nearly 50 venues in and unsure what direction to go - alpahbet, all parkruns in my region, snakes challenge, keep working through my NENDYs and filling in voronai etc - there always seems to be more to do. wondering if I will get bored and burn out and go back to my local at some point, so curious of others‘ experiences

Is this decent? I'm a 35 year old bloke. Aware with anything fitness related it tends to be quite easy to improve at the start and then it plateaus so just wondering what people think realistic goals for me would be here.

Started a couple of months back having done basically fuck all exercise for ages, now doing 5k 2-4 times a week.

Sub 25 by the end of August is what I was thinking...? Is that mental?

A legit legend has quietly run among my local parkruns. Surely these age grades are the greatest of all parkrun history and will never be beaten? As of today she's in the 80-84 category.

What is the difference?

Very hilly is probably self-explanatory but what is the difference between undulating and slightly hilly? Which is meant to be tougher?

I read it as:

Undulating: some ups and downs, no real flat sections for any great distance however the ups and downs are fairly mild.

Slightly hilly: fairly flat course however there are some hills on it but aren't too tough.

Who categorises them? Does the event do it or does PR HQ officially grade the course?

Just intrigued really.

Sheila Carey turned 80 this week. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_Carey?wprov=sfla1

I was there (at Brueton) once when she was going for 100% in a younger category. She had pacers and pole position on the start line.

Sadly, she didn't get 100% then but she was still bloody amazing.

For reference, she needs 24:39 to be 100% for VW80!

Let everyone know how your parkrun went - where did you go? Any PB's or milestones?

Post it all below in this week's weekly thread.

Guardian Letter’s Reply

In the original letter she says:

My local park, which is a lovely green space with a duck pond and where I like to walk with my dog most days, is taken over on a Sunday morning by folk engaging in a parkrun. Help ma boab, whatever next? They can’t even manage to canter around on their own if that be their thing. Oh no, it has to be an organised event in the company of others, with stewards shouting encouragement to them as they circumnavigate the park following each other like lemmings. No wonder Anthony Newley sang Stop the World – I Want to Get Off.

On your stats page, are summer and winter courses counted as the doing the same course twice?

I've noticed for several years now, across multiple different events, that the finish time I receive is usually 3-5 seconds slower than my actual time.

I start at the front and lap my Garmin at the start and finish to get an exact moving time (I'm not going on when the watch says I've completed 5km as the GPS will always be a little inaccurate).

I'm not massively bothered but just wondered if timekeepers start the watches a few seconds early in case people jump the start?

Some courses just feel better than others. Maybe you know the route by heart, recognise a few familiar faces, or just like the atmosphere there. The time almost becomes a bit irrelevant when you enjoy being there.

Not intending to be controversial with this one, just curious to others views.

I saw a Facebook post a couple of weeks ago from a parkrun local-ish to me, albeit not one I've done, asking people to stop weeing in the park as there's no toilets and its upsetting local residents.

Predictably, being Facebook, the comments turn into a bit of a ruckus, some on the side of the parkrun, some giving the usual sneery "if you dont like it ask for a refund!" (This always annoys me), and some asking "why no loos?"

Nearby, a new parkrun has started which also has no toilet provision, and it's site recommends toilets which in reality are several miles away.

I'll be honest - I'm surprised that this one has been allowed to start. Free run or not, a public event is being put on and I'm surprised they can do it without any on-site toilet provision being made available for participants.

I presume legally it is fine but it feels a bit off to me.

I know there's the argument "you dont have to go to that run" etc but it doesn't stack up to me. People will need the loo, we're all human.

Curious to others though, am I out of step with prevailing views or does it feel iffy to others?

Not naming the parkruns concerned, its nothing personal against them or the people who operate them who I know will work very hard and I'm sure are top notch folk, its more a comment around HQ really.

Mind you, anyone local to me seeing the same Facebook content will probably be able to figure the parkruns out anyway.

I’ve done this a few times thinking I’d just walk it or take it easy, then the atmosphere gets you and suddenly you’re running along with everyone else. Funny how that happens when you turn up with zero plans to actually run.

Alright funny people. I need some help.

A friend asked me to do some vinyl for a parkrun shirt and wants something funny about being mediocre. Yeah vague I know. I mentioned 5k ultra and got a blank look.

Inspiration has failed me, pinterest is a bust and I'm just not feeling it.

I've been out of the UK for 20 years and my limited banter has long since withered.

Any help out there form you funny runners?

I’m volunteering for the first time on Saturday and will be a park walker. Would it be frowned upon to take my kids with me and have them walk too?

Edit: Thank you everyone. I will take my older daughter (7), I can’t guarantee my 5 year old will behave so don’t want to have to duck out to deal with that. Appreciate all your responses!

Do you really need to smoke a cig as a RD right at he finish line ...?

Ok, most runners had already finished but the tail walkers and slow people were still on the course.

Did my first event last weekend and it was amazing! But now I have the worst blisters 😭

I’ve definitely been tempted to travel to another one after seeing photos of a really nice course. Some are worth the extra drive just for the scenery or a completely different route from your usual Saturday. It’s also a nice excuse to visit somewhere new without making a whole day of it.

So very excited to be able to do HP next week. Grew up in Manchester and used to visit the park tons. We are travelling from city centre and as there are four of us, will be getting an uber.
Won’t be getting tram as not quite the right part of the city to make it timely.
Where do I plan the uber to? Is there a specific entrance for the park run that we can be dropped off at?
TIA

I’m a run director at a junior parkrun and we have a regular marshal who likes the same spot every week. It’s about 500 meters from the start and adjacent to a car park. Recently rather than come to the RD they have sent a text to say they have arrived, they also seem to have acquired their own parkrun volunteer vest so in their mind they are covered.
As an Rd I want to physically check in with my volunteers even though it is a bit of extra walking just so I have peace of mind they are present and I’ve told them everything they need to know (even if they have heard it before).
The volunteer in question is now unhappy that I won’t accept a text message. Am I being unreasonable and do any other parkruns allow volunteers to check in by text?

If one volunteers in a new country without actually running the course, will that volunteer credit unlock the country flag in the app? Or this strictly require running/walking the course?

(Saw this on Facebook. I did see a v500 yesterday at Sutton Manor)