Episode 59:59 - #palm19

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HostsMelissa Erbacher Scott Trickett

Roving reportersGrette Wilkinson Melissa Ellis

GuestsDave 'Robbo' Robertson Michael Sharpe

Show notes

The parkrun adventurers finally get our feet wet at The Beaches (opens in a new tab) parkrun, home of the parkrun adventurers listener meet-up 2019, where the live recording didn’t go exactly as planned... We speak to Co-Event Director Michael Sharpe, Scotty catches a post-run chat with Dave ‘Robbo’ Robertson, and Melissa Ellis checks in with a couple of #palm19 attendees. Plus Grette Wilkinson reports in from the launch of Naracoorte Lake (opens in a new tab) parkrun.

From the podcast feed. No Facebook post text is recorded for this episode.

Guests

Roving reports

1The Beaches2Naracoorte Lake

In this episode

• Welcome starts at 0:21

  Melissa Erbacher on the Sunshine Coast and Scott Trickett in Research, Victoria, for the palm19 listener-meetup episode at The Beaches. The live recording at Cooks Hill Surf Club, organised by Sonja Pohlman and the event team, was mostly lost because Scott skipped hiring Adam to monitor the audio and the recording came out off mic, so they relive the morning with what survived: a chat with Robbo, Melissa Ellis's roving report, Grette Wilkinson's report from the newly launched Naracoorte, and the interview with Michael, the Beaches Event Director.

• Meet the ED starts at 4:05

  Interview recorded on the beach at The Beaches parkrun with Co-Event Director Michael Sharpe, conducted by Scott Trickett with Melissa Erbacher chipping in. Covers how he went from a regular to volunteering ten weeks straight to ED after founding ED Emily handed over, co-ED Bridget's role, the event's swing from 6 finishers to 644 on New Year's Day, and the claim to be the toughest parkrun in Australia depending on tide and swell. Recorded with Michael wearing a beach towel because he was on his way for a swim.

• Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 21:47

  Melissa Ellis files a roving report from the beach at The Beaches parkrun during the #palm19 listener meet-up, interviewing two attendees: Caro Vos (Woy Woy, newly run directing, recently parkran in South Africa) and Michael 'Mike' Scott (local, Lakeview, chasing Wilson numbers, one of five NSW statesmen).

• Listener meetup quiz — Brendan Peel starts at 25:37

  Recap only - the live audio was lost. Quizmaster Simon Mackley returned with questions for defending champion Brendan Peel, against three volunteers from the audience: Michael Scott, Caro Vos and Michael Schultz. Buzzers (tambourine, triangle, clown horn, bell) were brought back from last year. Brendan Peel retained his title and remains carryover champion; the hosts appeal for a challenger. The first question was 'name three parkruns with river in their name'.

• Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 27:58

  The Channel 5 News crew were introduced to the live audience at the meet-up and awarded official press passes and their own microphones; five of the eight members attended in person, a record. Scott reads recent iTunes reviews praising the roving reports, says they want to expand the crew, and thanks them for the different voices and diversity they bring. PK, Greta and Mark were the three crew members who could not attend.

• Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 31:13

  Greta's roving report from the launch of Naracoorte Lake parkrun in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia, her first report in some time. She sets the scene (340km southeast of Adelaide), notes the same weekend brought the parkrun Australia anniversary and the launch of parkrun Japan, then interviews Event Director Marg about picking up a stalled 2016 project and fine-tuning the course with ambassador Phil Ackland, travelling parkrunner Stephanie from Bargara QLD, and the local volunteer team (Molly on timing, Marion on tokens, Fiona on photos).

• Launches and anniversaries starts at 48:31"Where is the cake?"

  Special mention to parkrun Japan launching on the weekend (Scott was on the incident line and admits he was distracted). Anniversaries at Fingal Bay, George Town in Tasmania, South Toowoomba in Queensland and Warragul in Victoria.

• Sign-off starts at 52:02

  Scott asked Mel whether the weekend had been her last parkrun for a long time or whether she would adventure somewhere and attack the one hour 27 she had set; she said she was not quite ready to drop a child yet, had adventures and a couple of weeks of volunteering lined up, and warned him not to use her situation to get too far ahead of her on the most events list. Scott said he was not going anywhere new because "the showman" was in town and they would take care of his nendy, while Mel would be training new Run Directors. Scott then wrapped up what he called Episode 59 at 59, saying it put the numbering back on track so they need never talk about episode 113 again, and told listeners that the parkrun adventurers Listener Meetup really had happened even though they could not hear it, the photos are on the Facebook page, and that they would do it all again in 12 months. He asked Mel to get together next week for maybe one last time; she asked for a few more weeks and they teased the coming arrival of Lyndell as co-host, before Scott signed off promising to leave listeners with an extended version of the theme music, the best they had had in the podcast's three and a bit or four years.