— open the full-size coverEpisode 268 - Geoff Glaab
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Episode 268 - Geoff Glaab · 2022-01-12
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Source: https://log.5kadventures.net/transcripts/ep268.html · The Adventurers Log · An independent project, not affiliated with or endorsed by parkrun.
Welcome
Melissa Ellis: Welcome to episode 268 and the first for 2022. My name is Melissa Ellis and I'm joined by the man with the new nickname of parkrun poster boy, Ollie Spake.
Oliver Spake: Happy New Year, Mel. Happy New Year, everyone. Yes, I'm glad I had my early coffee that morning, oh dear that was a nice little surprise see your smiling face on the parkrun Australia page yeah I wasn't expecting that uh here I was just innocently uploading the photos from the morning and uh bam yes and look the thumbs up was referring to the fact that exactly that I'd had my coffee and I was right back where I was I wanted to be so uh I'm glad it was of use And, Mel, it's been two weeks. We've had a little break and I suppose there's been quite a bit of parkrun excitement going on over that time. Can you fill us in? What have you been up to?
Melissa Ellis: All the adventures, Ollie. My goodness, so much fun and so much excitement. I had a two-night camping adventure to McLean Beach parkrun in New South Wales with Abby's mum and it was event seven of McLean Beach parkrun, which is in Deniliquin. It was a three and a half hour drive north from where I am and the first time I had visited the town. Denny, as it is widely known, although in New South Wales, is actually closer in distance to Melbourne than it is Sydney. Denny is known for its annual Ute Muster, which began in 1999 when the town, struggling with a crippling drought, decided to start a rural themed festival to bring visitors to the area. Laying the claim as the ute capital of the world, the town erected a ute on a pole in celebration of the festival's success, which attracts approximately 20,000 people each year. The parkrun course runs right past the ute on the pole, hugging the Edward River on a mixed surface of paths, gravel and boardwalk. This event ticked all my boxes, being an out-and-back course alongside a river with majestic gums and stunning blue skies.
Oliver Spake: Ooh.
Melissa Ellis: But, Ollie, the morning was not without its drama. Ducking quickly into the toilet prior to the start, I was horrified to discover the door lock seized when I attempted to exit. Panic set in as I tried to frantically manipulate the lock and free myself from my parkrun fortress. There was no windows as an alternative and no gap under the door for even a screwdriver to be delivered. I rang Abby's mum, hoping that she had her phone on her and would hear my call. Help me, I'm stuck in the toilet.
[laughter]
Unidentified speaker: LAUGHTER
Melissa Ellis: She quickly appeared and, although amused, understood the urgency of the situation. I had desperately tried unsuccessfully to release the lock and was ready to demand she hip and shoulder the door to free me when suddenly the lock moved and I was released from my nightmare. Oh, my goodness. It was a very warm 28-degree run for the 25 participants, but being along the river, the slightly undulating course was very well shaded. As we approached the finish flags, we managed a synchronised jump which was captured on video by my auntie as well as volunteer photographer Steve. I am making the declaration that in 135 different events to date, McLean Beach goes to the top of my list. It ticked all my boxes for a top-notch parkrun, and while the company and weather may have played a part, a little piece of my heart will forever remain in Denny. The top, Mel.
Oliver Spake: Yes. That's a big claim. But, I mean, it sounds fantastic. It's clearly one of the great country parkrun vibes that you can experience there. But the very top, it's a fantastic way to start the year.
Melissa Ellis: I know. It's a big call.
Oliver Spake: Yes, even with the lock-in.
Melissa Ellis: Even so. I mean, that helps to create the memories. Oh, my goodness. The horror, Ollie. You have no idea. The horror. The horror. I am forever going to travel with a screwdriver in my pocket.
Oliver Spake: Or Abby's mum, there to help.
Melissa Ellis: Yes. It was funny, when she was rattling the door to try and see, you know, what she could do, I saw the lock sort of flex and in my head that was my only hope. I thought, hip and shoulder, that bugger's going to give. Anyway, that was my New Year's Day. Ollie, how was your New Year's Day?
Oliver Spake: Look, it was a lovely morning. It was great to be back at parkrun because I did have the week off for Christmas Day. I was very fortunate to be at Shellharbour, Mel. Not sure if you've heard of it. And look, as the photo evidence proved, I was volunteering. I was Timekeeper for the day in the very capable and wonderful RD-ing hands of Karen. And we enjoyed a bit of a farewell to the original course at Shellharbour. So for those that have been listening and been across the news, we have been changing the course for the event due to circumstances outside of our control. And we were given the opportunity to run Christmas Day and New Year's Day on the OG course. We had visitors. We had visitors come from across the country, it seems, to come and just take part in whether or not it was just being at Shellharbour or the opportunity to farewell the original course. But it was wonderful to welcome Eman, Christine and baby Juno to Shellharbour. So I was pretty chuffed, Mel.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah. Yeah.
Oliver Spake: Chuffed to meet Juno and to chat to both Eman and Christine once again. I was feeling a little guilty, so they had reached out and asked me just how pram-friendly the course was. I wasn't game to risk Juno. No. As much as I wanted the opportunity for all three of them to experience that course, it's safe to say I was comfortable with the decision there to recommend maybe just Christine join us from the finish line watching the parkrunners as they head around the course. Eman himself notched up a very impressive second place finishing. So well done, Eman. The three of them stuck around for a bit of a chat afterwards before they headed off for what I trust were some enjoyable pancakes for brunch.
Melissa Ellis: Well, that's good to hear. And I believe there was a couple of Victorians visiting as well. I noticed on the results list, a couple of Westerfoldians had visited.
Oliver Spake: Yes. And I noticed in the first-timers briefing, which coincidentally, I also did. Haven't done a first-timers briefing in years. I was terrible. I mean, I think I said everything I needed to, but yeah, I need some more practice, Mel.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah. So you had Derek and Linda Allen from Westerfolds.
Oliver Spake: That's right. And I noticed the shirts. Fantastic to have them there. I unfortunately didn't get to chat with them very much at all apart from a greeting. But look, I hope you guys enjoyed it as well. We even had a few more visitors coming from across the country. Even parkrun Australia's Glenn Turner returned, but a bit different to his usual visits where he does often nab first place. He was out supporting the extended family, scoring a PB on the course. So one of our juniors notched up a very impressive PB with Glenn as support as the rest of the family supported one another across the Turners and the extended family there.
Melissa Ellis: Nice work.
Oliver Spake: Yes, very Shellharbour focused. And look, Mel, parkrun Day just gone. I was at a different course, a different Shellharbour course that was.
Melissa Ellis: Oh. You tricked me.
Oliver Spake: Yeah, I tricked you. I tricked you. No, I was RD. So back as Run Director, as we resumed on our new course, very modest numbers. So look, safe to say that unfortunately for many and look, best wishes to everyone who's currently experiencing and hopefully recovering quickly from COVID or is isolating due to that. But we had a number of the team and our parkrun community obviously unable to join us as well. And I've got to say a huge thank you to Patrick Shymitzek, who stepped in as a last-minute Timekeeper. So thank you, Patrick. Silva-Szimo. Yeah, Silver Shimo, the silver, the reference to his run Shellharbour medal. There was some great help out there. So much appreciated to him. Hannah stepped in as photographer and it was a good morning, despite many of our friends and family being absent.
Melissa Ellis: Well, that's really good to hear. parkrun community banding together in their time of need.
Oliver Spake: That's right. But Mel, you were back on the road again this parkrun day just gone. How was it for you?
Melissa Ellis: I was. I stayed relatively local to visit Warringal Parklands parkrun at event 33, which I've previously attended on its launch day. I've also run the course unofficially for the longest run. And this also gave me a Wilson number, which I gratefully accepted. Warringal Parklands is an out-and-back undulating course on a gravel trail. It's located in the Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, 11 kilometres northeast of the CBD, and known for the Heidelberg School, an impressionist art movement that developed in and around the town during the late 19th century. Now, the reason for my visit to Warringal was to attend the 250th unique event of my friend Brendan Peel, friend of the pod.
Oliver Spake: Congratulations, Brendan.
Melissa Ellis: And reigning quiz champion, isn't he?
Oliver Spake: Again. He seems like the eternal quiz champion. He has some impressive knowledge.
Melissa Ellis: So, yes, completing 250 unique events gives Brendan Freyne Club status. The Freyne Club named after Paul Freyne, the first person to run 250 different events worldwide.
Oliver Spake: Yes. A fantastic achievement, Mel. Glad you could make it there and support him.
Melissa Ellis: Also in attendance, Ollie, were fellow adventurers Chris and Kerry Fraser, Lynn Hewson and Errol Poole and Jodie Maisie, as well as tourist friends Wendy Beckhouse and Leanne Kirshner and Brendan's workmate Stephen Andrew. Although equipped with my escape tools this week, the pre-event amenity visit went off without a hitch, and I was able to join the 135 other participants in the wet, humid conditions. Amazing cupcakes were provided at the end to all finishers, thanks to Jodie. However, I did choose to forgo the usual brunch gathering in an attempt to mitigate my COVID risk. So apologies to Brendan and Jodie. I didn't join the group because I am just trying to reduce all my risks at the moment.
Oliver Spake: Yeah, but look, really exciting to hear that we could have so many there supporting Brendan for that special milestone. I know he's been aiming for that in and around the disruption of the last year in particular. And to finally notch it off must feel pretty good.
Melissa Ellis: Yes, it was a lovely morning and we had a light drizzle, but it wasn't anything really that was a problem. So, yeah, a morning enjoyed by all, Ollie.
Oliver Spake: It sounds like you are never going to look at a toilet block the same again, Mel. No. I think there's going to be a lot of selfies with toilet blocks. Ah, okay. Streaky September is... Oh, yeah.
Melissa Ellis: Write that down quick before we forget.
Oliver Spake: Someone will remind us, surely.
Melissa Ellis: Park benches are so 2021. Anyway. So that was my last two weeks. Wow.
Oliver Spake: Look, it has felt like a bit of a break and I hope you've had the opportunity for a bit of a break, Mel. I know you have been busy because we'll hear about that soon as well. But yeah, there has been plenty going on around the parkrun world, hasn't there? There has. But I should pause because maybe we should let our listeners know what's coming up in the episode.
Melissa Ellis: Yes, we have an interview, Ollie. I recorded an interview with Geoff Glaab, who we heard from in an email in one of our last episodes. I interviewed him. He's an RD from Joe Creason parkrun in the USA. So we've got that coming up a bit later.
Oliver Spake: And a little later on, while we are looking forward to recapping at least the highlights of Dazza's, we've got some roving reports too. And, of course, all the latest on the Adventurers Club. But, Mel, the parkrun world, of course, has continued. We've seen other milestones achieved. We've just talked about Brendan. Now some news out of the States of someone achieving countryman status. Is that right? Yes.
Melissa Ellis: I believe so. I am reliably informed that Elizabeth Sheridan has become a countryman of the US, having run at all 50 events, although two no longer exist. And she did that running at Lillie parkrun, Ann Arbor this last Saturday.
Oliver Spake: Back at Lillie. Congratulations, Elizabeth. And nice to see Lillie parkrun popping up.
Melissa Ellis: It is.
Oliver Spake: Yes.
Melissa Ellis: Also, Ollie, John Taylor, who we met at Palm when we were up there at Nambour.
Oliver Spake: That's right.
Melissa Ellis: He ran his 400th parkrun at Brightwater this last Saturday. And at 88, probably makes him the oldest Australian parkrunner to achieve that status.
Oliver Spake: I'd really love someone to fact check us on this. So please, please let us know. But in fact, if anyone can fact check us, it's probably John himself. John's folder was magnificent of all the stats of our octogenarian parkruns, our octas. And from the photos I've seen, he was well supported. Brightwater being a nice course. I remember freedom running at Brightwater from the last palm. Nothing quite like a palm parkrun freedom run. Just a plug there for two months time. And, yeah, Brightwater was an especially nice one around the lake there.
Melissa Ellis: And I believe that John is a Kawana parkrunner, but when Kawana is on their summer course, which has a sand section, is when John moves to Brightwater for that period.
Oliver Spake: Yes, yeah, yeah, understandably so.
Melissa Ellis: And if he's claiming the oldest Australian to reach 400, then I'm thinking that...
Oliver Spake: you know it's probably a good bet yep that's our fact yes so congratulations everyone look we have given a bit of a bit of context a bit of an introduction and as you said Mel we have heard from Geoff via email recently but as I did indicate you have been busy during this break and had the opportunity to catch up with Geoff Glaab over in the states so let's have a listen
Interview Geoff Glaab — Run Director, Joe Creason parkrun, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Melissa Ellis: Our guest today is parkrunner A4625863, Geoff Glaab from the state of Kentucky, USA, who is a Run Director at Joe Creason parkrun in Louisville. Since starting parkrun in May 2018, Geoff has run 41 times at four unique events and volunteered 29 times in eight distinct roles. Welcome to the parkrun adventurers podcast, Geoff.
Geoff Glaab: Hi, thanks for having me.
Melissa Ellis: You're very welcome. You've recently sent us a couple of emails, so we know you're a listener, and we thought it would be nice to get you on to learn more about another event in America. But first, we need to know more about you. Tell us how you first became involved with parkrun.
Geoff Glaab: Well... I think the first time that I found out about it was just through, uh, maybe a Facebook event post on another, uh, event I was on. I ended up going to the fifth, uh, event at Joe Creason, um, went and I, you know, at that time I was kind of, uh, I was more of a, of a competitive runner and I'd, Didn't really know what parkrun was all about when, and I didn't really think about it again for a while. Um, fast forward to new year's day in 2019, I was in Tucson, Arizona, looking up five Ks on new year's day. And they had just started a parkrun out there. It's called Himmel parkrun. I went out there and, um, I enjoyed that one a little bit more and they actually wrote me into volunteering after I finished a barcode scan. And once, once I did that, I really got it at that point. Like, you know, just how, how it wasn't about getting your fastest time, but about just showing up and, you know, hanging out with everybody and supporting everybody else that was coming through the finish shoot. When got back to Louisville, did a few more parkruns, kind of took a break to do some marathon training and, And then once I finished that, I went back and haven't stopped since.
Melissa Ellis: Right. So you really only got one year of parkrunning before the pandemic really hit.
Geoff Glaab: That's right.
Melissa Ellis: Did your parkrun community stay engaged during that first pause?
Geoff Glaab: I wasn't really involved too much with the parkrun community prior to the pause. My daughter and I got really involved with it in the weeks preceding lockdown. But we weren't really close. We were just kind of like in the periphery of the core group of volunteers. So we didn't really stay in touch. And like I told you before, I'm not on Facebook. They may have gotten together via Facebook during the pause. But once it became clear that we were coming back, I reached out to the Event Director at the time and offered my services. And it just so happened that she was moving away. So there was this kind of a vacuum to be filled. So that was how I became involved post-COVID pause.
Melissa Ellis: So parkrun uses Facebook a lot with their social media. Do you use other platforms to get your information?
Geoff Glaab: Yeah, I actually do. I actually run our Twitter and Instagram account. I should probably get back on Facebook. Maybe I'll just create a fake account or something. But yeah, I love Instagram for checking out what other parkruns are doing. Especially the Russian parkruns seem to use Instagram and TikTok a little bit more than I think the other ones do. It's really fun to see what they're doing with parkruns. And kind of how they've taken it and molded it into their own image a little bit. So I definitely recommend your listeners go check out some of the Russian parkruns on Instagram if they're on Instagram.
Melissa Ellis: So you became involved with the volunteer side of things. So that was more post-pause stuff.
Geoff Glaab: That's right. I mean, prior to then, I would usually just run and maybe I would help clean up or scan afterwards. But I never wanted to give up my run prior to COVID. But once the pause came back and our core group was kind of decimated, our two previous Event Directors had both moved on. So, like I said, it's been me and a couple of other guys that kind of came into parkrun a little bit later who have kind of taken on the roles of keeping this going post-pause. So, you know, I've got my daughter involved, too. You may have seen her on the volunteer roster some weeks. Her name's Charlotte, and she's 16 and really enjoys coming and hanging out with us. You know, it's like a little bit of extra time that we get to spend together during the week, and she's really taken to all of the roles even more than I have.
Melissa Ellis: That's really good. And so tell us a little bit more about Joe Creason. Can you describe the course?
Geoff Glaab: Sure. Yeah. So it's a two and a half lap course and it's very hilly. We have, I guess it's a total of about 50 metres of elevation over the whole 5k course. The park was bought from a from kind of a wealthy landowner in the mid sixties. And, uh, the paved part just, uh, I just found out was created in 2007 or so. So that, that path has only been around for about 15 years that, that, that we currently use. But, uh, it's a, it's a very hilly course we do. We do two laps up the hill and two, you know, for two laps, it goes up and then it comes back down. So it's, you're never going to get a personal best. And, uh, we have a lot, a lot of people who come and try it and never come back. So you really have to know going in that you're not going to have your best time. It's really just about showing up every week.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah. So what do you sort of average for numbers?
Geoff Glaab: Prior to the pause, we were 20 to 25. Since we've come back from the pause, we haven't had... really any of the people who were showing up prior to the COVID pause, but we've had a lot of new regulars. We had a guy that just, uh, just went over 20 parkruns since we came back in July of last year. So I think that's pretty good. You know, we've had a few that have had 10, you know, 10 or more runs, um, since July. So we were kind of creating a new, a new team of regulars and we're trying to, you know, pull, pull them here and there to come volunteer. And they will sometimes, um,
Melissa Ellis: Do you know the history about how the event was first started up?
Geoff Glaab: Sure. So like I said, I wasn't involved with that too much, but I did happen to find a blog post about it. So our original Event Director, her name was Natalie, and she was from the UK. And I think this is probably the case with most American parkruns. They're kind of created by UK expats. So her mother was involved with a parkrun event, at home and which one was that it was a Sheffield Hallam parkrun in Sheffield and um she died of pancreatic cancer in 2015 I'm gonna get the story wrong I think here but when Natalie moved to the u.s she uh decided to start a parkrun kind of in her honour and she passed through louisville for a time and created one here is it relatively close to where you live Yeah, so it's about a 15 minute drive from where I live. It's pretty centrally located within town. It's kind of in a, it's across the street from a university. There are a number of high schools in the area. It's kind of, it's in a residential neighbourhood. It's pretty centrally located to anybody in Louisville.
Melissa Ellis: So 122 events, that's roughly what, a couple of years?
Geoff Glaab: Yeah, so we had a full 2019. So we've only been able to celebrate one birthday. We didn't have a birthday in 2020 or 2021. So we're hoping to have a big bash come April of this year.
Melissa Ellis: And I saw that you ran your first Christmas Day parkrun last weekend.
Geoff Glaab: That's right. We actually just had our first New Year's Day parkrun. They had never done one of the extra New Year's Day parkruns either prior to this year.
Melissa Ellis: So that was both new to yourself and the event.
Geoff Glaab: I had done a New Year's Day parkrun when I was in Tucson at Himmel Park and I did one, in 2019, but this was our first Joe Creason New Year's Day parkrun. I don't think that any of the guys knew that we were able to do a Thanksgiving and a New Year's Day parkrun. It just happened to fall on a Saturday this year, but it's like, why not squeeze 54 parkruns in a year if we possibly can? They're free.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah, so that's a point. So you usually have your Thanksgiving extra event as opposed to the UK and Australia where we hold our extra event for the year on Christmas Day.
Geoff Glaab: That's right, yeah.
Melissa Ellis: Were you locked down still for Thanksgiving or were you back?
Geoff Glaab: We were back. So we came back. Our first run back was number 97 on the 17th of July in 21. So we were already back and going pretty good for Thanksgiving. So we were able to have two in the same week that week, Thursday and Saturday.
Melissa Ellis: Excellent.
Geoff Glaab: Yeah, it was a really rainy day for Thanksgiving. I mean, we didn't know who would turn out, but some of our some of our new regulars came out. We've had some pretty bad luck with rain the last probably six to eight Saturdays. But it was fun just to have everybody come out that morning.
Melissa Ellis: So you're in winter at the moment?
Geoff Glaab: That's right. Yeah. Today was the first really cold day. But yeah, the first day of winter was a couple of weeks ago.
Melissa Ellis: So the USA is very spread out with its events. I believe now there are 49 events with another one looking set to launch soon.
Geoff Glaab: I don't know anything about that one. Do you know anything about that one?
Melissa Ellis: Well, I looked on the parkrun website and it says Dr. Bill Hammond Trails parkrun.
Geoff Glaab: Okay, yeah, that one's counted in the 49, but it hasn't launched yet. Okay. By my count, since the return, there have been three that haven't resumed and then there was one that resumed and then quickly shut down. So by my count, I keep a spreadsheet and I count them as active if they held an event in the last four weeks. So we've got about 44 active ones right now in the US.
Melissa Ellis: Okay. Very good. Do you have ambitions to do more touristing?
Geoff Glaab: 100%, yes. So my daughter and dog and I went, drove to Knoxville, Tennessee to go to Third Creek Greenway parkrun the Saturday before Christmas. And it was 250 miles there, 250 miles back. So kind of, you know, taking your lead there and trying to get up before the crack of dawn and go check out a free 5k ride. What I'm trying to do right now is go around and support those smaller parkruns like ours. I mean, in the U.S., they're all small comparatively, but we have some that when you look at the turnout every week, we're usually down toward the bottom. So I just kind of want to go and meet the same kind of people that are trying to keep smaller parkruns going. Because, you know, it really just takes the same people that, you know, if the same people decide to get up every Saturday to do this, if they decide one day, hey, I'm not going to do this, that parkrun could die in full, you know what I mean I'm sure it's the same in Australia yeah would you be disappointed that you didn't make it to Crissy Field oh yeah oh absolutely that that's that's a huge one that I missed out on but you know uh they have another one uh out there that that looks pretty good too so I'm making plans to go to San francisco this year so maybe I'll check out that one's called Byxbee yep we've had connection with Byxbee a couple of times we've spoken to Byxbee on the pod oh great okay we're old mates so with them over there Oh, cool, cool. All right. Now, it looks like a nice course. I mean, it's not really close to San Francisco. It kind of looks like it on the map, but I think it's probably about a 45-minute drive, or I don't even know if there's a train that goes down there. I'm crossing my fingers in hopes that there is.
Melissa Ellis: We usually ask for a top three, but I thought we could ask you what your top three events you'd like to get to.
Geoff Glaab: Sure. So, I mean, at the top of my list, I would love to go to New Zealand and do some parkruns. I don't know which ones. There's all the pictures that I see of parkruns in New Zealand. They're either on like a rocky, rugged coast or there are huge mountains in the background. And, you know, Australia. I looked at Shellharbour. That's Ollie's parkrun, right? Yes, it is. Yes. That one looks incredible.
Melissa Ellis: Had to get a mention. Yeah.
Geoff Glaab: That one looks really beautiful. It's on the beach, right?
Melissa Ellis: Yeah, it is. Although they're just getting a new course where they won't actually run on the sand. Oh, no. Newsday was, we believe, the last opportunity that they got to run on the sand.
Geoff Glaab: Oh, no.
Melissa Ellis: We have other parkruns in Australia that have beach sections as well.
Geoff Glaab: I guess it's just called the beaches. I was looking at that one. Yeah, I mean, when I can't sleep on Friday nights, I'm usually on Australian parkrun Instagram. We can help the results coming in and stuff. So, yeah, there's just some absolutely beautiful courses over there. My wife is a little afraid of Australia because most of the stories that we get in the U.S. are about, you know, crazy animals that we don't have, you know, reptiles and things that are invading people's homes or whatever. Yeah.
Melissa Ellis: I think, though, I asked Emma Keir when I interviewed her about bears because, see, we don't have bears.
Geoff Glaab: I remember that, yeah.
Melissa Ellis: She's like, no, no, we're in, you know, suburbia. But, yeah, I know overseas it can just the way the countries are portrayed in the media, you can think that we're all the outback and we have kangaroos jumping down our street.
Geoff Glaab: Well, you do have kangaroos in the city park, so I do see those.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah, so if you go to Westerfolds, you'll see kangaroos on the course in my juniors event too. We have kangaroos.
Geoff Glaab: Oh, wow. Yeah. So the kids are just used to seeing kangaroos? They don't like flip out when they see kangaroos?
Melissa Ellis: No, no, they don't flip out, common yeah I just wonder when when you get used to seeing something like that we get a little bit more excited about koalas around here because we don't have as many koalas in the trees but certain parkruns do like over in South Australia there's a few parkruns that always have koalas visible on the course so oh wow that would be incredible okay well you have to send me some of those then so No worries. Yes.
Geoff Glaab: This is going to have to be a retirement trip or something like that. Yeah.
Melissa Ellis: Well, you need to follow Locky or parkrun in South Australia.
Geoff Glaab: Okay. All right. I will.
Melissa Ellis: Now, in your second email that you sent to us, you asked about Australia's use of the acknowledgement of country. And I thought you might like to talk a little bit about your interest in that.
Geoff Glaab: That's just something that I've, you know, wondered about just as we're kind of, you know, learning more about the land that we're on. And I was just curious if there were parkruns and especially in Australia, you know, you guys have the same sort of history with the indigenous population that we do here in America. Yeah, where anywhere you stand in America is sacred land that was lived on by people hundreds and thousands of years prior to us. And, you know, I didn't know if that was something that was normal that you said, you know, we call it, I guess, a land acknowledgement here. You know, we're standing on sacred such and such land. It was just more out of curiosity to see if that was a commonplace occurrence over there, because I'd never heard of it over here. But again, I don't know very many Run Directors or anybody who would be interested in that over here.
Melissa Ellis: Well, I think as I did reply to you in my email, it's something that's voluntary for the event teams to do. I'd have to say in my experience, most events do do it, but I know not all do. So I was at McLean Beach parkrun in New South Wales on Saturday and there was an acknowledgement of country and we do it at my junior event. I know Shellharbour does a very good acknowledgement of country as well. Okay.
Geoff Glaab: Does it just depend on if it's a more kind of Aboriginal area? If there are certain areas of the country that would do it more, yeah.
Melissa Ellis: I don't think so. I think it's really just perhaps at the time that the event was set up, whether it was, you know, just included in the run brief that was put together. I think events would tend to usually stick to the same pre-written run brief. So if it wasn't included originally, maybe no one's sort of come along and thought, oh, we should add that in now. I mean, this is just my opinion. Changes in Event Directors over time, perhaps that's something that will get updated. Maybe parkrun will encourage it more down the track. It's an interesting idea as to why it's optional.
Geoff Glaab: Yeah, I mean, you know, the essential ethos of parkrun is that it's inclusive. And it just it just seemed it kind of seems like an easy, you know, we would call it a layup in basketball, you know, just like an easy thing that we could do to make more people feel welcomed. You know, if it wasn't every week, if it was just the first Saturday of the month or whatever, that we included that in the run briefing. or something like that. I was just kind of spitballing and curious to see if anybody else had considered doing that. And it turns out that you all are doing that. So that's really cool.
Melissa Ellis: I was interested in the blog post that you did share with us as well. That was coming from the perspective of an indigenous person in Australia saying how it did have an effect on them when there was the acknowledgement of country at the beginning of the event that, and there was even flags as well.
Geoff Glaab: Yeah, right.
Melissa Ellis: So that's good to hear that perspective. And if we have a platform where Event Directors might hear us and say, oh, we don't actually do an acknowledgement, maybe we should think about including that.
Geoff Glaab: Right. I mean, you know, because we'll say, you know, we want to thank the local park department or the council or whatever the local government is.
Melissa Ellis: Well, Geoff, thank you for joining us on the podcast and telling us more about Joe Creason parkrun. I hope we'll hear from you regularly and I look forward to following your tourism journey.
Geoff Glaab: Oh, thank you so much for having me. I really enjoy the podcast.
Melissa Ellis: And, Ollie, I had a wonderful chat with Geoff. He was so lovely to talk to and so enthusiastic about parkrun tourism over there in the USA. And hopefully he's going to keep in touch.
Oliver Spake: Thank you, Mel, for chatting to Geoff. And it's great to hear from someone who's clearly a big supporter of parkrun over there. So one day, Mel, one day, hopefully. We'll experience parkrun USA.
Melissa Ellis: Yep.
Oliver Spake: Yeah.
Melissa Ellis: And we've got mates now at Joe Creason to add to our Byxbee and Lillie list.
Oliver Spake: That's right. Yes, it grows.
Dazza's
Melissa Ellis: But, Ollie, we've got a condensed version, a summer series of Dazza's this week.
Oliver Spake: Yes, that's right. So, look, we've got two weeks to catch up on. We really enjoyed the highlights from Dazza's. So we hope we can do justice to the highlights of the highlights. Yes. What were we calling it? The big bash version, Mel. It is, yes. Yes, the five overs.
Melissa Ellis: The reduced overs of Dazza's.
Oliver Spake: Yep, that's a cricket reference for any of our international listeners that may not be familiar with that particular round ball game.
Melissa Ellis: And Ollie and I have chosen a top five Dazza's game. Comments from the last two weeks.
Oliver Spake: Yes. And again, that's not meaning to exclude any of those that contributed and didn't make the five, but we hope we can share a bit of the fun of the day. So look, Mel, I'll get us started.
Melissa Ellis: Okay. I was just going to jump in and say it was tough to cull them.
Unidentified speaker: Yeah.
Oliver Spake: It was very tough, very tough. I don't like culling. So don't be surprised if we're back to the full five-day test series next week. So New Year's Day, I'll kick us off. Bowl, you need a bowl. Yeah, the new bowl. All right, Chris Fraser, who is, of course, not just friend of the pod but our artistic director, found something I lost on February 6th last year, and Chris did share the photo in front of what I believe was the caravan with the very aptly named Statesman written there proudly behind him. So congratulations, Chris, and welcome back to the Statesman Club. I think he's got to do a bit of work to maintain that now.
Melissa Ellis: Hopefully he's back at work on the pod next week, this week, this week even.
Oliver Spake: Yes. Yeah, I'm not sure about my photo editing skills there, Mel. You did a fantastic job last time, but we look forward to his return. Our next guest at Dazza's was Isaac Hill, who shared, made it down to Shellharbour and tackled the big hills. Can confirm it's the most scenic parkrun in New South Wales so far, but you do pay the price. And Isaac and his dad made a nice six-hour round trip down on New Year's Eve to come and enjoy the hills at Shellharbour before that opportunity went away. So thank you so much, Isaac. And they did manage to get a photo with a selfie frame.
Melissa Ellis: Was your criteria of your five to get more Shellharbour mentions into the pod?
Oliver Spake: I'm glad you picked up on the theme, yes. Next up, changing it up a bit, but because we did enter 2022 and some of our parkrunners really know how to put the style in parkrun. Val Warwick was one of them. And Val shared, I rocked 22.2's first day sporting the volley orange vest over my 2022 rundown undershirt and under my parkrun visor. Think I have covered everything on a hot Devonport morning. Fantastic work.
Melissa Ellis: Mm-hmm.
Oliver Spake: Next up, Mel, an experience you were familiar with, Abigail's mum. Happy New Year, adventurers, from Deniliquin. We're enjoying our coffee in the lovely, relaxed small-town atmosphere post a very warm McLean's Beach parkrun. It's been a wonderful start to the New Year, even with a small panic from she who shall remain nameless, who locked herself in the loo and nearly didn't make the start.
Melissa Ellis: She's still laughing at me about that. We had a good giggle today at juniors. Well, everybody else had a giggle.
Oliver Spake: You didn't giggle?
Melissa Ellis: Well, it is kind of funny.
Oliver Spake: It's one of those things you can laugh about afterwards, surely.
Melissa Ellis: Everybody's going to have a toilet story.
Oliver Spake: Oh, yes, yes, yeah. Oh, that has me worried, yeah. And finally, Janet Reid. Hi, Dazza. I had the best day ever. I did a thing. My parkrun family are just the best. I had a cape, a tiara, beads, music, cupcakes, bubbles, and pizza, and so many cheering me over the finish line. Nothing could beat it. Two twos and... and a 250 to kick off 2022. I am beyond grateful. Happy New Year, Dazza, and to all my fellow adventurers. And congratulations to Janet on her 250 milestone.
Melissa Ellis: Congratulations, Janet. Now, my top five.
Oliver Spake: Yes, fast forward.
Melissa Ellis: Fast forward. This is the second innings, is it? Or, yes? Change sides?
Oliver Spake: Change sides. There we are.
Melissa Ellis: Yes. Okay. Ingrid Botha. RD at Dolls Point, the most beautiful parkrun in Sydney. Fight me. It's been so long I forgot there was a special RD vest and so wore an orange one. It tells you how well parkrun have done to keep things simple that everything else was just so easy to pick up from where we left off. And there was a very happy photo posted of a masked Ingrid. Yes, and we heard from Pippa White. Hey, Dazza, warm food, please. Latte to wrap my hands around. Newbury parkrun on Greenham Common in my 22-2. Car park marshal before, arranged to meet friends, and as is the case when touring, met up with other friends and made new friends. Mostly dry for parkrun. Steadily wetter while nottie completed after a happy, joyful morning. And Pippa posted a photo of herself looking very soggy, showing a very wet event. And we heard from Sam Schroder. Happy? Sam is happy. Luke zoomed along the beaches in a fabulous time and I very happily tail walked with the Pohlmans for company. That's a gold ticked off the wish list for sure. And it was a lovely photo of Sam and Luke posing on the beaches in front of the parkrun flag.
Oliver Spake: Yes, yes.
Melissa Ellis: And I noticed Sam was in runners, so she didn't get her feet wet.
Oliver Spake: Ah, yes, and that looks like it's been hard. No, scratch that. Sorry.
Melissa Ellis: I think Sam carefully chose her tides for her visit.
Oliver Spake: Yes, yes. My mind was going back to the storm erosion, but I was actually remembering an old photo. But, yeah, well done. And, yeah, well done on the time too, Luke.
Melissa Ellis: And Pohlmans in attendance added bonus.
Oliver Spake: Ah, yes.
Melissa Ellis: And, Ollie, we heard from Roberta Winters. Last-minute change of location. Caught the early-minute train down from Brisbane CBD and went to Lota parkrun. Felt special. Kurt got the parkrun sign out to take a pic for me. Great little parkrun. And there was a picture of Roberta with the selfie frame at Lota. Nice. Yes. Welcome, Roberta. Welcome to Dazza's. And the last ball, Ollie. Last ball, we've got Mark Scarborough. Marvellous, Mark.
Unidentified speaker: Oh, how apt is that?
[other]
Melissa Ellis: I just bleeped that. Oh, my goodness.
Oliver Spake: That's a six off the final ball, yes.
Melissa Ellis: We need to say something about two for two, two, two.
Oliver Spake: Yes.
Melissa Ellis: Nick got her parkrun in today at Wagi Bridge with a Wagi Bridge parkrun PB. As is customary here, she is leading the group across the bridge with another Nicole celebrating with her as well. And a lovely photo of the procession of parkrunners walking to the start line across the Wagi Bridge with Nick and Nicole leading the way.
Oliver Spake: What a tradition. That's fantastic. And congratulations, Nicole, too. Yes.
Melissa Ellis: So that's it for our cricket-themed Dazza's.
Oliver Spake: Finishing with a century. Yes.
Melissa Ellis: Oh, dear. Couldn't have timed. I fluked that. I'm still amazed that I fluked that. Never mind.
Oliver Spake: No, look, thank you to everyone who joined us at Dazza's over the break. It was a nice way of keeping in touch and seeing what you were all up to, particularly as I do lift my parkruns vicariously through you all. So I was watching and I was really enjoying it. So thank you all. Mel, what I have noticed from our roving reports is that they're on point as well. They're celebrating, I think, a new theme, a New Year's theme, I should say. Our three roving reports do have a bit of a new theme, you know, new course, new park ruts, new approaches. So let's see if people can pick up on that.
Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew
Oliver Spake: Let's have a listen.
Roving report Lyndell Murray — Zillmere
Lyndell Murray: G'day parkrun adventurers, it's Lyndell and it's New Year's Day and I'm at Zillmere with Mark and Tim, the Event Director and Run Director, I hope that's right, I don't know what I'm saying here, I'm just making it up as I go along which is what we do on the parkrun adventurers. G'day guys, how are you going today?
Mark - Event Director, Zillmere parkrun: Good thank you.
Lyndell Murray: And a big day today for you Mark?
Mark - Event Director, Zillmere parkrun: Yeah, 300 today.
Lyndell Murray: That's awesome, well done, how did that feel?
Mark - Event Director, Zillmere parkrun: it would have been better if it wasn't so wet. The council made the lawn.
Lyndell Murray: Yes. I was a bit worried. You often have to cancel here under wet circumstances, and I checked the Facebook page anxiously because my friend has also had a big day doing her 250, but we're on.
Mark - Event Director, Zillmere parkrun: Yeah, Tim and I had to do a big clean-up this morning in the causeway, but it was good.
Lyndell Murray: Well done and thank you. There probably was a few tourists here getting their Zed as well being the Christmas holidays. You have launched a new course since the last time I spoke to you. So how's that going? Have you had good feedback? What's the story with the new course?
Tim - Run Director, Zillmere parkrun: We have had very positive feedback in relation to the course. We've moved away from the soccer club and we have a bit more independence here of this course. A two-lap out and back course is very well received. Very positive feedback I must say. I think we have our own space. It feels more comfortable. People enjoy the space we have here. We still have access to the toilets up at the soccer club so it's a short walk and it's well received.
Lyndell Murray: Best of both worlds. So it's two laps now instead of one big lap with a few different laps around an oval. It's simpler, do you think?
Tim - Run Director, Zillmere parkrun: It is. It's a lot more straightforward. It's just, like I said, two laps out and back. It's all on grass. You don't cross any roads. You don't share a cycle path. It's 99% on grass and it's a good trailer.
Lyndell Murray: It is a really nice, sort of like a cross-country run, and there's not so many of those around. So I think people enjoy that too, don't they?
Tim - Run Director, Zillmere parkrun: They do. I think the feedback is overwhelming, being that it's a simplistic course, it's very straightforward, and, yeah, it's a way in which you're more at one with nature.
Lyndell Murray: Yep, and your independence, that must be nice as well. Sometimes things, you know, when you're sharing facilities, it doesn't always work so well, does it? Unfortunately, it should, but sometimes it's not so great. I don't know whether that's the situation you're in here, but it probably feels nice to have your own space.
Mark - Event Director, Zillmere parkrun: It does, yeah, it does. And we've got all the trees and stuff and people sitting around in the shade after the runs. It's a lot better over here.
Tim - Run Director, Zillmere parkrun: Yeah, we have found that after the runs, people are lingering around after for more of a chat and a get-together, and the environment's well suited to that.
Unidentified speaker: Yeah.
Lyndell Murray: Great. All right. Well, thank you guys for having a chat. Is there anything else? Would any of you like to talk to me about your parkrun journey? How did you get into parkrun?
Tim - Run Director, Zillmere parkrun: I was running, it was just something I did on a weekly basis, and I like the idea of being able to run a set course or distance, and you'd be running against yourself rather than other people, and I've enjoyed it since. Came to Zillmere because I wanted a small course that was close to home. We don't get numbers between, say, 40 and 60 on a weekly basis, so there's good variety. We get a lot of visitors, there's lots of stories to be told and heard, so it's just a lovely environment, and the Run Directors here are a very supportive group of each other, and yeah, it just gels really well.
Lyndell Murray: And so how long have you been run directing here?
Tim - Run Director, Zillmere parkrun: Well, probably two years, just under two years. Yeah, no, I really enjoyed the experience. It can be somewhat daunting jumping out in front of people, but like I said, numbers are between 40 and 60 for us, so it's never a huge crowd and most of their familiar faces if they're the regulars, so it's been quite a good experience, yeah.
Lyndell Murray: So it's put you out of your comfort zone a little bit. You've learned a few new skills, would you say? Yeah.
Tim - Run Director, Zillmere parkrun: I think, yeah, there are elements of being able to adapt to changing circumstances and run with things. But no, invariably, we have a very safe, happy course. And so there's not much in the way of dramas other than having to do an early morning walk now and then to clear debris or to make assessment whether it's too wet or not. But, yeah, it's a very good course, yeah.
Lyndell Murray: Terrific. Well, thank you guys for having a chat with me on the parkrun adventurers. No worries. And all the best for continuing to welcome tourists from all over the world to do a Zed course.
Tim - Run Director, Zillmere parkrun: Lovely. Thank you.
Lyndell Murray: Alrighty, parkrun adventurers, I think I will leave it there from Zillmere parkrun on New Year's Day. The rain is unfortunately closing in on us, so I will leave it there. I wish all of the parkrun adventurers and the listeners a really terrific new year and happy 2022 to you all. This is Lyndell signing out for the Channel 5 News crew on the parkrun adventurers.
Roving report Adrian — Peppertree
Adrian Hillyer: G'day Parker, and this is Adrian from Peppertree here, and I'm with Brendan Peel, who's a tourist at Peppertree today.
Brendan Peel: Brendan, what brings you to Peppertree today? Short answer is Wilson number 32. Also, Peppertree, it's a very hot, dry day today. Peppertree, like the name suggests, heaps of peppercorn trees and very, very shady along the Werribee River. To be honest, it's probably as good as you're going to get on a hot day like this. Thank you, wonderful answer. Where is your home parkrun? It's Albert Melbourne, although I may not have been there for at least two years, but I do have every intention of going back there sometime this year.
Adrian Hillyer: And what's your favourite part of our course?
Brendan Peel: It's probably not one particular part, it's the trees. It's the surface I like and it's mainly shade and it's just nice little gentle ups and downs as you meander along the Werribee River. Any bit that's in the shade, especially today, is definitely my favourite.
Adrian Hillyer: For those who don't know you, have you got an interesting parkrun story or any interesting stats to share with the listeners?
Brendan Peel: I possibly do. Who's to say? I don't want to bore you too much with that because maybe that could be for another day. But yeah, I've done 249 different events and travelled around all over the place and I'm absolutely a parkrun addict. But anyone who is, why not come to Peppertree? It's an awesome place, friendly little run and you can't go wrong.
Adrian Hillyer: All right, Brendan, thanks for your time, and hopefully we'll see you back here sometime. You will. Thanks, Adrian. Thanks, mate.
Roving report Alison Fraser — Otaki River
Alison Fraser (King): Happy New Year, adventurers. It's Alison here reporting in for the Channel 5 News crew from the new Otaki River parkrun in the lower North Island of New Zealand. Now, what better way to start a new year than with a parkrun? So I'm at the finish line with Co-Event Director Mark O'Sullivan. How do you think it went today, Mark?
Mark O'Sullivan: Brilliantly, yeah. It was great to see so many people and a beautiful day for it. Yeah, great way to start the new year.
Alison Fraser (King): Can you tell us the story behind Otaki River parkrun? I know it's been in the works for quite some time.
Mark O'Sullivan: Yeah, probably been in the works for a couple of years, I think. And I guess, you know, for us, we started in 2012 doing parkrun at Lower Hutt. And so when I first started, it was my brother that got me into it and got me to come along. And then I was about 40 and I was probably 112 kilos and My kids were duly following daddy's footsteps and getting overweight and unfit as well. And so then parkrun got me into getting myself fit and the family fit. And yeah, it's kind of a debt that you can't really repay for the people, Richard McChesney actually, who started Lower Hutt parkrun. And so I thought, how great would that be if even one family in Ōtaki was able to have the same life-changing experience of finding some level of fitness for them or their whānau. Yeah, and so that was basically the main reason that we started. It was hopefully for someone in the community to come along and change their life.
Alison Fraser (King): Ōtaki is quite a long way from Lower Hutt. So what's your connection to this community?
Mark O'Sullivan: So we've got a bach up here. So we're up here every weekend at the beach. And so it's our, I'd like to say it's our second home, but to be honest, it's probably more of our first home because the only reason we're still in the Hutt is because we work in Wellington really. So yeah, so we're up here all the time. So it's about an hour away.
Alison Fraser (King): And quite a few of the O'Sullivan family here today.
Mark O'Sullivan: Yeah, yeah, there are. Yep. All of my siblings. So my usual two, one brother and one sister are basically, I think they've done every parkrun event in the country. So they're very regular parkrunners and tourists. And we even got the other two to come out. So my other brother, it's only his second run, I think, today. And my other sister, I think she went past 50 parkruns, I think, at Lower Hutt, so it was good to get her back out here as well.
Alison Fraser (King): And you've got your kids too, volunteering.
Mark O'Sullivan: Yeah, yep, yep. We had... Who volunteered today? Daniel I think was the only volunteer kid of mine today and he was Marshall out on the course. He's done that in the trial parkruns as well and the other three were lucky enough that they actually got to walk or jog the course themselves as well.
Alison Fraser (King): It seems like it's been a really successful day so congratulations on finally getting your launch even though it's been delayed due to Covid.
Mark O'Sullivan: Great, thanks. Yeah, it's been great. Great to see lots of different tourists here, but especially great to see some local people here doing parkrun for the first time, bringing their dogs out, bringing their kids out. Yeah, that's what it's all about. To me, it's all about whānau and getting yourselves healthy and fit. It's great stuff.
Alison Fraser (King): Thank you. So 111 finishes for today's launch of Ōtaki River parkrun in the Lower North Island. Now Ōtaki is a small town. It's on the Kapiti Coast, which is the west side of the Lower North Island. The course is an out and back with two, I suppose, licks of the lollipop at the other end. So you run upstream of the river, then you go around a lagoon anti-clockwise and you do that twice and then you run back downstream of the river to the finish. It's all on like loose gravel, so it's not a fast course, but it's absolutely stunning. So if you ever get over to the Lower North Island and you want something slightly different, head over to Ōtaki River.
the Informant
The Informant: This is the informant. These are unofficial stats. They are only current at the time they are collected, and may differ from the stat you read elsewhere. The spreadsheet has rested and we're glad to be back. First stat of the year, dating from January 1. There were 10 runners worldwide who ran a time of 20.22 on the first day of 2022. 8 in the UK and 2 in Australia. Stats from the 8th of January are as follows. There were 418 runs held down under. 382 in Australia and 27 in New Zealand. This was out of 1,566 worldwide. Aussie New Zealand attendance was 34,132 out of 164,700 worldwide. There were five launches, one in Victoria, one in New South Wales and three in the United Kingdom. Interesting stat, Australia now has the three longest parkrun names in the world. Glass House Mountains Conservation parkrun held the record for quite some time with 34 letters. Not too long ago that mark was beaten by Leeton Sport and Recreation Precinct with 36 letters. Well this week the Victorians decided to go one better with Frankston Nature Conservation Reserve now holding the title with 37 letters. Down under we had 2,743 PBs, while 1,622 people participated for the first time. 67 juniors reached their junior 10 milestone, 187 people reached their 50 milestone, 107 reached their 100 milestone, and 25 people reached their 250 milestone. Due to my break, the next stats are a bit of a blend of the last three weekends. Some people might not get reported, others, such as the Wilson, could have multiple movements added together. We'll get back to regular programming next week. 13 people called bingo. Caroline Kramer was the quickest with 181 runs, while Jeff Cooper was slowest on 314 runs. There were six new statespeople. Peter Brown, Alexandra Young, Judith Blake, and Brian Farrelly in the ACT. Michelle DeBrem in South Australia, and Glenn Moore in Tasmania. In the top 20 most events list, Kevin Miller moves up to 15th. Kathleen Wallington and Dave Messenger both move up to 12th, and Robin Wishworth moves up to 7th. Biggest overall mover is Rafa War, who moved up 19 places to 218. There's always a lot of Wilson Index movement when we have a launch event, and this week is no different, with 293 people lifting their index. Roslow is the biggest mover, jumping 39 to beyond 69, and also moves them to third on the South Australian state ranks. That's it for an easy transition back to the weekly routine. If you want to see a full breakdown of the weekly stats, you can download them from my blog at theinformant.me. That's www.theinformant.me or look for The Informant on Facebook. This has been The Informant and my spreadsheet is bigger than yours.
Melissa Ellis: And three roving reports there, Ollie. Firstly, we heard from Lyndell at Zillmere doing or interviewing, I should say, Mark and Tim, the ED and the RD. Mark had completed his 300th event and they've launched a new course there.
Oliver Spake: Yeah, now I have to get back to Zillmere.
Melissa Ellis: A new two-lap course. And we also heard from Adrian out at Peppertree. Now, Adrian is the ED there and he's got a new twist on a roving report. His idea is have the tourists come to you. So he was there interviewing none other than the man himself in Brendan Peel.
Oliver Spake: Yes, I like that approach. Thank you, Adrian. I might have to use that.
Melissa Ellis: And Alison at Otaki, at the Otaki parkrun launch. I hope I said that right. I did try to get the pronunciation correct. Interviewing the co-ED Mark O'Sullivan.
Oliver Spake: Yeah. So great to see another member of the parkrun New Zealand family there. And thank you, Alison, and all of our roving reporters for sharing with us. Did you pick up the vague theme there, Mel? The new aspect to each of those roving reports?
Melissa Ellis: It was a stretch.
Oliver Spake: Yes, it was a bit of a stretch. And look, probably, no, there's no probably about it, absolutely remiss of me, I didn't introduce our informant. And that may or may not have been because there was no linkage to the new or just because the informant was on holiday.
Melissa Ellis: Out of mind, out of sight. Out of mind, out of sight.
Oliver Spake: It's great to have you back.
Melissa Ellis: Yes.
Oliver Spake: So thank you very much.
Melissa Ellis: But moving along, Ollie. Yes. Our Adventurers Club. Has grown. We are up to 84 members. Hooray. Hooray. And interestingly, if we get to 210 members, Ollie, we can make it on the Australian Biggest Clubs list. I didn't even know there was such a thing.
Oliver Spake: Oh, yes, yes. Every time I forget the link and I go trying to find it, I then remember, oh, we're not on that list. We can't go that way.
Melissa Ellis: But that's a goal. We can make that a goal. Do you reckon we could do that by the end of the year?
Oliver Spake: Yes. Yeah, of course. I mean, it's not necessarily up to us. It's up to the parkrun adventurers. But the number's achievable. And we've got to make it manageable steps, Mel. So my question is, who's going to be number 100? Ooh. Who's going to be our black shirt Adventurers Club member.
Melissa Ellis: Yes, we'll have to celebrate that. We could give them an Obi.
Oliver Spake: Well, because we haven't handed one out this week.
Melissa Ellis: No, we haven't. But it was a little bit hard to do that in the summer series.
Oliver Spake: Yes, that's right. Yeah, yeah, that's the long form of the game. But great. Yes.
Consolidated Club Report
Oliver Spake: And very good showing on the Consolidated Club Report.
Melissa Ellis: Yes, we had 71 members, Ollie. And can I just say, we had adventurers at five events in the UK, which were Silksworth, Lloyd parkrun Croydon, Newbury, Woodley, and oh dear, Chiodal Hume? Holm.
Oliver Spake: I haven't checked the spelling. I'm sorry, Mel.
Melissa Ellis: Oh, that's my fault. And it's also possibly my bad handwriting. But Juliette Colville, if you're listening and you want to let us know how to pronounce the event that you went to on Saturday.
Oliver Spake: Is it Cheadle? Cheadle Hulme?
Melissa Ellis: Oh, is that supposed to be double E?
Oliver Spake: E-A.
Melissa Ellis: Oh, okay. It's like an O.
Oliver Spake: Not my handwriting, by the way.
Melissa Ellis: Okay, yes. Okay, that's it. And in New Zealand, we had Pegasus, Cambridge and Greytown Woodside, Greytown Woodside Trail even, represented by our adventurers. And, Ollie, Johan Duvenhage over in South Africa, he was at, how do you say it, Johan?
Lyndell Murray: Hi, Mel. It's pronounced Grunewaida.
Melissa Ellis: Yes, so three different countries.
Oliver Spake: Good help goes a long way. Yes. Great work, everyone. What an effort spanning the world. Hopefully we will see more and more adventurers out there on the Club Report.
Melissa Ellis: We need another country, Ollie, to get onto the tourist.
Oliver Spake: Geoff? Geoff, are you listening?
Melissa Ellis: Oh, yes. Yes. Geoff, you need to join me.
Oliver Spake: We need you.
Melissa Ellis: What is it when you've done four countries and you get a badge?
Oliver Spake: A world tourist. Yeah, you're a world tourist.
Melissa Ellis: We need a world tourist badge for our adventurous club. We need you, Geoff.
Oliver Spake: But we can include Australia in that.
Melissa Ellis: Oh.
Oliver Spake: But we want to expand the numbers anyway. Sorry. Oh, we do, yes. Minute detail. Smallest of detail.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah, shh.
Oliver Spake: Yeah, insignificant, tiny detail. Yes.
Melissa Ellis: Goodness me. We need to talk about Palm, Ollie.
Oliver Spake: Yes, we do. We do. There are still some very important decisions to be taken on Palm, and we don't want anyone to miss the opportunity to, I don't know, contribute a few ideas, see the lowdown, get all the latest updates. So how would they do it, Mel?
Melissa Ellis: Thank you for asking, Ollie. What we need them to do is jump over to the parkrun adventurers listener meetup page and join that and give an indication if they're coming to the event. Yes. So we will use that page to create all the events over the weekend separately to get numbers for who's coming and who's not. And we can also find a way, we hope, to maybe create a poll and And get some feedback on a theme for the Saturday night dress-up.
Oliver Spake: Yes.
Melissa Ellis: Now, have you had any ideas yet, Ollie?
Oliver Spake: No. Look, I'd be lying if I said I had. What about you, Mel?
Melissa Ellis: Oh, I always have ideas. I like the idea of a superhero theme. I was also thinking something nautical.
Oliver Spake: Uh-huh.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah.
Oliver Spake: To suit the location.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah. Yeah. Down there at Bellerive. It could also be cricket.
Oliver Spake: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Melissa Ellis: Being that it's 222. Well, it isn't. It's 2022, but that's inconvenient to have that zero.
Oliver Spake: Another insignificant detail. Yes. That's all right.
Melissa Ellis: And we're going to be near Bellerive Oval.
Oliver Spake: Yes. So some good options there. I'm sure that our listeners will have a lot of other helpful ideas as well. So, yeah, feel free to just start up the chat too. If you don't see the poll in time for your ideas, just send them forward.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah, message us if you like.
Oliver Spake: Yes, but we do look forward to that.
Melissa Ellis: We like emails.
Oliver Spake: Yeah, we do. We love emails. And yeah, look, aside from that, Mel, I suppose on the page, as you said, there'll be the details of everything going on across the weekend, hoping that that helps in making the plans if you haven't already made those plans, which hopefully, hopefully don't come unstuck due to the ever-changing circumstances for us all.
Melissa Ellis: And unfortunately, Ollie, we do have to report that the event that we were hoping to do on the Sunday, we've had word that that event is no longer going ahead.
Oliver Spake: Yes.
Melissa Ellis: So we also have to come up with an activity for the Sunday morning.
Oliver Spake: Yes.
Melissa Ellis: Now, I've come up with an idea. Yeah. So I was really hoping that Jack and Claire might be joining us for Palm, and I thought how good would it be if they got married on the same day?
Oliver Spake: You've run this past them, of course.
Melissa Ellis: Oh, I'm sure they'll be on board because you have to have ceremonies for all your families, don't you? And this would just be like their parkrun family ceremony. That could be the dress-up theme, Ollie. We could all be like bridesmaids.
Oliver Spake: Yes, parkrun wedding. Yes.
Melissa Ellis: And Steve could do the ceremony, couldn't he?
Oliver Spake: Well, look, I think that would be a fantastic option.
Melissa Ellis: A beach wedding.
Oliver Spake: I'm full of good ideas. Well, I hear the beach is free now, so, yeah.
Melissa Ellis: this oh goodness yeah let us know what you think about that guys or any other suggestions
Oliver Spake: Yeah, we will see. Rest assured we will certainly plan in something for the Sunday morning to continue the fun before we say our goodbyes on the Sunday.
Melissa Ellis: Is that a wedding march?
Oliver Spake: I can't remember.
Melissa Ellis: But Ollie, Ollie. Yes. Are you doing something exciting this Saturday?
Oliver Spake: Well, I've forgotten exactly when my last parkrun was, but I'm hoping to do a parkrun this Saturday. I'm hoping. I'm not quite at the planning stage because it feels like it's something that shouldn't be banked on. But if all the ducks line up, any that aren't in the Eynesbury Heritage Trail junior parkrun puddle, if all the ducks line up, then I do hope to be going to a new parkrun and chasing a few special numbers.
Melissa Ellis: That's exciting. And we should add that it is actually Sunday evening that we're recording. So it is actually a long way away for you for planning stages. I don't think you're the sort of person like me that has two months parkruns ahead already planned out.
Oliver Spake: Oh, you see, I plan, but I plan in an iterative fashion with lots of scenarios and with a pessimistic view on the world. So there needs to be lots go wrong first before I trust that that plan will go ahead. I'll make the plan. I'll activate the plan at about 2 a.m. Saturday.
Melissa Ellis: Do you have those Venn diagrams that go, I can just see your plan, you know, do the kids have sport? Yes.
Oliver Spake: Then I'll do this.
Melissa Ellis: No.
Oliver Spake: Then I'll do that. But it's also, will the kids actually make it to sport?
Melissa Ellis: What will the weather be like?
Oliver Spake: Yes.
Melissa Ellis: And every time the answer's no, it's like go to Shellharbour. Everything points to it.
Oliver Spake: Yeah, you know one of those fantastic flow diagrams that all lines up in the same place.
Melissa Ellis: Is that a Venn diagram or did I use the wrong terminology?
Oliver Spake: No, that one's a little different, but it suits the Venn suits as well.
Melissa Ellis: You knew what I meant. I meant one of those ones that had the yes and the no and the arrows that all point to.
Oliver Spake: Decision tree.
Melissa Ellis: Okay.
Oliver Spake: Yeah.
Melissa Ellis: I just pencil them in and then I bust a gut to get there and I get really grumpy if something stops me and I have to go to plan B.
Oliver Spake: Yes. Now, look, I think the main thing I'm holding out on is, of course, for the uncertainty is just naturally wanting to make sure that the volley roles are filled back home. And if all's clear, I'll pull the lever.
Melissa Ellis: So you're not actually aware that I've teed up a car to turn up at your house and bundle you into the boot at about 6.30am and whisk you off.
Oliver Spake: This is news to me. This is news to me.
Melissa Ellis: Well, let's just all sit and wait in anticipation.
Oliver Spake: Yes, yes. I do hope that I can share the experience. So it would be Yeah, a fantastic morning. What about you, Mel? There's a big week coming up for you.
Melissa Ellis: Should I just say, I just want to interrupt and say, I'm listening to the cicadas. There's lovely ambience coming through your audio, Ollie. Is it a nice, warm Sunday evening where you are?
Oliver Spake: It's balmy. And look, all the windows are shut, but they just, they won't pack it in.
Melissa Ellis: They're loud.
Oliver Spake: They were jealous of the tap, tap, tappies.
Melissa Ellis: I do wonder if the Chihuahuas, so the door's shut and they've been coming, they've been doing not really zoomies, more like mainies, mainies up and down the hallway.
Oliver Spake: Just cruise down, yep.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah, so I don't know if that'll come through in the audio, probably will.
Oliver Spake: Yes. We hope it's felt like a very summery podcast, particularly for our international listeners in the Northern Hemisphere, just to warm things up a bit. It's very barmy here.
Melissa Ellis: When you said barmy, I'm thinking, oh, barmy army, another cricket reference.
Oliver Spake: That's it.
Melissa Ellis: Don't talk about the war. Was there a result today?
Oliver Spake: I don't know.
Melissa Ellis: Let's assume there was.
Oliver Spake: Neither of us has drawn the linkage to the duck yet either.
Melissa Ellis: Oh, the puddle was so full today.
Oliver Spake: Yes.
Melissa Ellis: Oh, the duck is in a duck is in cricket.
Oliver Spake: Yeah, yeah. Yep, yep. However, I haven't even asked you how Junior's was, Mel. Oh.
Melissa Ellis: Oh, we were just having so much fun every Sunday morning at Juniors. I can't even remember what we did last week. There's always lots of bubbles involved these days. All the volunteers have bubble sticks as well as streamers. This morning was so exciting that we'd had a lot of rain because, you know, El Niño and unseasonal rain in the middle of summer. The puddle was – I got the report that the puddle was so full it took up most of the track. So there was this little skinny bit of track that the kids had to manoeuvre to get past. And the duck was in a yabby trap. So Adrian, old mate Adrian from Peppertree who did our roving report this week, he was the puddle marshal and he turned up with his yabby trap. So the duck – Poor old Jemima, she was trapped in the yabby trap. But that was his strategy because when she floats, when the puddle's big and she floats, it's like, okay, well, now how do we get her out without stepping in the puddle and getting wet? So it was a good strategy by Adrian.
Oliver Spake: I like the thinking. He's very, very creative this time of the year.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah, and there was more than one puddle, multiple puddles.
Oliver Spake: Wow.
Melissa Ellis: So it was lots of fun down at Juniors.
Oliver Spake: Yeah.
Melissa Ellis: And we had 27 kids. That was big for us.
Oliver Spake: That's very big.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah.
Oliver Spake: Well done. And so I trust next week, Mel, you'll be back at Juniors?
Melissa Ellis: Oh, yes, yes, yes. It's our birthday.
Oliver Spake: Happy birthday, Eynesbury.
Melissa Ellis: It's our first anniversary. We're only up to event 28, but it's our birthday. So party hats, there'll be party hats. I'm sure I'll get a party hat suitable for Jemima. We might dress up too. I think I can use my cupcake costume again, Ollie.
Oliver Spake: Fantastic. Good to see you. You pull out brunch. Yes, yes.
Sign-off
Oliver Spake: Give it another run.
Melissa Ellis: Yeah, but next week, Ollie, as you did ask and I went off topic, I am going to go to Event 2 of Frankston Nature Conservation Reserve parkrun, which is a mouthful and I think maybe possibly takes, could take the... Don't give the quiz questions away.
Oliver Spake: Okay. I don't think it takes it I don't think it takes it no Frankston Nature Conservation Reserve that's long haven't counted but but I'm putting my money down okay yep okay well that's where I'm headed fantastic new event yes a number two event number two do you need a number two no I've got lots of twos oh lots greedy
Melissa Ellis: Especially now I'm being a good girl, I'm not going to launches.
Oliver Spake: Well, I hope it's a fantastic morning. Thank you. Yes.
Melissa Ellis: It always is. parkrun always is.
Oliver Spake: It certainly is. But thank you, Mel. After the break, it's been fantastic to catch up once again and to reflect on all of that parkrunning of the last fortnight. There's been a lot go on. Before I continue, I need to issue a retraction, Mel. Oh. We made an assumption. Did we? Yeah, we made an assumption. And where we claimed that the Australians would have won the fourth Ashes test, given that they obliterated the English in the first three, there has been a result. Oh. And if it were not for that last wicket that the English held out and the Australians could not take, it would not have been a draw. But alas, it is.
Melissa Ellis: Okay.
Oliver Spake: So well done to Team England for holding out for the fifth day and drawing the fourth test match.
Melissa Ellis: Well done.
Oliver Spake: And our apologies for boldly assuming that's...
Melissa Ellis: Whoopsies.
Oliver Spake: Yep. Nonetheless, Mel, back to the issue at heart, parkrun. Thank you once again. As always, everyone, you can contact us via Facebook, via email as well, which is parkrunadventurers, all one word, at gmail.com. And that applies for all of your palm suggestions or questions. But we hope to see you jump onto the event page on Facebook. That's it for another week. We'll see you all next week for more adventures.
Unidentified speaker: Thank you.
Unidentified speaker: Hi Mel and Ollie. Today, Hannah, she got her 21 wristband and she came as Captain Marvel. And I was Darth Vader, but I came 20th. And Hannah, she was so awesome. Bye everybody. Stay safe.
[other]