Episode 65
2017-04-27
— open the full-size artworkShow artwork, February 2017HostsMelissa Erbacher Scott Trickett
Roving reportersGary Murphy Oyiela Litaba
GuestsDawn Courage Kristina Paltén
Show notes
The parkrun adventurers celebrate milestones and we navigate our way to another point on the compass to visit Kingscliff (opens in a new tab) parkrun Event Director Dawn Courage. Swedish adventurer Kristina Paltén explains the motivations behind her epic '1144 miles of trust' adventure, running solo across Iran. And roving adventurers Oyiela Litaba and Gary Murphy report in from Newborough (opens in a new tab) and Lalor (opens in a new tab) parkruns.
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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
Kristina Paltén
Why she ran 1,840km solo across Iran to counter fear of strangers, how she wrote down and graded her 22 fears, sleeping in 34 strangers' homes via a Telegram chain started by an Iranian friend, running ~37km a day in 45-50 degree heat fully covered, and the resulting documentary and book.
Dawn Courage
One of parkrun Australia's earliest participants and Event Directors: running when there were only three or four Australian events, the era when 'everything just went through Tim' before territory directors, sneaking cheeky runs while event directing, still having the original tent, a course description, flat, straight out-and-back, wind-sheltered, the Kirra/Kingscliff 'double', and being Australia's easternmost event for the Compass Club.
Roving reports
In this episode
Welcome starts at 0:11
Scott Trickett and Melissa Erbacher on a weekend of milestones: Mel, still hobbling, went to Golden Beach for her sister-in-law Karen's 100th, where Karen's eldest daughter Alicia did the course for the first time keeping Mel company; Scott went back to Studley for Big Adam's 50th, taking a Run Bundle article quoting PSH that parkrun is not a race to heart. They debate a 9am start before introducing Oyiela's interview at Newborough with three generations, Amber, Jenny and Corey, running their 250th.
Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 3:57
Oyiela Litaba reports from Newborough parkrun (Gippsland, Victoria), where three generations of one family, Jenny Erickson, her daughter Amber Erickson and grandson Corey Simmons, all completed their 250th parkrun on the same morning. Recorded across the Friday-night celebration dinner and the Saturday event, with interviews with all three plus a closing chat with Tony O'Connell about the ten parkruns now running across Gippsland.
Meet the ED starts at 42:10
Scott and Mel interview Dawn Courage, founding Event Director of Kingscliff parkrun (northern NSW) and one of parkrun Australia's earliest participants, she ran when there were only three or four events in the country. Covers the early days when "everything just went through Tim" before territory directors existed, her ~130 runs lost to event directing, and a course description: dead flat, straight out-and-back, sheltered from the wind, buggy-friendly, and in her view possibly the fastest course in Australia.
The Compass Club starts at 50:50new tourist club
Discussed inside the Kingscliff interview: Mel points out Kingscliff is currently Australia's easternmost event and asks whether the Compass Club has brought extra visitors. Dawn hadn't heard of the club until recently. Talk turns to the upcoming Ballina-coast launch, said to be 500 metres less easterly, and to Weipa having challenged Darwin for northernmost, with Mel noting that being bumped out of the club by a new launch is "another adventure to be had".
Launches and anniversaries starts at 53:59"Where is the cake?"
Queanbeyan parkrun launches in New South Wales (giving Australia its first Q), with a running gag about Queanbeyan being in NSW and not the ACT, and confusion over whether Echuca has launched yet (it hasn't, next week). Anniversaries: Lilydale Lake (3rd) and Parkville (1st), both Victorian. Scott is skipping both for the first kids-takeover event at Westerfolds, where his daughter volunteered them for pre-event setup and therefore a 10km morning.
Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 57:42
Gary Murphy of Highlands parkrun reports from Lalor parkrun's first anniversary in Melbourne's northern suburbs, ticking off his NENDY. Interviews founding Event Director Melissa Flentjar, guest Run Director Kaz Derby (Mullum Mullum), first-time Run Director Chris Bullock, Karkarook ED Anita Nichols, a house-sitting touring couple, tourists Pat and Holly from Highlands, and Timekeeper Karen. Includes a fluoro-themed course, a cake with a replica of High Five Bridge, and an Avenue of Honour at the finish. Gary admits he failed to hit record for several of the best interviews.
Sign-off starts at 1:08:28
The hosts praised the week's roving reporters, said it had been a long podcast and that it was time to wrap it up and give people time with their families or time to go for a run. They joked that anyone still running should go really hard until the podcast finished, deliberately dragged out the ending (considering and rejecting playing a song and shouting 'go, go, go' at commuters), and then said goodbye until next week.