Episode 452 - The Away Game
2026-06-18
— open the full-size coverHostsLyndell Murray Tony O'Connell
Roving reportersAlison Fraser (King) Lyndell Murray Ruth Perkins
GuestDarren Wood
Show notes
From the Facebook post
Lyndell makes herself at home while everyone else is travelling.
TOC visits all the away courses.
We hear from 浦安市総合公園 parkrun - Urayasushi sogo koen (opens in a new tab) parkrun in Japan, Billdalsparken (opens in a new tab) in Sweden and Greenheart Robina Parklands (opens in a new tab) parkrun in Queensland.
New merch is announced, Sandgate gets fast, and Taman Pudu Ulu (opens in a new tab) parkrun returns.
From the podcast feed
Lyndell makes herself at home while everyone else is travelling. TOC visits all the away courses. We hear from Urayasushi Sogo Koen (opens in a new tab) in Japan, Billdalsparken (opens in a new tab) in Sweden and Greenheart Robina Parklands (opens in a new tab) in Queensland. New merch is announced, Sandgate gets fast, and Taman Pudu Ulu (opens in a new tab) returns.
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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
Darren Wood
Recorded at Morden parkrun, south London, on the day Darren became the first person to reach 1,000 parkruns. He deflects the milestone ("this isn't about me today, this is about parkrun"), talks about parkrun as the one consistent thing through 22 years of highs and lows, his 400+ volunteer credits, setting up Edenbrook Country parkrun with Co-Event Director Steph Greenwood, the importance of sponsors and donations to a charity, being open about self-harm and mental health battles and turning up anyway, and aiming for 2,000.
Roving reports
In this episode
Welcome starts at 0:31
TOC in Inverloch on Bunurong Country and Lyndell in Meanjin on Turrbal and Yugara Country, TOC back after eight weeks away and praising Lyndell's episodes with Johan as guest co-host. Lyndell has been working on her P-index at Rocks Riverside, South Bank and Zillmere; TOC recaps a four-week overseas trip of seven parkruns plus a juniors: University of Galway and Oranmore juniors in Ireland with Ali Sheppard, Zielony Jar in Poland with Pippa White, Pokkinen and Ascension Day bonus runs in Finland with son Dan, Vingis in Lithuania, Zamek w Malborku beside Europe's largest brick castle, Oosterhout on Whit Monday with Ruth Perkins and other adventurers, and Bay East in Singapore on the way home, then a road trip to Breen Avenue in Kyabram. Roving reports from several of these are in the backlog.
Farewell to Melissa Ellis starts at 12:41
TOC and Lyndell pay tribute to Melissa Ellis, who has stepped away from the mic. Lyndell: "it's the first time that we've recorded together TOC since Melissa stepped away from the mic. So thank you to Sarah and Simon for doing a really great recap of the contribution that Mel has made... the community that's been built around this podcast... all really started with Mel." TOC credits her with carrying the editing single-handed and preparing show notes for years, recalls road trips with her to Canberra, Kerang, Cronulla, a surprise 250th at Batemans Bay and her 500th at Sirromet, and claims a "Mel index" of 63 events run together. Listeners echo the thanks throughout Dazza's later in the episode.
Adventurer merch announcement starts at 23:37
Lyndell announces the new adventurer merchandise range: men's and women's hoodies in grey, plus white running caps and visors, alongside replacement shirts and singlets. Orders go through a password-protected custom portal linked from the Facebook page and close on 28 June. The Office Lady adds in the closing message that this is the only window before next year's PALM.
parkrun news bulletin starts at 25:33
A long news block plus the weekly attendance rundown. Sandgate parkrun's Speed Week (6 June): 858 finishes, 38.5% under 20 minutes, nine under 15, 330 finished by the 20-minute mark, six new age-category records including a junior 10 male in 16:52 and a 30-34 men's record of 14:19. Vale Richard Scolyer AO, cancer researcher and 2024 Australian of the Year, 288 parkruns, remembered at his home event GreenWay on 13 June. parkrun globally delivered its one-millionth event, and the USA hit one million finishers the same weekend (USA 732 weeks to a million finishers; South Africa 196, Australia 209, Ireland 287, UK 381). Taman Pudu Ulu in Malaysia is set to return after its permit was reissued, taking Malaysia back to two events. Singapore Day on Sunday 9 August will be hosted by two events, East Coast Park and West Coast Park. Followed by NZ and Australian attendance stats for 6 and 13 June (NZ 73 events both weeks, largest Hagley twice; Australia 87,618 then 69,943 participants; largest Sandgate 860 then the Ponds 671).
Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 39:55
Three reports. Alison Fraser from Urayasushi Sogo Koen parkrun in Tokyo with Tail Walker James, an Englishman 25 years in Japan who came via the JET programme, on the waterside course, the Tokyo Disneyland location and the high proportion of tourists. Ruth Perkins from Billdalsparken outside Gothenburg, Sweden, with RD Stuart Bailey and ED Janne Losman, on the 200-year-old garden, the old gardener's-house cafe, cinnamon buns, the free apple orchard and never cancelling (Stuart shovels snow midweek). Lyndell Murray from Greenheart Robina Parklands, the Gold Coast's newest event, with ED Mark on building a "large parkrun with a small parkrun attitude", gateway volunteering, walking culture and the local birdlife. TOC and Lyndell top-and-tail the block and invite listeners to send reports from anywhere, including their home event.
Dazza's starts at 1:04:10
Two weeks of listener posts. 6 June was Queensland Day (Dazza marks the 1859 letters patent separating Queensland from NSW) with sunshine-themed snacks: Greg Garner at SS Koopa Trail, Stephen Warwick tail walking at Bells Parade, Chris Gore's 500th at Long Point in Port Kennedy, Michael Blain and five other Queenslanders at Constellations of the South (Uralla), Ian and Lydia Knox at Wynnum with Tracey Wood, and Natalie Soper at Nightcliff. 13 June was World Gin Day: Yvette and Bill Turner at Palmerston, Tanya Bailey at Pegasus (location tracked down by the "research department"), Bernadette Bennett at Cooks River, Nick Graney at Spanish Banks Beach in Vancouver in a Socceroos shirt, and Katie Clues with the Point Vernon Foreshore Reserve team holding inflatable 1,000,000 numbers. Several posts include thanks to Melissa Ellis.
the Obi Award — Nick Graney starts at 1:12:01
Awarded off the back of the Dazza's posts. Lyndell: "this episode, the Obi goes to Nick Graney. Thanks, Nick, for doing your thing over there in Canada, cheering on the Socceroos." Nick posted from Spanish Banks Beach parkrun in Vancouver, one of a group of six Australians in Socceroos jerseys, ahead of watching the Socceroos play Turkey in their first World Cup game.
Emails starts at 1:12:55
Two emails. A long one from Pippa White ("Pippa, the Streakmeister") proposing a new challenge, "birthday squared", parkrun on your own birthday at an event celebrating its anniversary the same day. She finally achieved it on 16 May 2026 at Amager Fælled parkrun in Denmark on her 55th birthday and the event's 17th, after the 2020 attempt was lost to COVID; next chance 2037. She also flags Dave Thornton's periodic table challenge and Mark Pinney's Challenge Chaser website. Second email from David Messenger flagging Queensway parkrun's launch in the UK, noting Q is the world's limiting letter for alphabet challenges with only 12 events worldwide.
Club Corner starts at 1:17:48
Delivered by Reginald Yardley Pomphrey III in his "Who Am I" quiz format, coming to the listener from Arrernte Country. Seven clues, a state or territory not yet featured, northernmost event in its state or territory, a two-lap course that does not finish where it starts, starting letter appearing twice in the state or territory name, Top of the Pops Club member, crosses its bridge only once, and "there is a troll associated with me", with the answer Wagi Bridge parkrun in the ACT. Both hosts were stumped; TOC notes Wagi Bridge is where he ran his 250th parkrun. Reginald signs off with four countries still to go and a note that parkrun now hosts renamed non-milestone clubs in its app.
Consolidated Club Report starts at 1:20:53
Saturday 13 June 2026: of 932 members, 658 took part at 352 locations. Australia, Queensland 61 events, Victoria 57, NSW 55, WA 22, SA 18, Tasmania 8, ACT 5, NT 3. New Zealand, 9 North Island events, 3 South Island. Internationally, UK 87, South Africa 9, Poland 3, two each in Canada, Ireland, Italy and Japan, and one each in Germany, Norway, Singapore and USA. TOC says he would love to see an adventurer turn up in Malaysia more often. Also the pilgrimages: nobody at Bushy on 6 June; Leanne Blaney and Terry Logan on 13 June.
the Frond starts at 1:22:15
International largest frond on 6 June was a frond of nine at Queensway (its launch): Debbie and Andy Airey, James Newt, Wanda Day, Ellie Soper, Christopher Miles, Colin Hare, Cass Castleton and Matthew Hay. On 13 June, a frond of five at Y Promenâd, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos: Andy and Wendella Poole, Cherry and David Eccles, and Karen Hurrell. Australian largest fronds: nine at Shellharbour on 6 June (Oliver Spake, Julie Wells, Louise Aitkin, Patrick Peacock, David Foster, Delvene McKenzie, Kirsten McKenzie, Gordon and Julie Turner) and eleven at Darwin on 13 June (Tim Robbins, Michael Lyttle, Anne Hart, Luke Schroder, Catherine O'Connor, Janet and Dave Tozer, Natalie Soper, Ingrid Botha, Sue Gittins and Amanda Lake). Sam Schroder volunteered at Darwin as Chief of Tokens, becoming the 29th parkrunner in Australia to complete the Ollie Volley Club.
Launches and anniversaries starts at 1:24:52"Where is the cake?"
Five launches globally on 6 June: Miyagawa Love River koen (Japan) listed but delayed to 27 June for venue unavailability, prompting Lyndell's "where is the love, TOC?"; Queensway parkrun in the UK near Wellingborough, 640 finishes and 51 volunteers; Warkworth Showgrounds in New Zealand north of Auckland, a three-looper with two out-and-backs, 177 finishers and 19 volunteers; Wittelsbacher parkrun in Germany, three gravel and paved laps described as "barrier free", 157 finishers of whom 65 were first-timers, and 42 volunteers; and Batonrigg parkrun in the UK in a closed facility, 22 finishers and 11 volunteers. One launch on 13 June, Zonnestraal parkrun in the Netherlands southeast of Amsterdam, two clockwise laps on unpaved paths through woods and heath, 143 participants and 16 volunteers, taking the Netherlands to four Z events.
Sign-off starts at 1:28:30
Lyndell said they were nearly at the end of the show and asked TOC what he was looking forward to: Ulladulla, which had launched while they were away and is now close to being his nearest event not yet done. Lyndell said she felt a little lost having drawn a line under her tourist streak of over 110 kept up for more than three years, that she no longer really has a home parkrun and that the adventurer community is her parkrun home now, so she was hoping to catch up with adventurers who give her a shout out. Next parkrun day she would be at either New Farm or Nambour parkrun; TOC was run directing at Inverloch, the stump, only 15 kilometres from home. He closed by thanking the team behind the podcast, the Office Lady, Dave the editor, Reginald and the Belinda fairy.