Park Runs Coming to Chicago this Summer

Maybe I am becoming too cynical, but $100,000 to put these on? Can't they just put up mile markers and start / finish signs, then let people run the course whenever they want?

Lenny Leonard wrote:

Maybe I am becoming too cynical, but $100,000 to put these on? Can't they just put up mile markers and start / finish signs, then let people run the course whenever they want?

The concept is big in the UK:

The idea is it is organized and you get a chip and time but no need to register for each race. Just show up and run. Also helps eliminate the expense of the $50+ 5Ks.

$100,000 was total for this year. A drop in the bucket compared to the Chicago Park District budget. These events are largely staffed by volunteers.

I get the runs when I'm in the park sometimes. Nice to use nature to relief myself. Free fertilizer.

youneedthefeel wrote:

I get the runs when I'm in the park sometimes. Nice to use nature to relief myself. Free fertilizer.

There is something satisfying about peeing in public. So freeing and natural.

I saw this today in a CARA email. Exciting. I may have to show up for one of these and see whether they are worth the time

City is bleeping broke - property taxes are going up by 11-33% downtown. So by all means let's spend 100K to have more races - when already there is NOT a weekend in Chicago without a minimum of 15 races (record was 37 within 1 hour drive from downtown Sept 20-21 last year). We're broke - so let's spend more!!!!!

312Runner wrote:

Lenny Leonard wrote:

Maybe I am becoming too cynical, but $100,000 to put these on? Can't they just put up mile markers and start / finish signs, then let people run the course whenever they want?

The concept is big in the UK:

http://www.parkrun.com/about/

The idea is it is organized and you get a chip and time but no need to register for each race. Just show up and run. Also helps eliminate the expense of the $50+ 5Ks.

$100,000 was total for this year. A drop in the bucket compared to the Chicago Park District budget. These events are largely staffed by volunteers.

No chip at all at the uk. Just a barcode that you print at home and another barcode that you receive at the finish line with your position. a volunteer reads both and voilà, time and position assigned to your name.

This is lead generation for CARA so they can spam you about their races, membership fees and other non-sense.

Pathetic.

Good luck organizing an uninterrupted course in Humboldt Park on a Saturday morning. Too many street crossings required. Should do great things for traffic.

312Runner wrote:

Lenny Leonard wrote:

Maybe I am becoming too cynical, but $100,000 to put these on? Can't they just put up mile markers and start / finish signs, then let people run the course whenever they want?

The concept is big in the UK:

http://www.parkrun.com/about/

The idea is it is organized and you get a chip and time but no need to register for each race. Just show up and run. Also helps eliminate the expense of the $50+ 5Ks.

$100,000 was total for this year. A drop in the bucket compared to the Chicago Park District budget. These events are largely staffed by volunteers.

5ks are not popular in the UK, parkrun wasn't created to "compete" with the nonsense-5k-fundraisers-for-whatever we have in the US every single weekend. parkrun is about getting people active.

the events are ONLY staffed by volunteers. no charge. no chip timing, it's hand timed and with a barcode.

In the future, please do not speak of things you do not know about.

Lenny Leonard wrote:

Maybe I am becoming too cynical, but $100,000 to put these on? Can't they just put up mile markers and start / finish signs, then let people run the course whenever they want?

Other parkruns are put on by individuals who do not get paid. This parkrun is put on by the city; city employees must be paid. If the indivuals who put on other parkruns were paid competitive wages the cost to put on their race probably would also be around $100,000.

Blah Blah Blah. wrote:

Lenny Leonard wrote:

Maybe I am becoming too cynical, but $100,000 to put these on? Can't they just put up mile markers and start / finish signs, then let people run the course whenever they want?

Other parkruns are put on by individuals who do not get paid. This parkrun is put on by the city; city employees must be paid. If the indivuals who put on other parkruns were paid competitive wages the cost to put on their race probably would also be around $100,000.

They have a volunteers rota and the idea is if you do parkruns regularly you volunteer twice a year or something. A meet director has to organise it initially but even that role is rotated once its established.

There are 3 within 10 miles of where I live, one in walking distance. A free 5km - what's not to like