Episode 22 - Anita Afonso
2016-06-01
— open the full-size artworkShow artwork, April 2016HostsMelissa Erbacher Scott Trickett
GuestsAnita Afonso Tim Oberg
Show notes
The parkrun adventurers compare recent adventures and attempt to dust off long-ago language lessons before nous bavardons à French Country Manager Anita Afonso. And parkrun Australia General Manager Tim Oberg is back to bring his parkrun knowledge to the masses.
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Enhanced transcript
Speakers named, sound described and segments marked by the editing pass — not yet checked by a person.
Read the transcriptGuests
Anita Afonso
parkrun France's first year: the fifth French event launching at Pierre de Bresse, her path from parkrun's second-ever UK employee in 2009 through the ambassador programme to bringing parkrun home to France, favourite UK events (Portrush, and her local Wormwood Scrubs), the five French locations including Bois de Boulogne in Paris, the language and cultural challenges of explaining parkrun in French, the role of parkrun tourists, and the first-anniversary barbecue and petanque plans.
Tim Oberg
Listener Q&A: sew-on event patches and the shelved parkrun passport idea, the global no-cash-handling policy and tax-deductible donations via the Australian Sports Foundation, the age-11 rule for volunteering unaccompanied, the new Athletics Australia partnership and parkrunner perks at the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, and Renee Gimbett's appointment as National Operations Manager.
In this episode
Welcome starts at 0:07
Scott Trickett opens in schoolboy French with Melissa Erbacher, ahead of an interview with Anita, the country manager launching parkrun in France. Mel took house guests to a busy Noosa parkrun timed with the Noosa Sports Festival; Scott ran Highlands' third anniversary, where the event team named the Trickett Trestle Bridge after his family on the three-lap course, alongside spots like Mary Ann's Meander and Muscle Park. Mel says her favourite course feature is the spectacular reveal and invites listeners to suggest a name for it, with a Strava segment joked about.
Strava Club update starts at 6:07
Scott and Mel discuss the growth of the parkrun adventurers Strava club, the search-listing problem is fixed ("We're no longer in Missouri"), listeners are pointed to the link on the Facebook page, and the weekly leaderboard is reviewed: Matt Archer topped it with 150km in over 12 hours, Scott placed 43rd, and Mel explains she rarely syncs her watch and goes by the handle "Rebel Rouser". Scott teases further Strava features to come.
Ask Tim starts at 24:20
parkrun Australia General Manager Tim Oberg returns after an eight-week absence to answer listener questions: Tim Baldwin's suggestion of sew-on event patches sold through Wiggle ("a definite maybe", alongside the previously investigated parkrun passport with per-event rubber stamps); Mel's question on the global no-cash-handling policy and how to donate via the Australian Sports Foundation parkrun page (tax-deductible, timely before end of financial year); Miss Katie/Kasia of Research, Victoria asking how old you must be to volunteer alone (11, same as participating). He also covers the new Athletics Australia partnership and resulting parkrunner perks at the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival on 18 September, and the appointment of Renee Gimbett, former Coomera Event Director and Gold Coast Territory Director, as National Operations Manager and parkrun Australia's second full-time employee.
Social Adventurers starts at 37:01
The Instagram and Facebook wrap. Scott sets a listener challenge to post midweek shots of how they listen to the podcast (#thatparkrunadventurers), then runs through Instagram pics: Will B at the Burley Griffin trial, Run Joe Run's fast Saturday, Ray Macy at the Green Heart Fair, Dr Scott Watkins at a timed 5K in Seoul with the Seoul Flyers, Adam Erbacher's Freedom Run at Main Beach, and Phil Ackland at Portland. Mel then reads Facebook responses to "who had an adventure this weekend": Jo McCarthy, Danella Taylor's cancer climb, Paul Curtin's wristband bulk order, Chris Fraser pacing 28 minutes at Shellharbour, Mark from Chermside at the Green Heart Fair, Brendan Peel at Highlands, Abdul Rauf Mohamed Issa's 50th at Pioneer, Jeff Hansen's lost-in-the-bush course recce, Jeremy Savage on Kelly Underwood rejoining the WA Statesperson Club at Maylands Peninsula, Jo Bennett, and Tracy's 1:45 PB at Town of Seaside. Closes with Dave 'Robbo' Robertson's Strava discussion post.
Launches and anniversaries starts at 43:56"Where is the cake?"
Three Australian launches this weekend, Narrabri (NSW), West Beach (SA) and Bowen (far north QLD), followed by a bumper run of anniversaries: Ballarat (Victoria) turning one, Berrinba (QLD) turning two with a "head to toe in a single colour" theme, Canning River turning three with a cops-and-robbers theme, and Sandon Point turning three with a leather theme, which Mel explains is the traditional third-anniversary gift and which the event has asked parkrunners to keep family-friendly.
Sign-off starts at 47:23
Scott said that was it for another episode of the parkrun adventurers and thanked Mel for joining him again; Mel replied that he was welcome, hoped everyone enjoyed the show that week, and said they would see listeners next week for another parkrun adventure.
Outro song starts at 47:35
A full sung track closes the episode, running to the end ("When all the world's daughters and sons go meet their maker, she'll be the grave digger and I the undertaker, we'll sing as we lower these bones"). No performer, title or credit is spoken anywhere in the episode.