The Big Debate
Is it possible to win a Parkrun? Passions run high on this one
LUCINDA COBB 39, head of quality assurance. Runner for 10 years
NO ‘In a world where many races are set up in a judgmental fashion, Parkrun is a chance to get active in a non-threatening environment. You don’t have to turn up in your best kit, having followed a training plan, or vowed to run your fastest. Of course the ‘no winners’ ethos came initially from Parkrun and, to an extent, we have been influenced by what the company says. But even had we not, I believe this view is something we would all have embraced over time. Yes, I accept that technically somebody wins through coming home first but it’s how you look at it that counts. The fact that Parkrun labels these people ‘First Finishers’ and not ‘Winners’ is important, as is the fact there are no prizes or glory for finishing first. To me, if there’s nothing to win, you can’t be a winner. If Parkrun changed its policy tomorrow I don’t think it would have a huge effect on existing participants, as it’s so established. But I do think it would discourage new people from giving it a try. When I started going to Parkrun seven years ago I was a 26-min 5K runner and I felt like the slowest and largest person there. Now I’m slower than that but I feel like I fit right in. More and more people in their 50s and older are coming back to exercise and they come to Parkrun because they say they were attracted by the ethos of not being judged. Having the concept of winners would fundamentally change that.’
JOHN CAMERON 50, air traffic controller. Runner for 35 years
YES ‘Before you reach for your torch and pitchfork, I believe nobody has done more than Parkrun for running and getting people exercising since Jim Fixx wrote his book [ The Complete Book of Running] in 1977. I will applaud the last person across the finish line as much as the first, but the argument – Parkrun cannot be won because of its ethos that everyone is a winner – is a weak one, and simply using the term ‘First Finisher’ does not change that. Parkrun can be what you want it to be: a social gathering, a fitness session, a training run, a hangover cure, group therapy, race preparation, a race against the clock/yourself/your mates. It is a race within a run. If you happen to win your race within the run, and are First Finisher, have you not won Parkrun as well? The results archive shows you can be First Finisher overall: in gender, in age group, in age adjustment. It ranks the participants. Local media often run stories proclaiming the week’s local Parkrun winners. This ranking and categorisation is understandable only in the context of competition, no matter how benign. I admire Parkrun’s desire to be inclusive but winning doesn’t have to be elitist. We are inherently competitive and winning is a by-product. As long as we are modest in victory, humble in defeat and have a great time along the way, there’s nothing wrong with that.’