A parkrun dilemma

[damienair]

I need advice from fellow parkrun fans.

I have a little dilemma. I am running my 49th parkrun this coming Saturday. I am running it at a parkrun in Dublin called Marlay Park. The following week I will be running my 50th parkrun and I was planning on running it at my home parkrun. I have not run at my home parkrun in about 5 or 6 weeks as I’ve been busy touring different Parkruns with my 10 year old Son.

However on the 7th there is an inaugural parkrun not too far away from where I live. I’ve never been at the first running of a parkrun event before and I thought I’d do it so as to mark my 50th parkrun.

So do I do it at my home parkrun or at the new inaugural parkrun? There will be cake at the new parkrun.

Damien

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

Oooooh that’s tough 🤣 I can’t decide 🤣 I’d probably do my local one tbh as I know people there and they know me. I got lots of congratulations when I did my 50th at my usual 👍🏽

[damienair Administrator in reply to Tasha99]

I know. I’m really torn, but there are a few people from my local parkrun whom are going to travel and attend the inaugural. I’m really torn but sliding towards the inaugural.

[Archieandme]

Oooooo I like the idea of an inaugural parkrun tying in with it being your 50th, especially if there’s cake!!

[damienair Administrator in reply to Archieandme]

😂😂😂 I know. Free Cake. 🍰 it’s pulling me like a magnet 🧲

[backintime Graduate10]

Cake ? No contest 😂

Joking aside, I think it would be nicer to say you were at the Inaugural parkrun for your 50th, you may even meet done of your "regulars" there.

Or, don't run this Saturday and volunteer instead. Then do the Inaugural run as number 49 and your 50th at your regular park ?

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10 in reply to backintime]

That’s what I’d do damienair , as BIT suggested. If I were you I’d volunteer this weekend, satisfy my nosiness and run the inaugural one the next weekend, then the following one I’d do the 50th at “home”. That would cover all bases - cake, curiosity and running a familiar course for your Big One. Whatever you decide, have fun! 👍🏃‍♂️🎂

[damienair Administrator in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I’m running at a parkrun in Dublin this Saturday with some colleagues and their families and I’ve helped organise it through work for a Charity. So I have to run it. It will be a nice family fun run at a parkrun.

I was texting a couple of girls in my run group earlier who also do a lot of parkrun tourism. They are going to travel to the inaugural parkrun. So at least I’d have company to celebrate and free cake.

[damienair Administrator in reply to backintime]

Some of the regulars from my local parkrun are traveling to the inaugural which is just 30 mins away. So I’m being swayed towards joining them for the inaugural event. 2 birds 🐦 with one stone.

[BaddieThePirate Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

🦆🦆

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Go for a double celebration Damien, your 50th, tell the race director at that first inaugural Parkrun it's your 50th parkrun, of course that cake at the end is also so inviting. My very first parkrun was also a celebration, it was their 4th birthday and I had a piece of cake 🎂 after the final runner finished. 😊

[damienair Administrator in reply to AlMorr]

I’ve traveled with my Son to a couple of birthday celebrations at parkrun. We love cake. 😂😂😂 It’s definitely a first world problem. But I think free cake has it.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

👍 cake🎂 🎂😀🏃

[51mc Graduate10]

Cake is appealing! I think BIT"s solution is a winner. Either way, enjoy your 50th!

[damienair Administrator in reply to 51mc]

Thanks. Cake it is. 🍰🍰🍰

[Couchpotato2]

There is cake. That’s the choice made

[damienair Administrator in reply to Couchpotato2]

🍰🍰🍰🧲🧲🧲 Did someone say free cake?

[Couchpotato2 in reply to damienair]

You might see me there...

[BaddieThePirate Graduate10 in reply to Couchpotato2]

Wish we could all come 🍰🍰🍰🍰 😋

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

Firstly congratulations on your upcoming 50th parkrun that's amazing. I think as you have been visiting lots of different parkrun you should do your 50th at their first and the cake at the end can be for you to celebrate also . Good luck 😊😊

[damienair Administrator in reply to Buddy34]

Thanks. I now know a few people who are traveling to the inaugural parkrun. So they along with my 10 year old Son can help me celebrate. Mmmm 🍰

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Decisions decisions! When I did parkrun with Oldgirlruns (it was her c25k graduation run) I picked up my timing chip but then handed it back without being scanned as I didn’t want to change the date or place of my 50th Parkrun. So you could run on Saturday and not get scanned , or you could do as others suggest and volunteer instead. It would be great to do the first of a new parkrun event but the 50 T-shirt Run should definitely be at home . Have fun whatever you decide. I’m so excited about my 50th on Saturday.

🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🚶‍♂️🚶🏻‍♀️🐕🚶‍♂️🚶🏻‍♀️🐩🚶‍♂️

[damienair Administrator in reply to Dexy5]

Good luck on Saturday. Take a pic and put it up here. Looking forward to reading your run report. We will be counting to 100 soon.

Damien

[BaddieThePirate Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Hope you get cake for your 50th too 🍰

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to BaddieThePirate]

I am providing it, so I hope so. Not for all 500 or so , but for friends and volunteers

[Madge50 Graduate10]

CAKE! 🍰🧁🎂🍰🧁🎂🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️🥳😂😎

Mx

[damienair Administrator in reply to Madge50]

👍🍰

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

I think this is a question way out of my league as a newly graduated C25K-er. But I think the cake probably has it! Perhaps you’ll have to work for a bigger celebration at your local PR when you hit that magical 💯!

[damienair Administrator in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Yes I’ll definitely do my 100th at my local. Cake wins. 👍

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

Cake every time! Also, most of us don’t have a Wilson-index, when will the next chance be to get on that ladder locally?

[damienair Administrator in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yes very true. I don’t have anything on the Wilson Index yet. That will be No.1. First rung on the ladder. Plus cake 🍰.

[BaddieThePirate Graduate10]

New inaugural Parkrun. You can run your home one any time. You only get one chance at the inaugural run. No contest 🍰

[damienair Administrator in reply to BaddieThePirate]

Thanks 🏴‍☠️ . My mind is made up. Inaugural it is. Plus a group from my local parkrun are also going so I’ll have company and people to celebrate with. They have promised ☕️ and 🍰 on the way home. I’m sold.

Damien

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

Aren’t YOU supposed to provide the cake on your 50th? 🍰

[damienair Administrator in reply to Tasha99]

I’ll bring cake to my 51st. Your making me feel guilty now. 🤭😀

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

🤣

[Tulipcat]

Cake.

[damienair Administrator in reply to Tulipcat]

👍🍰

[ArthurJG Graduate10]

Officially parkrun discourage tourism to inaugural parkruns because it puts extra pressure on a new team of volunteers on their first day. If you intend to make the new one your home parkrun that’s different of course. But otherwise it’s considered better manners to wait a week or two before visiting a new parkrun.

[damienair Administrator in reply to ArthurJG]

Yes I know. That’s true of Parkruns in the UK. However here in Ireland it is very different. Many Parkruns get less than 50 runners some weeks. I’ve been to 3 different parkrun courses recently even in Dublin where there were 25-35 people attending. My local parkrun gets around 120 per week and the next closest gets just around 60.

So when a new parkrun starts up runners from around the local parkrun community turn up for the first couple of weeks just to boost numbers and show support and it looks good for the local press. There is never any more than around 200 people at an inaugural event so far outside of Dublin. It adds to the atmosphere. But numbers do settle down after 4-5 weeks.

But yes good point. Especially considering 99% of people reading this are UK based. Attending inaugural parkrun events is discouraged in the UK.

Damien

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

Ah OK, fair enough. Only Irish parkrun I’ve been to is Malahide which is pretty big but the exact opposite of an inaugural, being the oldest one in Ireland!

[damienair Administrator in reply to ArthurJG]

There is another one on the south side of Dublin called Marlay Park which gets between 500-600 runners each week. St. Anne’s parkrun, Malahide and Marlay Park are the biggest ones in Ireland. Outside of those 3 the attendance at most parkrun events in Ireland is around 100 or less. I was at one called Tyrellstown parkrun in Dublin which is just 30 mins away from me, there were just 25 runners even though it was in a lovely park in a very large built up residential area.

Damien

[Hidden]

New parkrun, it will inspire any newbies! 😁

[Raspberrypink Graduate10]

Enjoy your 50th park run and cake! You’ll get a pb at the new park run! 🏃🏾‍♂️

[Coddfish Graduate10]

When you are looking back at this in the future with 100, 150, 250 or however many parkruns you reach, it won’t matter where you did your 50th. Unless you are organising people to join you, it doesn’t matter where or when you do it. If you do it at the new event, you will eventually get to the point where 50 of your runs have been at your home event and you have another reason to celebrate.

[damienair Administrator in reply to Coddfish]

Thanks. I’m going to do my 50th parkrun at the new event with my 10 year old Son and parkrun buddy. I’ll also be joining a few people from my local parkrun. Looking forward to it and looking forward to doing my 49th parkrun tomorrow.

[davelinks Graduate10]

Inaugural deffo! 50runs with friends & cake! 🎉 take a photo or hopefully there will be a photographer there.. 🙂

[damienair Administrator in reply to davelinks]

Thanks. I’m going to go to the inaugural event. You look like a parkrun fan from your profile pic, as you are sporting a Contra Top.

I’ll get a photo and report back afterwards.

[davelinks Graduate10]

Yes, the family down to 9 yo Great nephew are Parkrun fans and do some Parkrun touring, I have the milestone & volunteer shirts..

It’s a great institution!

[damienair Administrator in reply to davelinks]

I’m aiming to get the Volunteer shirt in 2020. I’ve done 14 Volunteer days so far. So just 11 more to go. I like to volunteer once every 5-6 Parkruns. It is an amazing institution.

Damien

[Bennettrunner]

Volunteer at the inaugural parkrun, and do your 50th at your home parkrun the following week. Good luck!