Parkruns not a place to be ultra-competitive

Competitive long-distance running is my favourite thing to watch. I enjoy it so much I made a career out of it. Ironically, however, one thing that has never attracted me is the most popular long-distance running series in the country: parkruns.

The reason I have no real interest in watching these 5km events is that they’re not competitive. They are entirely social.

That’s not to say I don’t like parkruns. I’ve participated in one or two of them, and it’s a great way to get family and friends together for some outdoor exercise on a Saturday morning.

And when parkrun’s founders launched the global series in the UK, that’s exactly what they were aiming for.

Unlike competitive racing on the road and the track, there are no rules or restrictions at parkruns. Anyone can participate.

That’s what parkruns are all about. Inclusivity, community interaction and public health are the key drivers. They have never been competitive events.

Of course, some people will always be competitive, even at a fun run/walk, but for someone who follows long-distance running with avid fascination, I have never even looked at the parkrun records (either in SA or internationally) because they don’t really mean anything.

The courses are not measured to specified certifications, athletes are not tested for doping and no Athletics South Africa officials are on hand to ratify times. And this is entirely understandable because how fast you can run is irrelevant. All that matters is that you’re taking part, and hopefully enjoying it.

So when people start tearing their hair out because parkrun has scratched all records associated with the series, they need to stop and check themselves.

When individuals began complaining that transgender people were competing in the women’s category, parkrun made the best decision they could have made to ensure their events remained inclusive. They removed the only competitive aspect.

This way, trans people can continue to participate without any controversy and everybody wins. More importantly, nobody loses out by being sidelined.

If any athlete wants to test themselves in an official 5km race, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. The sport’s governing bodies even recognise national and international records over the distance, provided performances are achieved at officially sanctioned races.

And in these competitive races, I agree that trans women should not be allowed to compete in the women’s category. I have never supported that idea and I see no reason to change my view on it.

That view, however, is not relevant to social events.

If you want to break records, go run in officially sanctioned races.

If you want to enjoy a morning out with friends and family, go do a parkrun and forget about times.

If you’re even wearing a stopwatch, you’re missing the whole point of why parkruns exist.