She said she’s ‘always thought the point of parkrun was to go and enjoy a 5k run and some socialising after’
The woman was considering quitting parkrun over competitive behaviour(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
A woman was considering quitting her local parkrun after a ‘competitive’ group made things ‘unpleasant’.
The newcomers were allegedly ‘pushing people out of the way, swearing at them and shouting at them to let them through’.
She said their behaviour was not in the spirit of the event, and was sad to see it turned into a ‘glorified race’.
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The runner took to Mumsnet to share her frustrations: “My local parkrun has been overtaken by drama this week, after some men attended and basically turned the entire thing into a glorified race for themselves.
“They were pushing people out of the way, swearing at them and shouting at them to let them through.
“I always thought the point of parkrun was to go and enjoy a 5k run and some socialising after.
“But it seems that across the country they’re being overtaken by people who are obsessed with ‘winning’ it and getting the PB [personal best] as a ‘chip time’.
“I understand the sense of achievement you get from getting a PB, but I don’t think parkrun is the place to do it.
“Myself and many other women who have been attending for years are now considering not going again because it is so unpleasant.
“Am I being unreasonable to say they need to clamp down on this, before it becomes a big men’s club?”
One reply read: “The shoving isn’t acceptable but racing and trying to get a PB is fine.
“I know lots of youngsters that try and better their time each week.”
Another said: “Why can’t it be a competitive race for those who want it to be and just a fun run for those who don’t?
“They can start first and then everyone else behind? Like the London marathon does. Then you won’t get this sort of behaviour as those people are long gone?
“Not condoning these idiots by the way, but just suggesting that different people have different views about parkrun is and I can’t work out how they can’t be accommodated so everyone is happy.”
A third wrote: “There was a parkrun event in my area the other week.
“I was actually tutted at by a few of the runners because I was in their way on a public footpath despite moving as far as I could to the side.
“The entitlement was outrageous, so the original poster’s post does not surprise me.”
A fourth chipped in: “I think different runs have different cultures – some, the slower runners start at the back and the front runners position themselves to allow overtaking, or not.
“Others, it’s more of a community jog than a race. When people start touring to collect parkruns, the cultures clash.”
Another said: “I run races and this behaviour is also unacceptable in a race. It would not be tolerated.
“Parkrun is a bit strange as it claims not to be a race yet is set up as a race (measured course, start and finish, chip times).
“There are a minority of people looking to win or for PBs in parkrun, but then that is the same as in a race.
“Most people enter races for the fun of the course, not to win or even PB.
“So it’s their behaviour that is the issue, not that they regard it as a race as their behaviour is not acceptable in a race either.”
According to the website, parkrun was a “free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate”.
It was said to be “positive, welcoming and inclusive” with “no time limit and no one finishes last”.
The website adds: “We believe that almost everyone participating in parkrun, whether a runner, walker, volunteer or a spectator does so with passion, enthusiasm and the best of intentions.
“Whilst every event is unique, we aim to ensure that everyone participating at a parkrun receives a positive experience.
“However, sometimes things can and do go wrong and we believe it’s important to have a defined complaints procedure to follow when that happens.”
