Episode 328 - Sterkte
2023-03-24
— open the full-size coverHostsMelissa Ellis Oliver Spake
Roving reporterJohan Duvenhage
GuestsBruce Fordyce Gill Fordyce Gillian Findlay Heidi Williams-Sutton Russ Jefferys
Show notes
This week, Mel travelled to North Sydney (opens in a new tab) parkrun for Medibank’s Lounge event, while Olly was ‘you know where’ guiding a well known Bailey shot to her RD debut. Meanwhile, on the other side of the planet, Johan was busy at the South African conference, speaking to parkrun CEO, Russ Jefferys, amongst others. Plus, the Birthday Boy returns to give us the low down on what to look forward to in April.
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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 transcriptInterviewed on location
Russ Jefferys
parkrun's newly published five-year strategy, growing well and the anticipated doubling from ~2,200 events to ~4,500 and from a quarter to half a million weekly participants, reducing the organisation's UK-centricity, doubling revenue from GBP 10m to 20m, and internal communication as the organisation grows. Plus his own parkrun history: first event at Reading in 2011, founding Ginninderra parkrun in Canberra, New Farm in Brisbane, returning to the UK in 2015, and his first South African parkrun at Ruimsig the previous day.
Bruce Fordyce
the parkrun South Africa conference returning after four years and parkrun getting back on its feet post-COVID.
Gill Fordyce
how the conference has run on the day and her presentation still to come the next morning.
Gillian Findlay
keeping a parkrun going and event sustainability, doing proper due diligence before opening a new event, and serving the community rather than making money as the only legitimate reason to open one.
Heidi Williams-Sutton
the months of preparation behind the 2023 conference and seeing it all come together on the day.
Roving reports
In this episode
Welcome starts at 0:24
Ollie Spake on Dharawal Country, better rested this week, and Melissa Ellis on Wurundjeri Country for a sleep-themed episode. Ollie volunteered at Shellharbour, thanking Em and Brendan, Patty and Sue, and welcoming Bec Bailey to the event team after her first RD stint (her tenth volley role), with visitors from Kawana and Eden, moving from Port Sorell to Airlie Beach and parkrunning every stop. Mel flew to Sydney for North Sydney's event 188 and its Medibank Lounge (402 finishers, a course record), ran with Dorota and Jason, toured the Harbour Bridge and Tony Albert's Hyde Park sculpture with Michael Gentle, and bumped into Dawn Branton at the airport; Jacqui O'Connell reached 1,000 notties and Picnic Point Parklands launched in Toowoomba.
Launches and anniversaries starts at 10:19"Where is the cake?"
One new Australian event this week: Picnic Point Parklands parkrun in Toowoomba, Queensland, "the Four Ps", with 239 participants supported by 25 volunteers, becoming the third event for the Toowoomba region. Leads into host chat about Toowoomba being Australia's second largest inland city and its September flower festival.
Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 12:00
Mel crosses to Johan Duvenhage at the parkrun South Africa 2023 conference in Muldersdrift, the country's first conference in four years. Johan files four interviews: parkrun Global CEO Russ Jefferys on the new five-year strategy, Bruce and Gill at the gala dinner, Gillian Findlay on event sustainability, and Heidi Williams-Sutton on organising the conference.
Dazza's starts at 29:10
Sleep-themed week for Sleep Awareness Week. Posts read out: Joss Fussell at Lancefield with a homemade artwork from friends celebrating parkrun and new baby Molly; Chris and Karen Gore finishing their UK holiday at Bushy parkrun in the rain; Catherine Pirotta volunteering at Werrington Lakes Reserve; Chantal Hosking at Singleton nominating the largest sundial in the Southern Hemisphere as a big thing; Christine Imbert at Etna parkrun in Sicily with its trekking/trail/MTB-shaped selfie frame; Martine Barrot at the return of Lancefield parkrun after a five-month pause, with Andrew Johnston riding a Diprotodon; and Tim Robbins at East End parkrun in New Plymouth after the WOMAD Festival.
the Obi Award — Joss Fussell starts at 35:36
Awarded for the homemade artwork Joss Fussell's friends made to celebrate parkrun and the couple's new baby Molly, showing the couple running with Molly in the pram alongside a ginger cat. The hosts note Molly was in the car rather than the photo, and joke the Obi should be shared with Molly, the partner and the cat.
the Birthday Boy starts at 36:47
Monthly look ahead to April 2023: five parkrun days (1, 8 Easter, 15, 22 pre-Anzac Day, 29); Main Beach Queensland, Australia's pioneer parkrun, turning 12; seven official first anniversaries, Charters Towers Airport, Karoola Park and Werribee Park Mansion in week one, Chaffey Park and Myponga Reservoir in week two, Lake Claremont in week four, Jindabyne Sport and Recreation in week five; Ginninderra's 11th parkrun-independence anniversary in the ACT; South Africa's Freedom Day extra parkrun on 27 April; a live recording of the podcast at UWA parkrun on 15 April; and a JOMO Frond at Varsity Lakes parkrun the same day as Palm.
Emails starts at 41:07
Julie Doolin became a South Australian statesman by completing Patawalonga River parkrun, having moved to SA in January 2022 for a two-year Defence posting and covered over 12,500km by road and 22km by ferry from Coober Pedy to Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln to Mount Gambier. Steve Warwick wrote in about a pre-parkrun coffee in Devonport with well-travelled adventurer Carmel Roll, and bumping into Lyndell the Legendary, in town for the Oceania Triathlon Competition.
Consolidated Club Report starts at 43:46
For Saturday 18 March 2023: 399 members, of which 325 took part at 178 locations. Internationally, adventurers at 23 UK events, two in Singapore, and one each in South Africa, USA, Germany, Italy and Sweden. Locally: 41 events in New South Wales, 37 in the Greater State, 36 in Queensland, 12 in WA, eight in South Australia, five each in Tasmania and the North Island, three in the ACT and one on the South Island.
the Frond — North Sydney parkrun starts at 44:47
The largest frond of the week was North Sydney parkrun, with eight adventurers present: Mel herself, Michael Gentle, Sue Smith, Chris Horowitz, Jenny Reidman, Ian Knox, Michelle Fyfe and Mary DeLuna. New South Wales was also the winning state.
Sign-off starts at 45:21
Ollie turned to looking forward with news that entries had opened for the Panorama Punish, which Mel had nearly clashed with when booking a Sydney weekend in October. Mel said she was undecided for next parkrun day, having noted 'undecided' in the show notes, but was run directing at juniors on the Sunday with a Duke of Ed volunteer graduating into the Run Director vest, and it was Market Week at Eynesbury; Ollie said he was staying home to deliver event kit gear, not needed on the roster, so perhaps a trundle. They closed with the Facebook and email contacts.