Episode 49
2016-12-14
HostsMelissa Erbacher Scott Trickett
GuestsIan Hay Rachel Allworth Scott Hawkins
Show notes
The parkrun adventurers discuss some highlights and squeeze as much parkrun into one weekend as possible. We chat to Mullum Mullum parkrun Event Director Scott Hawkins about the impending launch of parkrun Australia's highly anticipated 200th event. Ian Hay is back to dazzle with stats on Facts in a Haystack, and Rachel Allworth drops by for Club Corner to tell us about Rachel's Runners.
Enhanced transcript
Checked transcript — speakers named, sound described, segments marked.
Read the transcriptGuests
Scott Hawkins
The launch of Mullum Mullum parkrun as Australia's 200th event — the 18-month, three-council journey to get it approved, the naming, the course, and Hawkins' own journey from 120kg and unable to kick a football with his kids to running weekly with four of his five children.
Ian Hay
2016 year-in-review parkrun Australia statistics, plus a themed set of "49" stats for episode 49.
Rachel Allworth
Club Corner interview about Rachel's Runners — how the club started in 2013, her coaching accreditations, the club's growth to 300+ members across seven Sydney locations, and a learn-to-run success story.
In this episode
parkrun news bulletin
Read-around news items alternating between the two co-hosts: Tommy Patton Jr parkrun processed the 1,000th parkrun event of the weekend (first time parkrun HQ topped 999 events in one weekend); approaching 3 million registered runners; 2016 Coast to Kosciuszko results (Bunyaville's Kevin Muller first in 27:55:05, former podcast guest Trevor Allen 11th, Victorian George Mihalikoulis 12th, Wangaratta's Sharon Schultz fifth lady); and the Buck family from Goondiwindi parkrun arriving at Richmond Olympic parkrun in Canada by stretch limo. Not named on air this week — introduced only as "let's see if anyone else has got some highlights in the news".
Meet the ED
Interview with Scott Hawkins, Event Director of Mullum Mullum parkrun (Ringwood area, outer eastern Melbourne), launching that Saturday as parkrun Australia's 200th event. Covers the 18-month journey from concept to launch across three council boundaries (resolved when the EastLink highways department turned out to own the path), co-founder Matt Fullerton, the naming (Mullum Mullum Creek/Reserve rather than Ringwood), his own journey from 120kg and being unable to kick a soccer ball with his kids for five minutes, running with four of his five children, and the half-trail/half-path undulating course. Not named as "Meet the ED" on air this week, but it follows the show's standard Event Director interview format.
Facts in a Haystack
Ian Hay's 2016 year-in-review stats: The Ponds led with nine attendance records, Maribyrnong/Shellharbour/Stones Corner tied second on seven, Wangaratta had the longest streak at four weeks; biggest attendance ranges The Terrace (28-693) and Sirromet (11-620), excluding launches Newy (129-744), Lake Macquarie (71-591), Rocks Riverside (37-488); smallest turnouts Atherton (one runner, two volunteers) and Broadbeach (five); smallest averages Clare Valley 16, Atherton and Pittsworth 17; 81,000 volunteers in 2016 vs 60,000 in 2015; 1 million runs in Australia in 2016 (5 million km); Peel Club now 15 members, nine added this year, 17 people one event away; Compass Club down to two (Brendan Peel and Neil Barnett) with 18 one event away, mostly needing Geographe Bay. Finishes with themed "49" stats for episode 49: 288 people sitting on 49 parkruns, 141 events have had exactly 49 parkrunners (61 this year, Castlemaine five times), 15 people on 49 volunteer stints, 10 people with a 49:00 finish. A further stat Mel had requested is held over to the 50th episode.
Launches and anniversaries ("Where is the cake?")
No anniversaries this weekend, but two launches: Mullum Mullum parkrun in Victoria (the 200th Australian event) and Underwood Park parkrun in Queensland. Leads into a running joke about Australian parkruns starting with R (Rocks Riverside, Rooty Hill, Rockhampton) after the guest mentioned Ringwood was a naming contender.
Club Corner
Returning guest Rachel Allworth on Rachel's Runners, a southwest/south Sydney club she started in 2013 after taking up running the year before. Grew from a 12-week learn-to-run program for friends to 300+ members; she is now a level 1 and 2 accredited recreational running coach and kids' athletics coach (and a schoolteacher), coaching six days a week plus a free Tuesday night run club. Open to everyone though majority women. Success story: a beginner from the very first 2013 intake who went from never having run to completing a 10k that May. Groups now run in Milperra, Panania, Revesby, Menai, Cronulla, Sans Souci and Hoxton Park.