Episode 167 - Ian Rutson
2019-07-30
— open the full-size artworkShow artwork, 20 February 2019HostsMelissa Erbacher Scott Trickett
Roving reporterGerard Corcoran
GuestIan Rutson
Show notes
From the Facebook post
Late for some, early for others, the parkrun adventurers pod is GLOBAL and our watches are set to 24 hour time so we post on the socials whenever! What can we say, we're just wacky like that.
The man behind the BIG computer, parkrun Global's Technical Lead Ian Rutson, stops by to answer all our nerdy Qs and offers a cheeky peek behind the technical scenes. Plus the results are in from our Insta-showdown, a stab is made at some investigative journalism, and the G-Train reports in from Karkarook (opens in a new tab) parkrun!
If you're awake, find all the nerdy goodness here: http://parkrun.social/pa-pod
From the podcast feed
The parkrun adventurers head for Highlands and dabble in some investigative journalism. We go full nerd with behind-the-scenes computery stuff when parkrun Global’s Technical Lead Ian Rutson stops by for a chat. And the G-Train takes us for a ride with a Roving Report from Karkarook (opens in a new tab) parkrun.
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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 transcriptGuest
Ian Rutson
What a parkrun technical lead actually does: results processing and the AWS cloud infrastructure that scales up on Saturday mornings, the two-person technical team (him and Jake), never releasing software on a Friday, database "superpowers" and the prank screenshot that appeared to wipe Mel's parkrun history, multi-language websites and the parkrun Japan launch, the new event map (his own project) and planned WebFMS mobile tweaks. Then his own parkrun story: never a runner, Couch to 5K in his late 30s, first parkrun at Pontefract, becoming its Event Director and then joining parkrun HQ; 300+ parkruns across four countries with Milano and North Beach as highlights; stats-watching for the half-millionth volunteer, four-millionth runner and 2,000th event.
Roving reports
In this episode
Welcome starts at 0:18
Scott Trickett, feeling inexplicably hot in the depths of winter, and Melissa Erbacher, previewing guest Ian Rutson, the Instagram showdown results and a roving report from the G-Train. The Erbachers stayed home from parkrun with two snotty little boys. Scott's planned TV segment at Ballarat fell through, so the Tricketts revisited Highlands in Craigieburn, a flat three-lap course around a man-made lake with a large share of walkers, where he ran with Gary Murphy, met listeners who quote the podcast back at him, and learned the event is named after its housing estate; no kilts spotted, though Gary Murphy has been photographed in one.
Instagram showdown — Scott Trickett starts at 6:54host photo competition
Resolution of a head-to-head Instagram competition set up in the previous episode: both hosts were to post a parkrun photo at the same time. Mel didn't make it to parkrun and so never posted, handing Scott the win by default with his photo from Highlands parkrun. Scott: "You just said you didn't post. So I win by default."
Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 32:49
Roving report from Karkarook parkrun (Victoria) by the G-Train, on a morning when Achilles Melbourne took over nearly all the volunteer roles to celebrate Amanda's 25th volunteer stint. Interviews with Emma (Achilles guide, home parkrun Gardiners Creek), blind runner Adam and his guide Steve (who talks about parkrun's part in his stroke rehab), the three Tail Walkers Amir, Robin and guide dog Sally, and Amanda herself.
Launches and anniversaries starts at 46:08"Where is the cake?"
Deliberately skipped this week - "No launchers. No launchers. There are anniversaries, but we're not going to tell you about it. There's a couple of cancellations, but we're not even going to tell you about them. Check the website for all that information."
The hunt for Fluffy the emu starts at 47:02Nambour parkrun field piece
Mel's "investigative journalism" field piece, flagged in the show notes. Having missed parkrun with sick children, she sets out to prove that Fluffy the emu of Nambour parkrun is a photoshopped hoax - "the Fluff Ness Monster". A first solo recce finds nothing; she returns with Nambour Event Director Melissa Taylor and Fluffy appears, performing a courtship display and nipping her ears. Verdict: "Fluffy is real, people. I've seen him in the feathers."
Sign-off starts at 59:59
Scott said that was a wrap and thanked Mel for sharing another episode with him, dismissing suggestions that she had come back from her break too early and saying it was great to have her back and that he could not wait to hear where she went. He joked that he needed a cold shower to cool down after a hot episode, thanked her again and said he would speak to her next week.