Parkrun..

robinph · 02-04-2020 8:14am

lanod2407 wrote: »

Gotta disagree with you on this one. If we try to tear out of the blocks at the very first opportunity we'll only put ourselves and each other at risk. COVID will not disappear overnight and any plan to get back into mass participation sport or gatherings at the first opportunity would be irresponsible.
I also believe that the impact this has on our communities and families over the coming weeks and months will be so significant that most people will be very circumspect about jumping straight back into how we interacted a few short weeks ago.

Yep, totally agree with that.

Was just on about how a restart of parkrun might happen sooner, which I don't think it will. I'd expect some countries like NZ to start up first, and maybe some remote parkruns in the UK or Ireland, but really don't think that a global synchronisation of restarts is going to happen, despite the positive noises along those lines that come from parkrun HQ.

crisco10 · 02-04-2020 8:28am

I think it will be awhile until we see another Parkrun alright.

I assume though they will need all (or at least most) of the Parkruns in an area to start back the same day? I'm just thinking say if for example, Tymon was the 1st, and only South Dublin one back, there could well be a rush of tourists from Bushy, Marlay, Cabo, Waterstown, Brickfields etc. Which i dont think anyone would want

robinph · 02-04-2020 9:02am

Think the tourists will be scuppered by intercity travel restrictions, or at least extreme disapproving looks. Will need to start up all Dublin or London events at the same time, but no reason that Cork or Cardiff couldn't start on a different timetable.

opus · 02-04-2020 11:02am

If you get a chance please retweet this to try and keep parkrun sponsors on board while everything is in hiatus.

https://twitter.com/parkrunIE/status/1245629629500551174

It's on the parkrun Ireland Facebook page also so a few likes/shares are very much appreciated.

Thanks!

kmart6 · 02-04-2020 12:21pm

opus wrote: »

If you get a chance please retweet this to try and keep parkrun sponsors on board while everything is in hiatus.

Really don't think sponsors will be an issue here. Of the three, two are government led and one a healthcare provider, all who will be encouraging people to get out and be active after this. None of them are losing out in publicity from Parkrun due to Covid, it's limited enough on the scale of sports/outdoor activity sponsorships as it is year round.

Also, no sponsor is going to stay on because of likes/shares/retweets, if they've made a decision they will follow through on it.

robinph · 02-04-2020 12:45pm

kmart6 wrote: »

Really don't think sponsors will be an issue here. Of the three, two are government led and one a healthcare provider, all who will be encouraging people to get out and be active after this. None of them are losing out in publicity from Parkrun due to Covid, it's limited enough on the scale of sports/outdoor activity sponsorships as it is year round.

Also, no sponsor is going to stay on because of likes/shares/retweets, if they've made a decision they will follow through on it.

But a bit of positive exposure for a brand does no harm, and you never know could make a new brand want a bit of the action too.

But you're right that it's unlikely any will be going anywhere in the meantime as that would not be good publicity.

DeepBlue · 02-04-2020 2:10pm

Didn't even know that Brooks was a sponsor. When did that happen?

robinph · 02-04-2020 2:46pm

DeepBlue wrote: »

Didn't even know that Brooks was a sponsor. When did that happen?

About a month ago they were announced I think.

Fraggle07 · 03-04-2020 7:43pm

Fraggle07 wrote: »

Does anyone know when Shannon Co. Clare parkrun starts up?
I saw that they were looking for volunteers recently.

ger664 wrote: »

No confirmed date. Hope this gets off the ground, they probably are trying to gather a core team who are prepared to take it on.

Just coming back on this. Saw a facebook update earlier that they are planning for an April 25th start. May be pushed out due to Covid19. https://www.parkrun.ie/illaunmanagh/

robinph · 03-04-2020 7:56pm

Awesome.

Within a few metres of the in laws and I'm still in need of an I for the alphabet. Hope we can get over to run that soon.

Stark · 03-04-2020 8:19pm

Fraggle07 wrote: »

Just coming back on this. Saw a facebook update earlier that they are planning for an April 25th start. May be pushed out due to Covid19. https://www.parkrun.ie/illaunmanagh/

Definitely no park runs anytime in April anyway so May at the earliest if we're lucky.

https://www.parkrun.com/news/2020/03/12/covid-19/

Sunny Dayz · 04-04-2020 10:32am

DeepBlue wrote: »

Didn't even know that Brooks was a sponsor. When did that happen?

Is there a parkrun discount for Brooks?
I miss the Elverys parkrun discount, that was handy.

robinph · 04-04-2020 1:22pm

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Is there a parkrun discount for Brooks?
I miss the Elverys parkrun discount, that was handy.

Not that I'd seen any mention of, just that they were the official "shoe partner" of parkrun. Hadn't seen anything regarding what they were going to be doing, and that is obviously all going to be on hold now anyway.

Other sports brands would have had too much crossover with parkruns own brand of non-parkrun branded stuff from Contra and their clothing.

Annie get your Run · 04-04-2020 6:59pm

I heard an interview with Mike Ryan on Susan Keogh earlier (or a snippet of him speaking anyway). He talked about the kind of world we would be returning to when this is all over. He was referring in part to a kinder, more tolerant world but also indicated societal changes. I've a feeling that something like parkrun will take a long time to return. In China they are staggering the return of workers, businesses opening and schools reopening. Dr. Anne Moore, an immunologist in the School of Pharmacy UCC spoke on Nationwide last night too about the different world we will return to and how COVID-19 is just one threat, others will come down the line in the future (either near or distant) and that we need to change how we live in order to keep them at bay.

I love parkrun, it's been an important part of my life for the last 5+ years, but I won't be returning to it until there's a COVID-19 vaccine and that's well over a year away by all accounts. While the virus is still out there, it would be irresponsible of any organisation to arrange events where high numbers of people come together especially where sweat and breathing are a big part of that event. Runners spit (gross but some do

), give their sweaty barcodes to volunteers at the finish line and breath heavily on anyone who's running close by.

Just my tuppence, obviously no one knows what the future holds and only time will tell.

TaurenDruid · 04-04-2020 7:19pm

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Just my tuppence, obviously no one knows what the future holds and only time will tell.

True, but one thing we do know is that covid19 is a respiratory virus and isn't spread by sweat.

By the criteria you've set out above, you'll also not be using public transport in rush hour, going as a spectator to any big sporting events or gigs, and won't be in the pub, either.

That's your choice, obviously, but I will be doing all of those things once the current lockdown is lifted and things start to return to normal. I will in future be calling out the asshole on the bus who coughs without covering his mouth, and I'll continue washing my hands a lot more.

Annie get your Run · 04-04-2020 8:11pm

TaurenDruid wrote: »

True, but one thing we do know is that covid19 is a respiratory virus and isn't spread by sweat.

By the criteria you've set out above, you'll also not be using public transport in rush hour, going as a spectator to any big sporting events or gigs, and won't be in the pub, either.

That's your choice, obviously, but I will be doing all of those things once the current lockdown is lifted and things start to return to normal. I will in future be calling out the asshole on the bus who coughs without covering his mouth, and I'll continue washing my hands a lot more.

Sorry, yes you're right of course, that is the current belief. Thankfully I don't need to use public transport, I'm actually not a regular pub goer either. parkrun is probably the only thing that I was doing previously that would concern me.

robinph · 04-04-2020 8:25pm

The coffee shop afterwards is a riskier situation than the parkrun itself.

Murph_D · 05-04-2020 12:10am

robinph wrote: »

The coffee shop afterwards is a riskier situation than the parkrun itself.

Indeed. But can we learn a little more than that?

There’s no doubt we will return to a different world. How different, and why different, is probably too broad a topic for this forum. I don’t think the major problem in future is going to be related to human proximity, so I believe parkrun and all forms of sociable and competitive interaction will be fine in the long run.

The problem is more to do with how we, as a species, organise the distribution of food, shelter, clothing and recreation - the essentials of life. Covid probably originated in food production practices. It spread through the globalisation of business and tourism. It has exposed a critical weakness in how many (most?) countries approach the provision and maintenance of social services. It has been magnified in some countries (certainly the US and UK) by poor leadership, denial, callousness and reactive rather than proactive response. It has shown that most governments around the world have declined to prepare for the eventuality we are now facing, despite many warnings. Political expediency has always won out over prudence.

In short, it has exposed a great weakness of contemporary social and economic organisation.

Despite this, I’ve personally been heartened by the response. Global lockdowns are the only hope we have for containment. Social welfare is the only hope we have for avoiding societal breakdown. This has been recognised over and above the economic needs of individual corporations and nations. This is as it should be - there’s no market if we are all dead.

There will of course be hell to pay, and we are in for a rough ride. The economic crisis we have just emerged from is nothing on this. Hopefully we have learned something in the last 10-12 years.

Humanity will survive as a species. Hopefully humanity will also survive as a quality. parkrun will be part of both.

ger664 · 05-04-2020 2:01am

^^^^
POTY

Annie get your Run · 05-04-2020 9:13am

Just to clarify, I didn't say parkrun would never return, or should never return. My comment was really in relation to those thinking it would be back up and running by May. That's probably unrealistic and unlikely.

robinph · 21-04-2020 4:47pm

In news that will surprise no-one:

https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2020/04/21/covid-19-coronavirus-update-21-april/

parkrun suspended worldwide until the end of May.

Wondering if reading between the lines of

Importantly, we would also like to let you know that in all instances we will be taking a cautious approach to re-opening our events. And will only be doing so where not only do that country’s specific public health guidelines allow, but where we can be confident that our volunteer teams will not be placed under undue pressure.

They might be opening up to the idea that waiting until a whole territory can reopen might not be the best idea if smaller events can be restarted safely.

Say France, Italy or Germany lift their restrictions, and Ryanair/ Easyjet still have their flights suspended, might we see them restarting sooner. Probably then shutting down again as soon as international travel is available though. Could Bere Island or the prison events be allowed to open if those communities which are relatively closed off are safe and have controllable numbers.

ger664 · 21-04-2020 5:27pm

It could also be left to Event/Run Directors on the day.
Lets say the max outdoor for a territory is 200 well if it looks like there are more then 200 run doesnt proceed on health and safety measures. I know I am the worlds worst at ttrying to predict the number at the start. However I dont see them returning until all events can take place.

Seannew1 · 21-04-2020 6:13pm

ger664 wrote: »

It could also be left to Event/Run Directors on the day.
Lets say the max outdoor for a territory is 200 well if it looks like there are more then 200 run doesnt proceed on health and safety measures. I know I am the worlds worst at ttrying to predict the number at the start. However I dont see them returning until all events can take place.

This is true. Places like Malahide/St. Anne's can attract up tp 500 on a weekly basis, whereas, Castleblayney may only have 30 on a given week. Would go against parkrun ethos to open "lesser" attended parkruns and not the "bigger" ones.

I'm missing parkrun as much as the next person on this thread. Secretly hoping, they may be back in June but highly doubtful I would say.

CassieManson · 21-04-2020 6:15pm

Seannew1 wrote: »

This is true. Places like Malahide/St. Anne's can attract up tp 500 on a weekly basis, whereas, Castleblayney may only have 30 on a given week. Would go against parkrun ethos to open "lesser" attended parkruns and not the "bigger" ones.

I'm missing parkrun as much as the next person on this thread. Secretly hoping, they may be back in June but highly doubtful I would say.

Yes its tricky - if they open the smaller ones, people will travel from cancelled events.

Pawwed Rig · 21-04-2020 7:46pm

It could be done by invitation only for a number of weeks. That way you can roughly guesstimate how many will arrive.

You can't, of course, stop people entering a public park but, as in all of these things, you would have to rely on people to respect the restrictions.

I was meant to be running Mountjoy this week

rovers_runner · 21-04-2020 8:55pm

There won't be any parkrun for a long time lads.
How do you suggest they contact trace if they need to when people can run without a bib, barcode or and info on record?

At least with a corporate or club race everyone registers and you have a reference list for everyone there.

robinph · 21-04-2020 9:07pm

If contact tracing was the issue then parkrun is OK in that regard. The vast majority of runners at an event are identifiable and contactable via parkrun systems. Just as contactable as any other race, and easier to do than figuring out who was stood next to you on the bus or train each day during your commute to work.

rovers_runner · 21-04-2020 9:16pm

robinph wrote: »

If contact tracing was the issue then parkrun is OK in that regard. The vast majority of runners at an event are identifiable and contactable via parkrun systems. Just as contactable as any other race, and easier to do than figuring out who was stood next to you on the bus or train each day during your commute to work.

Really, you think?
What about all those anonymous entries in the results at all of the events?
There are no bibs and no obligation on anyone present to prove they have registered before or after taking part.

pc11 · 21-04-2020 10:37pm

rovers_runner wrote: »

There won't be any parkrun for a long time lads.
How do you suggest they contact trace if they need to when people can run without a bib, barcode or and info on record?

At least with a corporate or club race everyone registers and you have a reference list for everyone there.

Parkrun would never be part of contact tracing. That's for close contacts like people you live with or share an office with. The tracers have enough to be doing without trying to contact 300 people you were vaguely in the same outdoor area with for a minute or two at the start!

They care about people you spent at least 15 mins with in the same room.

robinph · 21-04-2020 11:47pm

rovers_runner wrote: »

Really, you think?
What about all those anonymous entries in the results at all of the events?
There are no bibs and no obligation on anyone present to prove they have registered before or after taking part.

That is a really small percentage of unknown and fake registrations, but as said it doesn't really matter who you were running beside for 10 seconds on lap two of a windy and rainy parkrun.

It's who you spent 20 minutes squashed up against on a crowded bus or train on the way to work, or who you spent half an hour with in a coffee shop or all day with in your office.

Parkrun..

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