Episode 445 - Rainbows, Recordings and the Riesling Trail
2026-03-13
— open the full-size coverHostsLyndell Murray Simon Mackley Tony O'Connell
GuestsSheridan Laws Sue Mayfield
Show notes
PALM26, the best time of the year! Lyndell, Sarah, Simon and TOC took the podcast to the Clare Valley (opens in a new tab) in SA. The Adventurers enjoyed a live pod recording at Clare Rise Bakery. There was talk of all things Clare Valley (opens in a new tab) and an interview with the ED Sheridan Laws and one of the RDs, Sue Mayfield. Adventurers popped into Dazza’s live, the quizmaster worked his magic and there were milestones a plenty. Disclaimer: Lots of carbs were consumed in the recording of this podcast.
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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
Sheridan Laws
Her parkrun journey (first parkrun Torrens, June 2014; second at Rockingham WA; joined Clare Valley at its second event and took over as ED ~18 months in), what she loves about run directing and volunteering, the Clare Valley community as a second family, why adventurers should visit (small field of 60-70, wineries, railway trail), and her Bushy Park bucket-list wish.
Sue Mayfield
How her husband Alan (chairman of the Riesling Trail committee) got her into parkrun, starting at Clare Valley's second event in 2016, 304 volunteer credits and heading for 500, parkruns in Sweden and England (including a memorable cow-filled paddock), why Clare Valley is worth visiting, and a wish to run parkrun in Munich with her sister.
In this episode
Welcome starts at 0:29
Recorded live at palm26 in the Clare Valley on Ngadjuri lands, Sarah Jefferson introducing TOC from Inverloch, Lyndell Murray from Meanjin as a newly promoted host, and Simon Mackley from Redland Bay on Quandamooka Country, with Melissa Ellis absent after two weeks in the Northern Territory. Thanks to office staff Sam Schroder and Dave Bravos, Belinda for the Consolidated Club report, the roving reporters in the room (Tracey Wood, Paul Kitching, David Messenger, Bert Turner, Alison Key, Calum Burrell, Ruth Perkins, Johan and Ellie Shepherd) and Clare Valley RD Sheridan's team, then TOC's show of hands over the nine PALMs since Gary Murphy, Mel Erbacher and Scotty Trickett started it at Shellharbour in 2018. Sarah describes the Riesling Trail out-and-back course to Sevenhill Cellars, 105 finishers and 13 volunteers about doubled the usual field, and Lyndell notes one parkrunner registered under the name Clare Valley.
Dazza's starts at 8:04
Lyndell: "we would normally go to our Dazza's section but Dazza is on holidays this week", so the live audience supplies it instead, with three volunteers describing their parkrun morning: Helen (Yackandandah Rail Trail), Bianca (Parramatta, PB at Clare Valley today) and David from Newy. TOC then adds an unscheduled fourth: Andrew Blanda (home parkrun Cooks River, Sydney), who ran his 250th at Clare Valley and deliberately shifted the milestone a week so friends at Palm could be there.
Launches and anniversaries starts at 11:15"Where is the cake?"
Sarah: "now it's time for launches. However, in Australia and New Zealand, it is obviously still Saturday... It looks to be no launches in Australia so far today." TOC adds that it covers Australia, New Zealand, Japan and nearby time zones, nothing happening "in parkrunville other than palms". A nil return this week.
Meet the ED starts at 12:20
Live on-stage interview with the two hosts of the day's event: Sheridan Laws, Event Director of Clare Valley parkrun (218 runs at 27 locations, 215 volunteer credits), and Sue Mayfield, one of its Run Directors (182 runs at 16 locations, 304 volunteer credits). Covers Sheridan's first parkrun at Torrens in June 2014, taking over as ED ~18 months after the event started, and her Bushy bucket-list wish; Sue's start at the second Clare Valley event in 2016 via her husband Alan (chairman of the Riesling Trail committee), her push toward 500 volunteers, a memorable cow-filled paddock parkrun in England, and a wish to run in Munich where her sister lives. Interviewed by Tony O'Connell and Lyndell Murray.
Quiz time — Philstad (leading on six points at the final score readout; no explicit winner announcement recorded) starts at 23:05
Live Palm quiz run by quizmaster Simon Mackley, with Chris scoring and Sam as referee. Four contestants: Philstad (WA, 488 parkruns), Leigh (NSW, 264 parkruns), Cherie Martin (SA-born, 223 parkruns at 124 locations) and Ryan Stoddard (QLD, tourist streak 146, Wilson Index 205). Question types: multiple choice, higher/lower, Who Am I, Where Am I. Topics included SA Statesmen numbers, Australian parkruns starting with V, Clare Valley's course records (Madeline Heiner 17:16; an elite male 14:58), and the seven parkruns worldwide containing "Clare". Final score readout has Philstad on six points, well clear; no tiebreaker was needed. Trophy made by Stephen Davis; prizes included a Clare Valley tea towel, an adventurers buff, local olive oil, a stubby cooler and a fridge magnet.
Sign-off starts at 38:19
At the live palm26 recording, with the audience questions done, all four hosts said where they would be next week: TOC at Victory Road, the new V in Victoria, to catch up one more on statesmanship; Sarah back on the West Side at either Cottesloe or South Beach Recreation Reserve parkrun to get her swim in while the ocean is still tempting; Simon at Callanvale, having been headed to Gainsborough until the ambassador meet-up was moved; and Lyndell on the bench, with officiating duties at a triathlon meaning no parkrun. TOC noted Lyndell was still going with her tourist streak, and said Mel and he would be back working from home next fortnight.