Parkrun needs to introduce a cut off, but what time?

1/10 troll post

nobody expects you to clap in all the finishers at Parkrun if you don’t want to.

How does it affect you?

Maybe do a proper race if you want to see only serious runners.

There is a 49 year old in our running community who does nothing but run. Well, he works, but he had no other interests, no children and is a total jerk.

At a race last summer, he didn't too well and was passed the last 200 meters by a female Kenyan. At the awards banquet, he was pounding the table in frustration, saying how he was going to "train his brains out and pound her in the ground next year."

If he only saw the people laughing at him. What a joke.

As a fairly regular parkrun volunteer the expectation is about 60/70 mins commitment till the final finisher. There's generally people doing some effort up until about 45 minutes. After that is the walkers which can be a bit frustrating but that's the decision by HQ for inclusiveness rather than the time trial beginnings.

Parkrun brought in a parkwalker initiative so they are encouraging walkers. As long as it doesn't go above 60 70 minutes the volunteers won't care too much . 90 mins plus in winter will make marshals pass it up though

I've volunteered at races and I have to agree to a cut off. Typically, the people who leisurely stroll through a "race" expect the same treatment as people who put forth some effort.

I've stood in sub-freezing temps waiting for someone to walk 5k or even longer at 20 minute per mile pace. Seriously, you can go out and walk 3, 5 + miles anytime you want.

I've found that the rude people are typically the slowest who feel entitled to have the volunteers wait for them.

Exactly. The slowest are the most demanding. "We work just as hard as the others'" Um, no you don't. And everyone is not a winner. Some people have to accept limitations. Asking volunteers to stand there while you chat and stroll and aren't really making an effort, then make some stupid joke as you cross the line or throw your arms up because you had to be part of the latest fad is not fair to the people giving up their time for the event.

Are these courses certified?

Okay, it sounds like we all agree that the parkrun needs to be styled after the hunger games. Last participant on the course gets killed each week until the only people participating are serious hobby joggers

Parkrun isn't a race, it's a run. It's why no one "wins" a parkrun, they just finish first. That's the mission of the whole organization. If you don't like it, there's plenty of proper 5k races and these usually have cutoff times - and entry fees. Just be happy that parkrun delivers a free, timed run every single week and you get to leech off the goodwill of organizers and volunteers while complaining that it isn't run exactly how you would like.

TBF it's not even a RUN if it allows walkers.

You're missing the point- it's ok to run slow, jog, walk but the people who are out strolling are not ok.

I was working the finish line of a 5k once and this lady came in smiling and walking very slow and said that she would have been in sooner but she saw a friend and stopped to talk and PET THEIR DOG!!!

Meanwhile, the three of us running the finish line stood there waiting for her to come in.

That's just rude.

Some are, some aren't. Most of the ones that aren't are likely fairly accurate just not certified.

Its a "run" not a "race", true but they do publish the results in order, with times, and each event site lists all the "first finishers", has a running list all the sub 17 men and sub 20 women and the age group record holders on the course. And lots of other stats.

I don't think walkers and such are as easily offended as the parkrun brass imagines but its fine. Its indeed a race, they just don't say that out loud.

Its also a valid point about the slowpokes holding volunteers up. At some point it can be a problem but honestly, a lot of the slower people are the ones that enjoy volunteering.

Ok, but was that a 5k race that was advertised as such? Maybe charged an entry fee.

From the front page of the parkrun website:

"parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate."

It's baked right in there. If you're a competitive runner, you can go and smash the race (Jake Wightman ran one a couple of weeks ago). Equally, if you're a 70 year-old who runs 15-minute miles, you're welcome too. The very point of parkrun is you do it however you want. For a lot of people, the point is to get out on a Saturday morning for coffee and cake. It's silly to criticise an event for doing exactly what it says it will do