Parkrun - passing on healthy habits to the next generation. I could cite a few examples like this.
As soon as any type of frictional cost is imposed (charging a fee, making parking difficult, etc) then you will disproportionately discourage precisely those people who most stand to benefit.
(For full disclosure, I've never run Parkrun myself)
The decision by Stoke Gifford seems to have had the opposite effect to the one many were worried about. There has been a flurry of councils (and others) announcing their support for parkrun and their commitment to continuing to provide the facilities without any charge.
but Dean, what if I currently pay to use my track ( via my club fees)?
Dustin that's fine
...but that isn't an option for the runners at Stoke Gifford as they can't pay, as they are not being asked to. My crude parallel I was going for is having a facility you rely on removed. I would be gutted if they closed my local track. So I can understand those in Stoke Gifford having the hump.
According to the parkrun newsletter, there were 14,000 new registrations last week. There were 20 first timers at my local this week, out of a total of 147 runners.
I know at least 4 stories of "lives changed" by parkrun, and I suspect a couple of the finishers at this week's run would add to that, just based on obvious emotions crossing the line. I don't know what it is, it just seems to be such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere that feels like family.
Yeah, I saw a first time parkrunner finish, the week before last. She has a very troubled backstory which manifests in various complex physical and psychological ways. The fact that she finished, and that people cheered and told her how well she had done was a big deal- and I really don't think she would have turned up to a conventional commercial event.
The inclusive volunteer-driven nature of parkrun, with no barriers to entry, is uniquely welcoming. It makes it possible for people would otherwise not dare, to turn up and run in a crowd.. It's more than just a run in a park.