UKC

Anyone ever indulge in them, any good?

What's the score with the barcode system, how does it work in relation to your timings?

In reply to Ste Brom:

Brilliant, got me back into running about a year ago. Good fun and a really good social/community scene.

The timing sounds a bit convoluted but is simple in practice. Everyone sets off at the same time. When you cross the line someone clicks a counter and someone else writes the time down. you're handed a plastic chip/barcode thing and that and your own barcode are scanned by someone else. They match it all up and put it online the same day, and email you the result.

If you forget your barcode you won't get a time which is somewhat annoying for someone as disorganised as me.

In reply to Ste Brom:

Just carry the barcode and get it scanned on the finish line to record your time. No need to enter, just turn up and run.

In reply to Ste Brom:

Parkruns are terrific - they're a great way of monitoring how you're progressing (or regressing), and a good way to get your Saturday morning off to a lively start. If you go regularly, you'll also meet like-minded people.

The barcode is an integral part of the timing system - you carry your barcode with you on the run, and it's scanned as you finish, to give a time. Run results are usually uploaded within a few hours and you can get your results via text.

Because you have to carry your barcode, it's a good idea to either carry it in a clear plastic bag or cover it with clear sticky tape, to keep it vaguely waterproof.

In reply to Ste Brom:

A warning, some of the park runs are getting too popular. Heaton Park Parkrun gets over 400 and the start has a tight turn at 75 metres. I am sure other courses are being stressed by big numbers as well.

My local is Watergrove, it is the slowest Parkrun course in the world and rarely gets more than 50 people, but expect 90-120 seconds slower than your 5k PB.

In reply to The New NickB:

My thoughts exactly. I also have visions of Toby and Tamara pushing Tara and Timmy in one of those fancy wholemeal off road baby buggies, getting in everyone's road...

In reply to The New NickB:

Endcliffe Park in Sheffield gets over 500. I keep on meaning to try one of the others in Sheff - some seem to get only around 50 - but I'm hopeless at getting up on a Saturday morning and it's so close !

Good fun, good atmosphere, but do get a bit concerned about how it might feel for other park users, but each week the organisers repeat the requests for respect and consideration. Definitely a good way to improve your fitness and work on your technique - I've gone from over 27 to under 25 in 6 months.

In reply to Ste Brom:


Yep you get few people pushing buggies, and lots of kids running too. Nothing to stop you starting off at the front, but just be prepared for the embarrassment when little Tara overtakes you.

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Yoinks! I'll give the Liverpool one a go tomorrow if I can get out of my pit, seems like a good way to get my 5km time down.

In reply to Chris the Tall:
I've been beaten by a double buggy (South Manchester Parkrun), but I think he ran 17:02 for 2nd place.

He overtook me about 1k in, flat course, so he reckoned once he was up to speed it didn't slow him much.

In reply to Ste Brom:

Remember, it isn't strictly speaking a race. So if you are a club runner, don't wear your vest. It is considered bad form.

In reply to The New NickB: It isn't formally a race, but as a lot of the organisation is taken over by local clubs in our local events, it's quite common to have club kit appear there. So for instance, Temple Newsam will turn purple for tomorrow's event as we take on all the roles.

In reply to The New NickB:
I think Bushy got about 1800 for the 10th anniversary. That must have been something. I also did one of the Dublin ones earlier in the year that got an unexpected 600+, which made for fun for the finish marshalls!

In reply to Ste Brom:

My morning runs used to take me through 1/2 of albert park in middlesbrough and in all honesty I would kick myself when I remembered it was a saturday and parkrun was on. "Youre going the wrong way!!" Seemed to be their popular chant as me and the dog clung to the left trying not to body check anyone. I was also greeted with an Evil Dead esque "JOIN US!"

Seem like a nice bunch though

In reply to Ste Brom:

They are fantastic but you cannot take them too seriously as "races" - as everyone has said, some of them have much bigger numbers than the start of many courses can sustain so you are likely to hit a bottleneck. And some of the distances aren't exactly 5K - my local, Conkers in NW Leicestershire, is definitely short. Mind you, it has an interesting hill so we feel it compensates .

In reply to Ste Brom:

kendal area
http://www.parkrun.org.uk/fellfoot/

In reply to Ava Adore:

Are you sure it is short, I am sure are measured and certified as part of the set up.

In reply to Ava Adore: shhh... Don't tell my sister that, that's her local...
How do you know it's short anyway, does it come up short on gps track?

I don't really do mornings. I wish they could sometimes be in the afternoon.
Apart from that, such a good idea.

In reply to David Riley:

I'd settle for 10am rather than 9am. An extra hour would be quite helpful for those of us who have to get there (and might prefer to do so by running/cycling rather than having to go by car) rather than just those living very locally.

Neil

In reply to Ste Brom:

Over 500,000 ran a few weeks ago.

I run most weeks and love it. Unfortunately my local course is rather uninspiring (laps) but I ran Lyme Park a few weeks ago - has to be one of the most beautiful.

In reply to Ste Brom:

All good advice on here... And don't forget that you have to yell 'Parkrun!', every 30 seconds, in a Blur-stylee. It helps the marshalls, apparently.

In reply to Clauso:

Will do, I'll remember that, as long as there are no dirty pigeons, I'm intimidated by them.

In reply to Ste Brom:

Good stuff... You might want to check out the Goodison Parkrun? It takes place in your neck of the woods, every other weekend, around 3pm. It might look a little disorganised and aimless, but it has a low turnout of around 22 blokes and lots of other people turn up to watch and cheer you on. Just get yourself on there and go for it. It's a lovely flat surface, so you'll probably get a great time.

P.S. Be sure to wear your Liverpool FC shirt. It's de riguer to take part wearing a football strip.

In reply to The New NickB: I remember being overtaken going up a hill by a guy pushing a buggy (complete with kiddy) in a half-marathon; I did 1:31 so he must of been under 1:30!

In reply to Ste Brom:

If you're in Liverpool there's also a free Merseyvend 5k first sat every month, halewood park.

In reply to Chris the Tall:


Rother Valley at Killamarsh is a good one, if a little uninspiring. One large lap of the lakes with very little incline; probably the best in the country for PB potential.

Park Runs are awesome and should be encouraged. Its has been a fantastic addition to Newark which gets upwards of 150 a week with many first time runners.

In reply to Ste Brom:

They are brilliant. I run and volunteer at my local one in Bristol. It's uphill for 2.5km then downhill on the way home. Really good fun and volunteering is great when you see people improving and the kids getting their 10 run t-shirts. Such a brilliant idea

In reply to Ste Brom:

There was a guy who used to win 10k races in Bermuda (running early 30's times) pushing a buggy. The git.

In reply to Ste Brom:

My mate Austyn organises the Liverpool Park run, well the Seffy Park one anyway. He'll look after you n hopefully help you avoid getting run over by too many buggies. . Everyone always seems to be having a good time when we've caught it staggering home from a club/party. .

In reply to Ste Brom:

My local is now Rushmoor, but it is Frimley Lodge's 250th parkrun tomorrow so may head back over there as I done most of my runs there.
Got my 50 t-shirt, my proudest running reward, better than any of the half marathon medals