Episode 266 - Tinsel Time

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HostsMelissa Ellis Oliver Spake

Roving reporterMelissa Ellis

Show notes

It’s almost the end of the year and … well … we’re tired. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions for Mel & Olly in 2021 and this week has been no different. As always, we reflect on the week that was - the good, the bad, and the heartbreaking. Mel filed a short report from Wallaby Track (opens in a new tab) parkrun, Pippa send a Christmas message from the UK and The Informant wraps up the stats for 2021. Plus all the news from NSW return and the new Shellharbour course. Merry Christmas Adventurers!

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Roving reports

In this episode

• Welcome starts at 0:02

  Mel opens with condolences to the Devonport parkrun community after the jumping castle tragedy that killed Devonport parkrunner Addison Stewart, then Ollie Spake hosts with Melissa Ellis, exchanging Merry Christmases on Ollie's 50th podcast. Mel, Paul and Zoe went to Wallaby Track in Ballarat (event 40, a missing Wilson number) on the way to a farm stay, meeting Bruce Purdy supporting Donna's Volunteer 25, with brunch alongside the Ballarat parkrun team; Ollie run directed Shellharbour's return at event 332 on the new Killalea course, 182 finishers, only eight PBs, one injured faller, and the cafe opening early for parkrun. New Zealand events are returning, and Alison's story of walker Neil, who brought his barcode and vaccine pass every week just in case.

• Emails starts at 15:05

  Two listener emails. Geoff Glaab, a Run Director at Joe Creason parkrun in the USA, writes about Aspen parkrun in Colorado recording one finisher and no volunteers on 11 December, saluting sole finisher Michael Ireland. Then a note from Eman (Eman Vergara), who celebrated New South Wales' return at Tamworth parkrun along the Peel River and caught up with ED Mark Makepeace, whom he had met at Goondiwindi parkrun.

• Dad joke starts at 21:02

  Ollie, having prepared no Christmas bonbon jokes, looks one up: "Why did nobody bid for Rudolph and Blitzen on eBay? Because they were too dear." Mel responds "Insert applause."

• Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 21:38

  Mel hands over: "Shall we throw now to our roving reports and the informant?" One roving report this week, Melissa Ellis from Wallaby Track parkrun (Brownhill, Ballarat), recorded in the event's famous 120-metre tunnel with Christmas carols playing, interviewing volunteer Donna on her V25 while dressed as Santa. Immediately after it, and explicitly NOT billed as a roving report, comes Pippa's Christmas message from the UK.

• the Informant starts at 24:18

  End-of-year stats wrap. Post-COVID records for global runs held and for global 50/100/250 milestones; 382 runs in Australia (up 74) out of 1,669 worldwide; three launches (Poland, South Africa, UK); Australian attendance 33,765 out of 167,037 worldwide. 17 people called Bingo. Four new statespeople: Selina Rambour (ACT), Leonie Butler (NT), Linda Coffey and Darren Young (Tas). Movement in the top-20 most-events list (Errol Poole, Kathleen Wallington, David Messenger, debutant Neil Schultz) and a 94-place Wilson Index jump by Ian Craxer. Signs off for the year, "that's a wrap for Stats Year 2021", with a comic exchange with an unnamed sidekick about a Sudoku puzzle book and an ice cream.

• Dazza's starts at 28:34

  A long, busy Dazza's on a Monopoly theme carried over from last week, opening with Val's check-in from Devonport describing the sombre parkrun held in memory of Addison after the Tasmanian jumping-castle tragedy. Then a large run of milestone and ugly-shirt check-ins celebrating the return of parkrun to New South Wales, including CJ Gotham, Grette Wilkinson, Tracey Wood, Linda Meredith, Lyndell Murray, Nadine Crawford, Simon Mackley, Bernadette Bennett, Chris Fraser, Heather Hunter, Ingrid Botha, Joanne Ward, Margie Lewis, Matthew Billington, Patrick Shymitzek, Sam Schroder, the Bailey shot (Brett, Bec, Tanya and honorary Bailey Alison King), Claire Stutchbury, Jodie Maisie, Phil Olson, Greg Garner, Bruce Purdy, Chantelle Hosking, Pippa White, Janet Reid from "the mothership" Lochiel, and Melissa Erbacher at Kawana.

• International Ugly Christmas Singlet Day starts at 47:14

  The episode's theme (the title is "Tinsel Time"). Ollie marks the change of gear "Needless to say, we're into the tinsel section now", and the run of ugly-shirt and tinsel photos carries through to the Obi. Ollie: "that's what International Ugly Christmas Singlet or Shirt Day is all about. It's about getting out there, getting festive."

• the Obi Award — Melissa Erbacher starts at 52:11

  Mel calls for the envelope (the dogs Bambi and Chico have it). Ollie: "This week the Obi goes to, let's face it, Melissa Erbacher because it has to... for our wonderful ugly singlets and festive day once again", for creating and championing International Ugly Christmas Singlet or Shirt Day, and for the Kawana tinsel photo featuring all four Erbachers.

• Consolidated Club Report starts at 53:57

  Adventurers Club up one to 73 members; 61 members on the Consolidated Club Report, up 17 on last week thanks to the New South Wales return; 18 naughties recorded, down one. No Australian not-parkrun report this week as every state is back. New Zealand stats: Whangarei and Anderson share top spot on 44 each, Pegasus next on 37.

• Sign-off starts at 55:27

  Mel asked what they had to look forward to for the next week and the next year; they said they would take a week off but not the following week, still catching up to round out the year and hear how everyone's Christmas Day parkrun went. They wished a happy birthday to fellow adventurer Abigail, exchanged Christmas wishes with each other and with listeners, and Mel signed off with the Facebook and parkrunadventures@gmail.com contacts and "that's it for another week".