Chapter 85 : I love Parkrun

I loved the fact that 400 people ran on The Queens Domain at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning.

They were all at the launch of the Queens Domain Parkrun.   

Parkrun is a 5 kay running event held around the world on Saturday morning on a local course. It is free and open to everybody.  Park Run is held around the world with the same basic format and local variations. Once you have registered you can run in any Parkrun around Australia or around the world. 

There is a lot to love about Parkruns. I love the way everybody does the same thing.  And everybody is different.  Everybody runs or walks 5 kays.  And everybody is a different shape or size and wearing different shorts, shirts and shoes. Everybody has a different story about why they were there. About what they are trying to achieve. What obstacles they had to overcome.  There were people there who had had hip replacements, medical problems, mental health problems, intellectual handicaps. People were there who were losing weight, stopping smoking or ceasing some drug habit.  Every possible handicap that had to be overcome existed.  And every story was unique. What they shared was an ambition to run or walk 5 kays. And in every case the significance of successfully finishing 5 kays varied.

With Parkruns I love the way there is no prize for coming first. All the competition is personal. My aim was to improve my physical, emotional and social health.  My running time is a guide to how I’m doing. My running time is only of interest to me.

Some people have the aim of reaching certain milestones. Special shirts are given to people who run 50,100,250 or 500 runs.

I love the way Parkruns improve the health of the local community. Not just physical health. Also the social and emotional health of the local community.  I love the social side to Parkrun. At the Parkrun I met people I know. The other people I plan on getting to know as we share our runs.

I love the way it has become a part of tourism. Parkruns have become are a part of our travels. We have done Parkruns in England and South Africa. The Parkruns in South Africa taught us more about South Africa than seeing a rhino or hippo. We met some of the locals, with similar interests, and experienced the local way they managed park runs.  Park Runs are similar around the world. The same recognizable procedures with local variations.  As in Tasmania your result will be put up the clouds hours after the run. You can then view all your times and so can others.

Parkrun tourism also involves welcoming visitors to our Parkruns. A lot of tourists to Tasmania make going to one of our local Parkruns a part of their Tasmanian holiday.

I love the way I have done every Parkrun with a member of my family. Either wife, child, grandchild, brother-in-law, son-in-law or else. In South Africa I met relatives I hadn’t seen for years. We celebrated by going for a park run together.  Us men bonded via sweat. The women bonded by the drink afterwards.

I love the way Parkrun is free. No fiddling around looking for a few dollars. You pay in two ways. Everybody is expected or encouraged to volunteer occasionally. When you do volunteer it gives you a different view of the event which better helps you understand it. When not volunteering it helps you become a more considerate runner.

The second way you pay is with sponsors for the event. They sponsor the event in exchange for the opportunity to tell you about what they sell. A reasonable deal. 

I love the way Parkrun makes the best of modern technology. When you register you are given an individual bar code which you have to print out. This bar code is scanned when you finish. Your result in then uploaded. You can see your result and compare it to your previous runs, other runners around the world, and other runner of the same age.  Parkrun uses this technology without being a slave to it. The run is more important than the technology.

How did Parkrun begin?

The history of Parkruns is that they began in London in 2004. They have spread throughout England and around the world. The first Parkrun in Australia was on the Gold Coast in 2011.  There are now about 270 Parkruns in Australia and 400,000 Parkrunners in Australia.  There are about 1,300 Parkruns globally and about 3,000,000 Parkrunners globally. It is impossible to give exact figures because new Parkruns and Parkrunners are being added continuously.

In 2017 the most popular Parkrun countries were the United Kingdom 484, Australia 261, South Africa (including Swaziland and Namibia) 114, Ireland 72, Poland 51, Russia 31, New Zealand 18, United States 15, Canada 12,France 8,Denmark 7, Italy 6, Germany 6,Sweden 5.  The numbers give you some idea of which countries have taken quicker to Park Run and are all now out of date. 

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Chapter 84: Umhlanga Parkrun (F)

The day after Umhlanga Park Run South Africa

Run along road by the beach. Every 50 meters there is a runner. Coming or going. What is it about South Africans? Why do they love to run? If I understood them and if I could see into their soul I might find out why they love to run.  And I might find something out about myself. I might find out why I love to run.

At the moment I will just get out there and enjoy running.  

Happy running.

Park Run Statistics

Umhlanga Park run         23.12.2017           293 females 386 males                   679 finishers

Hobie beach Park run     16.12 2017           372 females 506 males                   878 finishers

Chapter 84: Umhlanga Parkrun (E)

Umhlanga Park Run South Africa (the finish)

I find myself running alongside another man and I attempt to talk to him about the run.

Him, “It’s a very scenic course.”

Me, “That’s the positive.”

Him, “And very flat.”

Me, “And it’s way too crowded.”

I have made a mistake. He slips behind and never speaks to me again and he dreams of Robben Island being reopened as a prison for foreigners who come over telling us what to do.

We can see in the distance the whale bone pier where the finish line is. Scanned in the usual fashion and then a table with water provides partial relief. And then a new experience. The sweat starts to sting my eyes. Many of the runners are lying lounging on grass under palm trees.

Chapter 83 : Umhlanga Parkrun (D)

Umhlanga Park Run South Africa

I hear one man beside me say, “It’s a screamer.”

I say, “You mean it’s hot.”

Him,”Yah”

Me, “How do you beat the heat?”

Him, “Drink lots of water.”

Me, “And then go for a swim.”

Him,”Yah, that’s right.”

Chapter 82 : Umhlanga Parkrun (C)

Umhlanga Park Run South Africa

The crowd becomes bigger and thicker. The start means us back runners start to walk. We walk for over a minute and I peer looking for signs of people ahead of me running. A walk morphs into halted jogging and eventually running. We are sharing a public footpath in the middle of holiday season with swimmers, surfers, walkers, prams and dogs. One lady yells to herself, “This is a public footpath. Stick to the left.”

After less than two kays we share the footpath with fast runners approaching us on the right side of the footpath.

I dodge, dawdle and intermittently run depending on what is ahead on the footpath.

Chapter 81 : Umhlanga Parkrun (B)

Umhlanga Park Run South Africa (the start)

Wake to warm humid heat. I will need to carry water. I don’t want mishaps. The run feels reassuring but my time will be slow.

At Umhlanga we drive around until suddenly we win with a parking spot a short walk to whale-bone pier. The start is a short road off the main promenade.  A man is nailing up starting times to palm trees.

I say to a runner, “That’s good.”

She says, “But people don’t follow the times. They just go anywhere.”

To me the signs are beautifully laid out suggestion.

Chapter 80 : Umhlanga Parkrun (A)

The day before Umhlanga Park Run South Africa

Today I have to think about what to do and where to do it. Tomorrow I will be comfortable safe and secure with the usual park run. It will start, run and finish in the usual fashion.

Today I think about the house we have hired. How does this microwave work? How do we lock the doors?

The man in the house next door says shut your doors or the monkeys will get in and eat your food. We comply. We walk to the shops and immediately spy troops of monkeys on the move. They are in trees and on fences. I think they will look cute until the second they take our food.

Today I have to think about the local shops. Which one sells the best coffee? 

Today I have to decide where to swim. It’s hot and humid. The heat will be an issue tomorrow. Will need to carry water.

Tomorrow will be easier than today.

Chapter 79 : Hobie Beach Parkrun (E)

The day after the day after Hobie Beach Park Run South Africa

I head inland and come to a school with a nice oval. I could do speed work and drills on the oval. The school is surrounded by an impenetrable fence. At times electric. I run on.

I come to a soccer oval. Joy of joy. No fences. I run onto the oval. The surface is uneven, pot holed and very lumpy.  It is too dangerous for speed work. I run back to our guest house.  To enter I take the key to the gate from my back pack.

We now leave behind Port Elizabeth and head north to Natal.  Everybody running in the park run seemed to benefit physically, emotional and socially from the activity.  I wish all those legs many more miles of activity.

Chapter 78 : Hobie Beach Parkrun (D)

The day after Hobie Beach Park Run South Africa

I go to leave our guest house. The gate lies open and I see the manageress outside viewing the electric fence installed yesterday.

I say,” Good morning.”

She smiles and says, “What do you think of our new fence?”

I reply,” It’s good. I’d prefer no security fences.”

She laughs, “This is South Africa.”

I can’t comment and I continue not to comment as she educates me about Jacob Zuma and the ANC.

I head off for my morning run along the promenade. It is very enjoyable. The sea on one side. The path this morning cleared of all the broken glass from the previous evening. The path winds up and down the coast and is full of runners.

Chapter 77 : Hobie Beach Parkrun (C)

Hobie Beach Park Run South Africa  (the finish)

After the rocks we reach the turnaround point. Now back to the palm tree. Hopefully I can get in with a group of runners running at my speed. Doesn’t happen. I continue to pass and dodge slower runners and walkers and members of the public out for their walk. It is a path busy with non-park runners.

I eventually run beside someone I can talk to.

Him: “Other local runs are very tough do them for endurance. This one you do for speed.”

I know South Africans love a tough course but I have to adjust my thinking. Rock hopping is now a fast course.

Me: “We are coming here tonight for the fireworks.”

We can see the finish tree in the distance. I grab my camera and take a few photos of my wife and daughter. My son has avoided the camera by finishing ahead of me. We are surrounded by coffee shops and the crowd disperses with no organised drinking.We have to hurry back to our guest house for breakfast before the staff goes.

After doing the park runs in South Africa I am now beginning to understand my wife of more than 30 years.  She was born and raised in Southern Africa.  Part of her personality and character has that South African tinge to it. 

The park runs in South Africa reflected the society in which they exist.  I learnt more about South Africa by doing the park runs than by going up Table Mountain or viewing zebras or giraffes.  The park runs showed me things I thought were good (we can learn from you) and bad (in need of improvement).

To all the South Africans I say come to Tassie. Come and do our park runs.  You may find things that are good (and that you can copy) and things were we can learn from you (tell us about them).   And while you are in Tassie go up Mt Wellington and see the Tassie devil.  We love our Tassie devil. You can see our devil on my shirt.

All the locals seemed happy. There was a large crowd of locals who seemed to enjoy being in a crowd.  A sense of belonging. I don’t know what they belonged to. The park run community or some other community.  

Chapter 76 : Hobie Beach Parkrun (B)

Hobie Beach Park Run South Africa (the start)

It is day time therefore our night security guard has left. With our key we open then lock the gate in the tall, heavy thick wall.  We walk down the road past high brick walls and dogs which barks at us.  We come to the main road and head for the zebra crossing. We stand and watch the traffic speed past until we get a break in the traffic and cross to a grassy area near a promenade. We walk down the promenade towards the prominent palm tree. The usual variety of shirts is milling around the palm tree. I find a very friendly group of lady runners.  One of them is from Sydney. An amazing coincidence. She is here because was born here in PE and has links to the area.

We talk and more and more people arrive and by 8:00 am a large crowd is milling around the palm tree. A man with a megaphone asks everybody to move back behind the palm tree. I am behind the palm tree way at the back and wander around and watch as crowds wait for others to move back. Further megaphoning and the crowd inches back.  Everybody seems to want to keep their coveted front spot.

At about 8:15 am the race starts and I look at my watch. It takes over one minute before I move. Everybody around me starts walking. I run as much as possible. Dodging, swerving, passing and avoiding walkers and runners.

After about 2 kays the path diverts onto the beach and we run on sand which is surprisingly easy and enjoyable. We then arrive at a rocky area. I rock hop and then run on sand and then I encounter another rock hopping area. I suppose I really could run this area if I really had to but today I don’t.

Chapter 75 : Hobie Beach Parkrun (A)

The day before Hobie Beach Park Run South Africa

I run along the beach front.  I see a lady ahead of me. I speed up and catch up and say, “Good morning.

She replies, “Morning.”

Me, “Do you know where the park run is tomorrow?”

She is pleased with my question. “Yes I do. It starts at that palm tree over there.  (She points).  I do it every week.”

Me, “I’ve come all the way from Tassie to do this run.”

She grimly concentrates on her running and disappears. I now know the spot.  Concrete paths lead up and down the beach from the palm tree.  It is very much a built environment. The beach then the promenade then a busy road then some luxuries houses.  All houses with highly visible security.