Welcome to this week's newsletter
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In this week’s newsletter we talk about tweeting Olympians and the launch of a new parkrun in NZ. Global parkrun record holder Craig Mottram talks London Olympics and we invite you to the Gold Coast for a fantastic running challenge. |
Here the stats are in for last weekend, July 14:
- Ginninderra - 67 runners | 15 first timers | 23 PBs
- Kirra - 52 runners | 8 first timers | 6 PBs;
- Albert - 58 runners | 13 first timers | 9 PBs;
- Newy - 107 runners | 43 first timers | 34 PBs;
- St Peters - 151 runners | 11 first timers | 49 PBs;
- Main Beach - 85 runners | 0 first timers | 0 PBs;
- New Farm - 155 runners | 29 first timers | 33 PBs.
Thanks to our amazing Event Directors, Run Directors, volunteers, adidas and Suncorp Bank for your continued support!
Were you a first timer last weekend, or did you run a personal best? I would love to hear about your experience on tim@parkrun.com.
I am a relatively new arrival in the world of Twitter (@timothyoberg or @parkrun_au) however some of our Event Directors, namely Russ Jefferies (@gindyparkrun or @RussJefferys) and Dave Robertson (@newyparkrun or @_daverobbo) are seasoned professionals. Last week I watched in awe as Russ used Twitter to organize not one, not two, but three high profile attendees at Ginninderra parkrun: the great Robert de Castella (@deek207); Olympian Marty Dent (@martydent); and ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher MLA (@KatyGMLA). I now ‘follow’ each of them on Twitter and their bios are quite interesting and provide some cool insight into who they are and what they do:
Robert de Castella - Marathon1CG82,86;1WC83;WR81-84etc.Deeks Helth Food,Kids helth;IOGKF Sandan; K bells; IMP-Run Sweat Inspire; Run10k 2 get fit.run a mthn 2 chnge ur life!
Martin Dent - Father of three. Husband to Kathie. Marathon runner. Incumbent Olympian. Public servant.
Katy Gallagher MLA - Katy Gallagher is a Canberra mum of 3 who is also ACT Chief Minister, Minister for Health and Minister for Territory and Municipal Services.
I also use Twitter to update our sponsors, adidas (@adidasAU) and Suncorp Bank (@SuncorpBank) on the latest happenings at parkrun and this is also a great way for you to keep up to date, so follow us if Twitter is your thing!
Last Thursday I was lucky enough to interview Brendan Murray, Director of Mezzanine Coaching Agency and of course Event Director at Main Beach parkrun. I met Brendan 18 months ago when I moved to the Gold Coast and have watched him successfully build both his business and our parkrun event. Most importantly, he is great guy and a good mate. Click here to watch the interview.
Finally, I want to say thank you to Tim Gordon aka Kiwi Tim who has left his position as Operations Manager here at parkrun Australia to focus on his personal training business, G Factor. Tim has been involved with parkrun in Australia from the start and has worked closely with our Event Directors and other volunteers to ensure our events and results have always been up to speed, and for that we all thank him and wish him the best.
Tim from parkrun Australia
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A second parkrun arrives in New Zealand!
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The second New Zealand parkrun, and first in Auckland, now has a confirmed start date of 28 July (that's only two weeks away).
The run is on an out and back course in Cornwall Park and is organised by Noel and Lian de Charmoy and their family. Noel and Lian are old friends of parkrun founder, Paul Sinton-Hewitt, and are looking forward to providing parkrun to the Auckland community.
So if you have friends and/or family in Auckland, please share the word and tell them to visit www.parkrun.co.nz to register. And if you happen to be in New Zealand at 8am on a Saturday morning, make sure you have your barcode with you as NZ now has two parkruns with more to come!
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Event launches
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Registrations are live for upcoming event launches in the Gold Coast, Perth and Geelong
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Tomewin Mountain Challenge
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The 2012 Tomewin Mountain Challenge running festival will be held on August 26th in the Currumbin Valley on the Gold Coast and already a number of local parkrunners have entered this unique event. In its second year, the Tomewin Mountain Challenge is the brainchild of Kirra parkrun Event Director Chris van Hoof who saw the need to showcase some of the great running tracks on offer on the southern end of the Gold Coast.
Serious parkrunners can have a crack at the 22km Mountain Challenge as individuals or in a team and enjoy the magnificent scenery as the race winds it's way up to the border between QLD and NSW. This year sees the introduction of the 6km Highland Hurry – another scenic course taking in some of the beautiful surrounds of the Currumbin EcoVillage and incorporating a couple of challenging inclines along the way – a perfect test for those parkrunners looking to step up from their weekly 5km run. The 1km Dash for Duchenne is also a new addition to the weekend and is open to all the younger members of the running community who are happy to help raise some much needed funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
So check out the event website for more information and to watch clips of the spectacular scenery that will be a part of each course.
Chris is also keen to hear from anyone who can volunteer on the day to help with drink stations, timing, marshalling etc. Those available can contact Chris at kirraoffice@parkrun.com.
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Competition - My parkrun
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Even though I’m a bit of a mug with a video camera, I’m sure many of you are not. Thus, I’m hoping that our ‘My parkrun’ competition will prove exciting.
So what is it?
In a nutshell, I want you to put together a short video, no more than 3 minutes in length, that shows your typical parkrun day. It must be uploaded to YouTube and include pre-event (waking up at home, transport etc), during the run (run with the camera or get a mate to record you) and of course the post-run coffee or breakfast. The more fun you can make it the better!
Two lucky winners will receive an adidas running pack (shoes, shorts, shirt) to the value of $300! Entries close July 31 so that leaves only 2 more opportunities to film your entry.
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Craig Mottram – The Road to London
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adidas athlete and 3 time Olympian, Craig Mottram, gives you the London lowdown. The preparation, the emotions, the focus – the video uncovers it all. parkrunners might even take home a few tips from the 5km champion himself. With less than 2 weeks to go, take a look at his journey as he prepares to take to the stage at the biggest event of the year, the London 2012 Olympic Games. Click here to watch.
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Feedback from the field
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Robert de Castella – Thanks to Russ Jefferys, Katy Gallagher and Marty Dent. Good to see Ginninderra parkrun in operation. It is a great addition to the Canberra running community. |
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Chantal Gerardy - I run Vigour Dynamic Fitness on the Gold Coast and have recently incorporated Kirra parkrun into my timetable. This has been a great addition, which has proved to be very popular. Vigour clients and even their family members and friends attend Kirra parkrun, as a team, on the first Saturday of every month, whilst others attend more regularly of their own accord. It is awesome that I receive the parkrun results of any registered team member and am able to keep an eye on each member’s results and progress, no matter which parkrun event they participate at. Having Kirra parkrun on my timetable is proving to be a great team builder, fantastic motivator and an excellent way for myself and my clients to monitor their progress.
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Anderson Moquiuti – To all of the volunteers, I hope you realize just how important parkrun has now become for improving the health and fitness of people all over Australia. You guys do a great job, well done. |
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Tanya Kimber - I am writing on behalf of Zac Kimber to thank parkrun for the amazing adidas pack you gave him. I was at work when Jeremy from Gold Coast Rec and Sport rang to say there was something special for Zac to pick up. Zac's brother Dom took him over to the office. When I came home Zac was beside himself with excitement. Even his brother was laughing how big Zac's smile was. He had everything on and was going for a run. The only thing is that I had kept Zac home from his job at Endeavour Foundation which is a workplace for people with intellectual disabilities that day because he had been very sick. He trains most days for 2 hours after work in swimming. He does not feel the cold and never gets sick and never complains. He has had a big year especially earlier this year after he did 6 PBs at the Nationals in Adelaide. He really had to push himself to make the qualifying times before he went and then broke those times when he was down there. A couple of weeks ago I could tell he was really sick and took him to a doctor who put him straight onto a nebuliser for an hour then gave him 2 Ventolin packs as well as steroids in tablet form. I had kept him home from work, swimming and running so he would rest. So I was astounded when his brother told me Zac wasn't home. He had found out about Trec for Rec so decided he would run there to go in it. Zac cannot read or write and will never be able to drive so he has taken it upon himself to run to places when I am unable to take him or he wants to be independent. He knows he is not supposed to do this but I admire his tenacity. He started running when his swimming coach from school said he had to get some weight off. He used to run around the block 19 times. Why 19? We still don't know but then he got more confident and started to run further and further. He just loves running. Many times I had to go out looking for him but he always knew how to get back home. Zac loves going to the AFL and rugby and can tell you every name and number. He goes to the gym with my sisters and my sisters also love running so put him in his first half marathon a couple of years ago. I was a bit nervous as i wondered how he would cope with so many people but when he knew he had to follow the coloured balloon he was fine and did a 1.30.30. We couldn’t believe it. This year was slower as he had been ill and not trained as much. He looked great in his new gear but got nipple rash which bled all over his new top. I didn't know about this as he had always worn dark clothes and I felt bad that I hadn't prepared him properly but he was more upset because this was his special top. Anyway sorry to be so long winded but he told me about this nice man who ran with him at Trec for Rec who was a pretty good runner. There have been a lot of ups and downs in Zac's life but then something really special happens along the way so thanks parkrun for putting such a big smile on Zac's face. He is very grateful. Aus_2012_07_17_5
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Steve Fairbanks - My name is Steve, I am 45 & have lived in the Gold Coast since my wife & two young daughters emigrated from the UK in late 2008. This is my Parkrun story. It is Friday evening in April 2011, I am being a couch potato having one too many beers & watching nothing much on TV, so I have a look at the free local paper. In it is a story about a new event starting tomorrow morning called Main Beach parkrun. Now having given up on the smokes 4 months earlier, and acquired a few spare tyres around the mid drift, I wanted/needed to start participating in something like this. It's too late to register for the 1st one, but I register & go to the 2nd Main Beach parkrun & do a time of 31.14... knackered, out of breath, didn’t know anybody, what am I doing this for at 7am on a Saturday morning I ask myself, but I enjoyed it! So fast forward to July 2012 & about 30 runs later, well what can I say? Some people ask me why I'm doing this at my age, but I want to show / encourage my children that there more to life then sitting looking at a screen for hours on end. For myself I feel fitter, faster, more confident, have more energy, even lost some weight, my PB is now 24.16. I have competed in 10 & 15k races & did the GC half marathon in under 2 hours & I am only just starting. Although the best thing about parkrun is the atmosphere which is relaxed & friendly & the volunteers do a AWESOME job. I have met some great people & made some good friends along the way. So I say THANK YOU guys its brilliant, you get to run by the ocean on a great course and it is free!! |
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Drop me an email if you have an interesting parkrun related fact, happening or comment that you would like to share with all parkrunners. |
parkrunner of the week
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Name: Rob & Laura Del Ponte
Club: None
Age: 56 (combined)
Home parkrun: Albert parkrun, Melbourne
Occupation: Radiographer & Accountant
Number of runs: 33 (combined)
Number of times volunteered: 4 (combined)
What do you do at parkruns: Rob smashes PBs, Laura keeps an eye out for rain clouds and dreams of the promise of having coffee at Prahran market afterwards
How has parkrun changed your running: Laura had never run before parkrun started, and Rob pushes himself more.
What do you like about parkrun: We actually now look forward to our early Saturday mornings! It's a great atmosphere with lots of friendly people to meet, and is very well organised. Rob once won a pair of adidas runners which was a bonus!
Most memorable or funniest parkrun moment: "Justin parkrun" was the highlight, with Justin and Rob finishing in strong podium positions to commemorate the big 50 parkrun milestone. Funniest moment was when Laura threatened to stay in the car when it was raining one Saturday morning, but then ended up getting out and ripping out a PB!
How can we improve parkrun: How can we improve parkrun: It would be good if volunteers could score more than 300 points in a calendar year...maybe 600 points would be a more appropriate reward.
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Reminders
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Barcode reminder

Barcodes are used at all our events to record your result. No barcode, No result!
All questions answered
Do you have a question about parkrun? How do I get my barcode? All your questions are answered here.
Volunteering at parkrun
We ask every parkrunner to volunteer 3 times a year. When volunteering you receive the maximum number of points towards the yearly competition.
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Children at parkrun
All children under 11 must be supervised by a parent or guardian. Guardians must ensure that children place themselves appropriately so as to prevent a situation where they are being repeatedly overtaken at the start. This is to ensure the safety of your child.
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the parkrun show
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You can download your copy of the parkrun show here. (iTunes)
The parkrun show is the audible roundup of the "goings on" of everything that caught the teams eye from the weekend in parkrunworld.
Brought to you by Marathon Talk.
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Our Sponsors
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all out performance
adidas has been focused on athlete’s performance since the first running spikes were made in the 1920’s earning the first Olympic gold medal in adidas shoes. Today, adidas is proud to be supporting parkrunners everywhere. Explore adidas running adidas.com |
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