Episode 442 - A Lil Bit of Hope
2026-01-31
— open the full-size coverHostsSarah Jefferson Simon Mackley
Roving reportersAli Sheppard Calum Burrell
GuestLil Duggan
Show notes
Sarah and Simon are back and excited to hit the pavement for another year.
Wait? A scoop? Hailing all the way from South Africa, Johan shares an interview with the parkrun Global CEO, Elizabeth (Lil) Duggan.
There are reports from Brierley Forest (opens in a new tab) and Brooklands (opens in a new tab) parkruns. Let's not forget jokes, talk of volunteer milestones, plus, Reginald brings us a unique Finnish-flavoured segment to round things out.
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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
Lil Duggan
How she came to parkrun (from Active Surrey, interviewing with Paul Sinton-Hewitt, doing her first parkwalk incognito alongside Jonny Wilkinson), the five-year strategy and the four enablers for growth (governance, digital and data, a motivated workforce, brilliant basics), the 800,000 weekly participants by 2030 ambition, technology and the 5K app, the James Kemp / Ali MacArthur handover at event delivery and volunteering, and her first visit to South Africa ahead of Delta parkrun.
Roving reports
In this episode
Welcome starts at 0:31
First show of the new year, Sarah Jefferson on Noongar Boodja and Simon Mackley on Quandamooka Sea Country, both back at work (Sarah's maternity leave has ended) and swapping 2026 goals: Sarah wants 100 at her home event, her statesmanship back and a first overseas parkrun in Japan during Golden Week; Simon wants 10 new events, 250 volunteers, a lower average time and a re-index of 50. Simon's break took in Berrumbach for Lyndell's 100th-different-event streak, Cleveland, North Harbour (his 10th new event of 2025), Redland Bay on New Year's Day, Capalaba where he met Leah, former ED of Cowra, then Ballina Coast, Fodder Forest and Kelvin Grove. Sarah spent eight days in South Australia: Victor Harbor with Ryan Stoddart, Port Lincoln on New Year's Day while Matt's shark dive produced no sharks, and Torrens, where she walked a local's dog round the course.
Listener Feedback starts at 29:00
Simon corrects figures TOC gave in the previous episode about Albert Melbourne's new Australian attendance record (1,570, up from 1,316 not 1,180) and notes only three Australian events have ever exceeded 1,000 finishers, Albert Melbourne, Parramatta and South Bank. Riffs into St Lucia's 800 launch record having stood ~10 years.
parkrun news bulletin starts at 31:17
Australia Day news round-up: parkrun community awards, Cottesloe parkrun winning the Cottesloe Active Citizenship Award (Sarah's home event, where she is an RD), and Colin Thorne of Whangarei NZ becoming the world's oldest parkrunner to reach 250 parkruns at age 102.
Attendance and milestone stats starts at 37:49
Weekly attendance rundown for 17 and 24 January 2026, New Zealand first (Hagley largest, East Otago High School smallest), then Australia (Albert Melbourne 1,246 then 1,287; Baxter WA smallest with two then six).
Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 41:08
Two roving reports back to back, Calum Burrell at Brierley Forest parkrun (Nottinghamshire) with co-ED Michael Woods, and Ali Sheppard at Brooklands parkrun (Weybridge, Surrey) with co-ED Timo Thornton, followed by the hosts' recap. Thrown to. Simon appeals for more submissions: only four reports left in the backlog.
Dazza's starts at 59:10
Five listener comments from each of the last two Dazza's posts (17 and 24 January): Cathy Mudge (Terrace) completing stopwatch bingo, Rodney Glossop (Kadena Trail) run directing at his eighth different event, Michael Lyttle (Coombs) starting a cross-country parkrun adventure, Lee Cabarita (Parramatta) and her "Beat the TOC" game, Sonja Pohlman (the beaches) returning from injury as Tail Walker, then David Westerway (Westerfolds), Michael Sharp (San Remo, barefoot), Glenn Chalmers (Nairn Links), Xavier E. Sanchez (Barclay) and Jo McLean (Whalan Reserve).
the Obi Award — Sonja Pohlman starts at 1:09:17
"We do have an Obi that's not in an envelope. It is being delivered in a very modern way", awarded to Sonja Pohlman for returning to parkrun participation after two years out with injury and completing her home course at the Beaches as Tail Walker. The hosts also flag that Sonia sits on 299 volunteer occasions and is a former ambassador in the Newcastle area.
You've got mail starts at 1:10:08
Listener mail from Andy and Wendella Poole about running parkrun in snow, five times across Sweden, the USA and Poland (Bultofta, Skatås, Malmö, Vallaskogen, Uppsala, ITC Community Sport), with Simon pointing out they listed five occasions but only four places.
Club Corner starts at 1:11:25
Presented in character by Reginald Yardley Pomphrey III from "Arrernte Country", covering Finland: Tampere parkrun (Oct 2017), Finland as the world's happiest country, nine events including Pori Forest, Vääksy Canal parkrun between Lake Päijänne and Lake Vesijärvi, a 14-bridge course, and Pokkinen parkrun in Oulu as the current most northerly parkrun. Delivered as written text read aloud, he speaks the punctuation and emoji names out loud ("smiley face", "open bracket", "winky face", "exclamation point").
Consolidated Club Report starts at 1:13:58
Adventurers Consolidated Club Report for Saturday 24 January 2026: of 865 members, 630 took part in nine countries across 322 locations, broken down by state/territory and internationally (73 events in the UK, 7 South Africa, 2 each in Japan, Poland, Sweden and the USA, "and a lonely person in Germany").
the Frond starts at 1:14:56
Largest gatherings of adventurers: internationally 12 people at Ushaw Historic House (UK) on 17 January and seven in Poland on 24 January; in Australia 18 at Redall Reserve on 17 January and six at Bibra Lake WA on 24 January. Read out inside the Consolidated Club Report block, with named member lists.
Pilgrimages starts at 1:16:13
Bushy pilgrimage tally: no Adventurers at Bushy on 17 January; Adrian Luscombe went on 24 January for his 24th visit. Read out inside the Consolidated Club Report block.
Launches and anniversaries starts at 1:17:10"Where is the cake?"
Three launches worldwide: Sunnyvale Bay Trail parkrun (California, 183 at launch, 167 week two) and Lost Gardens of Heligan (St Austell, Cornwall, 222 then 235) on 17 January, and Holywell King George V Playing Fields parkrun (Watford, UK, 206 participants, 26 volunteers, one first-timer) on 24 January. Hosts note none in Australia and speculate about a rumoured Victorian launch.
Sign-off starts at 1:18:40
Sarah noted it had been a long pod and Simon asked where she was heading on her next parkrun day: home to Cottesloe parkrun for their event 522, for the swim in the crystal clear water about 30 steps from the finish line and to keep adding to her singleton, then up to Quinns Rocks on 7 February to meet alphabet-chasing friends. Simon was volunteering as Barcode Scanner at Sirromet that weekend and would be at Gainsborough Parklands on the 7th chasing a Wilson 52.