Episode 25 - parkrun Singapore

2016-06-22

In this episode

• "Aubergine edition" / logo-colour running gag

  Cold-open running gag in which each episode is given a colour and Scott keeps changing the podcast logo to match: [00:00:27] "So this is our aubergine edition. I think I can feel another logo change coming up" — Mel pushes back at [00:00:41] "you only just changed it a couple of weeks ago and now you're changing it again", and Scott references the previous one at [00:00:38] "You weren't feeling the yellow?"

• Adventures on the weekend (host recap — Victoria's first Longest Run)

  The recurring host exchange "Did you have any adventures on the weekend?" ([00:00:49], reciprocated at [00:19:11]). This week it carries the episode's headline story: Scott's long account of Victoria's first Longest Run — seven Melbourne parkruns in a day (Jells, Westerfolds, Coburg, Maribyrnong, Parkville, Studley, Albert Park), roughly 20-30 people completing all seven, plus a runner who overshot Maribyrnong by 3km. Mel explains the Queensland/NSW Longest Runs were postponed to 31 July and 7 August for weather. Includes the recurring "what's your snack of choice" pre-amble at [00:01:10].

• Roving adventurer report — Town of Seaside first anniversary (Donella Taylor)

  Self-contained pre-recorded block from Town of Seaside parkrun's first anniversary. Donella Taylor interviews volunteer Katie Johnston (with husband Neil, 27 volunteer stints between them), first male points winner Rob Fleming (who ran Bushy Park around 2004 and helped set up Gladstone), and first female points winner Megan Hewitt. Turns emotional at [00:26:59] when Donella recalls her mother's last parkrun at the launch a year earlier. Scott closes it at [00:27:56] "Thanks to [Do]nella for getting our roving reports from TOS and also thanks to Katie, Megan and Rob."

• Guest interview — parkrun Singapore / parkrun in Asia (Dominic Watkins)

  Scott and Mel interview Dominic Watkins, ED of East Coast Park parkrun (Singapore's only parkrun, and at the time the only one in Asia) and Singapore Country Manager, ahead of its second anniversary. Covers the event's founding by Carol Cunningham in June 2014, the struggle to reach local Singaporeans versus expats and tourists, the impact of getting their own parkrun.sg site, plans for an event in Kuala Lumpur, negotiations with NParks, volunteers as the limiting factor, and his own UK parkrun tourism (Horsham, Sheffield Hallam).

• Roving adventurer report — Portland Winter Solstice Fun Run (Allan Hoskins)

  Portland parkrun ED Allan Hoskins reports on location from the Portland Winter Solstice Fun Run, interviewing seven participants back to back: Chris (and Beryl) King, Jody May, Mel from Hamilton parkrun, volunteer photographer Courtney, Kerry (a Mount Gambier run director, one of eight, with 38 Mount Gambier runners present), Kari from Portland, and an unnamed Hamilton runner who placed third in the 15K. Recurring running joke about the absence of a whale in the bay. Signs off at [00:49:33] addressing "Scott and Mel".

• Social Adventurers

  Hosts read out listener social-media posts: Dave D'Alessio at St Peter's, Jez Savage at Woodbridge Riverside (WA), Macalicious21 at Parkville before a 24-hour/160km race, Running Optimistic at North Lakes, Dirty Cheetahs at Mosman/Mossman, Wilby1981 marshalling the Burley Griffin launch (435 parkrunners, a new ACT record), Mama of Hope touring Westerfolds, Stuart Marshall Training, Beaker Design, Caro Voss, Dan Baldwin's four brothers at Bendigo, Melissa Ellis at Berwick Springs, Mark, Tok, and Wendy Glenn.

• Launches and anniversaries ("Where is the cake?")

  Weekly calendar slot. Opens [00:56:02] "No launches this week" / "We've got a few anniversaries, though." Covers Gladstone (3rd, Mel attending), Jells (1st, Scott's own event, crazy socks theme), Logan River (3rd, circus theme), Mornington Peninsula (2nd, 80s rock theme), and East Coast Park Singapore (2nd), with a note that Singapore is included despite no longer being on the Australian events list.