Parkrun..

ultraman1 · 03-01-2013 12:52pm #1

quick question in relation to parkrun,...first off i think its a great idea and is a brillant addition to running in ireland and i hope it continues to grow in many more parks in all over of ireland ...
...does anyone think that Parkrun will affect the numbers doing club run 5ks around the dublin,and if so that it will then affect a clubs ability to raise funds from those races that they depend on and so on or will the benifits of many more running every week outweigh any problems a club would have ,,,,had dis debate last night ,.....were numbers up, down or same for tombrennan5k

menoscemo · 03-01-2013 12:59pm

There were record numbers for Jingle Bells this year and the park run in Malahide was on the same day.
I think most people see Parkrun as a training run rather than a serious race and would still go to a club race for a fast time or bit of competition. A lot of the people doing park Run every week would never do a club race.

Hopefully both Parkrun and Club races can both thrive.

Just checked the Tom Brennan results now and there were nearly 200 more runners this year than last year.

nerraw1111 · 03-01-2013 1:08pm

It might increase the numbers. Park run is beginner friendly, encourages people to get out and be active. People will then want to get out and challenge themselves further in different races/courses.

I can’t see it taking many people out of the racing circuit.

TRR · 03-01-2013 1:10pm

I thi well run club races will not be affected. Smaller mickey mouse races will be though. I also think races will have to put a bit more effort into post race refreshments and atmosphere to justify their price tags and set them apart from a free event like parkrun. The good club races do this already.

I'm with meno, I want to do a 5k time trial in a acouple of weeks and would normally enter some random GAA type race. Stumping up 20 quid is a pain though so I'll be hitting parkrun as I see it more of a training run than a on attempt. I'll save my money for a big club race like Msb 5k in march.

robinph · 03-01-2013 1:31pm

Don't think it's effected numbers entering races negatively in the UK at all. If anything it will increase numbers entering races as new runners will have the fear of not being good enough taken away and it breaks down the barriers that people perceive.

Similar to the line "I'm not fast enough to join a club", the parkruns help get round the "I'm not able to run/ walk 5km" myth that people get fixated on as reasons for not getting off the couch.

tHE vAGGABOND · 03-01-2013 2:06pm

The vast majority of folks don't know about parkrun yet - when word gets around I think folks will think "why pay €30 to enter this, when that one is free" - the thing is having more and more of them, like in the UK.

I was telling my other half and sister about it over Christmas, and we are all going to do Malahide in a few weeks, where we were going to do a paid on in the park...

b.harte · 03-01-2013 3:45pm

Slightly straying OT a bit but;
I think that club races might hold their own or even pick up a bit, as explained above by robinph.
I think the real losers may well be the races that are blatant rip-offs, every county has them at every distance from 10 km to 1/2 Marathon.
I've done some great events for 15 that out-gunned races for 3 times that amount, and every club race I've been to puts on a decent spread and is a more sociable affair.
I'm voting with my feet this year, I've 3 main races on my calendar so far, thinking of adding a 4th (and it will cost me more in diesel to drive there and back than to run it), will more than likely end up doing 5/6 but this will depend on the costs.
Any other smaller / local events I can pick up if they suit training plan / work / family etc.
No park-run down here (yet) but I would see it as a great way to meet fellow runners and have a bit of non-competion-competition.
Other than that I'm doing a few longer longer runs for free, and enjoy the personal challenge.

QandA · 03-01-2013 3:46pm

No, I don't think it will affect the numbers at all .

Parkrun fills a gap in the running 'market' but for most regular runners it will not replace a club/event race. It's an alternative if there's nothing taking place, in my opinion.

I'll do the Parkrun when it suits as it is a good little session but it won't replace events etc.

MisterDrak · 03-01-2013 3:56pm

Slightly different perspective.

I'm going to probably drop the BHAA races in favour of the Parkrun for a few reasons:-

1. I'm 5 minutes from the course
2. I know a few of the lads there, and we have a decent race each week.
3. The stats they mail out each week are impressive (Age Grade, points total, PB or not PB).
4. Most importantly, Iv a chance to go 2nd on the points table this week

.

I will however still do the larger Saturday races around Dublin, Marathon Race series, MSB 5K, Dunsaughlin etc...

Timmaay · 03-01-2013 6:05pm

Good question, I've been wondering about this as well!

On a related question firstly, I have never being to a parkrun in either Ireland or the UK, how well do they cop with large numbers? We see with the IMRA 250ish being a practical limit in their races, due to parking/course congestion etc, with many club races, 5/600 becomes a limiting factor, above which your going into traffic management, segregation of different standards of athletes etc! Will the likes of that come into the equation with Parkruns at all? Say if say 600 people showed up to the Malahide race this Saturday, would they cope with the numbers, or considering the race was free to enter, would all the competitors just have to be content with likes of congestion on the course, large queues etc.

robinph wrote: »

Don't think it's effected numbers entering races negatively in the UK at all. If anything it will increase numbers entering races as new runners will have the fear of not being good enough taken away and it breaks down the barriers that people perceive.

Out of interest what is the entry fee for typical 5k club races in the UK? I think I remember someone telling me before that alot of clubraces there only charge 2/3pounds entry to most of their races, whether they are limited to club members I don't know. The UK does have 10times the population of here however.

BeepBeep67 · 03-01-2013 6:41pm

Timmaay wrote: »

Out of interest what is the entry fee for typical 5k club races in the UK? I think I remember someone telling me before that alot of clubraces there only charge 2/3pounds entry to most of their races, whether they are limited to club members I don't know. The UK does have 10times the population of here however.

I've only ran 1 club race in the UK, a 5k, it was £3 for UK registered athletes and £5 for unregistered. Very similar to our F4L set up. No frills and minimum fuss.

robinph · 03-01-2013 7:43pm

Timmaay wrote: »

Good question, I've been wondering about this as well!

On a related question firstly, I have never being to a parkrun in either Ireland or the UK, how well do they cop with large numbers? We see with the IMRA 250ish being a practical limit in their races, due to parking/course congestion etc, with many club races, 5/600 becomes a limiting factor, above which your going into traffic management, segregation of different standards of athletes etc! Will the likes of that come into the equation with Parkruns at all? Say if say 600 people showed up to the Malahide race this Saturday, would they cope with the numbers, or considering the race was free to enter, would all the competitors just have to be content with likes of congestion on the course, large queues etc.

The parkrun that is nearest me, but has only been running for a couple of weeks so far, gets between 35-60 people turning up depending on the weather from what I've seen. It is three laps around a fairly small and uninteresting park and from me running around at the front I think I'd get annoyed with it if there was double the numbers running it as there would be too much overtaking to do.

The only other parkrun I've done so far has been going well over a year now and is on the other side of the city, but I think they get 100-150 each week and could easily accommodate more people. It is an out and back course along a wider path, but has what must be the worst course profile of any parkrun with 2.5km up a steep hill followed by 2.5km straight back down again. It is a nice view from the top on a clear day though.

I believe that Bushy parkrun, the original one, would have as many as 900 doing it each week and they cope with those numbers. There appears to be another parkrun only a mile or two away as well that seems to have several hundred doing that as well each week.

Timmaay wrote: »

Out of interest what is the entry fee for typical 5k club races in the UK? I think I remember someone telling me before that alot of clubraces there only charge 2/3pounds entry to most of their races, whether they are limited to club members I don't know. The UK does have 10times the population of here however.

The races are a lot cheaper over here than the ones I was doing in Ireland, although that doesn't stop the locals complaining about the price.

A 5km series that I do I think was £25 unaffiliated or £19 affiliated to enter the series of 5 races and that would be one of the more expensive ones. Another series of 5mile races I'm doing is £15 for affiliated entry if you sign up early and that is 9 races over the year. I think the races my club organise are £3 to enter.

MisterDrak · 04-01-2013 3:52pm

Timmaay wrote: »

On a related question firstly, I have never being to a parkrun in either Ireland or the UK, how well do they cop with large numbers? We see with the IMRA 250ish being a practical limit in their races, due to parking/course congestion etc, with many club races, 5/600 becomes a limiting factor, above which your going into traffic management, segregation of different standards of athletes etc! Will the likes of that come into the equation with Parkruns at all? Say if say 600 people showed up to the Malahide race this Saturday, would they cope with the numbers, or considering the race was free to enter, would all the competitors just have to be content with likes of congestion on the course, large queues etc.

.

Timmaay,

Being a Malahide parkrun regular, I would say that they can cater for 250, 300 comfortably (avg seems to be about 200), however larger numbers could get messy for the mid pack, on some of the narrower sections, later in the race.
It will be interesting to see how things fare in the spring / summer with better weather we may see larger numbers.

huskerdu · 25-02-2013 4:14pm

i just volunteered for the trial run in Marlay Park on Saturday.
will anyone else be there ?

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marlay-parkrun/146693202152615?ref=ts&fref=ts

doughef · 28-02-2013 10:06am

www.parkrun.ie/marlay.

I'm trying very hard but cant seem to find anything negative about this at all?

I agree that a lot of people might be too afraid to try club races and will find this a much less daunting prospect, even if they have to walk it.
Kind of like the Operation Transformation 5K etc..

It could be a start for some people and hopefully some of the worse organised events will get a kick up the ass they need.

I'm definately going to give it a blast.. just over the road too !! Handy

robinph · 28-02-2013 10:24am

There is a negative...

...you feel guilty when you miss getting up on the Saturday morning to do the run right across the street from you.

liamo66 · 28-02-2013 10:29am

We are holding an informal trial run for the Marlay parkrun this Saturday 2nd March @9:30 am. The start is behind Marlay house facing on to the concert field. If you are interested in coming along to run the course pm me. We will not have the timing equipment on site but will attempt to record times using a smart phone and post results on the Marlay FB site.

doughef · 28-02-2013 10:43am

robinph wrote: »

There is a negative...

...you feel guilty when you miss getting up on the Saturday morning to do the run right across the street from you.

Ha Ha!! yes.. like school or work.. The nearer you live the later you are!!

liamo66 wrote: »

We are holding an informal trial run for the Marlay parkrun this Saturday 2nd March @9:30 am. The start is behind Marlay house facing on to the concert field. If you are interested in coming along to run the course pm me. We will not have the timing equipment on site but will attempt to record times using a smart phone and post results on the Marlay FB site.

All roads lead to Carlingford this Saturday but thanks for the offer and best of luck

doughef · 09-03-2013 12:47pm

Great race there this morning..

Very enjoyable...

Can only see it growing from strength to strength.

great course if a little tight in places.. sh** time for myself but the pints last night didnt help.:pac:

Well done and thanks to all concerned. Looking forward to improving my times during the summer.

Emer911 · 09-03-2013 3:38pm

+1.
Went over to Marlay Park this morning. Good course - a wee bit sloppy in spots (I was muck splattered from the waist down!:p) but the rain held off and I thoroughly enjoyed the run.
Congrats on the 1st run.
I'll definitely be back.

Heliotrope · 09-03-2013 3:47pm

Looks like Marlay smashed the record for numbers at an inaugural event. What a great start!

doughef · 09-03-2013 8:46pm

Heliotrope wrote: »

Looks like Marlay smashed the record for numbers at an inaugural event. What a great start!

yeah.. seen that,. delighted for them.

roll on next week.

digger2d2 · 09-03-2013 10:58pm

Emer911 wrote: »

(I was muck splattered from the waist down!:p)

Krusty really needs to lay off those craft beers

doughef · 18-03-2013 3:22pm

Yesterdays race was fantastic again...

I cant fault it at all!

see you every Saturday

A0 · 22-03-2013 8:18pm

Does anybody know if Marlay parkrun is on tomorrow?

Thanks.

Skid X · 22-03-2013 8:21pm

A0 wrote: »

Does anybody know if Marlay parkrun is on tomorrow?

Thanks.

According to Facebook (a few hours ago) it is ...

Marlay parkrun will proceed as normal tomorrow. We're a hardy bunch here, so please assume that Marlay parkrun will never be cancelled due to weather conditions.
Unless its actually deemed dangerous by the Event Director.
So zip up your man suit tomorrow, because we'll be there ready to run!!!!!!!

A0 · 22-03-2013 8:23pm

Skid X wrote: »

According to Facebook (a few hours ago) it is ...

Thanks a mil, didn't think about checking on their FB page. Thanks.

Skid X · 22-03-2013 8:31pm

A0 wrote: »

Thanks a mil, didn't think about checking on their FB page. Thanks.

No worries, It is a good page, they keep it updated regulary - link for anyone who wants it ...

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marlay-parkrun/146693202152615?fref=ts

Peckham · 22-03-2013 9:37pm

It's the 20th Malahide parkrun tomorrow, and looks like being the first one in the rain. Amazing that an event would start in November and it would go 19 consecutive Saturdays without seeing anything heavier than a bit of light drizzle.

fightireland · 24-03-2013 11:33pm

did my first run yesterday and it was a hoot!

Bringing the girlfriend and her mother next week too, they had previously never dreamed of doing any kind of "formal" running before so it's great that something like this will allow them to give it a go...

robinph · 27-04-2013 1:58pm

Did my first bit of parkrun volunteering today at my local event due to not being able to run right now. Was good to do something different, but glad it was only just over 140 people that I had to scan the barcodes of and not the 400+ that you guys are getting at Marlay and Malahide.

Parkrun..

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