Do Records Matter In Park Run?

Prelude: Hi everyone, this is the first blog post that I am nervous to post as I appreciate this subject is a sensitive one that has raised a lot of emotion over the last week. My only ask is that if you disagree with my opinion, please do it respectfully. I am always open to constructive conversation on any subject so if you want to please reach out!

Do Records Matter In Park Run?

I have been writing a post about the similarities between Park Run and CrossFit for a while. It's been a difficult week for Park Run though so this seems more relevant. They took the decision to remove all course records, first places and other records after controversy about Trans women holding course records. The Trans debate in sport is a sensitive, complex and very emotive topic and this blog post does not intend to go into that. What I will say though is that we need to be exceptionally careful with our language when tackling this topic. I have a strong view that we cannot let the debate about Trans Athletes in competitive sport become a barrier to recreational sport and people, however they identify, being able to live a fit, healthy and happy lifestyle.

Park Run, at its core, is a recreational sporting event aimed to encourage people to exercise in a friendly, welcoming, inclusive and fun environment. There are amazing stories that have come out about the impact of these weekly, global events, all about how people have dramatically changed their physical and mental health as a result. Within that there are also tremendous stories about these events being run by volunteers, bringing together and supporting local communities. There is also the fact that there are Kids Park Runs, my local one occurs every Sunday in the park opposite my flat, and there is a deluge of kids every week taking part. It cannot be disputed that these events help set kids up for an active life right from the get go. Locally, and across lots of communities, the boost local café's get from these events is also huge.

So do records matter? Personal Records, 100%. I have said it before and I will say it again, progress is the best form of motivation you can get. Seeing your time come down every week is a great way to track progress. I have seen people ask why bother tracking times if you are not going to count records? That's the reason. For personal records and that sense of personal achievement. Do course records matter in a recreational, community event where, in many cases the course evolves over time? To the very, very fast runners who take their running seriously, yes they probably do. I certainly acknowledge that this will be a motivator for some people and the thrill of the race is what brings them back every week to see if they can be the first past the post. As for Park Run world records, I think this is a bit of a mute point given the vast differences in terrain, climate and general running conditions across the world. But again we have to remember the purpose of Park Run, this isn't, at its core, a competitive event.

Those who know me know that I am a big advocate for CrossFit and I think there are a lot of similarities between the purpose and goals of the two (more on that in a future post). Those core values and goals often get overshadowed by the focus on the elite in these respective sports and at times this focus in its self can, if not managed well, become a barrier to entry. For instance, seeing someone do super human things on a CrossFit competition floor or run a 15 minute 5k will make the thought of even trying it intimidating for many. Especially when those things feel so far out of reach. I appreciate how the removing of records will have upset people and the reasons why will have raised emotions on every side of the debate. I would argue that this is however a fantastic reset and reminder about the purpose of Park Run. It has immense positive impact on both individuals and communities, so much so Doctors are prescribing it as a resolution for many ailments, both physical and mental. That's the power of  this mass recreational sporting event and it's my view that this far, far outweighs any negative impact felt by  the removal of records.

Andy